Signals &Synapses

In this episode of Signals & Synapses, we explore ultra-low-field MRI and how meaningful brain images can be made with almost no magnetic field. Join Kai Buckenmaier as he tackles the challenges of ultra-low field MRI, pushing the limits of how little magnetic field is needed to produce meaningful images of the brain. Co-host Dana Ramadan offers an ultra-high field perspective for contrast.

What exactly are brain oscillations, and why do we need them? In this episode, co-host Chiara Zanonato sits down with neuroscientist Pascal Fries to explore how these rhythmic patterns emerge in the brain and what role they play in attention. Together, they unpack the "communication through coherence" theory, a fascinating idea about how brain regions sync up to focus our thoughts. Get ready to tune into the brain’s own internal frequencies.

How does the brain keep time? From anticipating a green light to following a song’s rhythm, our brains rely on internal clocks. In this episode, co-host Theresa Horn talks with neuroscientist Assaf Breska about how these timing mechanisms work—even though they’re hidden deep in the brain. Learn why studying patients with cerebellar lesions is key to this research and how these insights could one day lead to better treatments.

Zebrafish larvae are so transparent that you can see their brains—and you can even watch individual neurons light up in real time. Neuroscientists Jennifer Li and Drew Robson do just that, tracking brain activity in freely swimming zebrafish as they explore, interact, and forage. In this episode, co-hosted by Svenja Klinkowski, we dive into their work and what it reveals about the fundamental mechanisms of the brain.