For many people, the New Year is a time to adopt new habits as a renewed commitment to personal health. Newly enthusiastic fitness buffs pack into gyms and grocery stores are filled with shoppers eager to try out new diets.

But, does scientific evidence support the claims made for these diets? In a review article published in the Dec. 26 issue of The New England Journal of Medicine, Johns Hopkins Medicine neuroscientist Mark Mattson, Ph.D., concludes that intermittent fasting does.

Mattson, who has studied the health impact of intermittent fasting for 25 years, and adopted it himself about 20 years ago, writes that "intermittent fasting could be part of a healthy lifestyle." A professor of neuroscience at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Mattson says his new article is intended to help clarify the science and clinical applications of intermittent fasting in ways that may help physicians guide patients who want to try it.

Intermittent fasting diets, he says, fall generally into two categories: daily time-restricted feeding, which narrows eating times to 68 hours per day, and so-called 5:2 intermittent fasting, in which people limit themselves to one moderate-sized meal two days each week.

An array of animal and some human studies have shown that alternating between times of fasting and eating supports cellular health, probably by triggering an age-old adaptation to periods of food scarcity called metabolic switching. Such a switch occurs when cells use up their stores of rapidly accessible, sugar-based fuel, and begin converting fat into energy in a slower metabolic process.

Mattson says studies have shown that this switch improves blood sugar regulation, increases resistance to stress and suppresses inflammation. Because most Americans eat three meals plus snacks each day, they do not experience the switch, or the suggested benefits.

In the article, Mattson notes that four studies in both animals and people found intermittent fasting also decreased blood pressure, blood lipid levels and resting heart rates.

Evidence is also mounting that intermittent fasting can modify risk factors associated with obesity and diabetes, says Mattson. Two studies at the University Hospital of South Manchester NHS Foundation Trust of 100 overweight women showed that those on the 5:2 intermittent fasting diet lost the same amount of weight as women who restricted calories, but did better on measures of insulin sensitivity and reduced belly fat than those in the calorie-reduction group.

More recently, Mattson says, preliminary studies suggest that intermittent fasting could benefit brain health too. A multicenter clinical trial at the University of Toronto in April found that 220 healthy, nonobese adults who maintained a calorie restricted diet for two years showed signs of improved memory in a battery of cognitive tests. While far more research needs to be done to prove any effects of intermittent fasting on learning and memory, Mattson says if that proof is found, the fasting -; or a pharmaceutical equivalent that mimics it -; may offer interventions that can stave off neurodegeneration and dementia.

We are at a transition point where we could soon consider adding information about intermittent fasting to medical school curricula alongside standard advice about healthy diets and exercise."

Mark Mattson, Ph.D., neuroscientist, Johns Hopkins Medicine

Mattson acknowledges that researchers do "not fully understand the specific mechanisms of metabolic switching and that "some people are unable or unwilling to adhere" to the fasting regimens. But he argues that with guidance and some patience, most people can incorporate them into their lives. It takes some time for the body to adjust to intermittent fasting, and to get beyond initial hunger pangs and irritability that accompany it. "Patients should be advised that feeling hungry and irritable is common initially and usually passes after two weeks to a month as the body and brain become accustomed to the new habit," Mattson says.

To manage this hurdle, Mattson suggests that physicians advise patients to gradually increase the duration and frequency of the fasting periods over the course of several months, instead of "going cold turkey." As with all lifestyle changes, says Mattson, it's important for physicians to know the science so they can communicate potential benefits, harms and challenges, and offer support.

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Intermittent fasting could lead to improved health - News-Medical.net

Andreas Kappes, lecturer, City, University of London; Tali Sharot, professor of cognitive neuroscience, UCL

WEVE all been there. You are in the middle of a heated disagreement when you lose respect for the opposing party. Whether it is about the latest election or childcare, you feel like your considered arguments are not appreciated perhaps even ignored. But did you ever wonder what exactly is happening in the mind of the person on the other side?

In a recent study, just published in Nature Neuroscience, we and our colleagues recorded peoples brain activity during disagreements to find out.

In our experiment, we asked 21 pairs of volunteers to make financial decisions. In particular, they each had to assess the value of real estates and bet money on their assessments. The more confident they were in their assessment, the more money they wagered.

Each volunteer lay in a brain imaging scanner while performing the task so we could record their brain activity. The two scanners were separated by a glass wall, and the volunteers were able to see the assessments and bets of the other person on their screen.

When volunteers agreed on the price of the real estate, each of them became more confident in their assessment, and they bet more money on it. That makes sense if I agree with you then you feel more sure that you must be right. Each persons brain activity also reflected the encoding of the confidence of their partner. In particular, activity of a brain region called the posterior medial frontal cortex, which we know is involved in cognitive dissonance, tracked the confidence of the partner. We found that the more confident one volunteer was, the more confident the partner became, and vice versa.

