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

Keeper or corner?

Neuroscientists show how the brain enables flexible decisions

Keeper or corner?
2025-02-03
(Press-News.org) Our brain is remarkably flexible in producing different reactions to supposedly comparable situations. The same sensory information can lead to different decisions depending on the behavioral context. One example of this is a penalty kick in soccer: a player can either choose the empty corner of the goal as the target or aim directly at the goalkeeper in the hope that he will jump aside. Both decisions are based on the same perception of the goalkeeper's position, but lead to completely different actions. Neuroscientists at the German Primate Center (DPZ) - Leibniz Institute for Primate Research in Göttingen have investigated how the brain implements this type of flexibility. Their results show that, depending on the requirements, our brain either reuses known neural pathways or develops new patterns to select movements depending on the context. Thus, goal-directed behavior and cognitive flexibility can be achieved in different ways, depending on the circumstance that made the flexible adaptation of behavior necessary. The findings help to understand why it is more difficult to adapt to some new situations than to others - whether in social interactions or motor tasks (Nature Communications).

The researchers trained rhesus monkeys to plan arm movements and recorded the activity of neurons in the brain that are involved in planning these movements. The monkeys performed the task in two different contexts. In the first context, they had to use a learned rule to decide whether they should point at the target displayed on the screen (“goalkeeper”) or choose the opposite side of the screen (“empty corner”). In the second context, the monkeys had to adapt to an altered sensory environment by performing the tasks under mirror-inverted viewing conditions. Here, too, a target shown on one side was linked to a movement to the opposite side.

The study showed that the brain works in different ways in the two situations. In the first context, which is based on learned rules, the brain drew on existing neural patterns. It used the pre-existing networks to plan the movement without making fundamental changes to the neural connections. In the second context, where the sensory environment had changed, the brain had to develop new neural patterns to accomplish the task. The flexibility of the brain to interpret and respond to the same sensory information differently depending on the situation is therefore achieved in different ways.

 “Flexibly associating different behaviors with a given situation is a core competence of our brain,” explains Alexander Gail, head of the Sensorimotor Research Group and the study. “Sometimes this requires a complex restructuring of neuronal circuits, but often so-called cognitive control is sufficient, in which - as our new findings suggest - neuronal patterns already known to the brain are reused. We assume that this mechanism also comes into play when we make decisions in changing social contexts, which may be more competitive or more collaborative, for example - but we have yet to prove this.”

END

[Attachments] See images for this press release:
Keeper or corner? Keeper or corner? 2 Keeper or corner? 3

ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

Printable molecule-selective nanoparticles enable mass production of wearable biosensors

Printable molecule-selective nanoparticles enable mass production of wearable biosensors
2025-02-03
The future of medicine may very well lie in the personalization of health care—knowing exactly what an individual needs and then delivering just the right mix of nutrients, metabolites, and medications, if necessary, to stabilize and improve their condition. To make this possible, physicians first need a way to continuously measure and monitor certain biomarkers of health.   To that end, a team of Caltech engineers has developed a technique for inkjet printing arrays of special nanoparticles that enables the mass production of long-lasting wearable sweat sensors. These sensors could be used to monitor a variety of biomarkers, ...

Mapping the yerba mate genome reveals surprising facts about the evolution of caffeine

2025-02-03
Yerba mate, along with tea and coffee, is one of the world’s most popular caffeinated beverages. Widely consumed in South America, this remarkable plant is rich in diverse, bioactive compounds that contribute many health benefits.   An international group of researchers has mapped the yerba mate genome, providing insights into the biosynthesis of caffeine in yerba mate. This new information provides opportunities for creating plant varieties with new characteristics.   The work, led by the ...

Electricity prices across Europe to stabilise if 2030 targets for renewable energy are met, study suggests

2025-02-03
Hitting the current national 2030 quotas for solar and wind energy could reduce the volatility of electricity markets by an average of 20% across 29 European countries, according to a new study from the University of Cambridge.   The intensity of spikes in power prices are predicted to fall in every country by the end of the decade if commitments to green energy are met, as natural gas dependency is cut.   The UK and Ireland would be the biggest beneficiaries, with 44% and 43% reductions in the severity of electricity price spikes by 2030, compared with last year. Germany could experience a 31% decline in electricity price ...

Improved treatment timing reduces honey bee losses to Varroa mites

Improved treatment timing reduces honey bee losses to Varroa mites
2025-02-03
Honey bee mortality can be significantly reduced by ensuring that treatments for the parasitic Varroa mite occur within specific timeframes, a new study reveals. The mites—belonging to the species Varroa destructor—feed on the larvae of bees and can destroy colonies if not treated at key points to reduce or remove infestations. But researchers have found that more than a third of beekeepers surveyed in England and Wales deviate from recommended treatment guidelines, including application windows. Crucially, they found that beekeepers who mistimed Varroa mite treatments experienced exacerbated colony losses, with the effect occurring ...

CAR-T cells can arm bystander T cells with CAR molecules via trogocytosis

CAR-T cells can arm bystander T cells with CAR molecules via trogocytosis
2025-02-03
Engineered immune cells called CAR-T cells are used in the treatment of cancer. Researchers from Uppsala University have now discovered that CAR molecules can be transferred from the CAR-T cells to other T cells in the tumour microenvironment. The researchers also pinpoint how this transfer is regulated, which may be used to improve the efficacy of CAR-T cell therapy. The study has been published in the journal Science Immunology.  Immune cells have a capacity to exchange cell surface molecules between one another. This exchange is called trogocytosis and may potentially impact the immune response since it allows different proteins to be transferred between cells.  Chimeric antigen ...

