{"id":535735,"date":"2023-04-18T22:46:39","date_gmt":"2023-04-19T04:46:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cerebrodigital.net\/se-ha-detectado-una-senal-unica-en-su-tipo-en-el-cerebro-humano-eacr\/"},"modified":"2023-04-18T22:54:19","modified_gmt":"2023-04-19T04:54:19","slug":"a-first-of-its-kind-signal-has-been-detected-in-the-human-brain-eacr","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cerebrodigital.net\/en\/a-first-of-its-kind-signal-has-been-detected-in-the-human-brain-eacr\/","title":{"rendered":"A First-of-Its-Kind Signal Has Been Detected in The Human Brain"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Scientists have recently identified a unique form<\/a> of cell messaging occurring in the human brain that’s not been seen before.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"-\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Excitingly, the discovery hints that our brains might be even more powerful units of computation than we realized.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Back in 2020, researchers from institutes in Germany and Greece reported a mechanism in the brain’s outer cortical cells that produces a novel ‘graded’ signal all on its own, one that could provide individual neurons with another way to carry out their logical functions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By measuring the electrical activity in sections of tissue removed during surgery on epileptic patients and analyzing their structure using fluorescent microscopy, the neurologists found individual cells in the cortex used not just the usual sodium ions to ‘fire’, but calcium as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This combination of positively charged ions kicked off waves of voltage that had never been seen before, referred to as a calcium-mediated dendritic action potentials, or dCaAPs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Brains \u2013 especially those of the human variety \u2013 are often compared to computers. The analogy has its limits, but on some levels they perform tasks in similar ways.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Both use the power of an electrical voltage to carry out various operations. In computers it’s in the form of a rather simple flow of electrons through intersections called transistors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In neurons, the signal is in the form of a wave of opening and closing channels that exchange charged particles such as sodium, chloride, and potassium. This pulse of flowing ions is called an action potential.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Instead of transistors, neurons manage these messages chemically at the end of branches called dendrites.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Humboldt University neuroscientist Matthew Larkum told Walter Beckwith at the American Association for the Advancement of Science in January 2020:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

“The dendrites are central to understanding the brain because they are at the core of what determines the computational power of single neurons,”.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Dendrites are the traffic lights of our nervous system. If an action potential is significant enough, it can be passed on to other nerves, which can block or pass on the message.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is the logical underpinnings of our brain \u2013 ripples of voltage that can be communicated collectively in two forms: either an AND message (if x and y are triggered, the message is passed on); or an OR message (if x or y is triggered, the message is passed on).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Arguably, nowhere is this more complex than in the dense, wrinkled outer section of the human central nervous system; the cerebral cortex. The deeper second and third layers are especially thick, packed with branches that carry out high order functions we associate with sensation, thought, and motor control.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was tissues from these layers that the researchers took a close look at, hooking up cells to a device called a somatodendritic patch clamp to send active potentials up and down each neuron, recording their signals. Said Larkum:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“There was a ‘eureka’ moment when we saw the dendritic action potentials for the first time”. <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

To ensure any discoveries weren’t unique to people with epilepsy, they double checked their results in a handful of samples taken from brain tumors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While the team had carried out similar experiments on rats, the kinds of signals they observed buzzing through the human cells were very different.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

More importantly, when they dosed the cells with a sodium channel blocker called tetrodotoxin, they still found a signal. Only by blocking calcium did all fall quiet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Finding an action-potential mediated by calcium is interesting enough. But modelling the way this sensitive new kind of signal worked in the cortex revealed a surprise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In addition to the logical AND and OR-type functions, these individual neurons could act as ‘exclusive’ OR (XOR) intersections, which only permit a signal when another signal is graded in a particular fashion. The researchers wrote:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Traditionally, the XOR operation has been thought to require a network solution,” <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

