The peripheral nervous system is comprised of all nerves outside of the brain and the spinal cord (i.e., the central nervous system). Peripheral nerves contain a variety of different cell types, including glial cells.
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Study shows GABAergic neurons in the hypothalamus trigger automatic defensive attacks in mice
In his most renowned work, "On the Origin of Species," Charles Darwin introduced the idea that species need to continuously fight for their existence, and that only the most fit for a given environment survive. This notion, commonly known as the "survival of the...
Study: Hypothalamic melanin–concentrating hormone regulates activity in the dorsolateral septum
The melanin-concentrating hormone (MCH) is a neuropeptide (i.e., a compound that transmits information in the brain) produced by neurons in a region known as the lateral hypothalamic area (LHA). Past studies have found that in rodents, humans and other mammals, this...
Study sheds new light on how semantic information is organized in the brain
The human brain stores and organizes meaningful information in different regions and networks. While past neuroscience studies have examined some of these networks in great depth, the relationship and interactions between them is not yet entirely clear.
Neural mechanism facilitates network integration for fertility-controlling neurons and sexual maturation
Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) is the primary hormone regulating sexual reproduction in humans and other mammals. Past neuroscience studies have found that GnRH-producing neurons migrate from a region in the nose known as the nasal placode to the anterior part...
Study explores the neural dynamics of mindfulness meditation and hypnosis
In recent decades, psychologists and psychotherapists have developed a wide range of new therapeutic approaches and strategies to increase their patients' wellbeing. Two distinct practices found to be particularly promising are mindfulness meditation and hypnosis.
The possible effects of sleep quality on cognitive function in healthy older adults
In humans, aging is often associated with changes in sleeping patterns, cognitive abilities and functional network connectivity (i.e., the strength with which activity in different brain regions correlates over time). While many neuroscientists investigated these...
Reactivation in the hippocampus could support the consolidation of long-term cognitive maps
The hippocampus is an area of the brain known to play a key role in the encoding of long-term memories. In addition to contributing to the formation of event-related memories, this brain region supports the creation of so-called cognitive maps. These are mental maps...
Study constructs a molecular and cellular taxonomy of the mouse nucleus accumbens
The nucleus accumbens (NAc) is an area of the brain known to play a key role in regulating a variety of reward-related behaviors, including appetitive and aversive responses, feeding, social interactions and some types of learning. Studies on both humans and animals...
Study shows that memories pass through many transformation stages as they are encoded
Memory, the human ability to recall things that happened in the past, is one of the topics most widely investigated by neuroscientists and psychologists. Past studies have collected extensive evidence suggesting that memory is a dynamic process, rather than a static...