When we initiate an action in our everyday lives—chasing after a runaway napkin or getting out of the car—the brain releases a chemical messenger called dopamine that helps regulate the…
Motor neurons play a vital role in movement, linking the central nervous system with different muscles in the body. As such, scientists are very interested in understanding the biological mechanisms…
Three members of a family of proteins have been identified that are important to helping us fine tune the activity of brain chemicals which enable us to walk or stand…
Brain cells called astrocytes play a key role in helping neurons develop and function properly, but there’s still a lot scientists don’t understand about how astrocytes perform these important jobs.…
Scientists have long understood that the region of the brain called the hippocampus is important for memory, learning and navigation. Now, scientists in a UCLA lab led by neurophysicist Mayank…
Nerve cells (neurons) send signals throughout the brain and the body along long processes called axons; these communication and information processes consume high levels of energy. A recent study conducted…
