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Category: neuroscience

Surprise: Free Will Needs Quantum Physics to Fail, Physicists Show

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Some physicists believe that human consciousness is somehow linked to the indeterministic element of quantum physics. But according to a surprising new argument that just appeared on the arXiv, a world where everything is ruled by quantum physics is incompatible with the idea of free will. Let’s take a look.

Paper: https://arxiv.org/abs/2510.

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Rethinking recurrent brain activity: Core neurons provide an alternative explanation

Neuroscientists have been trying to understand how the human brain supports numerous advanced capabilities for centuries. The cerebral cortex, the outer layer of the brain, is now known to be responsible for many of these capabilities, including reasoning, decision-making, the processing of sensory information and voluntary movement.

Neurons in the cerebral cortex often become active consecutively or simultaneously for brief periods of time, following recurrent patterns of activity. These recurring neuron firing patterns have been linked to sensorimotor coordination, the brain’s ability to link sensory inputs (i.e., the information collected via the senses) to movements.

For decades, repeating neuronal activity has been described in the context of attractor dynamics theory, a physics-based framework that frames recurring neuron firing patterns as so-called attractors. Attractors are stable states or activity patterns toward which a system naturally returns to.

Living cells may generate electricity from motion

Cells may generate their own electrical signals through microscopic membrane motions. Researchers show that active molecular processes can create voltage spikes similar to those used by neurons. These signals could help drive ion transport and explain key biological functions. The work may also guide the design of intelligent, bio-inspired materials.

Should we treat blood donors with iron?

Steven L. Spitalnik & team report on a double-blind randomized trial for iron-deficient blood donors, finding treatment appears to affect brain function, brain iron, and myelin levels:

The heatmap images highlight the trend for increased iron in most brain regions.

1Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, and.

2Cognitive Neuroscience Division in Neurology, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York Presbyterian Hospital, New York, New York, USA.

3Department of Radiology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, New York, USA.

How the nervous system activates repair after spinal cord injury

Through in vivo enhancer screening, the researchers also demonstrate that injury-responsive enhancers can selectively target reactive astrocytes across the CNS using therapeutically relevant gene delivery vectors.

“We have shown how cells read these instructions through a code that tells them how to react to injury. This code combines signals from general stress factors with the cell’s own identity,” explains the researcher.

After a spinal cord injury, cells in the brain and spinal cord change to cope with stress and repair tissue. A new study published in Nature Neuroscience, shows that this response is controlled by specific DNA sequences. This knowledge could help develop more targeted treatments.

When the central nervous system is damaged – for example, in a spinal cord injury – many cells become reactive. This means they change their function and activate genes that protect and repair tissue. However, how this process is regulated has long been unclear.

Researchers have now mapped thousands of so-called enhancers; small DNA sequences that act like ‘switches’ for genes, turning them on or boosting their activity.

World’s first 3D-printed brain tissue that mirrors human brain function

🧠💡 Thinking about organ transplants?

🔬 A team of scientists at the University of Wisconsin–Madison has achieved a groundbreaking milestone!

🌐 They’ve developed the world’s first 3D-printed brain tissue that mirrors human brain function.

🚀 This is a giant leap forward for research into neurological and neurodevelopmental disorders.

🖨️ Utilizing a horizontal layering technique and a softer bio-ink, this 3D-printing method allows neurons to weave together, forming networks similar to those in the human brain.

🔍 This precision in controlling cell types and arrangements opens new doors for studying neurological conditions, including Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease.

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