Picower Institute for Learning and Memory

In the Alzheimer’s affected brain, abnormal levels of the beta-amyloid protein clump together to form plaques (seen in brown) that collect between neurons and disrupt cell function. Abnormal collections of the tau protein accumulate and form tangles (seen in blue) within neurons, harming synaptic communication between nerve cells.

A comprehensive map of how Alzheimer’s affects the brain

Analysis of genes altered by the disease could provide targets for new treatments.

May 1, 2019

MIT neuroscientists will study the effects of phytocannabinoids on dopamine-containing neurons (turquoise) in basal ganglia circuits. These deep-brain circuits, which contain receptors that mediate the effects of cannabis, are known to influence mood and decision-making processes.

Alumnus gives MIT $4.5 million to establish the Broderick Fund for Phytocannabinoid Research

Gifts to MIT and Harvard Medical School totaling $9 million will fund independent research on cannabinoid’s influence on brain health and behavior.

April 30, 2019

Researchers saw sharp increases in the power of theta frequency rhythms (warmer colors) in the frontal cortex as volunteers performed an experimental task.

Deep stimulation improves cognitive control by augmenting brain rhythms

Finding could improve development of personalized psychiatric treatments.

April 8, 2019

School of Science announces 2019 Infinite Mile Awards

Ten staff members in the School of Science are recognized for going above and beyond their job descriptions to support a better Institute.

April 2, 2019

Picower Professor Li-Huei Tsai (standing), co-director of the Alana Down Syndrome Center, reviews data in the lab with Senior Alana Fellow Hiruy Meharena.

Alana gift to MIT launches Down syndrome research center, technology program for disabilities

Foundation’s $28.6 million gift will fund science, innovation, and education to advance understanding, ability, and inclusion.

March 20, 2019

By exposing mice to a unique combination of light and sound, MIT neuroscientists have shown that they can improve cognitive and memory impairments similar to those seen in Alzheimer’s patients. At left, the mouse cortex shows a reduction in amyloid plaques following visual and auditory stimulation, compared to the untreated mouse at right.

Brain wave stimulation may improve Alzheimer’s symptoms

Noninvasive treatment improves memory and reduces amyloid plaques in mice.

March 14, 2019

Tsai earns Hans Wigzell's Prize in Medicine

Award recognizes Alzheimer's disease discoveries.

January 25, 2019

Some variants of the SYNE1 gene, such as V551A top right, reduced the ability of the protein CPG2, shown here as bright spots, to locate in protruding spines of dendrites that house excitatory synapses in the neurons of rats.

Study shows how specific gene variants may raise bipolar disorder risk

Findings could help inform new therapies, improve diagnosis.

January 17, 2019

This confocal microscopy image of the locus coeruleus region of the mouse brain displays noradrenergic neurons in red and GABAergic neurons in cyan. A noradrenergic neuron recorded in the study is highlighted in white.

Brain study finds circuits that may help you keep your cool

Research by neuroscientists at MIT’s Picower Institute for Learning and Memory helps explain how the brain regulates arousal.

January 15, 2019

A 3-D rendering of mouse visual cortex stretching from the surface at left to the subplate on the right. The green color represents calcium signals of neural activity and magenta represents blood vessels and myelin fibers in the white matter.

Scope advance gives first look through all cortical layers of the awake brain

Substantial refinements of three-photon microscopy allow for novel discoveries in neuroscience.

January 11, 2019

Researchers found that a type of nerve cell found in the gut of the worm Caenorhabditis elegans is specialized to detect when bacteria are ingested.

Gut-brain connection signals worms to alter behavior while eating

Study may lead to a better understanding of the digestive tract’s nervous system.

December 20, 2018

Matthew Wilson and former postdocs Zhe "Sage" Chen and Fabian Kloosterman have been working for a decade on systems to decode neural signals.

Real-time readouts of thinking in rats

New open-source system provides fast, accurate neural decoding and real-time readouts of where rats think they are.

December 19, 2018

MIT researchers used their new tissue preservation technique to label and image neurons in a brain region called the globus pallidus externa. Neurons that express a protein called parvalbumin are labeled in red, and neurons labeled blue express a protein called GAD1.

Mapping the brain, cell by cell

Technique for preserving tissue allows researchers to create maps of neural circuits with single-cell resolution.

December 17, 2018

Red staining indicates expression of Kir2.1 potassium ion channels in dentate gyrus engram cells in the hippocampus of the brain.

How returning to a prior context aids memory recall

Picower Institute researchers discover the brain mechanism that helps details come flooding back when you visit a scene again.

December 12, 2018

Neurons from 19-month-old mice (bottom row) show much higher rates of oxidative stress than neurons from 9-week-old mice (top row). Lipofuscin, a molecule associated with aging-related oxidative stress, appears red.

Biologists discover an unusual hallmark of aging in neurons

Snippets of RNA that accumulate in brain cells could interfere with normal function.

November 27, 2018

MIT News | Massachusetts Institute of Technology

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