However and this is the interesting part when people disagreed, their brains became less sensitive to the strength of others opinions. After disagreement, the posterior medial frontal cortex could no longer track the partners confidence. Consequently, the opinion of the disagreeing partner had little impact on peoples conviction that they were correct, regardless of whether the disagreeing partner was very sure in their assessment or not at all.

It was not the case that the volunteers were not paying attention to their partner when they disagreed with them. We know this because we tested our volunteers memory of their partners assessments and bets. Rather, it seems that contradictory opinions were more likely to be considered categorically wrong and therefore the strength of those opinions was unimportant.

We suspect that when disagreements are about heated topics such as politics, people will be even less likely to take note of the strength of contradictory opinions.

Our findings may shed light on some puzzling recent trends in society. For instance, over the last decade, climate scientists have expressed greater confidence that climate change is man-made. Yet, a survey by the Pew research centre in Washington, DC shows that the percentage of Republicans in the US who believe this notion to be true has dropped over the same period. While there are complex, multi-layered reasons for this specific trend, it may also be related to a bias in how the strength of other peoples opinions is encoded in our brain.

The findings can also be extrapolated to political current events. Take the recent impeachment hearings against US president Donald Trump. Our study suggests that whether a witness appears calm, confident and in command of the facts (as government official Bill Taylor was described when testifying during the hearings) or unsteady and uncertain (as FBI chief Robert Muller was described when testifying about his special counsel investigation back in July) will matter little to those who already oppose impeachment when testimonies are unsupportive of the president. But they will affect the conviction of those who are in favour of impeachment.

So how can we increase our chances of being heard by members of an opposing group? Our study lends new support to a tried and tested recipe (as the Queen recently put it while addressing a country divided over Brexit) finding the common ground.

The strength of a carefully reasoned opinion is less likely to be registered when launching into a disagreement with a sturdy pile of evidence describing why we are right and the other side is wrong. But if we start from common ground that is the parts of the problem we agree on we will avoid being categorised as a disputer from the very beginning, making it more likely that the strength of our arguments will matter.

Take, for example, the attempt to alter the conviction of parents who refuse to vaccinate their children because they falsely believe vaccines are linked to autism. It has been shown that presenting strong evidence refuting the link does little to change their minds. Instead, focusing solely on the fact that vaccines protect children from potentially deadly disease a statement that the parents can more easily agree with can increase their intention to vaccinate their children by threefold.

So in the midst of that heated disagreement, try to remember that the key to change is often finding a shared belief or motive.

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Heres what happens in the brain when we disagree - Metro Newspaper UK

A new survey of the activity of nearly 60,000 neurons in the mouse visual system reveals how far we have to go to understand how the brain computes. The analysis, led by researchers at the Allen Institute, reveals that more than 90% of neurons in the visual cortex, the part of the brain that processes our visual world, dont work the way scientists thought and its not yet clear how they do work.

We thought that there are simple principles according to which these neurons process visual information, and those principles are in all the textbooks, said Christof Koch, Ph.D., Chief Scientist and President of the Allen Institute for Brain Science, a division of the Allen Institute, and co-senior author on the study along with R. Clay Reid, M.D., Ph.D., Senior Investigator at the Allen Institute for Brain Science. But now that we can survey tens of thousands of cells at once, we get a more subtle and much more complicated picture.

Nearly 60 years ago, two neuroscientists, David Hubel and Torsten Wiesel, made groundbreaking discoveries about how mammals brains perceive the visual world around us. Their work uncovered individual neurons that switch on only in response to very specific kinds of images.

Hubel and Wiesel made their discoveries by showing simple pictures things like a black bar or dot on a white background to cats and monkeys. The general principle they uncovered says that as you view the world around you, specific neurons in your brain are responsible for recognizing exact parts in a particular region of that scene and the recognition gets more specialized and fine-tuned in higher-order parts of the brain.

Say youre in a park: One set of neurons will fire a rapid electrical response to a dark tree branch in a precise spot in your line of sight. Other neurons switch on only when a bird flies across your field of vision from left to right. Your brain would then stitch together information from the tree branch neurons and the moving bird neurons to get a complete picture of the world around you, or so the theory goes.

Hubel and Wiesels findings were recognized by a Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine and formed the backbone of the neural networks that underlie most computer vision applications. In the past decade, with the advent of new neuroscience methods that enable the study of more and more brain cells at once, scientists have come to understand that this model of how our brains see is likely not the whole story some neurons clearly dont follow the classic model of tuning into specific features.

But it wasnt clear just how incomplete the story was.

Brain activity variability

The new study is the first large-scale analysis of the publicly available data from the Allen Brain Observatory, a broad survey that captures the activity of tens of thousands of neurons in the mouse visual system. The researchers analyzed the activity of nearly 60,000 different neurons in the visual parts of the cortex, the outermost shell of the brain, as animals see different simple images, photos and short video clips including the opening shot from the classic Orson Welles movie Touch of Evil (chosen because it has a lot of movement and is a single shot with no cuts).

