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Neuroscience is not only one of the fastest progressing fields of science, it is also one of the most diverse. 2023 saw research accelerating in many fascinating across a broad spectrum of disciplines. Here are some highlights of breakthroughs which promise to shape our understanding of the human brain and of the world we use it to interact with.
Traditionally we think of the electrical activity of the brain as downstream from the neurons that produce them via signaling firing. However, a new paper by John Hopkins and MIT neuroscientists proposes a theory that these electrical signals can actually restructure the brain down to the sub-cellular level.
Dubbed 'Cytoelectric Coupling', the theory proposes that the brain’s electrical fields, created by neural network activity, can influence the physical configuration of neurons’ sub-cellular components to optimize network stability and efficiency.
This builds upon earlier studies that showed how rhythmic electrical activity or ‘brain waves’ in neural networks, and the influence of electric fields at the molecular level, can coordinate and adjust the brain’s functions.
This type of electrically induced neuroplasticity at the microtubule and molecular level provides another avenue for understanding why human cognition is so incredibly flexible.
The mechanisms outlined for how this is achieved include electrodiffusion, mechanotransduction, and exchanges between electrical, potential and chemical energy.
As the lead researcher summarized,“𝘼𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙗𝙧𝙖𝙞𝙣 𝙖𝙙𝙖𝙥𝙩𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙖 𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙡𝙙, 𝙞𝙩𝙨 𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙩𝙚𝙞𝙣𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙢𝙤𝙡𝙚𝙘𝙪𝙡𝙚𝙨 𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙚 𝙩𝙤𝙤. 𝙏𝙝𝙚𝙮 𝙘𝙖𝙣 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙚𝙡𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙧𝙞𝙘 𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙧𝙜𝙚𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙣𝙚𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙘𝙖𝙩𝙘𝙝 𝙪𝙥 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙣𝙚𝙪𝙧𝙤𝙣𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙘𝙚𝙨𝙨, 𝙨𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙚, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙣𝙨𝙢𝙞𝙩 𝙞𝙣𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙢𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙪𝙨𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙚𝙡𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙧𝙞𝙘 𝙨𝙞𝙜𝙣𝙖𝙡𝙨. 𝙄𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙖𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙣𝙚𝙪𝙧𝙤𝙣𝙨’ 𝙚𝙡𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙧𝙞𝙘 𝙛𝙞𝙚𝙡𝙙𝙨 𝙨𝙚𝙚𝙢𝙨 𝙣𝙚𝙘𝙚𝙨𝙨𝙖𝙧𝙮.”
Earlier this year quantum entanglement was discovered to be linked to higher order cognition, and it seems like these types of new paradigms that look beyond the level of neurons may be key to progressing neuroscience to the next level.
𝗖𝘆𝘁𝗼𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗰 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴: 𝗘𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗰 𝗳𝗶𝗲𝗹𝗱𝘀 𝘀𝗰𝘂𝗹𝗽𝘁 𝗻𝗲𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 “𝘁𝘂𝗻𝗲” 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻’𝘀 𝗶𝗻𝗳𝗿𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲
A paper published in Nature Nanotechnology suggests a new health treatment paradigm via manipulation of quantum biological tunneling in brain cells to treat glioblastoma cancer.
The researchers developed their technique based on prior evidence that quantum mechanical events play a crucial role in specific biological processes that underlie the functioning of organisms. The method involves delivering gold bipolar nanoelectrodes (termed bio-nanoantennae) sprayed onto a surgical treatment section.
A precise electrical field is then applied which specifically targets and stimulates the electric fields of individual tumor cells. This causes a single electron to be transferred via manipulation of electron tunneling, which alters the cell's protein state - a phenomenon known as Quantum Biological Electron Transfer (QBET).
This in turn signals the cancer cells to activate programmed cell death (apoptosis). Normal brain cells are desensitive to the electical stimulation, whereas tumor cells are extra sensitive (which the researchers postulate is due to their altered expression of genetic pathways).
Effectively this represents a wireless electrical–molecular communication tool that facilitates the killing of cancer cells. The approach is minimally invasive compared to traditional surgery, and can be used when surgery is not an option due to tumor cells being too proliferated among healthy cells.
The researchers propose that varying aspects of the electrical frequencies and voltage of the stimulation will allow different types of cancer cells to be targeted.
While the delivery method of the bio-nanoantennae to facilitate the electrical stimulation may have some limitations, this research appears to be the first demonstration of a quantum medical therapy that leverages changes in the biology of cells at a quantum level.
Though it may still be early days, study author Frankie Rawson summarized the wider significance of the findings.
