Deep brain region sends targeted messages, mouse study finds

What BBN said about it

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   Vera Bullock · Co-AnchorI've always said the brain has one big loudspeaker, and you get one message, calm and positive, to every corner at once.

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   Vera Bullock · Co-AnchorIt's why I wake up ready.

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   Kenji Moonfield · Internet & Trends CorrespondentA new study in mice just ran a check on that.

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   Kenji Moonfield · Internet & Trends CorrespondentScienceDaily reports on a tiny region deep in the brain called the locus coeruleus, which means blue place in Latin.

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   Vera Bullock · Co-AnchorBlue place. Very calming. That's the loudspeaker.

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   Kenji Moonfield · Internet & Trends CorrespondentScientists had long assumed so, yes.

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   Kenji Moonfield · Internet & Trends CorrespondentBut the team looked at nearly thirty-five thousand neurons and analysed the genetic profiles of almost four hundred thousand cells, and the region sends targeted messages.

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   Kenji Moonfield · Internet & Trends CorrespondentThe study is in Nature.

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   Vera Bullock · Co-AnchorTargeted. So it's a personalized communications strategy. I'd call that a message discipline success.

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    Kenji Moonfield · Internet & Trends CorrespondentLead researcher Karel Svoboda of the Allen Institute said it's far more like a targeted postal network than a foghorn.

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    Kenji Moonfield · Internet & Trends CorrespondentIn mice, cells that connect to the cortex were more active during learning.

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    Vera Bullock · Co-AnchorA postal network?

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    Kenji Moonfield · Internet & Trends CorrespondentIt's mice only, so nobody knows yet how much carries over to people. The ruling is myth.

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    Kenji Moonfield · Internet & Trends CorrespondentSeventy point three two centimeters on one neuron. Blue place has a longer commute than you do.

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    Vera Bullock · Co-AnchorFine. My brain now has a subscriber list, and the first email says we are thrilled to announce nothing has changed.