1950s and 60s neuroscience studies, by necessity, were like fishing expeditions researchers hunted through the brain with a single electrode until they found a neuron that reliably responded to a certain image. Its akin to trying to watch a widescreen movie through a few scattered pinholes, Koch said it would be impossible to get a complete picture. The Allen Brain Observatory dataset doesnt capture the activity of every neuron under every scenario, but it allows researchers to study more neurons at once, including those with more subtle responses.

The researchers new analysis found that less than 10% of the 60,000 neurons responded following the textbook model. Of the rest, about two-thirds showed some reliable response, but their responses were more specialized than the classic models would predict. The last third of neurons showed some activity, but they didnt light up reliably to any of the stimuli in the experiment its not clear what these neurons are doing, the researchers said.

Its not that the previous studies were all a big mistake, its just that those cells turn out to be a very small fraction of all neurons in the cortex, said Saskia de Vries, Ph.D., an Assistant Investigator at the Allen Institute for Brain Science who led the study along with Jrme Lecoq, Ph.D., and Michael Buice, Ph.D. It turns out that the mouse visual cortex is much more complex and richer than we previously thought, which underscores the value of doing this type of survey.

That these more variable, less specific neurons exist is not news. But it was a surprise that they dominate the visual parts of the mouse brain, the researchers said.

How the brain computes

Its not yet clear how these other neurons contribute to processing visual information. Other research groups have seen that locomotion can drive neuron activity in the visual part of the brain, but whether the mice were running or still only explains a small amount of the variability in visual responses, the researchers found.

Their next steps are to run similar experiments with more natural movies, offering the neurons a larger set of visual features to respond to. Buice has made a 10-hour specialized reel of clips from pretty much every nature documentary he could get his hands on.

The researchers also point out that the classic model came from studies of cats and primates, animals which both evolved to see their worlds in sharper focus at the center of their gaze than did mice. Its possible that mouse vision is just a completely different ballgame than ours. But there are still principles from these studies that might apply to our own brains, said Buice, an Associate Investigator at the Allen Institute for Brain Science.

Our goal was not to study vision; our goal was to study how the cortex computes. We think the cortex has a structure of computation thats universal, similar to the way different types of computers can run the same programs, Buice said. In the end, it doesnt matter what kind of program the computer is running; we want to understand how it runs programs at all.

Reference

de Vries et al. (2019) A large-scale standardized physiological survey reveals functional organization of the mouse visual cortex. Nature Neuroscience. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41593-019-0550-9

This article has been republished from the following materials. Note: material may have been edited for length and content. For further information, please contact the cited source.

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Nine Out of Ten Visual Neurons Don't Work The Way We Thought - Technology Networks

An interview with Mt Marosi, Ph.D., and Zsolt Ivn, PharmD., discussing the use of acousto-optic microscopes to study neural networks in the brain, from cell bodies to dendrites, to tiny spines. This interview was conducted at the Society for Neuroscience annual conference in 2019.

Mt: To start with, lets look at why scientists want to visualize neurons. Electrophysiological techniques allow us to study neural signaling both at the single cell (limited cell numbers at the same time) and network level. However, at the network level, we cannot distinguish the spatial distribution of the signals (at the cellular level).

To get access to the smallest elements of the brain, desires to do so in the largest scanning volume possible, with the highest temporal and spatial resolution they can achieve. Multiphoton microscopy seems to be an ideal tool.

Scientists want to capture neuronal activity, not just on a single cell level, but across an entire neural network simultaneously.

However, conventional 2-photon imaging systems operate mainly in a 2D plane, but neuronal networks are dispersed in three-dimensional space. These microscopes allow you to see up to hundreds of neurons with limited temporal frequency, but this is only a tiny snapshot of the neuronal network.

In addition, neuronal networks are organized in 3D. So being able to understand the proper role of the neurons in the entire network would be much more powerful. Our new innovation is allowing neuroscientists to follow the activity of thousands of neurons in a three-dimensional brain region.

In vivo 3D recording in large volumes. Image Credit: Femtonics.

Mt: The understanding of brain computations requires methods that read out neural activity on different spatial and temporal scales. Moreover, fast recording is required not only from a single plane or point, but also at the level of large neuronal populations situated in large 3D volumes.

Femtonics developed an acousto-optic (AO) technology-based 2-photon microscope called the Femto3D Atlas (the peak of the evolution of Femtonics microscopes) that provides real-time 3D imaging and photostimulation. It allows scientists to observe simultaneous neuronal activity on a cellular or even subcellular (dendritic or dendritic spine) levels across multiple planes. We can also arbitrarily rotate our imaging planes and find the best angle for the actual recording.

The technology also allows us to only scan the structures from the regions of interest to perform measurements at a higher speed. You can visualize cell bodies or dendrites at a high temporal and spatial resolution for fast readout of neuronal and network activity in 3D. Thats what makes this system unique.

