A key role of central nervous systems is to drive the musculoskeletal system to move. Hence, a large proportion of the mammalian nervous system spread across diverse regions is used to drive movement. In humans, diseases or injuries to any…  Continue reading →

The hippocampus is implicated in many learning and memory disorders including Alzheimer’s. Dozens of drugs have cured these in mice but failed in humans. Hippocampal neurons in rodents show robust spatial selectivity. Hence, the standard test of hippocampal function in mice is the…  Continue reading →

Obesity and food addiction are current issues in the Western world. While the problem may seem straightforward in terms of energy consumption, the complexity of interactions among various factors, including brain, hormonal, energetic, motivational, social, and environmental mechanisms, makes it…  Continue reading →

Multiple sclerosis is an auto-immune, demyelinating and neurodegenerative pathology of the central nervous system (CNS). The early phase of the disease mostly corresponds to a relapsing-remitting form with a succession of demyelinating events, each followed by spontaneous myelin regeneration. Over…  Continue reading →

Focal Cortical Dysplasia (FCD) is the most common focal cortical malformation leading to childhood focal epilepsy that undergo epilepsy surgery. In recent years, we and others have shown that FCD type II is caused by mosaic mutations in genes within the PI3K-AKT-mTOR-signaling pathway. Hyperactivation…  Continue reading →

The brain is densely perfused by the vascular network, which provides nutrients and oxygen to support neuronal function. The architecture of the cerebral vasculature addresses specific constrains of the neural tissues, including the near absence of energy storage and very…  Continue reading →

It has been proven that polarized light is extremely sensitive to tissue microstructure. Early pathological changes in tissues may not be visible with a naked eye. This contrast, however, can be increased in polarized light images, because these changes alter…  Continue reading →

The ventral occipitotemporal (VOT) cortex plays a pivotal role in the visual recognition of various types of items, including objects, faces, places, and written words. The role of the left VOT in reading has been recognized since the 19th century…  Continue reading →

A general structure for the autonomic nervous system, divided into sympathetic and parasympathetic arms, was codified by John Newport Langley at the beginning of the XXth century. We propose a revision of this scheme based on neuron types. The “sacral…  Continue reading →