Columbia University in the City of New York

News

Evolution

How Genes Shape Behavior

From the lab of Andrés Bendesky, MD, PhD, Columbia's Zuckerman Institute

Dual betta fish circling to make an attack. These fish have been bred to be aggressive. In his lab, Dr. Bendesky is studying these fish to see whether their aggression can be traced back to any genetic markers, and whether equivalents of those markers could exist in people (Credit: iStockPhoto/Getty Images).

News from about

The Senses March 16, 2018

The Nerve Cells That Enable Fruit Flies to Escape Danger

Findings offer clues into comparable survival strategies in people.

Movement February 8, 2018

The Brain Science of Figure Skating: How Practice Makes Perfect

In celebration of the 2018 Winter Olympics, Silver Medalist Paul Wylie joins Drs. Rui Costa and Nathaniel Sawtell, neuroscientists at Columbia's Zuckerman Institute, on a journey inside the mind of some of the world's most elite athletes.

Disease January 31, 2018

Body Movements Just Need a “Puff” of Dopamine to Get Started

A new study in mice suggests that a burst of dopamine levels at the beginning of a movement only, as opposed to all the time, is what gets us going. This may have important implications for treating Parkinson’s disease.

Movement January 30, 2018

How the Brain Keeps the Body from Losing its Balance

Columbia University-led study in mice reveals a key mechanism that guides this fundamental aspect of movement.

Growth & Development January 25, 2018

The Stem Cells that Build a Fly’s Nervous System

Columbia study in fruit flies sheds light on key aspect of development; findings could build understanding of comparable system in people.

Movement October 20, 2017

BRAIN Initiative Awards $25.1M to Zuckerman Institute Scientists

Series of awards unites experts from different fields and universities; bolsters innovative, team approach to deciphering the complexities of the brain.

Flourescent image of motor neurons by the Jessell Lab
The Senses August 31, 2017

How Does Rafael Nadal Keep His Eye on the Ball? The Neuroscience of Vision

In celebration of the 2017 US Open, Columbia's Zuckerman Institute presents a piece that explores the minds behind the talents. Join us for a tour led by neuroscientist Rudy Behnia, PhD, an expert in vision at Columbia's Zuckerman Institute.

Movement August 30, 2017

Hidden Deep in the Brain, a Map That Guides Animals’ Movements

What if you could look deep into the brain and watch the activity of hundreds of neurons in a moving animal? Now, with miniature mobile microscopes, this is possible in mice and has enabled scientists to uncover a map that is used by the brain to guide our movements.

Movement July 20, 2017

How Patterns of Brain Activity Direct Specific Body Movements

Study in mice answers long-standing scientific question about the brain’s ability to drive movement

Learning & Memory June 27, 2017

Learning, Memory and Movement: Revealing Connections Behind the Brain’s Talents

Whether it’s hitting a homerun or a tickling the ivories, neuroscientist Rui Costa, PhD, investigates how we learn skilled movement — and what happens in the brain when that ability is disrupted.