Zsolt: Our state-of-the-art technology is a pioneer on the field of two-photon microscopy. It comes with a powerful temporal and spatial resolution which is also combined with unique methods in 3D imaging and photostimulation. Our innovation is not only groundbreaking but completely, changing the game when it comes to optical laser scanning multiphoton microscopy.

Mt: The description of physics behind the acousto-optic technique dates back to early twentieth century, but it was not used for biological purposes until the early 2000s

Zsolt: Around 15 years ago, founders of Femtonics - who are also scientists - recognized the potential of the acousto-optic technique for neuroscience.

Mt: So, the microscope works by shooting a laser through special crystals (acousto-optic deflectors). The phrase acousto-optic refers to the field of optics that studies the interaction between sound and light waves.

Acousto-optical deflection controls the optical beam spatially by using ultrasonic sound waves to diffract the laser beam depending on the acoustic frequency.

If we change the sound waveform, e.g. we gradually increase the frequency while maintaining the amplitude, meaning we create a focal point and then quickly move on to another by changing the frequency again. With this technique we can perform 3D random-access scanning where the laser moves almost instantaneously between many points within a region.

This method is very useful when we want to image neuronal activity at high temporal resolution in 3D and analyze how the brain computes in real-time.

Zsolt: We have also realized that random-access point scanning is not enough for in vivo biological applications, and thats why we have developed special scanning techniques to be able to image not only points but extend these to planar or volume elements in 3D. Thanks to the work carried out by our scientists and engineers, it is possible to follow the 3D curvature of one or more dendrites with their spines at the same time.

Mt: The first step of the measurement is to select guiding points based on a z-stack, where the microscope scans several planes at different focal distances to build up an extended 3D image like a reference map.

The next step is to fit our 3D trajectories according to the z stack taken in advance and acquire images from only these points, rectangulars and elongated ribbons (Szalay et al. 2016 Neuron). This imaging technique allows you to see all of the components within your region of interest, including the cells bodies, dendrites and even the smaller protrusions.

For example one of our unique AO volume scanning method is the snake scanning, where we extend the pre-selected ribbons to a 3D structures (cuboids). This scanning option is very useful for imaging longer dendritic segments and dendritic spins which can be located in hidden and overlapping positions.

The FEMTO3D Atlas enables its users to rapidly and simultaneously scan both neuronal somata and subcellular domains in 3D with 3D random-access scanning method, up to a million times faster than classical scanning methods.

We continue to develop new scanning modes and recently released new options at SfN 2019. The new high-speed arbitrary frame mode of Atlas gives the option to acquire high-speed raster scanning of several cortical layers simultaneously or record individual neurons with their dendritic arborization which are not parallel with the front lens of the objective.

Raster scanning on the FEMTO3D Atlas.

Mt: A single, tiny piece of a puzzle is also very interesting, for example, examine the function of a single ion channel is incredibly important. However, we also want to see the functionality of the brain in a living animal on a grander scale to understand the processes that lead to physiological functions and finally neurological diseases. To do this, you need an imaging technique that will allow you to visualize a high number of cells and record their activity with good spatial and temporal resolution.

Mt: It is hard to choose the most useful, it always depends on the question you are trying to answer! Let me give you a couple of examples:

In my own research, where we are interested to understand cellular networks and network dynamics in the visual cortex of mice, I typically use the chessboard scanning mode. Where chessboard-like pattern contains the pre-selected neurons and their surrounding areas in each square. With this technique hundreds of neurons can be measured simultaneously in a near cubic millimeter volume and, importantly, motion correction can also be carried out to eliminate artifacts caused by tissue movement.

However, this can give us any number of cells, from 1 to 300! Beyond a certain number of cells, youre sacrificing spatial and temporal resolution, so in my experiments, I usually select around 100-120 cells (with 15-20 Hz temporal resolution).

I also regularly use multi-cube scanning. In my experiments, I use this scanning mode to get a detailed 3D anatomical picture of the selected cells which helps to find the same cell ensemble day by day.

For dendritic imaging, or spine imaging, I would go with ribbon scanning (or in special cases, snake scanning see above), in this way, it is possible to follow the 3D curvature of one or more dendrites with their spines at the same time. If you are interested in dendritic spine activity, you can also go for the multiple-line scanning.

Here, we extend scanning points along only a single dimension to perform measurements at a considerably higher speed on large number of spines simultaneously in 3D. Of course, this requires us to know the average trajectory of brain motion because we have to set the lines parallel with that.

Advanced Scanning Modes. Image Credit: Femtonics.

We sincerely believe that our innovation generally assists to the researchers acquiring even better and convincing results in their studies while the Femto3D ATLAS opens new horizons in their work. To make it happen, we want to ensure this great instrument getting available for every end-user in the neuroscience community.

Gergely Katona, CEO of Femtonics

Mt is an Application Specialist and Senior scientist at Femtonics with a PhD degree of neuroscience and a strong academic background. He uses Femto3D ATLAS microscopes every day for his experiments.

