All roads lead to Rome: How neurons use different strategies for the same result

Have you ever wondered why, in some cases, people respond differently to the same thing? The answer might lie in crabs! Scientists studying crabs found that neurons doing the same job can be wired differently from animal to animal, like people solving the same puzzle in different ways. Usually it doesn't matter. But when the environment changes, like a sudden temperature shift, or taking a new medication, those hidden differences start to matter.

Gyrification: How the brain gets groovy

Why is the human brain wrinkled, rather than smooth like the brain of a mouse? Explore how evolution solved a space problem by folding the cerebral cortex, creating the ridges and grooves that help make human thought possible.

KIF1A: The neuron’s marathon runner

To function properly, neurons need supplies- but how do all these supplies make it from one end of a neuron to another?  This article explores the incredible protein that gets the job done, aptly nicknamed your neuron’s marathon runner, and what happens when it malfunctions. 

The neurons next door

Having a friendly or bothersome neighbor can significantly affect how peacefully you go about your everyday life. The cells in your nervous system are no different, and what they can do for you ultimately depends on who lives next door.

The Silent Majority

A large number of neurons in the brain are “silent” even while we perceive and experience the world. A recent study sheds light on what they might be doing.

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