MIT NewsBy Jennifer Michalowski | McGovern Institute for Brain Research
A simple brain circuit measures objects’ distance from the body using touch signals from a rodent’s whiskers, MIT scientists find.
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Neuroscience News
Why does artificial touch fade over time? Penn State engineers used fNIRS brain imaging to solve sensory habituation during transcutaneous nerve stimulation, discovering a 5-second pulse protocol that maintains a stable sense of touch while the brain recruits distributed networks.
Senses and movement
The Transmitter
Michael W. Cole’s new book makes a convincing case that the dynamic movement of signals underpins just about everything the brain does, though it misses mention of relevant theoretical and single-cell work.
Senses and movement
ScienceDaily
A surprising discovery suggests that some early signs of Alzheimer’s disease may begin outside the brain. Using miniature laboratory systems made from human cells, scientists found that genetic mutations associated with inherited Alzheimer’s can disrupt nerve-to-muscle connections without any involvement from the brain or spinal cord. This could help explain why some patients experience changes in balance, walking…
Brain disorders
ScienceDaily
Scientists propose that the brain’s mysterious cross-wiring, which connects each hemisphere to the opposite side of the body, may have originated more than 500 million years ago in the visual systems of ancient fish. Rather than evolving for a specific advantage, this unusual arrangement may simply be a legacy of evolution building new brain circuits on an ancient foundation.
Senses and movement