Zsolt is the Head of Sales and Marketing at Femtonics. Zsolt Graduated in specialized pharmacology, clinical studies and economy. He joined Femtonics 3 years ago and worked with the Femto3D ATLAS since the beginning of development.

Femtonics was founded in 2005 by two scientists as a spin-off R&D company with roots in the Institute of Experimental Medicine of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences. Since then, we have expanded into a multidisciplinary team and became one of the most innovative manufacturers of two-photon laser scanning microscopes. Our microscopes provide the most innovative technologies, fitting a wide variety of in vivo and in vitro biological applications.

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The Acoustics of the Brain: Random-access 3D Microscopy in Neuroscience - News-Medical.net

I was never a huge reader growing up. As a chubby kid with a bowl cut in school, I was a slower reader than most and was always afraid to read out loud in class. I simply grew up with a general aversion to reading, and it would take me 30 years to finally develop a love for books.

As I pursue a career in neurology, it was initially the beautiful writing of Oliver Sacks that brought out the book worm in me and introduced me to the whole new world of thoughtful and neurosciency books that challenged my beliefs and addressed many real issues in society. These days, I can typically be found with my nose stuck in a book, even while walking through town. Now completely hooked on this unique genre of neuroscience of modern issues books, Ive been making up for lost time after so many years spent scared of reading. These were my favorite reads of the year:

The Nocturnal Brain: Nightmares, Neuroscience and the Secret World of Sleep

Inspired by the legendary book The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat by the late Oliver Sacks, neurologist and sleep scientist Guy Leschziner tells the curious true stories of his patients, their fascinating sleep disorders, and the neuroscience behind each. Also like the works of Sacks, The Nocturnal Brain is written with considerable introspection and wonder about each patients case, taking you on a journey from the first patient encounter, to diagnosis, and through treatment. The unusual and often bizarre cases will keep you intrigued and immersed, and make this unique book one you will find yourself looking forward to making time to read.

How The Brain Lost Its Mind: Sex, Hysteria, and the Riddle of Mental Health

In this mindful reflection on American and European pasts, authors Allan H. Ropper and Brian Burrell, also the writers of Reaching Down the Rabbit Hole, address our modern concept of mental illness by reviewing the interesting true story of the syphilis epidemic of the 19th century. This little known and fascinating history of neurosyphilishow it was handled by society and medicine and how it shaped todays understanding of mental illnesshelps address not only why many stigmas exist, but why so many have persisted. This book will take you on an incredible journey through the puzzling diagnosis, eclectic treatments, and lasting social effects of the neurosyphilis epidemic of the 1800s, as well as offer important insight into the difference between diseases of the brain and the mind. This book is perfect for any scientist, psychologist, or historian with even the smallest interest in medical history or mental health theory.

Compassionomics: The Revolutionary Scientific Evidence that Caring Makes a Difference

It is no secret that todays medical atmosphere scarsely resembles anything similar to that of 50 years ago. Many have argued that this is in large part due to a lack of compassion in the modern medical system. If this is the case, where have we gone wrong, and is there scientific evidence to support that compassion is even beneficial to healthcare, personal relationships, and professional lives? These questions are raised and explored by authors Stephen Trzeciak and Anthony Mazzarelli through the telling of true stories of medical providers and patients that help demonstrate the incredible effect of the human connection. Coupled perfectly with these gripping stories are easily readable summaries of decades of research studying the effects of compassion as well as its implications in our lives. Addressing topics from healthcare cost to provider burnout, from caring for others to caring for ourselves, this evidence-based analysis of the importance of compassion is a must-read for anyone interested in the social science and psychology of the care we give in all settings of our lives.

Gender and Our Brains: How New Neuroscience Explodes the Myths of the Male and Female Minds

In this seemingly new age of self-identification, with politics, pop culture, and even corporate entities weighing in on topics concerning gender, sex, and pronouns, this thought-provoking new book provides readers with the neuroscience behind the enigmatic topic of gender. Written by professor and scientist Gina Rippon, this book has no qualms about addressing the flaws and implications of our gender-binary society. It is with this same confidence backed by new neuroscience research that this book confronts head-on the biases and prejudices intrinsic to our collective understanding of gender, and how these misconceptions have shaped ourselves and our society. A refreshing mixture of humor and evidence-based analysis, this hard look at the history of pseudoscience, gender studies, and traditional values in our past is a must-read for anyone interested in the developing neuroscience of gender.

Never Enough: The Neuroscience and Experience of Addiction

Giving new meaning to the term primary literature, this insightful book by behavioral neuroscientist and recovering addict Judith Grisel provides a truly unique look into both the science behind addiction and her personal story of dependence and recovery. After dropping out of college and later hitting rock-bottom, Grisel has spent the past several decades researching important topics surrounding addiction. With wit, scientific knowledge, and personal insight, this page-turner addresses what drives addiction, what is different about the brain of an addict, and what role our communities might play in helping end societys drug epidemic.

