Category Health/Medical

When a laser triggers an optogenetic switch in neurons in the medulla of a sleeping mouse, the animal goes from non-REM sleep (NREM) into REM or dream sleep. The axons of these neurons (green) reach into distant parts of the primitive brain, such as the hypothalamus, broadly affecting brain function. (Franz Weber image.)

Activating small group of neurons in medulla causes rapid transition to REM sleep. The researchers inserted an optogenetic switch into a group of nerve cells located this area, allowing them to activate or inactivate the neurons with laser light. When the neurons were activated, sleeping mice entered REM sleep within seconds...

Images collected using an SRS microscope show that normal brain contains sparse cells with bundles of nerve fibers, called axons (left), but brain tumor tissue is full of cells in a disordered pattern (right). While you can see the difference on a microscopic scale, during surgery they’d be difficult to differentiate, making it hard for a surgeon to know where the tumor stops. Credit: Image courtesy of University of Michigan Health System

New tech gives brain surgeons real-time microscopic vision of tumors, potentially allowing the surgical decision-making process to become data driven, instead of subjective “best guesses,”. Even the state-of-the-art imaging equipment in today’s OR still doesn’t make the process much easier...

Brain scans (stock image). Credit: © nimon_t / Fotolia

Is brain size related to cognitive ability of humans? This question has captured the attention of scientists for more than a century. An international team of researchers provides no evidence for a causal role of brain size for IQ test performance. In a meta-analysis of data from more than 8000 participants, they show that associations between in vivo brain volume and IQ are small. This association appeared to be independent of participant sex and age.

“The presently observed association means that brain volume plays only a minor role in explaining IQ test performance in humans. Although a certain association is observable, brain volume appears to be of only little practical relevance...

Highlights •MYSM1 inhibits PRR pathways for pro-inflammatory and type I IFN gene induction •MYSM1 transiently accumulates in the cytoplasm upon microbial challenge •MYSM1 interacts with and inactivates TRAF3 and TRAF6 via its SWIRM and MPN domains •MYSM1 protects against sepsis but renders mice more susceptible to viral infection

Our immune system is vital to us and can sometimes overreact causing chronic illnesses, such as for instance rheumatism and allergy. Now, researchers have identified a molecular switch – MYSM1 – that can suppress such an overreaction and avoid inflammation.

“The discovery of MYSM1 is a major milestone in our understanding of how our immune system works, and how its response could be controlled in order to prevent inflammatory diseases such as sepsis,” ...