iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Max Planck Neuroscience @mpneuro.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

Can AI help expand human knowledge? Researchers at @mpib-berlin.bsky.social found that people can learn outside-the-box strategies unearthed by AI and pass them on as lasting knowledge. Explore the possibilities: bit.ly/46dXf5L

Graphic of silhouettes of people with "idea" light bulb images over their heads

032

Max Planck Neuroscience @mpneuro.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

Can listening to heavy metal music change our pain tolerance? Researchers at @mpicbs.bsky.social found that “metalheads” at the Wacken Open Air music festival could endure cold-induced pain longer than a control group. Explore the findings: bit.ly/4gUktTr

020

Max Planck Neuroscience @mpneuro.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

Welcome Mara Mather, director of the new Center for Affective and Autonomic Neuroscience at @mpib-berlin.bsky.social. Explore her work in how brain aging, body regulation and emotions connect to affect neurodegenerative disease development and prevention: bit.ly/4r910TO

010

Max Planck Neuroscience @mpneuro.bsky.social · 30/07/2026

Join us in congratulating Dr. Erin Schuman, who was awarded the Kavli Prize in Neuroscience. The @mpibrain.bsky.social scientist received this prestigious recognition for her discoveries in how neurons produce proteins locally. Learn more: bit.ly/4v6jeWm

020

Max Planck Neuroscience @mpneuro.bsky.social · 23/07/2026

Congratulations to @mpfneuro.bsky.social CEO & Scientific Director Dr. David Fitzpatrick, who was elected to the National Academy of Sciences. He was recognized with this rare honor for his exceptional contributions to neuroscience research & discovery: bit.ly/4xSyjNR

140

Max Planck Neuroscience @mpneuro.bsky.social · 16/07/2026

Scientists at @mpfneuro.bsky.social, Zeiss, & MetaCell developed Neuroplex, an imaging pipeline that tracks brain activity across up to 9 cell types at once. Published in @elife.bsky.social, the work shows how neural circuits collaborate to drive behavior: bit.ly/440tHaQ

Illustration of rats on the left, illustration of brain activity on the right.

040

Max Planck Neuroscience @mpneuro.bsky.social · 10/06/2026

New research from @mpiforbi.bsky.social reveals how zebra finches’ brains change the rhythm of their calls based on familiarity with another bird. This suggests that social context influences the neuronal activity involved in their vocal communication: bit.ly/3PtShwT

020

Max Planck Neuroscience @mpneuro.bsky.social · 03/06/2026

Discovery: @mpi-psychiatry.bsky.social & @uni-muenster.de researchers found that synaptic impairment can predict cognitive schizophrenia symptoms. These findings could lead to development of more targeted treatments: bit.ly/4uFddjC

Neurons with nuclei, dendrites, and synapses.

041

Max Planck Neuroscience @mpneuro.bsky.social · 20/05/2026

Can the smell of food in utero influence future health? Researchers at @mpi-metabolism.bsky.social discovered that the scent of high-fat foods triggers a neural circuit that alters fetal brain development, potentially rewiring metabolism. bit.ly/49baeqH

Illustration of pregnant woman standing near a plate of bacon. (Image generated with AI, Adobe Firefly).

031

Max Planck Neuroscience @mpneuro.bsky.social · 13/05/2026

Can brain scans reveal future health risks? Researchers at @mpi-psychiatry.bsky.social and @lmu.de used machine learning to discover brain patterns that predict weight gain in patients starting antipsychotic treatment. bit.ly/4tdWPFE

Heatmap showing the correlations between BMIgap and weight change in patients starting antipsychotic treatment across different age ranges and clinical groups. Nat. Mental Health 3, 1395–1406 (2025).

062

Max Planck Neuroscience @mpneuro.bsky.social · 07/05/2026

Scientists at @mpi-psychiatry.bsky.social discovered that cells near brain injuries produce a stress-relieving hormone that promotes myelin repair after brain injury. See what this breakthrough might mean for mental illness: bit.ly/4di6y8V

A microscopic image of branched oligodendrocyte progenitor cells in the brain highlighting their maturation into myelinating oligodendrocytes following an injury.

042

Max Planck Neuroscience @mpneuro.bsky.social · 29/04/2026

As one of the many interactive exhibits aboard the MS Wissenschaft, visitors this summer can use a citizen science app where game-like tasks are used for cognitive testing. See how scientists from @mpicybernetics.bsky.social link decision-making behavior & mental health development: bit.ly/3OnalYY

Visitors explore interactive exhibits aboard the exhibition ship MS Wissenschaft, a floating science center that travels through European cities. © Photo: Ilja C. Hendel / Wissenschaft im Dialog, CC BY-NC 4.0

020

Max Planck Neuroscience @mpneuro.bsky.social · 24/04/2026

How do neurons endure starvation? Researchers at @mpibrain.bsky.social have discovered a survival strategy where inactive ribosomes pair into tightly linked disomes. bit.ly/47Vm2wQ

3D model of two rat hippocampal ribosomes interacting in a hibernating dimer via an RNA expansion segment.

