News and Multimedia Featuring DNBBS
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Researchers Fully Map Neural Connections of the Fruit Fly Brain• Press ReleaseA scientific team supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) unveiled the first complete map of the neural connections of the common fruit fly brain.
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Scientists Map Networks Regulating Gene Function in the Human Brain• Press ReleaseAn NIMH-funded research consortium has produced the largest and most advanced multidimensional maps of gene regulation networks in the brains of people with and without mental disorders.
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Understanding the Underpinnings of Sensory Hypersensitivity in SCN2A-Associated Autism• Research HighlightIn this NIMH-supported study, researchers investigated the neural underpinnings of sensory hypersensitivity in SCN2A-associated autism.
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Gene-Based Therapy Restores Cellular Development and Function in Brain Cells From People With Timothy Syndrome• Press ReleaseIn a proof-of-concept study, researchers demonstrated the effectiveness of a potential new therapy for Timothy syndrome, an often life-threatening and rare genetic disorder that affects a wide range of bodily systems, leading to severe cardiac, neurological, and psychiatric symptoms as well as physical differences such as webbed fingers and toes.
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Researchers Expand Understanding of Genetic Mechanisms Underlying Fragile X Syndrome• Research HighlightAn NIMH-supported study of the 3D genome revealed widespread silencing of genes with important roles in brain function in fragile X syndrome and related disorders.
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Scientists Unveil Complete Cell Map of a Whole Mammalian Brain• Press ReleaseFor the first time ever, an international team of researchers has created a complete cell atlas of a whole mammalian brain.
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Researchers Solve the Puzzle of a Brain Receptor’s Activation• Research HighlightResearchers in a NIMH-supported study identified a new receptor for glycine that helps enhance communication between nerve cells in the brain and offers a potential new target for treating mental disorders.
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Newly Discovered Brain Connection Affects Reward Behavior in Mice• Research HighlightNIMH-funded research sheds light on how negative early life experiences may impact how we act in response to rewards, which is often disrupted in people with mental illnesses.
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Researchers Unlock Genetic Mutations Contributing to Disorders in the Brain• Research HighlightResearchers identified novel genes with mosaic mutations contributing to treatment-resistant pediatric epilepsy and pointing to specific disrupted pathways in cortical development.
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Rare Genetic Variation in 10 Genes Substantially Raise the Risk for Schizophrenia• Research HighlightIn one of the largest genetic studies of its kind researchers funded by the National Institute of Mental Health identified variations in 10 genes that significantly raise the risk for schizophrenia—information that could help identify new treatment targets.
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Researchers Develop Method to Study Brain Connectivity, Functionality• Press ReleaseScientists have developed a research method that allows for a much more detailed examination of the brain processes involved in some neurological and mental disorders.
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NIH BRAIN Initiative Launches Projects to Develop Cell Atlases and Molecular Tools for Cell Access• Institute UpdateThe National Institutes of Health has launched two transformative projects supported by the Brain Research Through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies® (BRAIN) Initiative: The BRAIN Initiative® Cell Atlas Network and the Armamentarium for Precision Brain Cell Access.
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Computational Methods Identify Psychosis Symptoms in Spoken Language• Research HighlightResearchers used computational methods to automatically detect abnormalities in spoken language that could be used to predict symptoms of psychotic disorders including schizophrenia.
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Tool Uses Light to Inhibit Neural Activity in Mice• Research HighlightResearchers supported by NIH have developed a way to genetically insert a type of light receptor into neurons. The new technique enables the researchers to suppress the neuron’s activity using pulses of light.
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Autism and Congenital Heart Disease Share Underlying Molecular Network• Research HighlightA recent study of gene networks may hold some promising clues about shared mechanisms underlying autism spectrum disorder and congenital heart disease, two physiologically distinct disorders that often co-occur.
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NIH, FDA and 15 Private Organizations Join Forces to Increase Effective Gene Therapies for Rare Diseases• Press ReleaseThe newly launched Bespoke Gene Therapy Consortium (BGTC), part of the NIH Accelerating Medicines Partnership (AMP) program, aims to optimize and streamline the gene therapy development process to help fill the unmet medical needs of people with rare diseases.
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NIH BRAIN Initiative Unveils Detailed Atlas of the Mammalian Primary Motor Cortex• Press Release
The NIH Brain Research Through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies® (BRAIN) Initiative Cell Census Network (BICCN) has unveiled an atlas of cell types and an anatomical neuronal wiring diagram for the mammalian primary motor cortex, derived from detailed studies of mice, monkeys, and humans.
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Genomic Data From More Than 41,000 People Shed New Light on Bipolar Disorder• Research HighlightIn the largest genome-wide association study of bipolar disorder to date, researchers found about twice as many genetic locations associated with bipolar disorder as reported in previous studies. These and other findings help improve our understanding of the biological origins of bipolar disorder.
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New Experiences Enhance Learning by Resetting Key Brain Circuit• Press ReleaseA study of spatial learning in mice shows that exposure to new experiences dampens established representations in the brain’s hippocampus and prefrontal cortex, allowing the mice to learn new navigation strategies.