Synaptic Neoteny of Human Cortical Neurons Requires Species-Specific Balancing of SRGAP2-SYNGAP1

I. Research Background: Neoteny in Human Brain Development and Neurodevelopmental Disorders One of the remarkable features of human brain development is the slow developmental pace of cortical neurons. Compared to other mammals, especially non-human primates, the developmental process of human cortical neurons can last for several years. This neote...

A Bimodal Taxonomy of Adult Human Brain Sulcal Morphology Related to Timing of Fetal Sulcation and Trans-Sulcal Gene Expression Gradients

A Bimodal Taxonomy of Adult Human Brain Sulcal Morphology Related to Timing of Fetal Sulcation and Trans-Sulcal Gene Expression Gradients

Research Background and Objectives This study focuses on the complex morphological features of the adult cerebral cortex sulci, specifically the classification of linear and complex morphologies of brain sulci and their developmental mechanisms. The sulci are groove structures on the surface of the cerebral cortex, corresponding to different geneti...

Gut-Induced Alpha-Synuclein and Tau Propagation Initiate Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s Disease Co-Pathology and Behavior Impairments

Gastrointestinal-Induced Spread of α-Synuclein and Tau Proteins Triggers Comorbid Pathology and Behavioral Impairments in Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s Diseases Background Parkinson’s Disease (PD) and Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) are two common neurodegenerative disorders, caused by the aggregation of α-synuclein (a-syn) and Tau protein in the brain, res...

Ferroptosis Triggered by Spliceosomal GTPase EFTUD2 Deficiency Leads to Purkinje Cell Degeneration

Depletion of EFTUD2 Triggers Ferroptosis-Induced Degeneration of Cerebellar Purkinje Cells Background and Motivation The cerebellum plays a crucial role in motor coordination and higher cognitive functions, with the health of cerebellar Purkinje cells (PCs) being essential for maintaining cerebellar function. Gene regulation based on alternative sp...

Disruption of Nuclear Speckle Integrity Dysregulates RNA Splicing in C9orf72-FTD/ALS

Disruption of Nucleolar Integrity and Dysregulation of RNA Splicing in C9orf72-FTD/ALS Background and Research Motivation The hexanucleotide repeat expansion (GGGGCC)n in the C9orf72 gene is the most common genetic cause of frontotemporal dementia (FTD) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Studies have shown that these repeat sequences not only...

The Role of Motor Cortex in Striatal Motor Dynamics and Execution of Skilled and Unskilled Actions

Exploring the Crucial Role of the Motor Cortex in Basal Ganglia and Dynamic Motor Control Research Background and Motivation The role of the motor cortex (Motor Cortex, M1) in motor generation and regulation has long been a significant topic in neuroscience. The interaction between M1 and the striatum in selecting and executing goal-directed action...

Flexible Control of Sequence Working Memory in the Macaque Frontal Cortex

Research Background In our daily lives, Sequence Working Memory (SWM) is crucial; for example, when filling in a birth date, the year, month, and day need to be recalled and arranged in a specific order. However, how the brain controls information in sequential memory and flexibly orders information under different task demands remains an unsolved ...

Molecular and Circuit Determinants in the Globus Pallidus Mediating Control of Cocaine-Induced Behavioral Plasticity

Scientific News Report: The Molecular and Neural Circuit Mechanisms in the Globus Pallidus for Controlling Cocaine-Induced Behavioral Plasticity In the field of the neurobiology of drug abuse, this paper provides a new perspective for exploring cocaine-induced behavioral plasticity and neural circuit regulation. The research team centered on the Gl...

Negative Feedback Control of Hypothalamic Feeding Circuits by the Taste of Food

I. Research Background The taste of food has a significant impact on the feeding motivation of animals. Previous research has shown that taste, as a positive feedback signal, can enhance the feeding motivation of animals. However, in recent years, studies on whether taste also plays a role in suppressing feeding and helping achieve negative feedbac...

Transformation of Neural Coding for Vibrotactile Stimuli Along the Ascending Somatosensory Pathway

Research Background The neural transduction mechanisms of tactile vibration coding have been a hot topic in neuroscience research. In daily life, we acquire information about the external environment through the perception of vibrations, such as phone vibration alerts or car proximity warnings. In mammals, high-frequency vibration perception is mai...