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Intracranial EEG Reveals the Hidden Neural Architecture of Human Empathy: A New Perspective on Brain Network Dynamics

Dr. Rishabh Pathak
  Research Paper: Intracranial EEG Signals Disentangle Multi-Areal Neural Dynamics of Vicarious Pain Perception Authors: Huixin Tan, Xiaoyu Zeng, Jun Ni, Kun Liang, and colleagues Published: 2024 Journal: Nature Communications, Volume 15, Article 5203 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-49541-1 Introduction: How Does the Brain Experience Someone Else's Pain? Have you ever wondered why watching another person experience pain can generate an emotional response within your own brain? Why do we sometimes feel discomfort, sadness, or even pain when witnessing someone else's suffering? This phenomenon is known as empathy for pain , or vicarious pain perception. Empathy is one of the most sophisticated functions of the human nervous system. It involves the integration of sensory information, emotional processing, cognitive interpretation, and motivational responses. Although previous neuroimaging studies identified several brain regions associated with empathy, unders...
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Glutamate. From its isolation to neurotransmitter function

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Dr. Rishabh Pathak

The journey of glutamate from its isolation to its recognition as a key neurotransmitter in the brain is a fascinating story that spans several decades of scientific discovery. Here is an overview of the milestones in the history of glutamate, highlighting its isolation and eventual identification as a major neurotransmitter:


1.      Isolation of Glutamate:

o    Glutamate, an amino acid, was first isolated in 1866 by the German chemist Karl Heinrich Ritthausen from wheat gluten.

o    In the early 20th century, researchers identified glutamate as a component of protein-rich foods and a building block of proteins in the body.

2.     Identification as a Neurotransmitter:

o    In the 1950s and 1960s, researchers began to investigate the role of glutamate in the central nervous system.

o    In 1957, Daniel McGeer and John McGeer discovered that glutamate is present in high concentrations in the brain and spinal cord.

o    In the 1960s, researchers such as John Curtis Watkins and Edward Roberts demonstrated that glutamate acts as an excitatory neurotransmitter in the brain.

o    In the 1970s, the concept of glutamate as a major neurotransmitter in the brain gained widespread acceptance, particularly in the field of neuroscience.

3.     Glutamate Receptors:

o    In the 1980s and 1990s, researchers identified and characterized several types of glutamate receptors in the brain, including NMDA (N-methyl-D-aspartate), AMPA (α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid), and kainate receptors.

o    These receptors play crucial roles in synaptic transmission, plasticity, and neuronal communication.

4.    Excitatory Neurotransmission:

oGlutamate is now recognized as the primary excitatory neurotransmitter in the central nervous system, responsible for fast synaptic transmission and neuronal signaling.

o    It plays a key role in processes such as learning, memory, and motor function.

5.     Neurological Implications:

o    Dysregulation of glutamate signaling has been implicated in various neurological disorders, including epilepsy, stroke, Alzheimer's disease, and Parkinson's disease.

o    Research continues to explore the role of glutamate in brain function and its potential as a target for therapeutic interventions in neurological and psychiatric conditions.

Overall, the journey of glutamate from its isolation as an amino acid to its recognition as a major neurotransmitter in the brain represents a significant advancement in our understanding of brain function and neurological disorders.

 

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