Neuroscience

New study from neuroscientists at Vanderbilt provides initial answers to long-standing scientific questions on what causes the transition from moderate to compulsive alcohol consumption – and what makes some drinkers particularly vulnerable to developing alcohol use disorders. Read More

Worm neurons have microscopic “spines” — where nerve-to-nerve communication happens — that share features with mammalian neurons, supporting the use of worms to study spine genetics and biology. Read More

Mika Rubinov, whose research involves building statistical models of whole brain data sets, has received a competitive research grant from Oak Ridge Associated Universities. Read More

Commonly thought to be harmless, enlargement of fluid-filled in the brain have been linked to cognitive problems in older adults. Read More

A neural mapping approach that pegs results from more than two dozen previous Alzheimer’s studies found that reproducibility improves when trying to isolate symptoms to a brain network rather than a single area of the brain. Read More

A new link between a support protein within the brain's white matter and known Alzheimer's biomarkers discovered by Angela Jefferson and colleagues bring researchers a step toward earlier and more precise detection of neuropathology underlying cognitive impairment that may lead to new targeted therapies Read More

The process, discovered in the axons of neurons, is implicated in Alzheimer’s, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, traumatic brain injury and other diseases or injuries to the nervous system. Read More

Under the terms of the licensing agreement, Lundbeck has exclusively licensed rights to compounds developed at Vanderbilt that act on a receptor in the brain that has been implicated in schizophrenia. Read More

The first study to actually count the number of cortical neurons in the brains of a number of carnivores, including cats and dogs, has found that dogs possess significantly more of them than cats. Read More

When she finally applied her "brain soup" technique to the human brain, Herculano-Houzel discovered we have an average of 86 billion neurons. Surprisingly, though, the neuron density is the same as in other primates, showing a clear evolutionary pattern from monkeys to humans. “We somehow manage to have this large brain with a large number of neurons; but it’s still just a regular primate brain,” says Herculano-Houzel. Read More

New insights into the long-lasting effects of Fragile X syndrome on connections in the brain during early development highlight the importance of early detection and treatment. Read More

Intent to commit a crime is a crucial factor in determining prison sentences. A new neuro study suggests it is possible to measure subtle variations in intent while a crime is being committed. Read More

Artificial kidneys, gay-straight alliances and junkyard batteries captured readers' attention in 2016. Read More

A new microfluidic device containing human cells that faithfully mimics the behavior of the blood-brain barrier is providing new insights into brain inflammation, the silent killer. Read More

A study finds men are better at recognizing Transformer faces while women are better at recognizing Barbie faces, supporting the theory that we're more likely to recognize what we're used to seeing. Read More

A team of Vanderbilt scientists have genetically modified luciferase, the enzyme that produces bioluminescence, so that it acts as an optical sensor that records activity in brain cells. Read More

Sometimes you can't improve on a classic method: Touch typing is still the fastest. Read More

Research by Associate Professor of Psychology Suzana Herculano-Houzel finds that human intelligence comes from the number of neurons in our brains—and it was the invention of cooking that made neuron development possible. Read More

During development, neural circuits are remodeled – some synapses are eliminated and others are strengthened – to produce a mature, functional nervous system. Read More

Stimulating the brain with a mild electrical current can temporarily sharpen vision without glasses or contacts, Vanderbilt University researchers have found. (But please don't try this at home.) Read More