Archive for the ‘Anatomy’ Category
COMT, Catechol-O-methyl transferase, is an enzyme that degrades catecholamines–such as dopamine, epinephrine, and norepinephrine (or adrenaline and noradrenaline as they are called in the UK). It was first discovered in the ’50s by Nobel laureate and pirate Julius Axelrod. More recently, scientists discovered an evolutionarily recent nonsynonomous single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in the protein-coding portion of […]
Filed under: Behavior, Cannabis, Dorsolateral PFC, Drugs, Genetics, Human, Schizophrenia, SNPs | 9 Comments
Tags: Biology, cogsci, Genetics, neuro, Neuroscience, psychology, Science
The connectome is a map of all neural connections in a brain, which I believe only currently exists for the flatworm C. Elegans. Seung’s group and collaborators are working using serial electron microscopy, and partially automated EM analysis and the crowdsourcing site eyewire to reconstruct parts of the mouse retina, with the hope of steadily improving technologies […]
Filed under: Anatomy, Books, Connectomics, Connectopathy, Crowd Sourcing, Development, Electron Microscopy, Mouse | Leave a Comment
Tags: Connectomics, Connectopathy, Development, Electron Microscopy, Neuroscience, Wiring
This article is my translation of this Brazilian article by RICARDO ZORZETTO (with lots of help from google translate) Revising the Numbers Get to know the anatomy of the human brain, especially how researchers got to a figure of 86 billion neurons,instead of the 100 billions previously estimated. —- On Wednesday, January 11, researchers Casarsa Frederico Azevedo […]
Filed under: Cerebellum, Comparative, Cortex, FACS - Fluorescent Automated Cell Sorting, Glia, Human, Primate, Rat | Leave a Comment
First, experimental economists and psychologists like nobel laureates Vernon L. Smith and Daniel Kahneman taught us that we aren’t economically rational–we’re influenced by biases and we use flawed heuristics (though often in very testable, repeatable ways).(1) Then, Neuroeconomists showed that biology affects economic decisions–internasal oxytocin raises trust in risky exchanges, serum serotonin levels predict whether […]
Filed under: Anatomy, Behavior, Dorsolateral PFC, Field / Technique, fMRI, Genetics, Genoeconomics, Human, Insula, Neuroeconomics, oxytocin, Peptides, Uncategorized, Vasopressin | Leave a Comment
Can THC treat Anorexia and Bulemia? – Endocannabinoid systems are altered in eating disorders
“The munchies” — an effect of THC causing heightened craving and enjoyment of food after taking is currently used to help HIV patients and cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy patients maintain their weight. New research indicates that THC could help anorexics and bulemics regain weight–though probably not through “the munchies.” A new PET imaging study reported […]
Filed under: Drugs, Eating Disorders, Insula, PET scan, Pharmacology, Psychiatric | Leave a Comment
Tags: Anorexia, Bulemia, CB1, endocannabinoid, mk-9470, PET Study, THC
MPA, the Hormone used in the Depo Provera birth control shot, causes memory problems in rats
A new study published in Psychopharmacology shows young rats injected with medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA) performed worse on behavioral memory tests. MPA’s memory impairment persisted even once it had been cleared from the blood. MPA is the active component of the Depo Provera shot but not found in other hormonal contraceptives. The finding is especially significant […]
Filed under: Behavior, Hippocampus, Hormones, Memory, Public Health, Rat | Leave a Comment
Tags: Depo Provera, GAD, MPA, Water Radial Arm Maze
Details of the weight loss A new study published in the NEJM enrolled 50 overweight or obese patients (BMIs between 27 and 40) in a 10-week 500 calorie diet of Optifast VLCD and low starch vegetables. As might be expected with such a rigorous diet 16 dropped out or did not lose the expected weight […]
Filed under: Behavior, Hormones, Hypothalamus, Molecular, Obesity, Peptides | 2 Comments
Tags: diet, ghrelin, hormones, leptin, long-term, maintenance, NEJM study, obesity
Sleep and appetite may seem unrelated at first, but they have more in common than you might think. I know the last few times I was up late working, I was snacking on something. (Though, this example is complicated by the fact that stress can lead to hunger too.) The protein leptin is associated with […]
Filed under: Hormones, Hypothalamus, Peptides | 1 Comment
The New York Times mentioned the mammalian diving reflex in an article about David Blain last Tuesday. In humans, it allows you to hold your breath longer when under water, by slowing the heart and lowering blood flow to your extremities. Aquatic mammals have a more intense version of this reflex, and when diving deep […]
Filed under: Cranial Nerves, Reflexes | 2 Comments
Ben Kuebrich
Neuroamer 