James Dolbowis a neuroscientist and medical student at Lincoln Memorial University-DeBusk College of Osteopathic Medicine in Tennessee.

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Opinion: The Best Neuroscience Books of 2019 - The Scientist

Science News was founded in 1921 as an independent, nonprofit source of accurate information on the latest news of science, medicine and technology. Today, our mission remains the same: to empower people to evaluate the news and the world around them. It is published by Society for Science & the Public, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) membership organization dedicated to public engagement in scientific research and education.

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Neuroscience | Science News

WPI Launches Transdisciplinary Masters Degree Program in Neuroscience

This Worcester place of learning just never stops. Recognizing the urgent need to develop a better understanding of the brain, behavior, and the causes of neurological and neurodegenerative disorders, Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) has launched a master of science program in neuroscience with a unique focus on artificial intelligence and computational techniques and approaches. The program will prepare neuroscientists with the broad interdisciplinary skills needed to tackle one of the most important scientific challenges of our age and develop a new generation of treatments.

The transdisciplinary masters in neuroscience degree program has four primary focus areas: computational neuroscience, cellular and molecular neuroscience, systems neuroscience, and psychological science.

With over 100 billion neurons and 100 trillion connections, the brain is among the most complex biological system known and holds the key to who we are and how we perceive and interact with the world, said Jean King, Peterson Family Dean of Arts and Sciences and professor of neuroscience. The complexity of this system has made it difficult to develop effective treatments for neurological disorders.

WPIs neuroscience degree program is designed for students with undergraduate degrees in biology, biochemistry, computer science, mathematics, neuroscience, psychology, or related fields and has theses and non-theses options.

Learn more about WPIs Neuroscience Initiative and the new MS program.

Several months ago, The Research Bureau published a very informative report suggesting that if the WRTA went fare-free that it would dramatically increase ridership. About 40 American cities and towns have or hope to go fare-free, including Kansas City, according to an announcement from the Worcester FareFree Task Force.

At the same time, I had filed an order with the Worcester City Council stating that the WRTA service was inefficient and underutilized while being quite costly to city taxpayers, said Worcester City Councilor Gary Rosen. Realizing how important and necessary our transit service is to so many individuals and families, my goal was to encourage our city (and state) elected and appointed officials to take steps to improve service and get more riders back on those buses. Thankfully, that is now happening.

The Research Bureaus report, Sen. Harriett Chandler and Rosen were recruited to join a recently-formed committee that was looking into the feasibility of making the WRTA fare-free. Made up of visionary individuals who want to retain but improve the WRTA, the committee has been meeting regularly for months in the hopes of implementing an appealing fare-free transit system at no additional cost to Worcesters residential and commercial taxpayers.

The next meeting, on Thursday, Dec. 19, at 10 AM sharp, starts at the HUB, 60 Foster St., on the #5 WRTA bus. Participants, and that can include you, ride that bus along with its regular patrons on its normal route.

Governor Charlie Baker has appointed four new board members to the Board of Higher Education, each with years of experience in helping students achieve greater academic success. Three of the four appointees were sworn in at the State House last week, according to an announcement..

Governor Baker appointed Veronica Conforme, the chief executive officer of UP Education Network; Patty Zillian Eppinger, an executive producer of a teen television drama and the past interim president of the Ecotarium; Judy Pagliuca, managing partner at Pagsgroup; and Ann Christensen, president of the nonprofit Clayton Christensen Institute for Disruptive Innovation.

Each of these four women are well-qualified to serve on the Board of Higher Education, and we are pleased they have agreed to dedicate their time to supporting students throughout the Commonwealth, said Baker.

The Board of Higher Education coordinates the Commonwealths 15 community colleges, nine state universities and the University of Massachusetts system, ensuring that Massachusetts residents have opportunities to benefit from a higher education that enriches their lives and civic engagement, advances economic development and social progress of the Commonwealth.

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5 Things You Need to Know Today in Worcester - Dec. 18, 2019 - This Week In Worcester

Citing research conducted at eleven different universities, the author of a new book entitled, "Consciousness, The Hard Problem Solved," reveals what he believes is the origin of consciousness and is both praised and ridiculed as a result.

Richmond, VA, December 18, 2019 --(PR.com)-- According to Scientific Materialists, the Hard Problem, is devising a theory to explain how the brain creates consciousness. Bestselling author Stephen Hawley Martin says it is not only hard but impossible for them because they have been looking in the wrong place. In his new book, he offers a solution based on the findings of research conducted at almost a dozen universities including the University of Virginia, the University of California at Berkeley, Yale University, Duke University, and Columbia University among others. Since its release a month ago, the book has climbed into the top tier of its category on Amazon.com.

One reviewer, who gave it five stars, wrote that this new title is, One of the most thought provoking books I've read in a long time! You would have to be really closed minded not to see the simple logic and very well proven documentation presented!

Another reviewer trashed the book, whose review has since been removed, called it, a rehash of near death experiences.

