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Advances in technology and increased understanding of the properties of neurons are paving the way for future neuroscience breakthroughs. Researchers are both improving common techniques in efforts to make treatments safer and refine animal models, as well as creating novel ways to stimulate and map the brain.

Research released today reveals new strategies for treating chronic pain, post-traumatic stress disorder, and alcohol abuse by targeting the brain’s cannabinoid system. Targeting cannabinoid receptors — which bind both natural neurotransmitters and the psychoactive ingredient in marijuana — may provide some of the therapeutic benefits of marijuana without the side effects. The findings were presented at Neuroscience 2016, the annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience and the world’s largest source of emerging news about brain science and health.

Research released today highlights the role of alpha-synuclein, a protein that accumulates and spreads in the brains of Parkinson’s disease patients over time, offering new insights into the onset, physiology, and treatment options for the disease. The studies were presented at Neuroscience 2016, the annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience and the world’s largest source of emerging news about brain science and health.

The air we breathe, the food we eat, and the stress or happiness we feel could influence whether our offspring develop neurological disorders. Recent studies in animal models and human brain tissue document how a parent’s environment may affect future offspring. The findings were presented at Neuroscience 2016, the annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience and the world’s largest source of emerging news about brain science and health.

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Zika virus rapidly emerged from obscurity to a scourge that dominates the news. Researchers are making progress as new discoveries provide insights into how Zika attacks the brain and how scientists may combat it. The findings were presented at Neuroscience 2016, the annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience and the world’s largest source of emerging news about brain science and health.

Environmental enrichment, sensory stimulation, and sensory deprivation all shape the connections and organization in the brain, in addition to affecting behavior, as shown by new research presented at Neuroscience 2016, the annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience and the world’s largest source of emerging news about brain science and health.

In all animals, neural mechanisms underpin emotion and social interactions. Understanding how these mechanisms influence social behavior may provide new treatment strategies for autism spectrum disorder, schizophrenia, and anxiety disorders, according to research presented today at Neuroscience 2016, the annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience and the world’s largest source of emerging news about brain science and health.