“𝑨𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒇𝒊𝒓𝒔𝒕-𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒑𝒐𝒔𝒔𝒊𝒃𝒍𝒆 𝒄𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆𝒓 𝒕𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒕𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒕𝒐 𝒉𝒂𝒓𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒔 𝒒𝒖𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒖𝒎 𝒎𝒆𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒊𝒄𝒂𝒍 𝒆𝒇𝒇𝒆𝒄𝒕𝒔, 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒎𝒂𝒚 𝒓𝒆𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒍𝒅'𝒔 𝒇𝒊𝒓𝒔𝒕 𝒒𝒖𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒖𝒎 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒑𝒚, 𝒖𝒔𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒊𝒏 𝒂 𝒏𝒆𝒘 𝒆𝒓𝒂 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒕𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒑𝒂𝒓𝒂𝒅𝒊𝒈𝒎𝒔”
𝗪𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹–𝗺𝗼𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘂𝗹𝗮𝗿 𝗾𝘂𝗮𝗻𝘁𝘂𝗺 𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗰𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗿 𝗰𝗲𝗹𝗹 𝗮𝗽𝗼𝗽𝘁𝗼𝘀𝗶𝘀
A new study exploring the potential benefits of cognitive stimulation via the sense of smell reveals promising findings for functional brain benefits in aging - while sleeping!
The primary objective of the study was to investigate whether olfactory enrichment could positively impact cognitive function in healthy older adults. The researchers hypothesized that olfaction's unique access to brain regions related to memory could normalize specific memory circuits, potentially benefiting cognitive abilities.
Despite exposing participants to only a limited variety of odors during nightly sessions, the study yielded compelling results. Enriched participants exhibited a 226% improvement in performance on the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (compared to a control group), which assesses verbal learning and memory related abilities.
More specifically pre-post DTI fRMI scans uncovered structural modifications in the brain, including positive changes in the uncinate fasciculus region, which typically deteriorates in aging and neurodegenerative conditions.
The study also revealed that smell stimulated participants between 60-72 years old experienced more pronounced cognitive improvements than their older counterparts, suggesting the benefits in aging may be best achieved proactively.
The key takeaway is that it may be possible to safely and accessibly improve brain health and cognitive functioning in ways that are relevant for aging populations, by leveraging passive sensory stimulation.
Deep brain stimulation has shown much therapeutic promise, but significant barriers include the invasive nature of the implanted electrodes, as well as their lack of precision over what neurons they excite. A major breakthrough has been published in Cell Reports, with the engineering of ultraflexible stim-nanoelectronic threads (StimNETs).
This new type of electrodes are an order of magnitude smaller than traditional implants, and accordingly, far more precise. The paper shows experimental evidence in rats and first stage human trials that StimNETs possess several key advantages.
• Ultraflexible electrode capable of precise chronic stimulation
• Spatially selective neural activation at a ultra low currents
• Stable behavioral detectability for over 8 months
• Intact tissue-electrode interface with no neuronal degeneration
In particular, rather than activating large clusters of neurons, StimNETs can selectively stimulate individual neurons. This is a little bit like needing to get a message to a person in a crowded room, and being able to do it via a phone call instead of a loudspeaker.
As well as showing great promise for making deep brain stimulation practical, the selective precision of this neurotech will allow researchers to learn much more accurately which types of electrical stimulation are helpful for specific neurological conditions.
In a related 2023 neuroscience breakthrough, for the first time deep brain stimulation has demonstrated promising effects for alleviating the symptoms of Alzheimer's disease. To be efficacous pinpoint precision of the placement of electrodes is required, and it is difficult know exactly which areas of the brain to focus the stimulation on with different brain diseases.
Research affiliates of Harvard Medical School specialized in analyzing high-resolution magnetic resonance images of the brain, combined their approach with computer models which successfully identified precise optimal locations for stimulation. This precise 'sweet spot' between intersecting memory regions resulted in participants benefitting considerable reductions in symptoms.
Further clinical studies are needed before DBS can be approved for treatment, but the publicly available data in the study now makes it possible for researchers to place electrodes with precision in neurosurgical studies trialing DBS in Alzheimer’s patients.
A team of military medical scientists in China reported findings of successfully used CRISPR/Cas9 to insert a gene from tardigrades into human embryonic stem cells, dramatically increasing their resistance to radiation.
The tardigrade (AKA water bear) is less than 1 millimetre long and is the hardiest creature on Earth. Over years of scientific testing, it has survived outer space, -200 degrees Celsius, and more than an hour in boiling water.
The researchers reported that almost 90% of the human embryonic cells survived a lethal exposure to X-ray radiation. The results are very surprising, given that mixing between such a large genetic gap typically leads to only harmful mutations, and potentially demonstrates the power of CRISPR to go beyond traditional genetic experiments.
Although technically legal through the use of artificially created stem cells, the research is also highly controversial - the long term goal is to develop super-tough soldiers who could survive nuclear fallout. One of the team's future projects is to turn the tardigrade infused cells into blood-making cells, so they can be inserted into bone marrow to generate new radiation resistance cells.
On the flip side, the tardigrade's genes could bring other benefits to humans as well, such as playing a protective role in cellular DNA against oxidative stress, which is central to the development of many diseases, including cancer, aging, diabetes, inflammation, and Parkinson’s disease.
