NT/ Brain implants improve accuracy whilst slashing power usage
Neuroscience biweekly vol. 12, 24th July — 7th August
TL;DR
- By tuning into a subset of brain waves, researchers have dramatically reduced the power requirements of neural interfaces while improving their accuracy — a discovery that could lead to long-lasting brain implants that can both treat neurological diseases and enable mind-controlled prosthetics and machines.
- The scientists who developed the first 3D multicellular brain organoid with a functional blood brain barrier now report that the model could be a promising platform to screen drugs that could work to control inflammation, which is at the center of many neurological conditions, like ischemic stroke.
- What if we were able to modify the negative effect of a returning memory that makes us afraid? A research group from the University of Bologna succeeded in this and developed a new non-invasive experimental protocol.
- A new study has shown that humans, mice and flies share the same fundamental genetic mechanisms that regulate the formation and function of brain areas involved in attention and movement control.
- Our brains have an upper limit on how much they can process at once due to a constant but limited energy supply, according to a new study using a brain imaging method that measures cellular metabolism.
- Researchers sought to determine whether a comprehensive and personalized program, designed to mitigate risk factors of Alzheimer’s disease could improve cognitive and metabolic function in individuals experiencing cognitive decline. Findings provided evidence that this approach can improve risk factor scores and stabilize cognitive function.
- Children who suffer trauma from abuse or violence early in life show biological signs of aging faster than children who have never experienced adversity, according to new research. The study examined three different signs of biological aging — early puberty, cellular aging and changes in brain structure — and found that trauma exposure was associated with all three.
- When we say someone has a quick mind, it may be in part thanks to our expanded cerebellum that distinguishes human brains from those of macaque monkeys, for example. High-resolution imaging shows the cerebellum is 80 percent of the area of the cortex, indicating it has grown as human behavior and cognition evolved.
- “Julich-Brain” is the name of the first 3D-atlas of the human brain that reflects the variability of the brain’s structure with microscopic resolution. The atlas features close to 250 structurally distinct areas, each one based on the analysis of 10 brains. German researchers led by Prof. Katrin Amunts have now presented the new brain atlas in the renowned journal Science.
- An early blood test could detect which babies deprived of oxygen at birth are at risk of serious neurodisabilities like cerebral palsy and epilepsy.
- Music training does not have a positive impact on children’s cognitive skills, such as memory, and academic achievement, such as maths, reading or writing, according to a study published in Memory & Cognition.
- Common green apple flavorant farnesene enhances nicotine reward in mouse models. The flavorant is also rewarding on its own. Researchers say with or without nicotine, flavored vapes, especially those containing farnesene, pose potential neurological risks, including addiction.
…And more!
#NT
https://medium.com/paradigm-fund/nt-brain-implants-improve-accuracy-whilst-slashing-power-usage-2c3c35e8ce8d