hippocampus tagged posts

Alzheimer’s disease is caused by protein deposits in the brain and the rapid loss of brain matter. But a Mediterranean diet rich in fish, vegetables and olive oil might protect the brain from these disease triggers. In Alzheimer’s disease, neurons in the brain die. Largely responsible for the death of neurons are certain protein deposits in the brains of affected individuals: So-called beta-amyloid proteins, which form clumps (plaques) between neurons, and tau proteins, which stick together the inside of neurons. The causes of these deposits are as yet unclear. In addition, a rapidly progressive atrophy, i.e. a shrinking of the brain volume, can be observed in affected persons...

Two studies led by UT Southwestern researchers shed new light on how the brain encodes time and place into memories. The findings, published recently in PNAS and Science, not only add to the body of fundamental research on memory, but could eventually provide the basis for new treatments to combat memory loss from conditions such as traumatic brain injury, TBI, or Alzheimer’s disease.

About a decade ago, a group of neurons kno...

A team led by a biomedical scientist at the University of California, Riverside has found a new mechanism responsible for the abnormal development of neuronal connections in the mouse brain that leads to seizures and abnormal social behaviors.

The researchers focused on the hippocampus, which plays an important role in learning and social interactions; and synapses, specialized contacts between neurons.

Each neuron in the brain receives numerous excitatory and inhibitory synaptic inputs...

Findings extend understanding of how a continuous supply of neurons throughout life is connected with learning and memory. Researchers have shown, in mice, that one type of stem cell that makes adult neurons is the source of this lifetime stock of new cells in the hippocampus. These findings may help neuroscientists figure out how to maintain youthful conditions for learning and memory, and repair and regenerate parts of the brain after injury and aging.

“We’ve shown for the first time, in mammals, that neurons in the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus grow and develo...