More work needs to be done to see how dCaAPs behave across entire neurons, and in a living system. Not to mention whether it’s a human-thing, or if similar mechanisms have evolved elsewhere in the animal kingdom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Technology is also looking to our own nervous system for inspiration on how to develop better hardware; knowing our own individual cells have a few more tricks up their sleeves could lead to new ways to network transistors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Exactly how this new logic tool squeezed into a single nerve cell translates into higher functions is a question for future researchers to answer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Scientists have recently identified a unique form of cell messaging occurring in the human brain that’s not been seen before. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":32,"featured_media":535731,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"two_page_speed":[],"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[107202,107208],"tags":[108722,108721,108723,108725,108726,107225,108724,108727,107215],"class_list":["post-535735","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-neurosciences","category-social-science","tag-actividad-electrica-en","tag-actividad-electrica","tag-cerebro-humano-en","tag-electrical-activity","tag-human-brain","tag-humans","tag-neurologia-en","tag-neurology","tag-neurons"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/cerebrodigital.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/neuronas_kjhg-lanczos3.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":false,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pdR79Q-2fmT","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":533493,"url":"https:\/\/cerebrodigital.net\/en\/scientists-complete-the-first-map-of-the-insect-brain\/","url_meta":{"origin":535735,"position":0},"title":"Scientists complete the first map of the insect brain","author":"Andrey Robles","date":"March 9, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Researchers have completed the most advanced brain map to date, that of an insect, a landmark achievement in neuroscience that brings scientists closer to truly understanding the mechanism of thought. The international team led by Johns Hopkins University and the University of Cambridge produced an impressively detailed diagram that traces\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Neurosciences"","block_context":{"text":"Neurosciences","link":"https:\/\/cerebrodigital.net\/en\/category\/science\/neurosciences\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cerebrodigital.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/recontruccion_cerebro_nueronas_animal_kjvg-bspline.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cerebrodigital.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/recontruccion_cerebro_nueronas_animal_kjvg-bspline.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cerebrodigital.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/recontruccion_cerebro_nueronas_animal_kjvg-bspline.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cerebrodigital.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/recontruccion_cerebro_nueronas_animal_kjvg-bspline.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cerebrodigital.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/recontruccion_cerebro_nueronas_animal_kjvg-bspline.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":596645,"url":"https:\/\/cerebrodigital.net\/en\/researchers-teach-a-biological-computer-called-cl1-made-with-human-brain-cells-to-play-doom\/","url_meta":{"origin":535735,"position":1},"title":"Researchers teach a \u201cbiological computer\u201d called CL1, made with human brain cells, to play Doom","author":"Erick Sumoza","date":"March 2, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Cortical Labs introduced the CL1, a biological computer that integrates around 200,000 living human neurons on a chip. The company demonstrated how this neural network interacts with the video game Doom, processing stimuli and generating actions in real time. It is a public demo, not yet a formally peer-reviewed study.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In \"noticias\"","block_context":{"text":"noticias","link":"https:\/\/cerebrodigital.net\/en\/tag\/noticias-en\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Investigadores ense\u00f1an a una \u201ccomputadora biol\u00f3gica\u201d llamada CL1 que est\u00e1 hecha con c\u00e9lulas cerebrales humanas a jugar Doom","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cerebrodigital.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image-5.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cerebrodigital.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image-5.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cerebrodigital.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image-5.png?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cerebrodigital.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image-5.png?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cerebrodigital.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image-5.png?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":596753,"url":"https:\/\/cerebrodigital.net\/en\/confirmed-human-brain-generates-new-neurons-up-to-age-78\/","url_meta":{"origin":535735,"position":2},"title":"Confirmed: Human Brain Generates New Neurons Up to Age 78","author":"Erick Sumoza","date":"July 9, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"One of neuroscience's oldest debates resolved: adult human brains\u00a0do produce new neurons.\u00a0Science\u00a0study proves immature neurons and precursors in adult brains, settling decades-long controversy. Old Brain Question, New Scientific Answer Over 60 years, scientists debated adult human\u00a0neurogenesis\u2014new neuron formation. Clear in rats\/birds; human evidence partial\/indirect. Past studies hinted immature hippocampal neurons\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Ciencia"","block_context":{"text":"Ciencia","link":"https:\/\/cerebrodigital.net\/en\/category\/news-en\/ciencia-noticias-en\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Se confirma que el cerebro humano genera nuevas neuronas hasta los 78 a\u00f1os","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cerebrodigital.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/portada-1-15.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cerebrodigital.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/portada-1-15.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cerebrodigital.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/portada-1-15.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cerebrodigital.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/portada-1-15.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cerebrodigital.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/portada-1-15.