Synapses

Kauwe, Pareja-Navarro et al. identify a KIBRA-dependent mechanism to repair the plasticity at synapses that is dysregulated in neurons underlying the loss of memory in tauopathy. The art depicts the recovery of the functional plasticity at synapses on neurons despite tau-induced toxicity in the brain. Credit: Larissa BrownA groundbreaking study presents a novel Alzheimer’s treatment strategy focusing on memory restoration through the repair of damaged synapses, leveraging the critical role of the KIBRA protein. This…

Researchers have made significant advances in understanding synapse formation. They used CRISPR technology to observe synaptic vesicle development and discovered that synaptic components share a common transport pathway. This finding, coupled with the discovery of unique neuronal transport organelles, offers new insights into neuronal functions and potential therapeutic approaches for neurological damage.Whether in the brain or in the muscles, synapses are present wherever nerve cells exist. Synapses, the connections…

Learning new things is hard. Remembering what has already been learned is harder. Any successful learning system, be it a brain or a piece of artificial-intelligence software, must strike the right balance between stability and flexibility. It must be stable enough to remember important old things yet flexible enough to learn new ones without destroying old memory traces—preferably for as long as it exists. Learning is a result of changes in the pattern of neural connectivity in the…

MIT scientists found that the protein perlecan, found in both flies and humans, is vital for maintaining the structural integrity of neuronal axons. Without it, axons can break, leading to the death of synapses.Scientists find a protein common to flies and people is essential for supporting the structure of axons that neurons project to make circuit connections.In a study conducted by <span class="glossaryLink" aria-describedby="tt" data-cmtooltip="<div…

New research has discovered that the 19S proteasome particle, typically associated with protein degradation in the brain, can function independently in synapses, regulating key synaptic proteins and enabling synapses to adapt to different circumstances. This discovery, aided by the super-resolution imaging technique DNA PAINT, not only reveals an unexpected role for the 19S particle but also provides a new target for understanding and potentially treating neurological disorders like Parkinson’s disease and…

Scientists had previously believed that silent synapses were only present during early development.The ability of the adult brain to form new memories and absorb new information may be explained by these immature connections.MIT neuroscientists have found that the adult brain is filled with millions of “silent synapses” — immature connections between neurons that are not active until they are needed to help create new memories.It was previously believed that silent synapses only existed during early development, playing a…

Newborns need to store vast amounts of new information quickly as they learn to navigate the world. Silent synapses – the immature connections between neurons that have no neurotransmitter activity yet – are thought to be the hardware that allow this rapid information storage to occur early in life.First discovered decades ago in newborn mice, these potential neurological intersections were thought to disappear as the animals aged. A recent study by researchers from MIT in the US has found this vanishing act might not be…

An artificial analog synapse that can run 1 million times faster than the biological ones in the human brain has been developed by a team of researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). The newly developed programmable resistors can be used to make up analog neural networks in artificial intelligence systems and can process information around a million times faster than brain synapses that link neurons together.The latest device is cheaper to build, and it is claimed to be more energy efficient. The…

This illustration shows an analog deep learning processor powered by ultra-fast protonics. Credit: Ella Maru Studio, Murat OnenNew Hardware Delivers Faster Computation for Artificial Intelligence, With Much Less Energy<span class="glossaryLink" aria-describedby="tt" data-cmtooltip="<div class=glossaryItemTitle>MIT</div><div class=glossaryItemBody>MIT is an acronym for the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. It is a prestigious private research university in Cambridge,…