Scientists spoke of recently discovered orientation mechanisms in the brain, its hidden “reset button,” and the disease that could be a harbinger of frequent loss of orientation.
Have you ever wondered why you have a bad sense of direction? Your brain’s internal compass is to blame, according to new research. By studying the orientation of mice in response to the visual environment, scientists at McGill University discovered a new phenomenon called “network amplification.” After disorientation, the brain’s internal compass resets, allowing you to quickly reorient yourself in confusing situations. The researchers used the latest neuronal mapping technology to study head direction cells in mice, providing insight into what happens when neurodegeneration causes people to feel lost in familiar surroundings. Zaki Adjabi, co-author of the study, said there is a “reset button” in the brain that helps you quickly re-orient yourself, writes New Atlas.
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In 1983, head direction cells (NCs) were first discovered in rats, but they are thought to be found in all mammals. These cells are found in various parts of the brain, and the frequency of firing varies depending on the movement of the head. The advent of modern neuron recording technologies has allowed researchers to study their behavior. In this way, they can observe how NC cells help the brain reorient itself after a change in the environment.
Mark Brandon, Associate Professor of Psychiatry at McGill University and Research Associate at the Douglas Research Center, says neuroscience research has undergone a technological revolution over the past decade, allowing scientists to ask and answer questions that were previously unattainable.
This new insight into complex and little-studied areas of the brain shows how the brain recalibrates in response to changing conditions, and how this process can go wrong in degenerative neuronal disorders like dementia, particularly Alzheimer’s disease.
Brandon says people with Alzheimer’s often report being disoriented and lost in familiar surroundings, one of the first cognitive symptoms he described. He hopes that a better understanding of how our brain’s internal compass works will lead to earlier detection and treatment of this aspect of neurodegeneration.
The researchers note that while mice are subject to unnatural visual effects, the findings are relevant to human life and may even explain how virtual reality systems can affect our sense of direction.
“This work is an attractive example of how a combination of experimental and computational approaches can improve our understanding of brain activity and its impact on behavior,” said Xue-Xin Wei, an assistant professor and computational neuroscientist at the University of Texas at Austin. – the author of the work.
Previously Focus He wrote about the twilight region of the brain. Scientists have observed the process of creating memories in our brains.
Source: Focus
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