A new study led by University of Colorado Boulder engineers helps explain why people over age 65 tend to move slower than their younger counterparts. The research is one of the first to experimentally tease apart the competing reasons behind this age-related slowdown, and the findings could potentially lead to new diagnostic tools for a range of illnesses, including Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, depression, and schizophrenia. The study, published in the journal JNeurosci, involved subjects aged 18 to 35 and 66 to 87 completing a simple task of reaching for a target on a screen. By ..read more

Researchers from the University of Minnesota have developed a new approach to neural stimulation, a medical technique used to treat various illnesses affecting the nervous system, such as epilepsy, Parkinson’s disease, chronic pain, and some psychiatric illnesses. The team deployed an array of microscopic coils, called microcoils, to create a magnetic field and stimulate individual neurons with greater precision than existing devices. Limitations of Current Neurostimulation Devices While current neurostimulation devices are effective, they lack the necessary precision for certain application ..read more

Zap Energy’s unique approach to fusion, known as a sheared-flow-stabilized Z pinch, has achieved plasma electron temperatures between 11 and 37 million degrees Celsius (20 to 66 million degrees Fahrenheit) in their Fusion Z-pinch Experiment (FuZE) device. These temperatures, roughly equivalent to the core of the sun, were achieved in a device that is a fraction of the scale of other fusion systems. A new research paper, published in Physical Review Letters, details the measurements made on Zap Energy’s FuZE device. The ability to achieve such high temperatures is a key hurdle for fusion syst ..read more

A team of neuroscientists argues in a new review article that studying beta rhythms, particularly between 14-30 Hz, is crucial for understanding how the brain controls cognitive processes or loses control in some disorders. The scientists draw on experimental data, mathematical modeling, and theory to make the case that bursts of beta rhythms control cognition by regulating where and when higher gamma frequency waves can coordinate neurons to incorporate new information from the senses or formulate plans of action. Beta Bursts Establish Flexible Patterns for Intentional Thought Co-author Ear ..read more

Neuroscience has entered a new, digital phase, with the combination of brain research and supercomputing in large-scale, multi-disciplinary collaborations enabling an innovative approach to deciphering the brain. These developments, made possible by powerful scientific technologies and data resources, open up new possibilities for brain research, medicine, and technology, according to a position paper by over 100 authors published in the journal Imaging Neuroscience. Large-Scale Research Initiatives Shape the Future of Neuroscience Large-scale research initiatives within Europe and worldwide ..read more

Drug effects have dominated the national conversation about psychedelics for medical treatment, but a new study suggests that when it comes to reducing depression with psychedelic-assisted therapy, what matters most is a strong relationship between the therapist and study participant.  Researchers analyzed data from a 2021 .  Twenty-four adults who participated in the trial received two doses of psilocybin and 11 hours of psychotherapy. Participants completed the therapeutic alliance questionnaire, assessing the strength of the therapist-participant relationship, three times: after ..read more

A new study led by researchers from University College London (UCL) has discovered that physical cues in the womb, not just genetics, play a crucial role in the normal development of neural crest cells, the embryonic stem cells responsible for forming facial features. The findings, published in Nature Cell Biology, suggest that differences in hydrostatic pressure sensed by the embryo can impact the risk of facial malformations. The researchers found that when neural crest cells are exposed to higher-than-usual levels of pressure, key cell signaling pathways are impeded, significantly increas ..read more

An international team of researchers has discovered a gas outflow of enormous proportions in the galaxy NGC 4383, located in the nearby Virgo cluster. The outflow is so large that it would take light 20,000 years to travel from one end to the other, according to a study published in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. Dr Adam Watts, lead author from The University of Western Australia node at the International Centre for Radio Astronomy Research (ICRAR), explained that the outflow was caused by powerful stellar explosions in the galaxy’s central regions. These explosions c ..read more

A new study published in the journal CANCER has shed light on how long-term daily use of aspirin can help prevent the development and progression of colorectal cancer. The research, conducted by investigators in Italy, suggests that aspirin may exert these protective effects by enhancing certain aspects of the body’s immune response against cancer cells. The study analyzed tissue samples from 238 patients who underwent surgery for colorectal cancer between 2015 and 2019, with 12% of the patients being aspirin users. Compared to non-aspirin users, tissue samples from aspirin users showed less ..read more

The mindset of Japanese early childhood educators, known as the mimamoru approach, has its roots in a premodern concept of nature, according to Professor Yosuke Hirota at Osaka Metropolitan University’s Graduate School of Literature and Human Sciences. The mimamoru approach involves educators watching over and waiting on preschoolers, allowing them to learn and develop at their own pace. Influence of Sozo Kurahashi and Kitaro Nishida on Modern Education Professor Hirota investigated the works of Sozo Kurahashi (1882-1955) and Kitaro Nishida (1870-1945) to understand how the traditional conce ..read more