News & HighlightsNews
Study on brain navigation reveals function of an unconventional electrical-signaling mode in neurons
New work in fruit flies uncovers an electrical trick that allows neurons to compute direction efficiently by juggling multiple signaling mechanisms. These findings could reframe our understanding of how some neurons operate.
How the brain creates facial expressions
New work demonstrates how neural circuits in the brain and muscles of the face work together to respond physically to social cues.
Increasing levels of the protein PI31 demonstrates neuroprotective effects in mice
Boosting PI31 has been shown to head off Parkinson’s-like disorders and extend lifespan in fruit flies and mice, pointing to a possible new therapeutic target for treating rare neurodegenerative diseases, as well as more common disorders, such as Alzheimer's.
Researchers keep a mammalian cochlea alive outside the body for the first time
The technological breakthrough may improve our understanding of the cellular mechanisms behind hearing and its loss, which remain poorly understood.
This brain circuit drives the urge to mate. Except when it doesn’t.
Scientists discovered an identical neural circuit that operates differently in male and female mice.
Why scientists and policy experts are trying to map the genomes of every animal, plant and fungal species in the US
The Vertebrate Genomes Project has set its sights on creating high-quality reference genomes to help answer some of science’s biggest questions.
Our ability to recognize objects depends on prior experience
New findings suggest neurons have much more functional dexterity than scientists previously realized.
Using a pea-sized node in the brain to potentially treat drug addiction
Ines Ibañez-Tallon is revealing how an understudied region of the brain plays an outsized role in opioid and nicotine dependence. 
A scientist’s 30-year quest reveals why a fat-sensing hormone can lose its effectiveness, leading to obesity
Jeffrey M. Friedman’s lab has discovered a mechanism to explain how leptin resistance works.
Researchers discover a cause of leptin resistance—and how to reverse it
Most obese patients grow resistant to satiety signals from the hormone leptin. A new study shows that leptin sensitivity can be restored in mice, leading to weight loss.
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