Alzheimer’s risk gene undermines insulation of brain’s “wiring”
In people carrying APOE4, a key brain cell mismanages cholesterol needed to insulate neurons properly — another sign APOE4 contributes to disease by disrupting brain lipids.
Picower Institute for Learning and Memory
Are Covid-19 “comas” signs of a protective hibernation state?
Scientists hypothesize that, as in a hibernating turtle, the brain under sedation and deprived of oxygen may assume a protective state.
Five with MIT ties elected to the National Academy of Medicine for 2022
Professors Mark Bear and Laura Kiessling ’83, along with Krishna Shenoy SM ’92, PhD ’95, David Tuveson ’87, and Martin Burke are among the newly elected members.
Celebrating 20 years of discovery, Picower Institute looks ahead to continuing impact
At an exhibition marking two decades since a transformative gift from the Picower Foundation, current and alumni members described research at the forefront of neuroscience and beyond.
Building a bridge between neuroscience and immunology
Gloria Choi’s studies of how the immune system and nervous system influence each other could yield new approaches to treating neurological disorders.
With fractured genomes, Alzheimer’s neurons call for help
Study indicates ailing neurons may instigate an inflammatory response from the brain’s microglia immune cells.
Providing new pathways for neuroscience research and education
Payton Dupuis finds new scientific interests and career opportunities through MIT summer research program in biology.
A “golden era” to study the brain
“We can’t think of the brain only as neurons,” says PhD student Mitch Murdock, who explores the cellular basis of Alzheimer’s disease.
Study reveals how environment and state are integrated to control behavior
A simple animal model shows how stimuli and states such as smells, stressors, and satiety converge in an olfactory neuron to guide food-seeking behavior.
How the brain focuses on what’s in mind
When holding information in mind, neural activity is more focused when and where there are bursts of gamma frequency rhythms.
Microscopy technique reveals hidden nanostructures in cells and tissues
Separating densely packed molecules before imaging allows them to become visible for the first time.
When Alzheimer’s degrades cells that cross hemispheres, visual memory suffers
Research reveals cells that span brain hemispheres to coordinate activity in visual processing centers, shows Alzheimer’s degrades their structure and function.
When a task adds more steps, this brain circuit helps you notice
By tracking feedback during tasks, the anterior cingulate cortex notices when a new step has become necessary and signals the motor cortex to adjust.
Advanced imaging reveals mired migration of neurons in Rett syndrome lab models
Using organoids to model early development, researchers used an emerging microscopy technology to see that new neurons struggled to reach their developmental destination.
Sprint then stop? The brain is wired for the math to make it happen
To ensure a quick halt, brain circuit architecture avoids a slow process of integration in favor of quicker differentiation, study finds.