Quick Hits
Daily brief research updates from the cognitive sciences
There are different types of dark matter in the brain. Matter that is often little researched or unknown to different population groups. I have written previously about glial cells and their contribution to just about everything, something neuroscientists know a lot about, to electrical neurons, that have been vastly under researched.
But now some researchers have made some discoveries in another area, and that is that of silent synapses. Synapses are the connections between your brain cells. The current understanding is that as you learn, develop new skills, synapses connect, and strengthen and build the networks in your brain – this is how your brain is continually growing and changing. However, these would always be part of a network. Silent, inactive synapses have been seen in the brains of developing mice so it was thought they played a key role in the developing brain but not in adults.
However, in an unexpected discovery MIT researchers have found silent synapses at levels 10 times higher than expected. The researchers were not actually looking for silent synapses but trying to measure neurotransmitter receptors on the branches of neurons. Some of these branches and connections, known as filopodia, are extremely fine and small and are difficult, or impossible, to see with standard imaging techniques.
On discovering these in such high quantities they then proceeded to investigate whether they were indeed silent synapses by attempting to stimulate these with a combination of a neurotransmitter and an electrical stimulus. They found that indeed these were silent but could grow into active synapses much quicker than by altering mature synapses.
That’s good news and this explains how we can learn things quicker – having silent synapses allows rapid learning and being able to build new memories without building whole new synapses.
Whether this is different between different people is another question – but I am hoping I have a bunch of silent synapses waiting to spring into action when I engage with new material – such as writing this article – go silent synapses, go!
Andy Habermacher
Andy is author of leading brains Review, Neuroleadership, and multiple other books. He has been intensively involved in writing and research into neuroleadership and is considered one of Europe’s leading experts. He is also a well-known public speaker, speaking on the brain and human behaviour.
Andy is also a masters athlete (middle distance running) and competes regularly at international competitions (and holds a few national records in his age category).
References
Vardalaki, D., Chung, K. & Harnett, M.T.
Filopodia are a structural substrate for silent synapses in adult neocortex.
Nature, 2022
DOI: 10.1038/s41586-022-05483-6
More Quick Hits
What Makes Human Brains Different?
Those who have followed my writing and articles will know that this is a question that comes up regularly. Just what is different to human brain compared to other species?
Brain Centre For Altruism Identified
Various parts of the brain have been associated with social behaviour but this particularly interesting study looked at effortful decision-making to help others and identified a region that only activates to this.
Genes Or Exercise for Living Longer?
We all know that we should get our exercise. And we all know that this is associated with many positive health outcomes. This includes living longer.
Yay! “Inoculation” Against Misinformation Effective
Wouldn’t it be great in the current world if we could inoculate people against misinformation. Sigh! But that will never happen
Lack Of Sleep Makes Us Selfish
We humans are a social species, we do things in groups, gather in restaurants, bars, music venues, and public spaces together.
Don’t Try to Change Minds – Change Behaviour
Don’t try to change minds, but simply change behaviour is the result a group of researchers have come to with regard to vaccinations.