The human brain is often regarded as an unfathomable enigma, and while science knows that our brain function is a result of the transmission of signals between connected billions of neurons, it has now found what influences those transmissions is actually the shape of our brain. For decades scientists subscribed to the hypothesis that the…

The human brain is often regarded as an unfathomable enigma, and while science knows that our brain function is a result of the transmission of signals between connected billions of neurons, it has now found what influences those transmissions is actually the shape of our brain. For decades scientists subscribed to the hypothesis that the…

Researchers created a new technique using nano-magnets to restore damaged nerve cells (neurons). Neurons are the basic units of the brain and the nervous system. If they are damaged by degenerative disease or physical trauma, their ability to repair and heal is limited. Restoring neural pathways and enabling them to regain their function is a…

At a Glance An immune substance called oncostatin M was found to sensitize and enhance the activity of itch-sensing neurons. A drug that blocks oncostatin M activity reduced scratching in a mouse model of chronic itch, suggesting a treatment strategy for persistent itchy skin conditions. Chronic itch is a common yet hard-to-treat symptom of many…

For many decades, neurologists and medical students were taught that neurogenesis, the formation of new brain cells, does not happen in the adult brain. It was believed that when cells in other organs died they were replaced with fresh new ones whereas the brain was seen as a special organ where once neurons died, they were…