Neuroscience

Biologists compared C. elegans embryos missing the alfa-1 gene, right, to those with the gene, left. At bottom right, abnormal blobs of yolk labeled with a fluorescent protein can be seen in the embryo lacking alfa-1.

Biologists discover function of gene linked to familial ALS

Study in worms reveals gene loss can lead to accumulation of waste products in cells.

May 4, 2018

It’s often said that experience is the best teacher, but the experiences of other people may be even better.

Brain circuit helps us learn by watching others

Scientists pinpoint neural interactions that are necessary for observational learning.

May 3, 2018

David Anderson of Caltech is the winner of the 2018 Edward M. Scolnick Prize in Neuroscience.

McGovern Institute awards 2018 Scolnick Prize to David Anderson

Neuroscientist honored for his work on the biology of neural stem cells and neural circuits that control emotional behaviors.

May 3, 2018

MIT researchers have designed MRI sensors that form clusters in the presence of calcium, allowing them to monitor neuron activity in the living brain.

Calcium-based MRI sensor enables more sensitive brain imaging

System detects direct signals of neural activity; could reveal patterns underlying behavior.

April 30, 2018

Three brain regions collaborate to produce working memory, but when it reaches capacity, their synchrony breaks down.

A heavy working memory load may sink brainwave 'synch'

Picower Institute study explains what happens when working memory reaches its full capacity.

April 6, 2018

The MVP protein appears green in these stained neurons (red denotes neuronal marker SATB2).

Researchers identify important role for gene in 16p11.2 deletion autism

Study finds that major vault protein is needed for homeostatic plasticity.

March 21, 2018

Researchers at MIT and the Allen Institute for Brain Science have developed a new modified version of the rabies virus that stops replicating once it infects a cell, allowing it to deliver its genetic cargo without harming the cell.

Viral tool traces long-term neuron activity

New technique is nontoxic to cells, should allow scientists to study neuron function for months or years instead of weeks.

March 5, 2018

Polina Anikeeva was born in Leningrad, USSR, but grew up in St. Petersburg, Russia – the same city, whose name reverted to its original form after the fall of the Soviet Union. While in school there, she encountered two inspiring scientists who helped propel her toward a career at MIT, where she now develops cutting-edge materials to help researchers probe the mysteries of the brain in unprecede...

Seeking materials that match the brain

Polina Anikeeva explores ways to make neural probes that are compatible with delicate biological tissues.

February 18, 2018

As both a neuroscientist and an anesthesiologist, Emery Brown wants to make the brain the center of field.

Putting the brain at the center of anesthesiology

Emery N. Brown explains how statistics and neuroscience improve anesthesiology at the American Association for the Advancement of Science's annual meeting.

February 16, 2018

In this image of a mouse visual cortex, astrocytes (stained red) appear about as abundant as neurons (green).

MIT neuroscientists give "invisible" cells a new look

With a new grant, a Picower Institute team is studying the role of astrocytes, which may partner with neurons to process information in the brain.

February 12, 2018

This image shows neurons in the CA3 region of the hippocampus, which is important for memory encoding and retrieval. Nuclei of the CA3 neurons are labeled in green and their dendrites in red, and the smaller specks of green above represent axons projecting to the CA3 neurons from the dentate gyrus.

Study reveals molecular mechanisms of memory formation

Neuroscientists discover a cellular pathway that encodes memories by strengthening specific synapses.

February 8, 2018

Our daily lives include hundreds of routine habits, made up of many smaller actions, such as picking up our toothbrush, squeezing toothpaste onto it, and then lifting the brush to our mouth. This process of grouping behaviors together into a single routine is known as “chunking.” MIT neuroscientists have now found that certain neurons in the brain are responsible for marking the beginning and ...

Distinctive brain pattern helps habits form

Study identifies neurons that fire at the beginning and end of a behavior as it becomes a habit.

February 8, 2018

“I am fascinated by how people work, why we do what we do, and why we think what we think,” says senior and Marshall Scholar Liang Zhou.

Decoding human cognition

MIT senior and Marshall Scholar Liang Zhou wants to elucidate the neural basis for our thoughts and intuitions.

February 1, 2018

MIT neuroscientists have found evidence that the brain’s ability to control what it’s thinking about relies on low-frequency brain waves known as beta rhythms.

New study reveals how brain waves control working memory

Brain rhythms act as a gate for information entering and leaving the mind.

January 26, 2018

Sometimes items can easily be grouped by their appearance, such as these apples, but sometimes the brain must use a different mode of thought to find a more abstract similarity, such as that between a drill and screwdriver.

Study: Distinct brain rhythms and regions help us reason about categories

High-frequency gamma oscillations sort similar-looking objects; lower-frequency beta oscillations kick in when connections are more abstract.

January 25, 2018

MIT News | Massachusetts Institute of Technology

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