PRESS-NEWS.org - Press Release Distribution
PRESS RELEASES DISTRIBUTION

The brain's balancing act

Researchers discover how neurons equalize between excitation and inhibition

The brain's balancing act
2014-06-22
(Press-News.org) Researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine have discovered a fundamental mechanism by which the brain maintains its internal balance. The mechanism, described in the June 22 advanced online publication of the journal Nature, involves the brain's most basic inner wiring and the processes that control whether a neuron relays information to other neurons or suppresses the transmission of information.

Specifically, the scientists have shown that there is a constant ratio between the total amount of pro-firing stimulation that a neuron receives from the hundreds or thousands of excitatory neurons that feed into it, and the total amount of red-light stop signaling that it receives from the equally numerous inhibitory neurons.

This constant ratio, called the E/I ration, was known to exist for individual neurons at a given time. This study goes a step further and shows that the E/I ratio is constant across multiple neurons in the cortex of mice and likely also humans, since the fundamental architecture of mammalian brains is highly conserved across species.

"Neurons in our brain drive by pushing the brake and the accelerator at the same time," said Massimo Scanziani, PhD, professor of neurosciences, Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigator and co-author. "This means that there is no stimulus that you can apply that will activate purely excitatory neurons or purely inhibitory ones."

"There is always a tug-of-war. It's weird but very clever. It allows the brain to exert very subtle control on our response to stimuli." For example, Scanziani said it prevents both runaway neuronal firing (excitation) and permanent quiescence (inhibition) because excitation and inhibition are always coupled.

In experiments, the scientists also showed how the brain maintains a constant E/I ratio across neurons: The adjustment is carried out by the inhibitory neurons through the appropriate strengthening or weakening of inhibitory synapses. A synapse is the gap or juncture between two neurons and synaptic strength refers to the degree to which a passed signal is amplified in the juncture.

"Our study shows that the inhibitory neurons are the master regulators that contact hundreds or thousands of cells and make sure that the inhibitory synapses at each of these contacts is matched to the different amounts of excitation that these cells are receiving," Scanziani explained. If, for example, the level of excitatory stimulation that a nerve cell is receiving is doubled, the inhibitory synapses over a period of a few days will also double their strength.

In terms of clinical applications, the scientists said that neurological diseases such as autism, epilepsy and schizophrenia are believed to be a problem, at least in part, of the brain's ability to maintain an optimal E/I ratio.

"If this E/I balance is broken, it completely alters your perception of the world," Scanziani said. "You will be less able to adjust and adapt appropriately to the range of stimulation in a normal day without being overwhelmed or completely oblivious, and E/I imbalances may be most easily noticed in social interactions because these interactions require such nuance and subtle adjusting."

Scientists have also proposed that some neurodegenerative diseases, such as Parkinson's and Huntington's disease, may be associated with a shift in the E/I balance.

Minghan Xue, a postdoctoral researcher in neurobiology and the study's lead author, said "now that we know how this E/I balance is regulated in a normal brain, we can begin to understand what goes wrong in the diseased state. It paves the way for interventions that might restore the balance in the brain."

INFORMATION: Co-authors include Bassam Atallah, PhD, Champalimaud Neuroscience Programme, Chamaplimaud Centre for the Unknown, Portugal.

Funding for this study came, in part, from the Jane Coffin Childs Memorial Fund for Medical Research and the Gatsby Foundation.


[Attachments] See images for this press release:
The brain's balancing act

ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

Mysterious 'Magic Island' appears on Saturn moon

2014-06-22
ITHACA, N.Y. – Now you don't see it. Now, you do. And now you don't see it again. Astronomers have discovered a bright, mysterious geologic object – where one never existed – on Cassini mission radar images of Ligeia Mare, the second-largest sea on Saturn's moon Titan. Scientifically speaking, this spot is considered a "transient feature," but the astronomers have playfully dubbed it "Magic Island." Reporting in the journal Nature Geoscience June 22, the scientists say this may be the first observation of dynamic, geological processes in Titan's northern hemisphere. ...

Regional weather extremes linked to atmospheric variations

2014-06-22
Variations in high-altitude wind patterns expose particular parts of Europe, Asia and the US to different extreme weather conditions, a new study has shown. Changes to air flow patterns around the Northern Hemisphere are a major influence on prolonged bouts of unseasonal weather – whether it be hot, cold, wet or dry. The high altitude winds normally blow from west to east around the planet, but do not follow a straight path. The flow meanders to the north and south, in a wave-like path. These wave patterns are responsible for sucking either warm air from the tropics, ...

Architecture of signaling proteins enhances knowledge of key receptors

 Architecture of signaling proteins enhances knowledge of key receptors
2014-06-22
DURHAM, N.C. -- A team of scientists from Duke Medicine, the University of Michigan and Stanford University has determined the underlying architecture of a cellular signaling complex involved in the body's response to stimuli such as light and pain. This complex, consisting of a human cell surface receptor and its regulatory protein, reveals a two-step mechanism that has been hypothesized previously but not directly documented. The findings, reported on June 22, 2014, in the journal Nature, provide structural images of a G-protein coupled receptor (GPCR) in action. "It ...

Study shows greater potential for solar power

2014-06-22
Concentrating solar power (CSP) could supply a large fraction of the power supply in a decarbonized energy system, shows a new study of the technology and its potential practical application. Concentrating solar power (CSP) could supply a substantial amount of current energy demand, according to the study published in the journal Nature Climate Change. In the Mediterranean region, for example, the study shows that a connected CSP system could provide 70-80% of current electricity demand, at no extra cost compared to gas-fired power plants. That percentage is similar to ...

