Neuroscience is quickly moving forward and covers many areas of study.1 In 2023, we made big steps in various fields. These new findings will change how we see the human brain and its functions. Let’s dive into the latest from the world of neuroscience.

Key Takeaways

  • Neuroscience research has unveiled remarkable advancements in our understanding of the brain in 2023.
  • Groundbreaking discoveries span a wide range of disciplines, from harnessing the brain’s electrical activity to enhancing memory through olfactory stimulation.
  • These breakthroughs promise to revolutionize how we diagnose, treat, and augment brain function.
  • The field of neuroscience continues to push the boundaries of scientific knowledge, offering hope for those affected by neurological and psychiatric disorders.
  • Emerging technologies, such as quantum therapy and precise deep brain stimulation, are paving the way for innovative treatment paradigms.

Electrical Brain Activity Restructures Neurons

Electric activity in the brain was thought to just be signals from neurons. But, a new idea says these signals can change the brain at its smallest level.2 This ‘Cytoelectric Coupling’ theory says the brain’s own electric fields could be tweaking how neurons are laid out. The goal is to make the brain’s network work better and stay stable.

Cytoelectric Coupling: Brain’s Electric Fields Sculpt Neural Activity

Previous research showed that brain waves and tiny electric forces can make the brain work together better.2 This happens through processes like electrodiffusion and grabbing energy from different sources. The main researcher explains how the brain changes with its environment. As it does, its parts need to stay in ‘electric conversation’ to operate correctly.

Electrodiffusion, Mechanotransduction, and Energy Exchanges Optimize Network Stability

According to the ‘Cytoelectric Coupling’ theory, the brain’s electric fields can tweak how neurons’ small parts are set up.2 This is also connected to how the brain works in sync using its electrical and molecular sides. It helps the brain optimize how it functions.

Quantum Medical Therapy Leverages Cell Biology

Wireless Electrical–Molecular Quantum Signalling for Cancer Cell Apoptosis

A recent paper in Nature Nanotechnology describes a cutting-edge approach to health care.3 It uses quantum biological tunneling in brain cells to fight glioblastoma cancer.

The method involves using gold bipolar nanoelectrodes. These are sprayed onto an area during surgery.4 Then, a specific electrical field is applied. It targets the electric fields of tumor cells individually. This process changes the protein in the cells by transferring a single electron through tunneling. This is called Quantum Biological Electron Transfer (QBET).

QBET makes cancer cells start programmed cell death (apoptosis) by changing a cell’s protein. Regular brain cells don’t react to this electrical activity, but tumor cells do. The researchers believe this is because of how tumor cells express certain genes.3 This technology creates a wireless, electrical-molecular way to kill cancer cells.

Frankie Rawson, the study’s lead, says this method might be the first-ever cancer treatment using quantum mechanics. He highlights its potential for creating new approaches to fighting cancer.3 Basically, this could be the beginning of quantum therapy, offering hope for improved cancer treatments.

Overnight Olfactory Enrichment Boosts Memory

A recent study looked into how our smell can help our brains while we sleep, especially with aging. The goal was to see if smelling things could aid memory in older people. The idea is that smell has a direct path to our memory areas, which might help improve certain brain functions.5

Odor Diffuser Improves Memory and Modifies Uncinate Fasciculus

The study worked with a small set of smells that participants sniffed before bed. Yet, those who smelled the scents showed a major leap in remembering and learning words. This jump was an impressive 226% on a test that checks these abilities.5 Brain scans also noted positive brain changes, particularly in an area critical for memory. This brain part often weakens with age and certain health conditions.5 The smell boost seemed most effective for people between 60 and 72, proving being proactive toward aging has its benefits.5

smell memory enhancement

Studies in mice support the idea that better smells can spark new brain cell growth.6 Also, 30 minutes a day of smelling different essential oils for three months led to more new brain cells in areas linked to memory and smell.6 Our sense of smell fades with time, often before we notice our memory slipping.6 And losing our sense of smell can lead to brain loss in both gray and white matter. This is a red flag for memory and learning issues in health conditions like Parkinson’s, dementia, and schizophrenia.6 Yet, smells can sometimes help restore smell in those who have lost it.6 They might even change the structure of our brains by making certain areas thicker.6

Smelling better can really boost our brainpower. People usually do better at finding words, feeling less down, and having sharper minds after getting into smells.6 The more diverse the smells, the bigger the memory and thinking wins, especially in those fighting dementia.6 Engaging our nose while we sleep could also top up our mental and brain health without much extra work.6

Precise Deep Brain Stimulation with StimNETs

Ultraflexible Electrodes Enable High-Resolution Microstimulation

Deep brain stimulation is very promising but has problems. The electrodes used are invasive and don’t always hit the right neurons.7 It’s used to treat different conditions like Parkinson’s disease and depression.7 The current electrodes can excite a huge number of neurons. This can cause unwanted side effects.7

