NT/ Silicon ‘neurons’ may add a new dimension to computer processors
Neuroscience biweekly vol. 8, 29th May — 12th June
TL;DR
- A recent study shows that energy constraints on a system, coupled with an intrinsic property of systems, push silicon neurons to create a dynamic, at-a-distance communication that is more robust and efficient than traditional computer processors. And it may teach us something about biological brains.
- A new type of wearable brain scanner is revealing new possibilities for understanding and diagnosing mental illness after the technology has been expanded to scan the whole brain with millimeter accuracy.
- Researchers have created a new technology that enhances scientists’ ability to communicate with neural cells using light. The team synthesized three-dimensional fuzzy graphene on a nanowire template to create a superior material for photothermally stimulating cells.
- Protecting nerve cells from losing their characteristic extensions, the dendrites, can reduce brain damage after a stroke. Neurobiologists have demonstrated this by means of research on a mouse model.
- New research marks the beginning of an effort to better understand memory and memory loss in older adults using advanced imaging and data analysis techniques.
- A team of scientists has conducted a large-scale analysis of gene expression in 33 different regions of human, chimpanzee, macaque and bonobo brains, adopting a mixture of bulk RNA seq and sNuc-Seq.
- Using “sub-millimeter” brain implants, researchers have been able to determine which parts of the brain are linked to facial and scene recognition.
- Researchers have found that activity in adult-born neurons (ABNs) in the hippocampus, which is a brain region associated with memory, are responsible for memory consolidation during REM sleep. Identifying the role of specific neurons in memory function deepens our understanding of how memories are formed, retrieved, and consolidated.
- Scientists discovered a new brain pathway in mice that conveys light signals from the retina to mood-relevant subcortical nuclei under circadian gating and thereby mediates depressive-like behaviors induced by abnormal nighttime light exposure.
- New research has found that delivering electrical pulses to the wrist can significantly reduce the amount and severity of tics experienced by individuals with Tourette Syndrome, giving new hope for an effective treatment.
- A technique called COSMOS will help researchers understand how our brains work and aid in the development of new drugs. The inventors have created an instructional website to help other researchers build their own relatively-inexpensive COSMOS systems.
- Researchers have discovered that dopamine D2 receptors (DRD2s) in cholinergic interneurons (ChINs) play a crucial role in cocaine addiction.
- To see how psychedelics impact the claustrum, a mysterious region of the brain believed to control the ego, researchers compared the brain scans of people after they took psilocybin with their scans after taking a placebo.
- Among people who have the most common type of lung cancer, up to 40% develop metastatic brain tumors, with an average survival time of less than six months. But why non-small-cell lung cancer so often spreads to the brain has been poorly understood.
- The Scientist Speaks Podcast — Episode 5 — Unusually Wired: Human Brains are Attuned to Appreciate Musical Pitch.
... And more!
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https://medium.com/paradigm-fund/nt-silicon-neurons-may-add-a-new-dimension-to-computer-processors-caafee62cfb0