27 posts · 2,309 views
This blog highlights current neuroscience news published in peer-reviewed journals, with a particular emphasis on sleep/circadian rhythms. Every Thursday, I feature the front-page photomicrograph and the respective article from the current week's Journal of Neuroscience in a segment titled Neury Thursday. I also incorporate a substantial amount of media, including the highlighted article and related video. I try to write for the lay person, but if I do inevitably use jargon, I will briefly explain and provide a wikipedia reference. I'd like to think I have a sense of humor reflected through my writing style and/or post topics
Allison
27 posts
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- March 17, 2010
- 09:42 PM
- 23 views
Genetics of Alcoholism
by Allison in Dormivigilia
A recent paper in PNAS identified many single-nucleotide polymorphisms and environmental factors, such multiple drug abuse, tied to alcoholism... Read more »
Bierut LJ, Agrawal A, Bucholz KK, Doheny KF, Laurie C, Pugh E, Fisher S, Fox L, Howells W, Bertelsen S.... (2010) A genome-wide association study of alcohol dependence. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. PMID: 20202923
- March 15, 2010
- 05:00 PM
- 31 views
The Drosophila Circadian Clock
by Allison in Dormivigilia
Today, we had a guest seminar speaker, Dr. Bridget Lear, who presented us with the molecular regulation of circadian locomotor activity in the Drosophila. By deleting several of specific genes and interfering with the kinetics of specific ion channels, Bridget is able to modify, and in most cases, eradicate organized circadian locomotor activity... Read more »
Lear, B., Lin, J., Keath, J., McGill, J., Raman, I., & Allada, R. (2005) The Ion Channel Narrow Abdomen Is Critical for Neural Output of the Drosophila Circadian Pacemaker. Neuron, 48(6), 965-976. DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2005.10.030
- March 11, 2010
- 09:16 PM
- 37 views
Neury Thursday: Neural Evidence For Why I Can't Remember the Lyrice to my Favorite Rap Songs
by Allison in Dormivigilia
Neuroscientists have uncovered differential encoding of a tune and its lyrics within the superior temporal sulcus and gyrus. ... Read more »
Sammler, D., Baird, A., Valabregue, R., Clement, S., Dupont, S., Belin, P., & Samson, S. (2010) The Relationship of Lyrics and Tunes in the Processing of Unfamiliar Songs: A Functional Magnetic Resonance Adaptation Study. Journal of Neuroscience, 30(10), 3572-3578. DOI: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.2751-09.2010
- March 8, 2010
- 11:15 PM
- 52 views
The Athlete Brain
by Allison in Dormivigilia
Recent progress in neuroscience suggests that athlete's are the masters of mind over matter, expending less brain energy while focusing more intently on motor procedural tasks compared to sedentary controls. ... Read more »
Galea, J., & Celnik, P. (2009) Brain Polarization Enhances the Formation and Retention of Motor Memories. Journal of Neurophysiology, 102(1), 294-301. DOI: 10.1152/jn.00184.2009
- March 6, 2010
- 02:00 PM
- 56 views
Neury Thursday (Weekend Edition): Neuronal Origin of Handedness
by Allison in Dormivigilia
In this week's Journal of Neuroscience, European researchers have recognized that though humans are innately endowed with handedness, owing to a greater, hemispheric-specific distribution of cortical matter within the premotor cortex, this unequal cortical distribution can be modified post-birth through deliberate practice, producing either ambidexterity or anti-handedness (if of course, practice is maintained).... Read more »
Stefan Klo¨ppel, Jean-Francois Mangin, Anna Vongerichten, Richard S. J. Frackowiak,and Hartwig R. Siebner. (2010) Nuture versus Nature: Long-Term Impact of Forced Right-Handedness on Structure of Pericentral Cortexand Basal Ganglia. Journal of Neuroscience, 30(9), 3271-3275. info:/10.1523/JNEUROSCI.4394-09.2010
- March 3, 2010
- 05:00 PM
- 40 views
March Madness Preview: Neuroscience Edition
by Allison in Dormivigilia
This week in Neuro Journal Club, I discussed a recent Journal of Neuroscience publication finding high activation of attentional and premotor planning areas of the brain during the recall of basketball game plays in avid Duke and UNC fans. The Duke fans had faster recall vs. the UNC fans, despite no differences in activation intensity within these brain areas.
