Science News: Our Weekly Picks From Around the Web

Disrupted sleep may predict Alzheimer’s 
A disturbed night’s sleep might signal a future diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease, according to findings presented this week at the annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience in New Orleans, Louisiana.
www.nature.com (10/18/2012)

Neuroscientists Find the Molecular ‘When’ and ‘Where’ of Memory Formation
Neuroscientists from New York University and the University of California, Irvine have isolated the “when” and “where” of molecular activity that occurs in the formation of short-, intermediate-, and long-term memories.
www.sciencedaily.com (10/15/2012). View abstract here.

Calcium Reveals Connections Between Neurons
New way to image brain-cell activity could shed light on autism and other psychiatric disorders.
web.mit.edu (10/17/2012). View abstract here.

Brain’s Language Center Has Multiple Roles
Neuroscientists find Broca’s area is really two subunits, each with its own function.
web.mit.edu (10/16/2012)

What Singing Fish Reveal about Speech and Hearing
An unusual singing fish has been teaching biologists and neuroscientists a lot about speech and hearing. Several studies involving the plainfin midshipman fish (Porichthys notatus) were presented at Neuroscience 2012.
blogs.scientificamerican.com (10/16/2012)

Light-Activated Neurons and Ketamine Can Help Treat Depression
A “light switch” for turning on and off depression and the use of ketamine as a nerve connection recovery drug were the research highlights at Neuroscience 2012.
www.wired.co.uk (10/15/2012)