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Category: neuroscience – Page 229

Eye movement patterns reveal subtle signs of cognitive and memory decline

A multi-institution team across Canada and the West Indies reports that gaze patterns can serve as a sensitive marker of cognitive decline, with associated reductions in explorative, adaptive, and differentiated visual sampling of the environment.

Eye movements are closely linked to encoding and retrieval processes, with changes in viewing behavior often reflecting age and pathology-related memory declines. Previous work has noted that groups differing in memory status diverge across multiple gaze features, suggesting that univariate gaze metrics may not fully capture the complexity of memory-related viewing behaviors.

In the study, “Decoding through naturalistic gaze patterns,” published in PNAS, researchers investigated changes in naturalistic viewing behavior across five participant groups to explore possible gaze-based indicators of memory function.

Gut microbiota linked to autism spectrum disorder progression in mice

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) affects an estimated 1 in 31 children in the United States by 2025, and prevalence in East Asian countries, such as South Korea, Singapore, and Japan, may be even higher than those in the United States. Despite its increasing prevalence, the underlying causes of ASD remain poorly understood, and there are currently no curative, preventive, or treatment options available.

A research team from POSTECH and ImmunoBiome in Korea, led by Professor Sin-Hyeog Im, who also serves as the CEO of ImmunoBiome, has made a discovery that reveals a multi-faceted mechanism behind ASD. This study, published in the July issue of Nature Communications, in collaboration with Dr. John C. Park and Prof. Tae-Kyung Kim, demonstrates that the and host immune system together can influence the progression of ASD in a .

ASD has long been regarded as a genetically driven disorder. However, growing evidence suggests that environmental and microbial factors also play a role. The human gut harbors more than ten times as many microbial cells as human cells, and these microbes play vital roles in metabolism and the development of the immune system.

Brain scans reveal action-based organization in people born without hands

Conventional wisdom among neuroscientists suggests that the brain’s motor functions are organized around the body, meaning certain brain areas control the hand; others the foot. An emerging alternative theory is that parts of the brain may be organized by the types of action, like reaching or using tools, no matter which body part is used to complete the task.

Researchers at Georgetown University recently set out to understand these theories, because knowing how the brain is organized around function versus body part has profound implications for rehabilitation and a person’s return to function following a .

The findings are published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The work is titled “Action-type mapping principles extend beyond evolutionarily-conserved actions, even in people born without hands.”

Hight-salt diet sparks brain inflammation that could explain stubborn high blood pressure

A new study finds that a high-salt diet triggers brain inflammation that drives up blood pressure. The research, led by McGill University scientist Masha Prager-Khoutorsky in collaboration with an interdisciplinary team at McGill and the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Center, suggests the brain may be a missing link in certain forms of high blood pressure—or hypertension—traditionally attributed to the kidneys.

“This is new evidence that high blood pressure can originate in the brain, opening the door for developing treatments that act on the brain,” said Prager-Khoutorsky, associate professor in McGill’s Department of Physiology.

Hypertension affects two-thirds of people over 60 and contributes to 10 million deaths worldwide each year. Often symptomless, the condition increases the risk of heart disease, stroke and other serious health problems.

Gut Neurons Direct Immune Healing After Inflammation

Their previous work revealed that ILC2s are a major source of a tissue-healing growth factor called amphiregulin and have the capacity to receive neuronal signals that modulate their function and can impact disease progression and recovery.

In the new study, they demonstrated that the tissue-protective function of ILC2s depends on production of a molecule called adrenomedullin 2 (ADM2) from the enteric nervous system; administering the molecule expanded this group of ILC2s and provided therapeutic benefit in a preclinical model of inflammatory bowel disease, whereas loss of ADM2 signaling exacerbated disease due to the lack of these protective cells.

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