A nuzzle of the neck, a stroke of the wrist, a brush of the kneethese caresses often signal a loving touch, but can also feel highly aversive, depending on who is delivering the touch, and to whom. Interested in how the brain makes connections between touch and emotion, neuroscientists at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) have discovered that the association begins in the brain’s primary somatosensory cortex, a region that, until now, was thought only to respond to basic touch, not to its emotional quality.
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Neuroscientists reach major milestone in whole-brain circuit mapping project
Neuroscientists at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) reached an important milestone today, publicly releasing the first installment out of 500 terabytes of data so far collected in their pathbreaking project to construct the first whole-brain wiring diagram of a vertebrate brain, that of the mouse.
Acid in the brain: Team develops new way to look at brain function
University of Iowa neuroscientist John Wemmie, M.D., Ph.D., is interested in the effect of acid in the brain. His studies suggest that increased acidity or low pH, in the brain is linked to panic disorders, anxiety, and depression. But his work also suggests that changes in acidity are important for normal brain activity too.
With fat: What’s good or bad for the heart, may be the same for the brain
It has been known for years that eating too many foods containing “bad” fats, such as saturated fats or trans fats, isn’t healthy for your heart. However, according to new research from Brigham and Women’s Hospital (BWH), one “bad” fatsaturated fatwas found to be associated with worse overall cognitive function and memory in women over time. By contrast, a “good” fatmono-unsaturated fat was associated with better overall cognitive function and memory.
Smoked cannabis can help relieve muscle tightness and pain in people with multiple sclerosis
People with multiple sclerosis may find that smoked cannabis provides relief from muscle tightness spasticity and pain, although the benefits come with adverse cognitive effects, according to a new study published in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal).