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Grid cells come into play when the imagination runs away

New research suggests that neurons which track our movements are also involved in imaginary navigation

Brain cells involved in spatial navigation and mapping the environment also fire when we merely imagine moving through familiar surroundings, according to a new study by researchers at University College London. The research, published today in the journal Current Biology, shows that memory and imagination are intimately linked in the brain at the cellular level, and could help to explain some of the changes that occur in the early stages of Alzheimer’s Disease.

Related: The fly's neural compass works just like a mammal's

Related: 3D compass cells found in the bat brain

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Genetically engineered 'Magneto' protein remotely controls brain and behaviour

“Badass” new method uses a magnetised protein to activate brain cells rapidly, reversibly, and non-invasively

Researchers in the United States have developed a new method for controlling the brain circuits associated with complex animal behaviours, using genetic engineering to create a magnetised protein that activates specific groups of nerve cells from a distance.

Understanding how the brain generates behaviour is one of the ultimate goals of neuroscience – and one of its most difficult questions. In recent years, researchers have developed a number of methods that enable them to remotely control specified groups of neurons and to probe the workings of neuronal circuits.

Related: Remote control of brain activity with heated nanoparticles

Related: Researchers read and write brain activity with light

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Nerve terminal nanofilaments control brain signalling

State-of-the-art electron microscopy reveals the large-scale organization of the proteins that regulate neurotransmitter release

This spectacular image – which took the best part of a year to create – shows the fine structure of a nerve terminal at high resolution, revealing, for the very first time, an intricate network of fine filaments that controls the movements of synaptic vesicles.

The brain is soft and wet, with the consistency of a lump of jelly. Yet, it is the most complex and highly organized structure that we know of, containing hundreds of billions of neurons and glial cells, and something on the order of one quadrillion synaptic connections, all of which are arranged in a very specific manner.

Related: 3D model of a nerve terminal in atomic detail | Mo Costandi

Related: Blowing up the brain to reveal its finer details

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Gut bacteria regulate nerve fibre insulation

Research suggests that gut bacteria may directly affect brain structure and function, offering new ways to treat multiple sclerosis and psychiatric conditions

Far from being silent partners that merely help to digest food, the bacteria in your gut may also be exerting subtle influences on your thoughts, moods, and behaviour. And according to a new study from researchers at University College Cork, your gut microbes might affect the structure and function of the brain in a more direct way, by regulating myelination, the process by which nerve fibres are insulated so that they can conduct impulses properly.

The surprising new findings, published today in the journal Translational Psychiatry, provide what is perhaps the strongest evidence yet that gut bacteria can have a direct physical effect on the brain, and suggest that it may one day be possible to treat debilitating demyelinating diseases such as multiple sclerosis, and even psychiatric disorders, by altering the composition of the gut’s microbial menagerie in some way or another.

Related: Brain’s immune cells hyperactive in schizophrenia

Related: White matter might matter much more than we thought | Mo Costandi

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Cannabis may enhance night vision

New research shows that the drug makes cells in the retina more sensitive to light

25 years ago, pharmacologist M. E. West of the University of the West Indies in Kingston, Jamaica, noted that local fisherman who smoke cannabis or drink rum made with the leaves and stems of the plant had “an uncanny ability to see in the dark,” which enabled them to navigate their boats through coral reefs. “It was impossible to believe that anyone could navigate a boat without compass and without light in such treacherous surroundings,” he wrote after accompanying the crew of a fishing boat one dark night, “[but] I was then convinced that the man who had taken the rum extract of cannabis had far better night vision than I had, and that a subjective effect was not responsible.”

Some of these crew members told West that Moroccan fishermen and mountain dwellers experience a similar improvement after smoking hashish, and in 2002, another research team travelled to the Rif mountains in Morocco to investigate further. They gave a synthetic cannabinoid to one volunteer, and hashish to three more, then used a newly developed piece of kit to measure the sensitivity of their night vision before and after. Confirming West’s earlier report, they found that cannabis improved night vision in all three of their test subjects.

Related: How marijuana impairs memory

Related: A brief history of psychedelic psychiatry | Mo Costandi

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Stem cells from schizophrenics produce fewer neurons

New research shows that a genetic mutation associated with schizophrenia alters the process of cellular differentiation, disturbing the balance of neurons and glia in the brain

Stem cells obtained from patients with schizophrenia carry a genetic mutation that alters the ratio of the different type of nerve cells they produce, according to a new study by researchers in Japan. The findings, published today in the journal Translational Psychiatry, suggest that abnormal neural differentiation may contribute to the disease, such that fewer neurons and more non-neuronal cells are generated during the earliest stages of brain development.

Schizophrenia is a debilitating mental illness that affects about 1 in 100 people. It is known to be highly heritable, but is genetically complex: so far, researchers have identified over 100 rare genetic variations and dozens of mutations associated with increased risk of developing the disease.

Related: Brain’s immune cells hyperactive in schizophrenia

Related: Turning urine into brain cells | Mo Costandi

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Obesity alters brain structure and function

It’s not just your waistline that suffers as you put on weight. Researchers are beginning to find puzzling new links between obesity, memory loss and dementia

Lucy Cheke and her colleagues at the University of Cambridge recently invited a few participants into her lab for a kind of ‘treasure hunt’.

The participants navigated a virtual environment on a computer screen, dropping off various objects along their way. They then answered a series of questions to test their memory of the task, such as where they had hidden a particular object.

Related: How your eyes betray your thoughts

Related: How to optimise your brain's waste disposal system

Related: Gut bacteria regulate nerve fibre insulation

Related: Obesity linked to memory deficits

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Breathing modulates brain activity and mental function

New research shows that the rhythm of breathing directly impacts neural activity in a network of brain areas involved in smell, memory and emotions

The rhythm of breathing co-ordinates electrical activity across a network of brain regions associated with smell, memory, and emotions, and can enhance their functioning, according to a new study by researchers at Northwestern University. The findings, published in the Journal of Neuroscience, suggest that breathing does not merely supply oxygen to the brain and body, but may also organise the activity of populations of cells within multiple brain regions to help orchestrate complex behaviours.

Related: Your nose knows death is imminent | Mo Costandi

Related: A cooler way to evaluate brain surgery patients

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Face-selective brain region continues to grow in adulthood

New findings challenge our understanding of how the brain matures

Faces are important to us. From the moment we are are born, we prefer to look at faces than at other, inanimate objects, and, being social animals, we encounter faces every day of our lives. The face is the first thing we look to when identifying other people; faces also convey emotions, informing us of peoples’ mood, and from them we can usually determine a person’s sex and, sometimes, roughly how old they are. Eye movements can also reveal to us something about another person’s intentions.

Related: How your eyes betray your thoughts

Related: Live imaging of synapse density in the human brain

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Researchers develop non-invasive deep brain stimulation method

Researchers at MIT have developed a new method of electrically stimulating deep brain tissues without opening the skull

Since 1997, more than 100,000 Parkinson’s Disease patients have been treated with deep brain stimulation (DBS), a surgical technique that involves the implantation of ultra-thin wire electrodes. The implanted device, sometimes referred to as a ‘brain pacemaker’, delivers electrical pulses to a structure called the subthalamic nucleus, located near the centre of the brain, and effectively alleviates many of the physical symptoms of the disease, such as tremor, muscle rigidity, and slowed movements.

DBS is generally safe but, like any surgical procedure, comes with some risks. First and foremost, it is highly invasive, requiring small holes to be drilled in the patient’s skull, through which the electrodes are inserted. Potential complications of this include infection, stroke, and bleeding on the brain. The electrodes, which are implanted for long periods of time, sometimes move out of place; they can also cause swelling at the implantation site; and the wire connecting them to the battery, typically placed under the skin of the chest, can erode, all of which require additional surgical procedures.

Related: Blowing up the brain to reveal its finer details

Related: Traces of memory in a dish | Mo Costandi

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[ Polls & Surveys ] Open Question : When did you stop believing in the keebler elves?




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[ Cooking & Recipes ] Open Question : My mom keeps putting me down and making fun of the meals I was making before using hello fresh and it hurts my feelings ?




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[ Other - Games & Recreation ] Open Question : A dnd session where the party killed a manticore and decided to bring the corpse back to town to sell. How much money should this give them?




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[ Polls & Surveys ] Open Question : T or F: We were in our fathers before we're in our mothers?




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[ Politics ] Open Question : Why was that conservative Yosemite Sam always after that liberal Bugs Bunny?

Why did right-winger Yosemite Sam have problem with the leftist Bugs Bunny?




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[ Polls & Surveys ] Open Question : Do you think Beyoncé should go back to the kitchen?

Or better yet go back to Africa, we don’t need any feminazis ruining our society




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[ Mathematics ] Open Question : Trig maths?

I know AB and angle ABD, does anyone know how to work out BD and the area of ABD? Thanks




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[ Politics ] Open Question : Are the people who are complaining about this "LOCKDOWN" and want things opened up, the MAIN REASON the US WILL DIE OF COVID-19 ?

I say - Lock everything down, as we are, and keep everything locked down for years  This way, what every these people are complaining about will be long gone 




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[ Polls & Surveys ] Open Question : Why are all the best tasting foods "for kids only"?




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[ Singles & Dating ] Open Question : Is bring a girl home ok?

So once I went on a night out and I kissed a drunk girl and she was hinting she wanted to come home with me but I didn't let it happen. If this happens again will it be weird if I bring a girl home at like 3 in the morning and I live with my parents. Do I have to hide her? What if we have sex? In the morning my mum just come in and opens the door to get my washing. What if she does this and there is a girl in the bed? Will I get in trouble? I don't know anything about this stuff. I'm 21 do people this age even do this or is it only people in there 30s? It will be nice to spend the night with a girl. Is it a bad idea. I have no brothers or friends so I don't know what people do. I want to know for the next time?




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[ Physics ] Open Question : Help with a non-uniform moments question...?

Ok, so I have tried and do not get the same as as the book (1.6m). Can someone show the forces diagram or something , please?




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[ Polls & Surveys ] Open Question : What is your typical mood?

happy, sad, meh, mad, or what?




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[ Mathematics ] Open Question : How to go from step 1 to step 2?

Is this some sort of properties for fractions? I know how to arrive at step 1 from step 2 but not step 1 to step 2.




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[ Politics ] Open Question : Should Gregory and Travis McMichael be freed and given a medal of honor for their heroic actions of taking a dangerous thug of the streets?




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[ Politics ] Open Question : Are state/national forests open to go hiking?




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[ Elections ] Open Question : See why Boris Johnson will tell public to ‘stay alert, control the virus and save lives’ ?

https://diazhub.com/news/boris-johnson-will-tell-public-to-stay-alert-control-the-virus-and-save-lives/




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[ Politics ] Open Question : Would Northern Ireland be different to the Republic of Ireland culturally?




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[ Other - Food & Drink ] Open Question : Is there any food not allowed in your country that you want to try?

First, I would love to try Casu marzu and for dessert I am curious about durian. or a drink such as wormwood absinthe.




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[ Polls & Surveys ] Open Question : Girls, what do you think of guys in general?




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[ Politics ] Open Question : Will my friend be arrested for going fishing on his kayak everyday? ?

He catches the fish, breathes on them, then throws them back. These infected fish will infect all bodies of water with Covid-19. He goes saltwater and fresh water fishing 




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[ Politics ] Open Question : Should President Trump continue to have manufacturing sent to China???




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[ Singles & Dating ] Open Question : Is this guy normal?

My friend the dumb joe will ask me for money and try and sell me his garbage because he needs money for a bus fare. He will talk to Asian girls because I think he is not good enough for white girls. He try's to many things. Let's go over some of them. The army the police an astronaut he worked at 5 different supermarkets he got a night job for about 3 weeks and never sleeper at all. He wanted to go to China but cancelled he wanted to go to Auckland but cancelled he wanted to go to Singapore but cancelled. He brought a moped and sold it a week later. He wanted a BMW but didn't get one after he told me he was getting it. He sold me a speaker for $20 and a month later he asked for it back for free and he did not get it. He was on his way to buy a computer and he runs in to a friend and asked him can I have your computer for $200 when the one he was going to buy was $180. He will never learn to drive when he drove into a lamppost. And meny more weird things as well. What is wrong with him?




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[ Wrestling ] Open Question : Do you think The Rock is a 1990s, 2000s or 2010s wrestler in the WWF/E ?

I think The Rock is a combination of both but barely because when he made his debut in the WWF in late 1996, he wasn't even called The Rock yet he was Rocky Maivia at that time. By the time he started getting over with the fans as The Rock, the 90s were almost over because it was 1998 - 99 by then. He spent more time as The Rock in the 2000s but even though he was still in the WWF/E when the decade started, he was gone by 2004 (by then he was already doing movies and wrestling at the same time). Then The Rock stopped wrestling completely and spent the rest of the 00s decade making movies, he spent even less time wrestling in the 2010s which is his most recent run in the WWE he missed 2010, came back in 2011 and was gone by 2013 aside from one match in 2016. What do you guys think ?




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[ Politics ] Open Question : Why is it that marijuana unlocks your 6th sense?




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[ United States ] Open Question : How do I report my income to irs. What forms should I be using?

I am a dog sitter for my sister, she pays me around $100 a week. I also do extra chores around the house such as cleaning as an exchange for not paying rent. The money she pays me is usually transferred through zelle or paid cash. Im not sure if I would be considered an independent contractor or an employee. Also does she have to report to the irs my income and what forms would she have to use? Ive always received w2s from employers, so I’m Clueless to what I should do this tax season.  Thank you in advance!  Sorry I forgot to mention that my income for this last year was approximately $5000




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[ Politics ] Open Question : Trump says he will move the capital to Moscow to avoid the virus. what do you think of his plan?




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[ Singles & Dating ] Open Question : Is it seen as wrong for women to be protective of themselves, and not reliant on a male protector?




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[ Movies ] Open Question : What are some very little known great/good horror or sci-fi movies to watch?

Examples being: XTro (UK), Oldboy (S.Korea), Girl With a Dragon Tattoo (Sweden), Predestination (Australia) ... something like these




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[ Languages ] Open Question : Improve to listen English.?

I'm a Japanese,struggling to catch English. Exa: V/B, we don't have the similar sound of V. so both sounds B. Can native English speakers always hear the difference of B/V even in France,Spanish or other Europe language?




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[ Polls & Surveys ] Open Question : What happens if you go to a concert just to stand in the corner and stink the place up with your farts?




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[ Politics ] Open Question : If Trump is such a genius, how come he says all those dumb things ?




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[ Singles & Dating ] Open Question : I’ve been trying to feel pleasure with my eyes wide shut but it keeps on moving ?




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[ Singles & Dating ] Open Question : Should I break up with my boyfriend?

I’ve liked him for a year and I told him, but he told me to date someone else. I started to forget about him, but then he told me that he liked me too. We’re dating now but I don’t think that I feel the same was as when I first started liking him. What should I do?




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[ Law & Ethics ] Open Question : If I change my legal name is there a chance my future employers would see my old name?

I just got sent an electronic message from one of the employers stating that I am unsuitable for the role based on my police record. I'm under the impression some people are still choosing to impersonate me on several job search engines by giving each employer the idea I'm an ex-con with work skills that came out of prison. Is there a chance they can see my old name?




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[ Singles & Dating ] Open Question : I have an online gf i never met in person,is it cheating if i slept with someone irl?

I have an online gf it seems kind of serious but we've never really made attempts on meeting but i slept with someone irl,is that cheating? Should I tell her?




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[ Video & Online Games ] Open Question : Is my Sim thick?

is she thicc af? I made this in the Sims 4 lol 




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[ Polls & Surveys ] Open Question : How would fragrance companies benefit by the invention of smell-o-vision?




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[ Politics ] Open Question : Why can democrats never explain how sexism against women is a real issue when they get special treatment in society and courts?

Feminism is a lie and useless in modern America, patriarchy is a good thing and natural order of society. Women be like I'm oppressed cause I don't always get my way and choose careers that pay less




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[ Standards & Testing ] Open Question : Can you help me my exam question?




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[ Polls & Surveys ] Open Question : True/False: Your bank account is healing - turns out you're the virus all along?

????