Martin said, Obviously the second reviewer didnt actually read the book because there is not one single near death experience recounted in it - not one. But Im not surprised. Scientific Materialism has become a secular religion for many, and when someone dares question any of the dogma their religion is based upon, that persons work is immediately and vehemently put down.

Martin went on to say, As the 19th century German philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer [1788-1860] once said, All truth passes through three stages: First, it is ridiculed. Second, it is violently opposed. Third, it is accepted as self-evident. Its clear that at least some Scientific Materialists are stuck in the ridicule-to-violently-oppose stages. Fortunately, it appears that open-minded individuals tend to see the truth in what Ive written, and so I believe it is only a matter of time before my explanation for the source of consciousness is accepted as self-evident.

Follow this link to the books page on Amazon:https://www.amazon.com/dp/B081LPPD8G

"Consciousness, The Hard Problem Solved" is published by The Oaklea Press Inc. in Kindle, ASIN: B081LPPD8G, for $3.99 and in trade paperback, ISBN-10: 1708969233, for $9.99. The Oaklea Press (www.oakleapress.com) was founded in 1995 and publishes primarily business management, metaphysical, and self-help titles.

Contact Information:The Oaklea PressSteve Martin804-218-2394Contact via Emailwww.oakleapress.com

Read the full story here: https://www.pr.com/press-release/801726

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A Bestselling New Release in Neuroscience on Amazon.com Explaining the Origin of Consciousness Receives Praise and Push-Back - Benzinga

A leading research firm, Zion Market Research added a latest industry report on "Global Neuroscience Market" consisting of 110+ pages during the forecast period and Neuroscience Market report offers a comprehensive research updates and information related to market growth, demand, opportunities in the global Neuroscience Market.

According to the report the Neuroscience Market Will Generate Massive Revenue In Future 20162024

The Neuroscience Market report provides in-depth analysis and insights into developments impacting businesses and enterprises on global and regional level. The report covers the global Neuroscience Market performance in terms of revenue contribution from various segments and includes a detailed analysis of key trends, drivers, restraints, and opportunities influencing revenue growth of the global consumer electronics market.This report studies the global Neuroscience Market size, industry status and forecast, competition landscape and growth opportunity. This research report categorizes the global Neuroscience Market by companies, region, type and end-use industry.

Request a Free Sample Report on Neuroscience Market:https://www.zionmarketresearch.com/sample/neuroscience-market

The Neuroscience Market report mainly includes the major company profiles with their annual sales & revenue, business strategies, company major products, profits, industry growth parameters, industry contribution on global and regional level.This report covers the global Neuroscience Market performance in terms of value and volume contribution. This section also includes major company analysis of key trends, drivers, restraints, challenges, and opportunities, which are influencing the global Neuroscience Market. Impact analysis of key growth drivers and restraints, based on the weighted average model, is included in this report to better equip clients with crystal clear decision-making insights.

The Neuroscience Market research report mainly segmented into types, applications and regions.The market overview section highlights the Neuroscience Market definition, taxonomy, and an overview of the parent market across the globe and region wise.To provide better understanding of the global Neuroscience Market, the report includes in-depth analysis of drivers, restraints, and trends in all major regions namely, Asia Pacific, North America, Europe, Latin America and the Middle East & Africa, which influence the current market scenario and future status of the global Neuroscience Market over the forecast period.

Get Free PDF Brochure of this Report: https://www.zionmarketresearch.com/requestbrochure/neuroscience-market

The Neuroscience Market report provides company market size, share analysis in order to give a broader overview of the key players in the market. Additionally, the report also includes key strategic developments of the market including acquisitions & mergers, new product launch, agreements, partnerships, collaborations & joint ventures, research & development, product and regional expansion of major participants involved in the market on the global and regional basis.

Major Company Profiles Covered in This Report:

Alpha Omega, Axion Biosystems, Blackrock Microsystems LLC, Femtonics Ltd., Intan Technologies, LaVision Biotec GmbH, Mediso Medical Imaging Systems, Neuralynx Inc., NeuroNexus Technologies, Neurotar Ltd., Newport Corporation, Plexon Inc., Scientifica Ltd., Sutter Instrument Corporation, Thomas Recording GmbH, and Trifoil Imaging Inc.

Some of the major objectives of this report:

1) To provide detailed analysis of the market structure along with forecast of the various segments and sub-segments of the global Neuroscience Market.

2. To provide insights about factors affecting the market growth. To analyze the Neuroscience Market based on various factors- price analysis, supply chain analysis, porter five force analysis etc.

3. To provide historical and forecast revenue of the Neuroscience Market segments and sub-segments with respect to four main geographies and their countries- North America, Europe, Asia, and Rest of the World.

4. Country level analysis of the market with respect to the current market size and future prospective.

5. To provide country level analysis of the market for segment by application, product type and sub-segments.

6. To provide strategic profiling of key players in the market, comprehensively analyzing their core competencies, and drawing a competitive landscape for the market.