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":544115,"url":"https:\/\/cerebrodigital.net\/en\/scientists-discover-a-new-type-of-brain-cell-eacr\/","url_meta":{"origin":535735,"position":3},"title":"Scientists discover a new type of brain cell","author":"Andrey Robles","date":"September 11, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Swiss researchers have discovered a new type of brain cell that appears to be a hybrid of neurons and glial cells. These \"glutamatergic astrocytes\" have been found to be involved in neurotransmission, suggesting that they play a role in the distribution of brain signals. \"Their discovery opens up immense research\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Noticias"","block_context":{"text":"Noticias","link":"https:\/\/cerebrodigital.net\/category\/noticias\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cerebrodigital.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/celula_cerebral_jhbv-bell.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cerebrodigital.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/celula_cerebral_jhbv-bell.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cerebrodigital.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/celula_cerebral_jhbv-bell.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cerebrodigital.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/celula_cerebral_jhbv-bell.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cerebrodigital.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/celula_cerebral_jhbv-bell.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":596981,"url":"https:\/\/cerebrodigital.net\/en\/eon-systems-emulates-a-flys-brain-and-reopens-the-debate-on-the-path-to-agi\/","url_meta":{"origin":535735,"position":4},"title":"Eon Systems Emulates a Fly’s Brain and Reopens the Debate on the Path to AGI","author":"Erick Sumoza","date":"March 11, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"A technological experiment has once again stirred the debate about the future of\u00a0artificial intelligence. The company Eon Systems claims to have replicated the complete brain of a\u00a0fruit fly\u00a0within a computational simulation, creating a digital fly capable of moving and behaving without prior training. A Digital Fly That Moves Without Having\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Ciencia"","block_context":{"text":"Ciencia","link":"https:\/\/cerebrodigital.net\/en\/category\/news-en\/ciencia-noticias-en\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/cerebrodigital.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/portada.avif","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/cerebrodigital.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/portada.avif 1x, https:\/\/cerebrodigital.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/portada.avif 1.5x, https:\/\/cerebrodigital.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/portada.avif 2x, https:\/\/cerebrodigital.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/portada.avif 3x, https:\/\/cerebrodigital.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/portada.avif 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":596688,"url":"https:\/\/cerebrodigital.net\/en\/a-revolutionary-map-of-the-human-brain-the-intersection-between-neuroscience-and-engineering\/","url_meta":{"origin":535735,"position":5},"title":"A revolutionary map of the human brain: the intersection between neuroscience and engineering","author":"Erick Sumoza","date":"March 5, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"For over a decade, an engineer specialized in space shuttle guidance systems and software development has compiled a detailed\u00a0brain map\u00a0without external funding from companies, religions, or scientific organizations. This work, based on the analysis of thousands of neuroscientific studies, reveals the complex organization of the human brain and its similarity\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Ciencia"","block_context":{"text":"Ciencia","link":"https:\/\/cerebrodigital.net\/en\/category\/news-en\/ciencia-noticias-en\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Un revolucionario mapa del cerebro humano: la intersecci\u00f3n entre neurociencia e ingenier\u00eda","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cerebrodigital.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/portada-6.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cerebrodigital.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/portada-6.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cerebrodigital.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/portada-6.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cerebrodigital.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/portada-6.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cerebrodigital.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/portada-6.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]}],"amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/cerebrodigital.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/535735","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/cerebrodigital.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/cerebrodigital.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cerebrodigital.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/32"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cerebrodigital.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=535735"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/cerebrodigital.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/535735\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":535738,"href":"https:\/\/cerebrodigital.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/535735\/revisions\/535738"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cerebrodigital.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/535731"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cerebrodigital.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=535735"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cerebrodigital.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=535735"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cerebrodigital.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=535735"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}