Researchers at Leipzig University and TU Dresden have succeeded in developing biological switches that can selectively turn ion channels on and off using light pulses. Initial applications show that ...

UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers have discovered that increasing the levels of a protein called BACH2 makes ...

A new study reveals that nerve cells receive periodic infusions of mitochondria from neighboring cells — and this may point to a new way of treating nerve pain. When you purchase through links on our ...

Gear-obsessed editors choose every product we review. We may earn commission if you buy from a link. Why Trust Us? Here’s what you’ll learn when you read this story: Many degenerative diseases are at ...

Researchers at the Nano Life Science Institute (WPI-NanoLSI), Kanazawa University, report the successful creation of artificial synaptic vesicles that can be remotely controlled by near-infrared (NIR) ...

Researchers demonstrate an artificial neuron made of conductive plastics that can perform advanced functions similar to those of biological nerve cells. “Mimicking the behaviour of biological neurons ...

Researchers at the University of Calgary studying a lethal lung disease called pulmonary fibrosis have found that neurons known to help detect pain are also critical for reducing harmful lung ...

The fibers of the vagus nerve have many crucial roles. The vagus nerve helps regulate many physical functions including controlling heart rate and speech; it is related to the feeling of satiety after ...

Billions of nerve cells send signals coursing through our bodies, serving as conduits through which the brain performs its essential functions. For millennia physicians thought damage to nerves was ...

We’re celebrating 180 years of Scientific American. Explore our legacy of discovery and look ahead to the future. Billions of nerve cells send signals coursing through our bodies, serving as conduits ...

CLEVELAND—Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, is an incurable neurological disorder affecting motor neurons—nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord that control ...