It has long been hypothesized that the nervous system uses the direction of gravity to align the various sensory systems when interacting with the external world. In line with this hypothesis, systematic drift in hand-path orientation was recently observed during targeted arm motions performed with eyes closed in weightlessness or, on Earth, for longitudinal movements in a supine posture. No such drift was observed in upright posture on Earth. But the precise conditions under which participants exhibit such drift, and the factors that influence the magnitude of the drift, are not yet known. The objective of our study was to investigate if the upright posture, by virtue of being at a biomechanical singularity induced by the force of gravity, represents a unique condition in which drift in hand-path orientation is prevented. Human participants (male and female) performed sequences of repeated point-to-point arm movements between two visual targets aligned with the longitudinal body axis, first with eyes open...

Abstract submission for Neuroscience 2016 is now closed.

Chemotherapy can cause debilitating behavioral side effects (e.g., fatigue, depression, cognitive decline); however, having an intimate partner can buffer these effects. The California mouse ( Peromyscus californicus ) is a rare monogamous mouse species that offers a novel opportunity to model human intimate partnership to identify the neurobiological mechanisms by which mate bonding reduces chemotherapy-associated behavioral side effects. As a first step towards this goal, this pilot study aimed to develop the first chemotherapy model, to our knowledge, in adult male and female California mice. Following a repeated paclitaxel chemotherapy regimen, well-characterized in laboratory mice ( Mus musculus ), gross sickness physiology was first assessed after various doses. The 20 mg/kg paclitaxel dose, injected six times every other day, was the highest tolerable, clinically-relevant dose and was characterized by moderate body mass loss and increased spleen mass. Thus, further investigation of the effects of th...

Applying knowledge in innovative ways is essential to discovery and progress. This starts with curiosity. Our desire to solve mysteries ultimately helps us to build that knowledge, making it available for novel interpretations and applications.

Thank you for attending #SfN23

Thank you for attending #SfN23

Thank you for attending #SfN23

Thank you for attending #SfN23

Week of Dec. 3, 2018: Read the Latest Advocacy and Science News

Intracortical brain-computer interfaces (iBCIs) have the potential to restore motor function and communication in individuals with severe brain and spinal cord damage/disease. The BrainGate system uses an intracortical microelectrode array implanted in ...