7. Track and analyze competitive developments such as joint ventures, strategic alliances, mergers and acquisitions, new product developments, and research and developments in the global Neuroscience Market.

About Us:

Zion Market Research is an obligated company. We create futuristic, cutting edge, informative reports ranging from industry reports, company reports to country reports. We provide our clients not only with market statistics unveiled by avowed private publishers and public organizations but also with vogue and newest industry reports along with pre-eminent and niche company profiles. Our database of market research reports comprises a wide variety of reports from cardinal industries. Our database is been updated constantly in order to fulfill our clients with prompt and direct online access to our database. Keeping in mind the clients needs, we have included expert insights on global industries, products, and market trends in this database. Last but not the least, we make it our duty to ensure the success of clients connected to usafter allif you do well, a little of the light shines on us.

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Neuroscience Market Will Generate Massive Revenue In Future 20162024 - Industry News Ledger

Optogenetics, a tool for controlling neurons with light, has given neuroscientists the ability to flip brain cells on and off more or less at will, revolutionizing neuroscience.

Yet the technique faces a fundamental challenge: To study all but the outermost part of the brain, researchers need to implant fiber optics or other invasive devices to deliver light deep into the brain.

Now, inProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences,Stanford researchersreportthat theyve found a less invasive way to do so: injectable nanoparticles that convert sound waves, which can easily penetrate into the brain, into light.

Our question was, can we eliminate all these implants for delivering light? Our approach has offered a much less invasive alternative, saidGuosong Hong, an assistant professor of materials science and engineering and a member of the Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute.

Developed in part at Stanford, optogenetics is based on the idea that scientists can genetically modify cells, such as neurons, to make some of their functions switch on and off with visible light. Researchers have used that tool to better understand how information flows between different regions of the brain, study the underpinnings of social behavior, cognition and memory, and better understand neurological diseases such as Parkinsons.

The challenge is that even in the best cases, the light optogenetics needs to work penetrates only the topmost layers of the brain. Studying deeper brain regions requires light-delivering implants such as optical fibers. Not only are those implants invasive, they limit how many parts of the brain researchers can study at a time.

One less invasive alternative is sonogenetics, which uses ultrasound waves to turn genes on and off. Unlike light, sound particularly ultrasound can penetrate deep into tissues throughout the body, including the brain. But the technique is brand new, and so far there are few genes that can be modified to be controlled by ultrasound.

Still, Hong and his team figured, ultrasound has potential, particularly if they could find a way to convert sound into light and as it turned out, there is such a way in the form of mechanoluminescent materials, such as zinc sulfide, that emit light when an external pressure is applied. By doping zinc-sulfide nanoparticles with cobalt, Hong and his team found they could store light energy in the nanoparticles and release it later on with ultrasound. Further doping the particles with silver tuned them to release just the right wavelengths of light to activate optogenetically modified neurons, regardless of where those neurons are in the brain.

With those advances in hand, two obstacles remained. First, the team needed to get the nanoparticles close to neurons in the brain without invasive implants. Second, they needed a way to charge them up so they would be ready to release light when they reached their destination. To solve both problems, Hong and his team injected their nanoparticles into mouse blood vessels, so that the nanoparticles were constantly flowing throughout the body notably, in the brain and in the skin. When nanoparticles flow through the skin, the team reasoned, light penetrates deeply enough to charge up the particles. In the brain, light from the nanoparticles is close enough to activate optogenetically modified neurons.

Hong and colleagues tested their idea first in an artificial circulatory system to show they could get the nanoparticles to light up, recharge and light up again. They next injected the same particles into mice and carefully positioned them underneath a device that aimed ultrasound at motor control circuits in their brains. Then, the team found, they could get mice to wiggle their legs just by turning on the ultrasound.

One remaining issue, Hong said, is making their ultrasound system small enough to deploy in a wider range of experiments. Another issue is that the nanoparticles themselves, while rechargeable, only last a few hours before they get filtered out of the blood, a lifetime the team hopes to extend.

But if those problems can be solved, this approach could enable researchers to produce light sources anywhere and anytime inside the body at will without invasive implants. If that works out, it could make optogenetic treatments for neurological disease less invasive, Hong said, and perhaps extend the applications of light therapy, similar to that used to treat certain kinds of skin cancer, as well.

I really envision this as a method not just for optogenetics but for any application that needs a light source deep in the body, Hong said.

Guosong Hong, assistant professor of materials science and engineering and a member of the Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute andofStanford Bio-X.

The papers first authors are graduate studentsXiang WuandPaul Chongand postdoctoral fellow Xingjun Zhu. Additional authors include Junlang Liu, Louis Andre, Kyrstyn Ong, Kenneth Brinson, Ali Mahdi, Lief Fenno and Huiliang Wang. The research was funded by grants from the National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation, the Brain Sciences Foundation, a Knight Hennessy Scholarship and theWu Tsai Neurosciences Institute.

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Engineers develop a less invasive way to study the brain - Stanford University News