... Read more »
Botzung, A., Rubin, D., Miles, A., Cabeza, R., & LaBar, K. (2010) Mental Hoop Diaries: Emotional Memories of a College Basketball Game in Rival Fans. Journal of Neuroscience, 30(6), 2130-2137. DOI: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.2481-09.2010
- March 1, 2010
- 05:55 PM
- 59 views
Elucidating Sleep and Reward Centers
by Allison in Dormivigilia
Elucidating Sleep and Reward Centers
March 1, 2010 - Author: Allison
It is rare for one to see an empirical article in a moderately-impactful journal, such as SLEEP, that solely reports about one case study (let alone have multiple affiliations……can we say out-sourcing/contracting the work?). I can overlook the extremely small sample size, however, because this study may help my lab elucidate a reciprocal relationship between sleep/wake and reward centers of the brain and relat........ Read more »
Smaranda Leu-Semenescu; Isabelle Arnulf; Caroline Decaix; Fathi Moussa; Fabienne Clot; Camille Boniol; Yvan Touitou; Richard Levy; Marie Vidailhet; Emmanuel Roze. (2010) Sleep and Rhythm Consequences of a Genetically Induced Loss of Serotonin. SLEEP, 33(3), 307-314. info:/
- February 22, 2010
- 11:00 PM
- 59 views
DNA Methylation, Glucocorticoid Receptors, and Suicide Risk
by Allison in Dormivigilia
Researchers at McGill have elucidated epigenetic contributions to suicidal attempts in individuals who were abused/neglected during childhood. These individuals have hyper DNA methylation, particularly within the hippocampus. These researchers also discovered that this suicide risk is also potentiated by reduced glucocorticoid receptor expression. ... Read more »
McGowan, P., Sasaki, A., D'Alessio, A., Dymov, S., Labonté, B., Szyf, M., Turecki, G., & Meaney, M. (2009) Epigenetic regulation of the glucocorticoid receptor in human brain associates with childhood abuse. Nature Neuroscience, 12(3), 342-348. DOI: 10.1038/nn.2270
- February 21, 2010
- 11:09 AM
- 65 views
Guze Symposium in Saint Louis
by Allison in Dormivigilia
A review of Thursday's Guze Symposium on disentangling the genetics of alcoholism, sponsored by the Washington University of St. Louis School of Medicine in honor of Samuel Guze, a pioneer in the field of alcohol abuse and alcoholism.... Read more »
Crabbe, J., Phillips, T., Harris, R., Arends, M., & Koob, G. (2006) Alcohol-related genes: contributions from studies with genetically engineered mice. Addiction Biology, 11(3-4), 195-269. DOI: 10.1111/j.1369-1600.2006.00038.x
- February 18, 2010
- 12:00 PM
- 70 views
Neury Thursday: Ependymal Cells Regulation of Ventricular Function
by Allison in Dormivigilia
Researchers have identified the functional significance of developing ependymal cells that line the ventricular system. Disruption of the ciliary beating of these cells perturbs the circulation of cerebral spinal fluid within the ventricles and may lead to fluid retention in the head,which is typically fatal.... Read more »
Mirzadeh, Z., Han, Y., Soriano-Navarro, M., Garcia-Verdugo, J., & Alvarez-Buylla, A. (2010) Cilia Organize Ependymal Planar Polarity. Journal of Neuroscience, 30(7), 2600-2610. DOI: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.3744-09.2010
- February 15, 2010
- 09:00 PM
- 80 views
DISC1 and Schizophrenia
by Allison in Dormivigilia
Researchers at MIT have identified a gene, DISC1, implicated in the neural and behavioral psychopathology of schizophrenia.... Read more »
Mao Y, Ge X, Frank CL, Madison JM, Koehler AN, Doud MK, Tassa C, Berry EM, Soda T, Singh KK.... (2009) Disrupted in schizophrenia 1 regulates neuronal progenitor proliferation via modulation of GSK3beta/beta-catenin signaling. Cell, 136(6), 1017-31. PMID: 19303846
- February 13, 2010
- 06:52 PM
- 106 views
Photic Sneezing
by Allison in Dormivigilia
Swiss researchers have discovered that bright sunlight exposure can elicit 'photic sneezing" which is characterized by the co-recruitment/hyperactivation of visual and somatosensory cortices. Though the researchers define it as a reflex, it is an anomalous reflex in that it requires activation of cortex unlike the classical knee-jerk reflex and others which only necessitate the activation of spinal cord interneurons ... Read more »
Nicolas Langer*, Gian Beeli, Lutz Jäncke. (2010) When the Sun Prickles Your Nose: An EEG Study Identifying Neural Bases of Photic Sneezing. PLoS ONE, 5(2). info:/10.1371/journal.pone.0009208
- February 12, 2010
- 05:00 PM
- 105 views
The Science of the 2010 Winter Olympics Are Here!!