A big step forward has been made with StimNETs. These are ultraflexible electrodes that are much smaller than past ones. They can target specific neurons with very little current.2 This makes them much more accurate, as proven in studies involving rats and initial human testing.7 StimNETs make it possible to stimulate individual neurons in the brain very precisely.7

StimNETs have many advantages. They can stimulate specific brain areas without affecting others. They can last for a long time without causing harm to the brain.2 Unlike older methods, they don’t just stimulate big groups of neurons. They can target single neurons, making the treatment very precise.2 This precision is crucial for improving treatments for many brain conditions.7 StimNETs can change the way we treat brain diseases by stimulating the brain in very precise ways without any damage.7

Advanced microstimulation technologies face many challenges. These include creating interfaces that are very accurate, devices that last, and preventing the body’s natural response to reject them.7 There are many groups working together to make better devices and to avoid the body’s negative reaction.7 As we get better at connecting machines to the brain, we are also improving how we help people with brain disorders.7 Success in using these technologies depends a lot on how well they can interact with the brain.7

When electrically stimulated, different parts of the brain show different reactions. For example, some parts react like they are hearing something.7

Optimal Deep Brain Stimulation for Alzheimer’s

A 2023 breakthrough in neuroscience has shown deep brain stimulation (DBS) can help ease Alzheimer’s disease symptoms.8 To work well, DBS demands precise electrode placement. It’s hard to choose the right brain areas for people with different brain issues.9 Scientists from Harvard Medical School used detailed brain scans and computer models. They found the perfect spots for stimulation in the brain’s memory regions. This approach led to big improvements in patients’ symptoms.9

More research is essential before DBS can treat Alzheimer’s. Yet, the study’s data is out there for anyone to use. Now, researchers can put electrodes accurately in brain surgery tests for treating AD.8

Key FindingsStatistical Data
Deep brain stimulation (DBS) to the fornix for mild Alzheimer’s Disease resulted in cognitive function improvement in some patients but deterioration in others.9
Stimulation of the circuit of Papez and stria terminalis was associated with cognitive improvement with a correlation coefficient of 0.53 (p9
Optimal stimulation of these structures at the direct interface was correlated with cognitive improvement with a coefficient of 0.48 (p9
Modulating specific brain networks related to memory accounted for optimal outcomes with a coefficient of 0.48 (p9
Patients who underwent DBS targeting the fornix region had a mean age of 67 ± 7.9 years, with 23 females in the cohort.9
ADAS-cog 11 score at baseline was 18.5 ± 5.6, and one year after stimulation was 23.6 ± 10, showing a -38.6% change.9
73 out of 92 active contacts were within a 2mm radius of the closest voxel of the fornix, and 85 out of 92 active contacts were within 2mm of the closest voxel of the Bed nucleus of Stria Terminalis (BNST).9

deep brain stimulation alzheimer's

Recent Breakthroughs in Neuroscience: What You Should Know

This year, the field of neuroscience has advanced significantly. Experts have made breakthroughs by using the brain’s own electrical signals1. They’ve also used quantum biology to fight cancer1. Plus, they’ve shown memory can be improved by smells1. These discoveries suggest even more exciting progress could happen soon. This progress might change how we understand and treat brain-related issues.

Scientists have found over 214,000 unique gene messages in the human brain’s growth1. This discovery has given us deep, new insights into how our brain works. It has also linked certain genetic risks to conditions like autism and schizophrenia1. This has helped us see these conditions in a new light.

Using psilocybin from magic mushrooms has shown how it makes the brain connect much more1. It’s helping science understand strange experiences better. There have also been new findings about PTSD and depression, showing they affect the brain and immune system1.

Recent research shows brain development in autistic boys and girls is different, affecting how thick their cortex is1. For older adults, changes in thinking affect when they choose to stop driving1. Eating a lot of ultra-processed foods also raises the risk of problems like stroke and losing thinking abilities1.

The study of the brain never stops moving forward. Now, we have ultrasound patches that can check blood flow in our brains all the time1. There are also new discoveries about Alzheimer’s disease1. The year 2023 is bringing big changes that could lead to new ways to deal with brain and mental health issues.

Merging Tardigrade Genes for Radiation Resistance

In China, a team of military doctors used CRISPR/Cas9 to add a tardigrade gene into human embryonic stem cells. This made the cells better at surviving radiation. Tardigrades are tiny but can live in very tough places, like space and boiling water.10 The scientists found that nearly all these human cells lived even after being hit by strong X-rays. Because they used lab-made stem cells, it’s not against the law. But, many people have strong feelings about this work. The ultimate aim is to create soldiers that are almost indestructible, even in cases of nuclear accidents.