Microenvironment of hematopoietic stem cells can be a target for myeloproliferative disorders

Microenvironment of hematopoietic stem cells can be a target for myeloproliferative disorders
2014-06-22
The discovery of a new therapeutic target for certain kinds of myeloproliferative disease is, without doubt, good news. This is precisely the discovery made by the Stem Cell Physiopathology group at the CNIC (the Spanish National Cardiovascular Research Center), led by Dr. Simón Méndez–Ferrer. The team has shown that the microenvironment that controls hematopoietic stem cells can be targeted for the treatment of a set of disorders called myeloproliferative neoplasias, the most prominent of which are chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML), juvenile myelomonocytic leukemia ...

Family of proteins plays key role in cellular pump dynamics

2014-06-22
Case Western Reserve University scientists have discovered how a family of proteins — cation diffusion facilitators (CDFs) — regulates an important cellular cycle where a cell's energy generated is converted to necessary cellular functions. The finding has the potential to inform future research aimed at identifying ways to ensure the process works as designed and, if successful, could lead to significant breakthroughs in the treatment of Parkinson's, chronic liver disease and heart disease. The results of this research were posted online June 22 by the journal Nature ...

Evidence found for the Higgs boson direct decay into fermions

2014-06-22
For the first time, scientists from the CMS experiment on the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN have succeeded in finding evidence for the direct decay of the Higgs boson into fermions. Previously, the Higgs particle could only be detected through its decay into bosons. "This is a major step forwards," explains Professor Vincenzo Chiochia from the University of Zurich's Physics Institute, whose group was involved in analyzing the data. "We now know that the Higgs particle can decay into both bosons and fermions, which means we can exclude certain theories predicting that ...

Protons power protein portal to push zinc out of cells

Protons power protein portal to push zinc out of cells
2014-06-22
Researchers at The Johns Hopkins University report they have deciphered the inner workings of a protein called YiiP that prevents the lethal buildup of zinc inside bacteria. They say understanding YiiP's movements will help in the design of drugs aimed at modifying the behavior of ZnT proteins, eight human proteins that are similar to YiiP, which play important roles in hormone secretion and in signaling between neurons. Certain mutations in one of them, ZnT8, have been associated with an increased susceptibility to type 2 diabetes, but mutations that destroy its function ...

Molecular footballs could revolutionize your next World Cup experience!

2014-06-22
This work focuses on the interactions between molecules and in particular on "amphiphilic" molecules, which contain two distinct parts to them. Household detergent is a good example of a product that relies on interacting amphiphilic molecules. Detergent molecules comprise two distinct parts: one that prefers to form bonds with water (hydrophilic) and the other that likes oily substances (hydrophobic). Detergents are used for cleaning because when they are added to dirty water, they orient and assemble around oily dirt, forming small clusters that allow grease and dirt ...

Antidepressant use during pregnancy may lead to childhood obesity and diabetes

2014-06-21
Hamilton, ON (June 21, 2014) - Women who take antidepressants during pregnancy may be unknowingly predisposing their infants to type 2 diabetes and obesity later in life, according to new research from McMaster University. The study finds a correlation between the use of the medication fluoxetine during pregnancy and an increased risk of obesity and diabetes in children. Currently, up to 20 per cent of woman in the United States and approximately seven per cent of Canadian women are prescribed an antidepressant during pregnancy. "Obesity and Type 2 diabetes in ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

AI turns printer into a partner in tissue engineering

What climate change means for the Mediterranean Sea

3D printing “glue gun” can generate bone grafts directly onto fractures in animals

150-million-year post-mortem reveals baby pterosaurs perished in a violent storm

New and recurring food insecurity during and after the COVID-19 pandemic

Food insecurity and rural child and family functioning

Pre-dialysis nephrology care disparities and incident vascular access among Hispanic individuals

Rutgers and RWJBarnabas Health study finds pocket ultrasound reduces hospital stays for patients with shortness of breath

Weill Cornell doctoral student selected for HHMI Fellows program

Addition of progesterone leads to increased breast growth for those taking gender-affirming hormones

Developing a stable and high-performance W-CoMnP electrocatalyst by mitigating the Jahn-Teller effect through W doping strategy

Manipulating the dispersion of terahertz plasmon polaritons in topological insulator meta-elements

New Barkhausen noise measurement system unlocks key to efficient power electronics

Novel accurate approach improves understanding of brain structure in children with ADHD

New clinical trial to test sensory prostheses for people with upper-limb loss

New study shows proactive forest management reduces high severity wildfire by 88% and stabilizes carbon during extreme droughts

Teen loneliness triggers ‘reward seeking’ behaviour

How fast mRNA degrades linked to autoimmune disease risk

What stiffening lung tissue reveals about the earliest stages of fibrosis

Kessler Foundation’s Trevor Dyson-Hudson, MD, honored with James J. Peters Distinguished Service Award from ASCIP

Tiny fish open new horizons for autism research.

How eye-less corals see the light

Storing breast milk for specific times of day could support babies’ circadian rhythm

Growing a new, pencil-shaped structure of gold named “quantum needles”

Transparent mesoporous WO₃ film enhances solar water splitting efficiency and stability

Protostellar jet detection in Milky Way’s outer region reveals universal star formation

New research uncovers a ‘ghost’ of the Australian bush

Study establishes link between rugby and dementia

Can courts safeguard fairness in an AI age?

Less than half of England has access to Mounjaro on the NHS months after roll-out

[Press-News.org] The brain's balancing act
Researchers discover how neurons equalize between excitation and inhibition