by Allison in Dormivigilia
The March issue of Experimental Physiology highlights articles relevant to particular sports of the Winter Olympic Games of which I will feature in the upcoming weeks.....let the games begin!!... Read more »
Stuart Egginton and Michael J.White. (2010) 2010 Winter Games Themed Issue. Experimental Physiology, 95(3), 402-403. info:/10.1113/expphysiol.2009.047530
- February 11, 2010
- 11:00 AM
- 57 views
Neury Thursday: Even Leeches Have Rhythm
by Allison in Dormivigilia
Scientists have localized and dissected the function of neural oscillators controlling rhythmic crawling in medicinal leeches. ... Read more »
Puhl, J., & Mesce, K. (2010) Keeping It Together: Mechanisms of Intersegmental Coordination for a Flexible Locomotor Behavior. Journal of Neuroscience, 30(6), 2373-2383. DOI: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.5765-09.2010
- February 8, 2010
- 05:00 PM
- 91 views
Science, Cookies, and Pizza
by Allison in Dormivigilia
With a departmental initiative to hire new tenure-track neuroscientists/psychopathologists, I highlight today's job seminar given by Dr. Jilla Sabeti of The Scripps Institute and attach her respective paper. ... Read more »
Sabeti, J., & Gruol, D. (2008) Emergence of NMDAR-independent long-term potentiation at hippocampal CA1 synapses following early adolescent exposure to chronic intermittent ethanol: Role for sigma-receptors. Hippocampus, 18(2), 148-168. DOI: 10.1002/hipo.20379
- February 5, 2010
- 11:30 AM
- 89 views
Empirical Evidence that Men Love Badonkadonks
by Allison in Dormivigilia
Using fMRI, researchers have found that men are most attracted to women with a waist-to-hip ratio of 0.7. Using neuroimaging as a methodology to study human attraction, in my opinion, is a fantastic to establish a new branch of human ual behavior research. ... Read more »
Steven M. Platek, Devendra Singh. (2010) Optimal Waist-to-Hip Ratios in Women Activate Neural Reward Centers in Men. PLOS One, 5(2). info:/
- February 3, 2010
- 11:55 PM
- 92 views
Neury Thursday: Recent Success with Neural Stem Cells
by Allison in Dormivigilia
Neural stem/progenitor cells have been co-grafted with growth factors into damaged spinal cord tissue. Prior to this, the tissue was infused with an enzyme that not only reduces chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans, which appear in the CNS following damage, but also increases the survival of the neural stem cells. The article can be found in this week's Journal of Neuroscience... Read more »
Soheila Karimi-Abdolrezaee, Eftekhar Eftekharpour, Jian Wang, Desiree Schut, and Michael G. Fehlings. (2010) Synergistic Effects of Transplanted Adult Neural Stem/Progenitor Cells, Chondroitinase, and Growth Factors Promote Functional Repair and Plasticity of the Chronically Injured Spinal Cord. Journal of Neuroscience. info:/10.1523/JNEUROSCI.3111-09.2010
- January 30, 2010
- 11:00 AM
- 135 views
Which [Flying] Animal Can Drink You Under the Table?
by Allison in Dormivigilia
Syrian hamsters are not the only animals that can "drink you under the table." Frugivorous fruit bats have a high tolerance for alcohol in that marked alcohol consumption does not impair flying and/or echolocation. This high alcohol tolerance, of course, is attributed to fermented fruits being a diet staple.... Read more »
Dara N. Orbach, Nina Veselka, Yvonne Dzal, Louis Lazure, M. Brock Fenton. (2010) Drinking and Flying: Does Alcohol Consumption Affect the Flight and Echolocation Performance of Phyllostomid Bats? . PLOS One, 5(2). info:/10.1371/journal.pone.0008993
- January 28, 2010
- 11:00 AM
- 108 views
Financial Risks and Reward Centers
by Allison in Dormivigilia
Stanfordian scientists have attributed age-related financial risks with differential accumbal activity. Honestly, this begs a philosophical conversation of how we can control financial risks of the elderly without jeopardizing their basic human rights.... Read more »
Samanez-Larkin, G., Kuhnen, C., Yoo, D., & Knutson, B. (2010) Variability in Nucleus Accumbens Activity Mediates Age-Related Suboptimal Financial Risk Taking. Journal of Neuroscience, 30(4), 1426-1434. DOI: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.4902-09.2010
- January 26, 2010
- 03:00 PM
- 123 views
The Mozart Effect Revisited
by Allison in Dormivigilia
Preterm infants who listened to Mozart or other Western classical music had improved weight gain. ... Read more »
Lubetzky, R., Mimouni, F., Dollberg, S., Reifen, R., Ashbel, G., & Mandel, D. (2009) Effect of Music by Mozart on Energy Expenditure in Growing Preterm Infants. PEDIATRICS, 125(1). DOI: 10.1542/peds.2009-0990
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