Brain Research and Imaging Centre, Plymouth

This week at BRIC our MSc Human Neuroscience students have need combining EEG with MRI-guided theta-burst brain stimulation to study supplementary-motor contributions to executive control.

New paper in Imaging Neuroscience by Simon R. Steinkamp, Oliver J. Hulme, et al:

Computational parametric mapping of functional neuroimaging data

doi.org/10.1162/IMAG...

New autism committee positions itself as science-backed alternative to government group The Independent Autism Coordinating Committee plans to meet at the same time as the U.S. federal Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee later this month—and offer its own research agenda.

“You can look at the minutes from both meetings side by side and decide which has the potential to advance the cause of autistic people more,” says autism researcher @dsmandell.bsky.social.

By @avaskham.bsky.social

www.thetransmitter.org/spectrum/new...

Intelligence emerges when the whole brain works as one For decades, scientists have mapped attention, memory, language, and reasoning to separate brain networks — yet one big mystery remained: why does the mind feel like a single, unified system? Research...

Researchers at Notre Dame suggest that intelligence doesn’t live in one “smart” region of the brain at all. Instead, it emerges from how efficiently & flexibly the brain’s many networks communicate & coordinate with each other.

#NeuroSkyence

www.sciencedaily.com/releases/202...

Novel markers of brain blood flow and oxygenation may offer early clues to Alzheimer’s risk Related News USC study finds new evidence linking dementia to problems with the brain’s waste clearance system January 7, 2025 Stevens INI advances global Alzheimer’s research with support from the […...

Novel markers of brain blood flow and oxygenation may offer early clues to Alzheimer’s risk keck.usc.edu/news/novel-m...

#Alzheimers #dementia #science #neuroscience #NeuroSkyence

The text reads, "Episode 3: Vagus Nerve Stimulation for Neurorehabilitation with Teresa Jacobson Kimberly and Dr. Steve Wolf". On the right, the cover art for the Neurorehab Resources and Insights podcast is displayed.

Drs. Teresa Jacobson Kimberley & Steve Wolf shared promising results from their research using vagus nerve stimulation to enhance upper extremity recovery & long-term outcomes after #stroke. I enjoyed hosting this conversation w/ Dr. @jmehta.bsky.social!

twu.edu/stroke-cente... 🧠🔄 🧠📈 🧪 #scicomm

Brain Blood Flow Markers Detect Early Signs of Alzheimer’s Non-invasive, low-cost techniques to evaluate the brain's vascular health could identify early clues of Alzheimer’s disease.

Brain Blood Flow Markers Detect Early Signs of Alzheimer’s- www.insideprecisionmedicine.com/topics/trans... 🧪🌎 #neuroskyence

Scientists Find a Mechanism for How Exercise Protects the Brain A UCSF team finds a liver protein, released with exercise, that improves memory in aging and Alzheimer’s disease by repairing the brain’s blood vessels. It's the missing link between exercise and brai...

Now we know a mechanism for how #exercise protects the brain, a specific liver protein that repairs brain vessels. If synthesized, this could help prevent #dementia and other effects of #aging in those unable to exercise.

Thrilling stuff.

www.ucsf.edu/news/2026/02...
#neuroskyence 🧪

I'm still accepting applications! Very exciting opportunity to work on cognitive computational neuroscience of vision in NYC! #PsychJobs #NeuroJobs #neuroskyence #PsychSciSky

Illuminating image which symbolises the flow of big data.

The Centre’s Year in Review showcases our latest research projects.

From the co-design of wearables & VR to Big Data, our work finds evidence that preventative, personalised care can work with the help of digital technologies.

Report 👉https://bit.ly/4rGEOzQ
LinkedIn post 👉https://bit.ly/4aDkyJf

Excellence in neuroscience research knows no borders.

Recognize the achievements of neuroscientists all over the world by nominating an international colleague for the Peter Seeburg Prize today!

Submit your nomination now.

🔗 vist.ly/4rzen

#neurosky #neuroskyence

Inner retina of birds functions without oxygen The energy-intensive neural tissue relies on anaerobic metabolism of glucose provided by the pecten oculi, a structure unique to the avian eye.

Vertebrate neural tissue cannot function without oxygen. So why is the retina of birds an exception?

By Federica Sgorbissa

#neuroskyence

www.thetransmitter.org/vision/inner...

𝗕𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗮𝗯𝗹𝘆 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝘅𝘁 𝗱𝗲𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁
Circuits and networks can shift "computations" quite dramatically.
Check this computational model of the role of neuromodulators.
#neuroskyence
doi.org/10.1162/Neco...

Quantitative Comparison of the Performance of Injection-Molded Polymeric Microneedle Dry Electrodes and Traditional Gel Electrodes for ECG Signal Acquisition Wearable dry electrodes facilitate continuous long-term electrocardiogram (ECG) monitoring, which is beneficial for the early diagnosis and management of heart disease. However, existing dry…

📢 New Publication | CHT Research

We’re pleased to share that a new article authored by Prakash Singh from the Centre for Health Technology has been published in IEEE Access.

📄 Read the full article here:
buff.ly/G67mbzM

Congratulations to Om on this achievement!👏

#CHT #DigitalHealth #HealthTech

This is figure 5, which shows TMS targeting the SCAN versus effector-specific motor regions.

