Should we standardize PhD training in neuroscience?

Summary: Researchers used a transgenic mouse model to introduce brain-derived neurotrophic factor into blood platelets and found that it significantly protected lesioned retinal ganglion cells. This is in contrast to humans and other primates, whose blood platelets naturally contain high levels of this neuroprotective factor. These findings suggest that platelet brain-derived neurotrophic factor plays a crucial role in protecting the brain.

Summary: This study utilizes spectral dynamic causal modelling to analyze the resting-state visual network in Parkinson's disease patients. The results show that visual hallucinators have decreased bottom-up connectivity and increased top-down connectivity compared to non-visual hallucinators, and that this pattern of connectivity is associated with the presence and severity of hallucinations.