When scientists looked at tardigrades after they faced big doses of radiation, they found something interesting. The tardigrades’ genes meant their cells could repair DNA very well. This protected them from getting hurt by the radiation. Half of the most active genes in the tardigrades did the job of fixing DNA.10 These little creatures got better at fixing their DNA after radiation hit them. They could fix it in several ways. This showed that their bodies knew how to fight the damage from radiation in a special and smart way.10

Hypsibius exemplaris, which is a type of tardigrade, can live through 4,000 Gy of radiation. For humans, just 5 Gy is deadly. This shows that tardigrades are much, much better at handling radiation than we are.11 When these tardigrades were hit by really big doses of gamma radiation, their DNA got quite a bit of damage. But, they got better; their DNA damage dropped a lot after some time.11

After looking at what happened in the tardigrades, we saw something cool. Their genes for repairing DNA got very active all over their bodies after radiation. Places like their salivary glands and special immune cells reacted a lot to the damage.10 Putting these DNA repair genes into bacteria helped them resist radiation. Some of these genes in the cells made it so the bacteria could live through more radiation. But, they first had to make a lot of these genes.10

When tardigrades were hit with 500 Gy of radiation, lots of their DNA repair genes got turned on. Nearly 9,000 of the genes changed how they worked because of the radiation.11 The most important genes that got more active were the ones for fixing DNA. This showed that the tardigrades were really focused on fixing DNA after they got hit by radiation.11 Some of the DNA repair genes got more than 32 times more active. This was a really big change, showing how strong their response to radiation was. DNA repair was very, very important in their reaction.11 They really worked hard at repairing their DNA after radiation to survive.11

As part of their study, the researchers looked at how genes from tardigrades could help against radiation. They found that these genes could protect cells. This shows that tardigrade genes have a real potential to make cells better at surviving radiation.10

Mapping the Complete Insect Brain

The first-ever complete map of an insect’s brain has 3,016 neurons.1213 Completed after 12 years, this fruit fly brain atlas was shown in June. It details all the physical connections between the cells.12 This work could lead to more advanced AI systems. It may also help understand the human brain better.12 This is a huge step forward in studying insect nervous systems.

3,016 Neuron Connections in Fruit Fly Brain Atlas

The fruit fly larva’s brain map has 3,016 neurons and 548,000 synapses.1413 It’s the biggest brain map ever made. It shows how complex and deep this study is. The brain of the roundworm had far fewer neurons in past studies. This shows how much more we can now understand.14

To make the fly brain map, researchers used thousands of detailed images.14 They used an electron microscope for this detailed work. It marks a big step in imaging technology. With special tools, they found how information flows in the brain. They saw connections like those in advanced deep learning.14

The next step is to look at how the fly’s brain works in learning and making decisions.14 Many signals in the brain were about learning.13 Scientists plan to use the same approach to map a mouse’s brain in about ten years.13

Unveiling the Most Detailed Human Brain Atlas

Scientists have made a big step by creating the most detailed human brain atlas ever. It shows how around 3,300 different types of brain cells are organized. Many of these cells were not known before.15 The atlas includes neurons and non-neuronal cells. It helps us see how our thinking and actions come from a complex mix of cell types.16

This big step forward helps us understand the human brain better. The atlas is set to guide new research and bring about key advances in brain illness diagnosis and treatment.16 Now, researchers can explore how different cell types work together in the brain. This will deepen our knowledge of thoughts, feelings, and actions.

Developing such a detailed brain atlas shows how quickly neuroscience is progressing.15 Thanks to new technologies and team work, like the BRAIN initiative, scientists are solving the brain’s puzzles.16 This accomplishment paves the way for more discoveries. These discoveries could change how we understand the brain and improve brain health treatments.

Source Links

  1. https://www.sciencedaily.com/news/mind_brain/neuroscience/
  2. https://www.neurotrackerx.com/post/9-fascinating-neuroscience-breakthroughs-in-2023
  3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10689891/
  4. https://biomedical-engineering-online.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12938-022-01062-y
  5. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/olfactory-training-during-sleep-could-help-your-memory/
  6. https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/neuroscience/articles/10.3389/fnins.2023.1200448/full
  7. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S246845111730051X
  8. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnagi.2021.619543
  9. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9751139/
  10. https://prelights.biologists.com/highlights/tardigrades-dramatically-upregulate-dna-repair-pathway-genes-in-response-to-ionizing-radiation-v2/
  11. https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.09.07.556677v1.full
  12. https://www.nih.gov/news-events/nih-research-matters/complete-wiring-map-insect-brain
  13. https://new.nsf.gov/news/scientists-complete-first-map-insect-brain
  14. https://www.cam.ac.uk/research/news/first-wiring-map-of-insect-brain-complete
  15. https://www.nimh.nih.gov/news/science-news/2023/scientists-unveil-detailed-cell-maps-of-the-human-brain-and-the-nonhuman-primate-brain
  16. https://www.washingtonpost.com/science/2023/10/12/allen-brain-atlas-cell-types/

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