A recently discovered brain network that links cognition and actions may have an important role in Parkinson’s disease and could improve its treatment, according to a study in Nature. go.nature.com/49VBuKI #Neuroskyence 🧪

Cerebellum responds to language like cortical areas One of four language-responsive cerebellar regions may encode meaningful information, much like the cortical language network in the left hemisphere, according to a new study.

A region in the cerebellum is language-selective—something previously found only in the cortex, a new study suggests.

By @natmesanash.bsky.social

#neuroskyence

www.thetransmitter.org/language/cer...

This is figure 1, which shose psychedelics induce brain desynchronization.

A Review in Nature Medicine outlines the science behind psychedelic medicine and integrates mechanistic knowledge with clinical evidence across neuropsychiatric indications, highlighting challenges, controversies and opportunities. go.nature.com/4amcefC #medsky #Neuroskyence 🧪

I've worked with several UG placement students in recent years and they have made a big contribution to research and teaching at BRIC. Could you be the next?

Placements are a great way for UG students to enhance their resume. At BRIC placement students work with researchers on projects involving brain imaging and brain stimulation. You can find out more about research at BRIC here www.plymouth.ac.uk/research/psy...

New @naturemedicine.bsky.social
The power of our mind to shape immune response, as seen in a randomized trial of trained neurofeedback for increased reward activity. More positive expectation-> more antibody response nature.com/articles/s41...
nature.com/articles/s41...

Upregulation of reward mesolimbic activity and immune response to vaccination: a randomized controlled trial - Nature Medicine Upregulation of the ventral tegmental area via neurofeedback is associated with a stronger immune response to hepatitis B virus vaccination, and VTA upregulation is achieved through conscious positive expectations.

Positive mental strategies boost reward brain activity, enhancing vaccine response; neurofeedback opens doors to immune modulation techniques.

by Lubianiker N, Koren T (...) Hendler T et 10 al. in Nat Med #MedSky

👉 get more here

📖 read the article:

What is the brain for? Active inference is widely discussed as a unifying framework for understanding brain function, yet its empirical status remains debated. Our review identifies core predictions across the action-perception cycle and evaluates their empirical support: osf.io/preprints/ps...

Cracking the code of gut–brain sensing — a Journal Club article by Lihua Ye

#neurocience #neuroskyence

www.nature.com/articles/s41...

𝗦𝗽𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗲𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝗯𝗲𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗼𝗿 𝗶𝘀 𝗮 𝘀𝘂𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳-𝗱𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗮𝘀𝗸𝘀
More hidden markov models for cool behaviors and brain data
#neuroskyence
doi.org/10.1016/j.ne...

SfN Neuronline logo. Professional Development Webinar. Webinar title: Beginner’s Guide to Data Visualization in MATLAB. Speaker: Curtis Neveu, PhD, McGovern Medical School, Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy. Date: Thursday, February 5, noon–1 p.m. EST.

Calling all MATLAB users!

Whether you are a new user or looking to brush up your skills, join this webinar to gain a better understanding of MATLAB and how you can use it to visualize and analyze trends in your data.

Register now🔗: vist.ly/4pnet

#neurosky #neuroskyence #academicchatter

Photo of outside the BRIC building. It is modern, and looks nice on this sunny day.

Are you an undergraduate interested in neuroscience? Come and do a placement at BRIC!

You will get a chance at experiencing a range of neuroscience research, from brain imaging to computational science!

If you are interested, please apply using this link:
mycareer.plymouth.ac.uk/user/app/job...

🚨🚨Abstract submission deadline extended!🚨🚨

⏰ New submission deadline is 16th of February 2026

📢 <1 month left to submit abstracts for the 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲 𝗔𝘂𝘁𝗼𝗯𝗶𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗽𝗵𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 & 𝗣𝘀𝘆𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘆 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 hashtag#APP2026, 23rd-24th June in Plymouth, UK 🌊!

📌Visit: www.plymouth.ac.uk/whats-on/aut...

Survey: What should neuroscience prioritize over the next 10 years? Respondents pointed to a range of challenges in basic neuroscience and called for more circuit-level research and more precise brain recordings.

Many respondents expect that drops in public funding will drive interactions with industry; researchers will have to seek out industry partnerships, spin out startups or collaborate with companies to sustain their work.

#neuroskyence #StateOfNeuroscience

www.thetransmitter.org/neuroscience...

Aperiodic 1/f noise drives ripple activity in humans - Nature Communications How aperiodic 1/f noise drives ripple activity in human brain and impacts on ripple detections is not fully understood. Here authors show that ripple detections should be driven by the 1/f noise, whic...

Ripple oscillations are central for memory and sleep.

But ripple detection in humans remains challenging. Here we introduce a simulation approach in @natcomms.nature.com as common ripple detectors mainly pick up 1/f noise and not genuine oscillations

👇
www.nature.com/articles/s41...

#neuroskyence

Jobs | City University of New York

I'm very excited to announce that the Psychology Department at Brooklyn College of CUNY is hiring a tenure-track line in Cognitive Neuroscience. Applications are being accepted now, and review will begin on or after February 23rd, please repost!

#PsychSciSky #neuroskyence

cuny.jobs/brooklyn-ny/...