A team of bioengineers at UC San Diego has answered a question that has long puzzled neuroscientists, and may hold a key to better understanding the complexities of neurological disorders: Why are axons, the spindly arms extending from neurons that transmit information from neuron to neuron in the brain, designed the way they are? Continue reading “Why are neuron axons long and spindly? Study shows they’re optimizing signaling efficiency”
Semiconductor quantum transistor opens the door for photon-based computing
Transistors are tiny switches that form the bedrock of modern computing; billions of them route electrical signals around inside a smartphone, for instance. Continue reading “Semiconductor quantum transistor opens the door for photon-based computing”
How a Mediterranean diet could reduce bone loss in osteoporosis
Eating a Mediterranean-type diet could reduce bone loss in people with osteoporosis — according to new research from the University of East Anglia. Continue reading “How a Mediterranean diet could reduce bone loss in osteoporosis”
Synapse-specific plasticity governs the identity of overlapping memory traces
Memories are formed through long-term changes in synaptic efficacy, a process known as synaptic plasticity, and are stored in the brain in specific neuronal ensembles called engram cells, which are activated during corresponding events. When two memories are associated, cell ensembles corresponding to each memory overlap. However, each memory has its own identity. How the brain stores and defines a specific memory identity when two memories interact and are encoded in the shared ensemble was elusive. Here, a research team led by Dr. Kaoru Inokuchi at the University of Toyama shows that synapse-specific plasticity represents specific memory entities, and that synaptic plasticity between specific engram assemblies is both sufficient and crucial for information storage. Continue reading “Synapse-specific plasticity governs the identity of overlapping memory traces”
Every person has a unique brain anatomy
Like with fingerprints, no two people have the same brain anatomy, a study by researchers of the University of Zurich has shown. This uniqueness is the result of a combination of genetic factors and individual life experiences. Continue reading “Every person has a unique brain anatomy”
Generating electrical power from waste heat
Directly converting electrical power to heat is easy. It regularly happens in your toaster, that is, if you make toast regularly. The opposite, converting heat into electrical power, isn’t so easy. Continue reading “Generating electrical power from waste heat”
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