BRAIN and BEHAVIOR INITIATIVE WEEKLY DIGEST
May 13, 2019
BBI Announces Awards for FY19 Seed Grant Program
The proposals seeded by BBI in FY19 feature researchers from seven colleges and schools (AGNR, ARHU, BSOS, CMNS, EDUC, ENGR, and MAPP) as well as three UMD institutes or centers (ARLIS, ISR, and UMIACS).
Some of the challenges that this year’s project teams aim to treat are: aphasics’ struggles with word-finding, social disinclinations toward agricultural water reuse, difficulties in language comprehension among non-native speakers, the intransigence of bystanders during cases of bullying in middle school and high school, the deleterious effects of building design on mental health and well-being, and the gap in knowledge about how the brain’s molecular and genetic structures affect human beings upon loss-of-function (e.g. in cases such as Parkinson’s or Alzheimer’s diseases). Please read more about each of these individual projects below.
Some of the challenges that this year’s project teams aim to treat are: aphasics’ struggles with word-finding, social disinclinations toward agricultural water reuse, difficulties in language comprehension among non-native speakers, the intransigence of bystanders during cases of bullying in middle school and high school, the deleterious effects of building design on mental health and well-being, and the gap in knowledge about how the brain’s molecular and genetic structures affect human beings upon loss-of-function (e.g. in cases such as Parkinson’s or Alzheimer’s diseases). Please read more about each of these individual projects below.
News
The pathophysiology of the brains of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) patients is widely studied. So too are global expression changes revealed by bulk transcriptomic analyses. Now, for the first time, researchers have performed a comprehensive analysis of genes expressed in individual brain cells of patients with AD, identifying distinctive cellular pathways that are affected in neurons and other types of brain cells.
As we age, working memory fades because far-flung brain areas no longer fire in sync. Prior studies have demonstrated that reduced working memory in elderly people is related to uncoupled activity in separate brain areas, but in a new study, researchers used jolts of weak electrical stimulation to recouple these areas. They applied current to the scalp to synchronize waves in the prefrontal and temporal cortex, resulting in a boost to working memory.
A team of international scientists has defined a new type of dementia that closely mimics the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease. The disease has been named “LATE,” which stands for, “Limbic-predominant Age-related TDP-43 Encephalopathy.” LATE affects multiple areas of cognition, including memory trouble and dementia, and impairs activities of daily life. The identification of LATE provides a starting point for further research that can advance scientists' understanding of late-life brain changes.
Scientists used brain signals recorded from patients with epilepsy to program a computer to mimic natural speech. They first recorded signals from the brain area that produces language while participants read hundreds of sentences out loud. Using this data, the team then mapped out the vocal movements the participants used to make the different sounds, including how they moved their lips, tongue, jaw, and vocal cords. Next, the researchers programmed this information into a computer with machine-learning algorithms to decode the brain activity data and produce synthetic speech.
Scientists have discovered a new method for quickly and efficiently mapping the vast network of connections among neurons in the brain using optical fibers and ultra-high-field MRIs. Traditionally, researchers have mapped these kinds of connections in the brain through a laborious process of injecting dyes directly into the brain and reconstructing the connections post-mortem--a slow, expensive, time-consuming process. However, the new method allows for systematic, large-scale study of connection patterns within single individuals repeatedly and efficiently.
At the British Neuroscience Association's Festival of Neuroscience 2019, Dr Verena Heise of the BNA's credibility board gave an interview about credibility in neuroscience, how she became involved in promoting it, and how other players in research can help advance the credibility cause. Questions include, "What is credibility in science?", "How can journals get involved with promoting credibility?", and "What advice would you give to those wanting to getting involved with credibility initiatives?"
The Advisory Committee to the NIH Director BRAIN Initiative Working Group 2.0 will share its thoughts on the current state of the BRAIN Initiative following a 30-day public comment period. Their report will cover opportunities for keeping pace with the evolving scientific landscape, including the identification of new opportunities for research and technology development, within a solid ethical framework to ensure that BRAIN Initiative research is of the utmost value to the public. To this end, the NIH is soliciting input from all interested stakeholders.
The BRAIN (Brain Research through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies) Initiative Alliance is excited to announce a new partnership with the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Brain Initiative. BIA and IEEE have overlapping missions that will benefit from this collaboration. Similar goals shared by both groups include the development of new neurotechnologies for enabling novel research methodologies and for improving neurological healthcare.
National Prevention Week (NPW), hosted by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), is May 12-19, 2019. This week is a time for youth-serving professionals, parents, and other caring adults to raise awareness about the importance of substance use prevention and positive mental health.
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