Caffeine consumption has been linked to a reduced risk of Alzheimer’s disease, and a new University of Illinois study may be help scientists understand how this happens. Gregory Freund, a professor in the U of I’s College of Medicine says: “We have discovered a novel signal that activates the brain-based inflammation associated with neurodegenerative diseases,…
Category: Neuroscience
What Is The Orbitofrontal Cortex
The orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) is a prefrontal cortex region in the frontal lobes in the brain which is involved in the cognitive processing of decision-making. In non-human primates it consists of the association cortex areas Brodmann area 11, 12 and 13; in humans it consists of Brodmann area 10, 11 and 47. The orbitofrontal cortex…
Neurodegeneration
Neurodegeneration is the umbrella term for the progressive loss of structure or function of neurons, including death of neurons. Many neurodegenerative diseases including ALS, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, and Huntington’s occur as a result of neurodegenerative processes. Such diseases are incurable, resulting in progressive degeneration and/or death of neuron cells. As research progresses, many similarities appear that…
What is a Neuron?
A neuron (also known as a neurone or nerve cell) is an electrically excitable cell that processes and transmits information through electrical and chemical signals. These signals between neurons occur via synapses, specialized connections with other cells. Neurons can connect to each other to form neural networks. Neurons are the core components of the nervous…
What Is The Insular Cortex?
The insular cortex is a portion of the cerebral cortex folded deep within the lateral sulcus, the fissure separating the temporal lobe from the parietal and frontal lobes. The insulae are believed to be involved in consciousness and play a role in diverse functions usually linked to emotion or the regulation of the body’s homeostasis.…
What Is The Entorhinal Cortex?
The entorhinal cortex (EC) is an area of the brain located in the medial temporal lobe and functioning as a hub in a widespread network for memory and navigation. The EC is the main interface between the hippocampus and neocortex. The EC-hippocampus system plays an important role in declarative (autobiographical/episodic/semantic) memories and in particular spatial…
The Neurotransmitter that Lets you Forget
Although we often think of memory as a way of preserving the essential idea of who we are, we don’t give much thought to the importance of forgetting on our well-being. That applies whether what we forget belongs in the “horrible memories department” or just reflects the minutia of day-to-day living. In spite of the…
Hemispheric Specialization For Approach Motivation Reverses With Handedness
The way we use our hands may determine how emotions are organized in our brains, according to a recent study. Motivation, the drive to approach or withdraw from physical and social stimuli, is a basic building block of human emotion. For decades, scientists have believed that approach motivation is computed mainly in the left hemisphere…
What is Neuroplasticity?
Neuroplasticity, also known as brain plasticity, is a general term that encompasses both synaptic plasticity and non-synaptic plasticity—it refers to changes in neural pathways and synapses due to changes in behavior, environment, neural processes, thinking, emotions, as well as changes resulting from bodily injury. Neuroplasticity has replaced the formerly-held position that the brain is a…