Brainstem

A small nucleus in the brainstem called locus coeruleus (literally the "blue spot,") is the primary source of a major neuromodulator, norepinephrine (NE), an important mediator of the 'fight or flight' response in animals. However, very…

The sense of touch is essential to almost everything we do, from routine tasks at home to navigating unfamiliar terrains that may conceal dangers. Scientists have long been interested in understanding exactly how the touch information we…

Frontotemporal dementia patients with extrapyramidal symptoms have brainstem atrophy and reduced metabolism in certain areas of the brain significantly more often than patients without extrapyramidal symptoms, a new study from the…

The vocal sounds of humans -- laughing, crying, and the babbling of babies -- have the same rhythmic quality as the sounds made by many mammals, songbirds, and even some species of fish. Researchers at UC San Francisco have discovered that…

"Patients routinely report that spiritual and religious experiences are among their most meaningful life events. Yet medical science historically has been shy about empirically studying the impacts of spirituality or its physiological…

They also found that the FDA-approved drug methylphenidate (MPH) mediates its noticeable weight loss effect by activating this particular circuit, opening the possibility that regulating this circuit might help people control weight.…

Stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) for brainstem metastases (BSM) appears to be safe and effective, and comparable to SRS for non-brainstem brain…