Tag Brain
Fettiplace named a Passano Fellow; 2nd major award for hearing researcher
Fettiplace, a professor of neuroscience at the UW School of Medicine and Public Health, won the award for showing how cochlear hair cells sense the tiny mechanical vibrations that sound produces in the inner ear.
Waisman’s stem cell research into Down syndrome gives family hope
It’s not a cure for Down syndrome that Dave Witte and Cristina Delgadillo want for their 5-year-old daughter. But they would be happy if stem cell research at the Waisman Center reduces the complications faced by Olivia, who has had two heart surgeries and a stroke.
Ritalin drives greater connection between brain areas key to memory, attention
New research is a first step toward understanding the way Ritalin affects the organization of the pathways that build brain networks used in attention and learning.
Five questions with Su-Chun Zhang, forger of brain cells
In light of the 20th anniversary of James Thomson’s derivation of human embryonic stem cells, we had some questions for one of the founders of stem cell neuroscience.
Discovery opens new opportunities to slow or reverse MS
Nerve cells stripped of their insulation can no longer carry vital information, leading to the numbness, weakness and vision problems often associated with multiple sclerosis. A new study shows an overlooked source may be able to replace that lost insulation.
Mutation in common protein triggers tangles, chaos inside brain cells
Growing human brain cells in lab dishes was key to the findings. Researcher Su-Chun Zhang was the first scientist to convert all-purpose human stem cells into neural cells.
Mental health in pregnancy may affect development of newborns’ brains
Until recently, researchers knew little about the relationship between an expectant mother’s mental health and the subsequent development of her baby. A new study suggests a possible link.
Meditation affects brain networks differently in long-term meditators and novices
UW-Madison researchers examined brain activity in non-meditators, new meditators, and long-term meditators, and they discovered differences in emotion networks of the brain among these groups.
Childhood stress leaves lasting mark on genes
How does stress put some children at risk of psychiatric disorders when they grow up? To find out, researchers compared their genomes to those of kids whose childhoods were relatively tranquil.
Researchers trace Parkinson’s damage in the heart
Heart attacks, diabetes and other disorders cause similar damage to nerves in the heart. Those patients and potential therapies could also benefit from the new visualization method, says Parkinson's disease researcher Marina Emborg.
Training compassion ‘muscle’ may boost brain’s resilience to others’ suffering
A new study suggests that compassion meditation training may reduce the distress a person feels when witnessing another’s suffering. It may also improve their ability and likelihood to respond with compassion.
Waisman Center welcomes a center leader to director position
Qiang Chang, a longstanding member of the University of Wisconsin–Madison Waisman Center’s leadership team, has been named the new director of the center following a nationwide search.
New approaches in neuroscience show it’s not all in your head
“How we experience the world affects us in more ways than we previously thought,” says Richard Davidson, a professor of psychology and psychiatry at UW–Madison and director of the Center for Healthy Minds.
The doc sets the goal, then ‘Digital Intern’ goes to work
A UW–Madison spinoff company is refining a medical management software package designed to help doctors treat patients more efficiently.
From fungi to humans, ‘smart valves’ assist communication within, between cells
Trees. Fungi. Monkeys. Fish. Your aunt and uncle. Without fusion pores built of SNARE proteins, they can't exist.
Estrogen discovery could shed new light on fertility problems
Researchers have upended the traditional understanding of the hormonal cascade that leads to release of an egg from the ovaries.
Researchers investigate how a stressed brain can make asthma worse
Researchers are investigating cross-talk between the brain and lungs of people with asthma in a four-year, $2.5 million study to understand how psychological stress can make asthma symptoms worse.
Waisman Center director search advances as interim leadership is named
The center has been dedicated for 45 years to the advancement of knowledge about human development, developmental disabilities and neurodegenerative diseases.
Gambling against the odds on life’s risks more common after childhood stress
Trouble reading the signs that a loss or punishment is looming can lead to situations that risk avoidable problems.
Video game improves balance in youth with autism
Balance challenges are more common among people with ASD, and difficulties with balance are thought to relate to more severe ASD symptoms and impaired activities in daily living.