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Archive for the ‘neuroscience’ category: Page 923

Aug 17, 2015

Future of Virtual Reality Series Launches Today

Posted by in categories: neuroscience, space, space travel, virtual reality

If you’ve ever watched someone experience virtual reality for the first time, you know it can involve screaming, flapping arms, and occasional falls.

On one level people know their bodies are safe on the stable chair, but as their minds are catapulted through outer space on a spaceship to Mars or beamed into a refugee camp in Syria —they can’t help but lose their grip on reality and go along for the ride.

In fact, our brains don’t even require photorealism for suspension of disbelief in VR. A choppy CGI rendition will cause our heart rates to increase and our palms to get sweaty when we’re riding a virtual roller coaster or standing on the edge of a virtual building looking at the ground 30 stories below.

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Aug 16, 2015

There Is Now a Brain Implant that Can Control Emotions Wirelessly

Posted by in category: neuroscience

But can human beings be trusted to be in complete control over their emotional reality?

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Aug 16, 2015

Mechanism that Controls When We Sleep and When We Wake Discovered

Posted by in category: neuroscience

Researchers discover changes in the activity of sodium and potassium channels during the day and night impact the sleep-wake cycle.

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Aug 15, 2015

An Entire Nervous System Captured On Film For The First Time

Posted by in category: neuroscience

While smaller organisms such as nematode worms have been imaged before, a entire central nervous system has now been recorded for the first time in the fruit fly, drosophila melanogaster.

The video shows neural activity (yellow/red) throughout the entire central nervous system (grey) of a Drosophila larva.

Credit: Keller et al. Nature Communications See More.

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Aug 14, 2015

First 3D-Printed Drug Ushers in Era of Downloadable Medicine — Singularity HUB

Posted by in categories: 3D printing, biotech/medical, neuroscience, singularity

Last week, the FDA approved the first 3D-printed prescription drug, essentially validating the technology as a new heavyweight player in big pharma. “This may be the first truly mass manufactured product made by 3D printing,” said Dr. Michael Cima, a professor at MIT who helped invent the pill-printing technology back in 1997, in an email to Singularity Hub. “It’s revolutionary.”

The printed pill, SPRITAM levetiracetam, is a drug that fights many kinds of epileptic seizures. The brainchild of a little-known Ohio-based company Aprecia, SPRITAM is essentially an old drug ingredient packaged into a brand new, more effective delivery system. Unlike current formulations of the same drug, SPRITAM immediately dissolves upon contact with water and bursts into effect — a property obviously beneficial when trying to curtail sudden-onset seizure episodes.

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Aug 14, 2015

Report: Human Age Reversal Research

Posted by in categories: biotech/medical, life extension, neuroscience

“A protein found in the blood of young animals called GDF-11 is inducing systemic rejuvenation effects on bone, muscle, heart, blood vessels, and brains of older animals.

“GDF” stands for growth differentiating factor. It functions to turn “on” senescent stem cells, which results in a restoration of youthful structure and function to senile tissues. This same protein (GDF-11) is found in young humans as well as animals.

Harvard, Stanford, and other universities are conducting remarkable studies showing age reversal in animal models. Researchers from these centers of medical innovation are optimistic that this approach might be applicable to humans.”

Continue reading “Report: Human Age Reversal Research” »

Aug 14, 2015

Researchers Are Getting Closer to 3D Printing Brains

Posted by in categories: 3D printing, neuroscience

The complex structure of the brain can be replicated with a simple handheld printer.

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Aug 14, 2015

Universal plaque-busting drug could treat various brain diseases — New Scientist

Posted by in categories: biotech/medical, health, life extension, neuroscience

A universal therapy that targets mis-folded proteins is a very significant step forward if clinical trials in humans translate from animals. Obviously there is more work to be done but it this is the kind of technology we need in order to intervene against biological aging.

It is not hard to see that a therapy like this followed up by another that regenerates the brain eg, the Conboy Lab work by promoting neurogenesis could be a way to repair and restore the brain to healthy function.


A drug that breaks up different types of brain plaque shows promising results in animals and could prevent Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease.

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Aug 13, 2015

Brain-to-brain communication has arrived. How we did it

Posted by in categories: biotech/medical, cyborgs, neuroscience

You may remember neuroscientist Miguel Nicolelis — he built the brain-controlled exoskeleton that allowed a paralyzed man to kick the first ball of the 2014 World Cup. What’s he working on now? Building ways for two minds (rats and monkeys, for now) to send messages brain to brain. Watch to the end for an experiment that, as he says, will go to “the limit of your imagination.”

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Aug 12, 2015

Quantum 3D Printing on the Horizon, According to UBC Researcher Jennifer Hoffman

Posted by in categories: 3D printing, neuroscience, quantum physics

I’m a firm believer that technology can take us to unimaginable places, from both a physical and a mental standpoint. Technological progress is oftentimes cha.

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