Can ocean-floor mining oversights help us regulate space debris and mining on the Moon?

2025-02-03
by Nishith Mishra, Martina Elia Vitoloni, and Dr Joseph Pelton Mining ocean resources needed for electric cars and other devices is currently a hot issue of dispute. Final resolution of how or whether the seabed should be expl18oited is pending. Outcomes in this contentious area could create precedents that could impact decisions about mining the moon. These precedents might shape the how and why of mining the Moon and shape the future and the sustainability of space activities of human beings. But this is only one possible precedent that could reshape the future of space. Pending international discussions on space traffic management, space debris removal, and limiting ...

Observing ozonated water’s effectiveness against SARS-CoV-2 in saliva

Observing ozonated water’s effectiveness against SARS-CoV-2 in saliva
2025-02-03
Disinfecting surfaces is crucial in keeping bacteria and viruses at bay, but the cleaning solutions could be ineffective if met with neutralizing compounds. Ozonated water has a strong disinfection effect on mold and bacteria, and is also shown to work on SARS-CoV-2, which is responsible for COVID-19. The downside is that ozonated water breaks down quickly in the presence of organic matter, which reduces its effectiveness. SARS-CoV-2 is transmitted through droplets mixed with bodily fluids, such as saliva and nasal mucus which contain organic matters. For this reason, it is necessary to investigate how effective ozonated water is in the presence of ...

Alcohol-related deaths up 18% during pandemic

2025-02-03
Alcohol-related deaths increased 18% during the pandemic, as did hospitalizations related to alcohol use, according to new research in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal) https://www.cmaj.ca/lookup/doi/10.1503/cmaj.241146. In the early part of the pandemic, retail alcohol sales volume in Canada increased by 2% (2020/21 v. 2019), the highest increase in 10 years, despite few international visitors. More than 1 in 4 people (26%) reported drinking more, and 18% reported heavy drinking (defined as ...

Mothers of twins face a higher risk of heart disease in the year after birth

2025-02-03
The risk of being admitted to the hospital with heart disease is twice as high the year after birth for mothers of twins compared to singleton births, according to research published in the European Heart Journal [1] today (Monday). The risk is even higher in mothers of twins who had a high blood pressure condition during pregnancy.   The research was led by Professor Cande Ananth from the Department of obstetrics, gynecology, and reproductive sciences at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Jersey, USA.   He said: “The rate of twin pregnancies worldwide ...

A new approach to detecting Alzheimer’s disease

A new approach to detecting Alzheimer’s disease
2025-02-03
Research led by Lancaster University has revealed clear evidence that changes in the orchestration of brain oxygenation dynamics and neuronal function in Alzheimer’s disease contribute to the neurodegeneration. The study “Neurovascular phase coherence is altered in Alzheimer’s Disease” is published in Brain Communications. The lead author is Aneta Stefanovska with Juliane Bjerkan,  Gemma Lancaster, Peter McClintock and Trevor Crawford from Lancaster University and Bernard Meglič and Jan Kobal from the University of Ljubljana Medical Centre in Slovenia. Professor Stefanovska said: “Alzheimer's can be hypothesised as being a result ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

Yale scientists recode the genome for programmable synthetic proteins

MiR-128-3p mediates MRP2 internalization in estrogen-induced cholestasis through targeting PDZK1

Bleeding risk with apixaban and dabigatran similar to aspirin

MD Anderson Research Highlights for February 10, 2025

Ready (or not) for love? Your friends likely agree

Health care students and clinicians support integrated care education

Scientists from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution identify heat-resistant kelp strain

Rice-BCM research enables detection of hazardous chemicals in human placenta with unprecedented speed and precision

Researchers are driving the charge of zero emissions

USC-led study finds potential new drug target for Alzheimer’s disease

Why you need to subscribe to NFCR’s new podcast, “All Things Cancer”

Research pinpoints weakness in lung cancer’s defenses

New study highlights healthcare utilization shifts among Long COVID patients in Colorado after diagnosis

Majority of kids who die in mass shootings killed by family members, Stanford Medicine-led study shows

How perception may shape health safety-related assessments

Potential new strategy for relieving anxiety

Scientists develop corrosion-induced electrodes for biomass upgrading

Contemporary hormonal contraception and risk of venous thromboembolism

Victim-shooter relationships in mass shootings involving child victims

Health care company payouts favor shareholders, new research shows

Glucose-lowering medications and risk of COPD exacerbations in patients with type 2 diabetes

Low to moderate prenatal alcohol exposure and facial shape of children at ages 6 to 8

Earth’s inner core is less solid than previously thought

Discovering the genetics of climate adaptation 

How does the brain differentiate new stimuli from old ones?

Eating gradually increasing doses of store-bought peanut butter enables children with high-threshold allergy to safely consume peanuts

Therapy helps peanut-allergic kids tolerate tablespoons of peanut butter

Fly with a fake termite face capable of infiltrating and socialising in a termite mound

Impact of intermediate-term oral contraceptive use on oxidative stress, lipid profile, and liver function in Iraqi women

Nurses worldwide experience stress, loss, and violence

[Press-News.org] Keeper or corner?
Neuroscientists show how the brain enables flexible decisions