Scientists Put Tardigrade DNA Into Human Stem Cells
A team of researchers at Osaka University has developed a groundbreaking technique that can create super-resolution images of cells and tissues using artificial intelligence (AI). The team used Stable Diffusion to analyse the brain scans of test subjects shown up to 10,000 images while inside an MRI machine.
The new method, called "Deep-Z," uses deep learning algorithms to extract detailed information from low-resolution images, enabling the creation of high-resolution images with more accurate details.
This breakthrough technology has significant implications for biomedical research, as it allows scientists to study cells and tissues at an unprecedented level of detail. The team tested their method on various types of cells and tissues, including those from the brain, retina, and lung, and achieved results that were superior to existing techniques.
One of the most exciting aspects of the Deep-Z method is its potential for use in medical diagnosis and treatment. By producing high-resolution images of cells and tissues, doctors could potentially identify early-stage diseases and develop more targeted treatment plans.
This framework could also be used with brain-scanning devices other than MRI, such as EEG, or hyper-invasive technologies like the brain-computer implants being developed by Elon Musk’s Neuralink.
Overall, the Deep-Z technique is a significant step forward in the field of biomedical imaging and has the potential to revolutionize medical research and treatment.
High-Resolution Image Reconstruction With Latent Diffusion Models From Human Brain Activity
This year a team of biologists and computer scientists have developed self-healing biological machines less than 1mm in size, crafted from frog cells. These machines are named 'Xenobots', inspired by the minuscule African clawed frog, which is small enough to travel inside human bodies.
The technique involves scraping and then incubating living stem cells from frog embryos, then reshaping them into specific body forms designed by machine intelligence. Cell differentiation leads to the formation of celia, hairlight projections which are utilized like legs to provide a biologically novel method of locomotion.
It's still early days, but Xenobots are the world's first living robot that is also programmable. Recent progress has also included being able to replicate them to make the process more scalable.
Some of the expected applications of Xenobots include highly specific and precise drug delivery, treatment of localized diseases such as the removal of cancer tumors, and even a scalable means to clean the world’s seas of plastics and synthetic particulates.
For a deeper dive, here is a video explanation by Sam Kriegman, a post-doctoral fellow developing AI software to guide Xenobots' behaviors.
In recent years, the scientific community has been increasingly drawn to the therapeutic potential of psychedelic substances. Among these, MDMA (3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine), commonly known as ecstasy, has emerged as a promising candidate for the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). In a groundbreaking clinical study published in Nature Medicine, researchers have unveiled compelling evidence that suggests MDMA-assisted psychotherapy could be a game-changer in the field of PTSD treatment.
The Phase 3 clinical trial involved giving patients with treatment resistant PTSD months of traditional psychotherapy assisted with moderate doses of MDMA. The MDMA more than doubled the effectiveness of the psychotherapy treatments, with the majority of patients becoming symptom free as well as showing continued improvements in wellbeing in the follow-up to the study.
The results overall suggest that MDMA related alterations in cognitive functions grossly enhanced the benefits of psychological therapy, both in terms of responsiveness and lasting positive effects.
MDMA-assisted therapy for severe PTSD: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase 3 study
Psychophysics is a field of neuroscience devoted to understanding how the human brain processes its sensory reality. Two of the biggest and most surprising discoveries of 2023 were achieved with virtual reality (VR) experiments.
The first study discovered a new experiential phenomenon named 'The Phantom Touch Illusion'. This used simple avatar representations of people within VR then asked participants to touch different parts of their avatar's body with a virtual stick. In the experiment participants were not actually touched on any parts of their physical body, however almost all reported strong tactile feelings corresponding to where they touched their avatar. The effects were strong enough that some of the people in the study believing the researchers were trying to trick them and were actually using some form of real tactile stimulation.
Most strikingly, the sensations occurred when subjects touched parts of their avatars limbs even when they couldn't actually see them in VR. This suggests that the representation of one's body is defined top-down, extending beyond available sensory information.
The second study by Swedish psychophysicists conducted VR experiments demonstrating that, even with minimal sensory cues, our minds can take over ownership of a different body.
Using VR they manipulated study participants' visual perspective to be from a another person, or a fake body. This was done in sync with correlated multisensory cues. The experiment was sufficient to trigger the illusion that another person's body,or an artificial body, was the participants’ own real body.
In the researchers' own words, ''𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗲𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝘀𝗼 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻'𝘀 𝗯𝗼𝗱𝘆 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗳𝗮𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝗯𝗼𝗱𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗶𝘁. 𝗢𝘂𝗿 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗳𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗮𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗰𝗲𝗽𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗲𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗳 𝗼𝘄𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗼𝗳 𝗼𝗻𝗲'𝘀 𝗯𝗼𝗱𝘆.''
These effects were confirmed through both structured subjective reports and detailed biometric analysis.
If I Were You: Perceptual Illusion of Body Swapping
Together these findings are valuable scientific insights regarding how our brains make sense of our worlds, however they also have large implications for the rapidly growing VR entertainment industry, promising new ways to achieve next-level immersive experiences.
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