020

Max Planck Neuroscience @mpneuro.bsky.social · 15/04/2026

How does evolution rewire a brain to change behavior? Researchers from @mpinb.mpg.de have discovered that aggression can evolve by repurposing existing neural circuits: bit.ly/4sJgugw

Behavior Tracks of Peaceful and Predatory Worms

010

Max Planck Neuroscience @mpneuro.bsky.social · 09/04/2026

How much information does the brain need to recognize a face? Researchers at @mpicybernetics.bsky.social have discovered that we can recognize familiar faces using surprisingly low-resolution images: bit.ly/4dqTXRl

010

Max Planck Neuroscience @mpneuro.bsky.social · 02/04/2026

Can we distinguish between human and artificial voices? Researchers from the Max Planck Institute for Empirical Aesthetics have learned that AI-generated voices are still perceived as less attractive on average: bit.ly/4dsyRSz

Digital illustration comparing perception of human and AI generated voices.

010

Max Planck Neuroscience @mpneuro.bsky.social · 26/03/2026

How can we accurately show what the brain is doing in real time? A new AI model developed by @mpicybernetics.bsky.social reveals distinct brain states by capturing complementary signals in non-invasive imaging. bit.ly/4sfgqp5

A functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) head cap with sensors can measure changes in blood flow and oxygen saturation in the brain. Photo: Mentorklaspsy via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

021

Max Planck Neuroscience @mpneuro.bsky.social · 18/03/2026

How does light shape our actions? Researchers at @mpicybernetics.bsky.social and Light for Public Health are translating global discoveries about light, circadian rhythms, and behavior into 26 consensus statements: bit.ly/4bOT2ci

Abstract pattern of light and shadow from windows illustrating how everyday light exposure influences human biology and circadian rhythms. Photo: Gert Altmann via pixabay

010

Max Planck Neuroscience @mpneuro.bsky.social · 10/03/2026

Researchers at @mpfneuro.bsky.social found that removing the Centaurin-α1 brain protein reduced Alzheimer’s neuroinflammation, amyloid buildup, and synaptic loss in mice. The discovery shows promise for future therapeutics: bit.ly/4kF1CwX

A healthy brain on the left and a brain in advanced Alzheimer’s disease, showing shrinkage of brain matter.

010

Max Planck Neuroscience @mpneuro.bsky.social · 03/03/2026

A new discovery by @mpfneuro.bsky.social has uncovered how the motor cortex and the striatum work together like an hourglass to control the timing of our movements. Learn more: bit.ly/4rOljEV

020

Max Planck Neuroscience @mpneuro.bsky.social · 20/01/2026

How do zebrafish change color to blend into their backgrounds? Researchers at @mpiforbi.bsky.social bi.bsky.social found key cell types that trigger the “dimmer switch” phenomenon. Their work may also help explain why mammals lost this survival trick: bit.ly/48M62hk

Two side-by-side zebrafish, one on a light background, the other on a dark background.

010

Max Planck Neuroscience @mpneuro.bsky.social · 15/01/2026

Meet two new research groups at @mpibrain.bsky.social: Evolutionary Neuroscience & Behavior led by @pbrand.bsky.social, and Brain Algorithms & Circuits led by Gregor Schuhknecht. More on their research at bit.ly/3MyIyU6

020

Max Planck Neuroscience @mpneuro.bsky.social · 12/01/2026

Pioneering neuroscientist @erin-schuman.bsky.social, Ph.D., Director & Professor at @mpibrain.bsky.social, has been elected as a Member of @nam.edu. Discover her groundbreaking research: bit.ly/4nZBcWS

010

Max Planck Neuroscience @mpneuro.bsky.social · 29/12/2025

New tool to better understand dementia? Research from @mpfneuro.bsky.social & @weillcornell.bsky.social shows promise. By tracking specific cellular switches, researchers discovered one switch that plays a role in stronger memory development: bit.ly/4nZMYRh

000

Max Planck Neuroscience @mpneuro.bsky.social · 26/11/2025

For patients with Alzheimer's, the natural memory process breaks down. Svenja Brodt at @mpicybernetics.bsky.social found a compensatory mechanism: the cerebral cortex can quickly form long-term memories through active learning & repetition, challenging the hippocampus-first model. bit.ly/4o8zLq7

An older person’s hands holding a photo of a cherished memory.

010

Max Planck Neuroscience @mpneuro.bsky.social · 19/11/2025

@mpicybernetics.bsky.social postdoc Denis Chaimow is recognized by @ohbmofficial.bsky.social for conducting the first pre-registered replication study in laminar fMRI: bit.ly/4nlDnUi

Denis Chaimow holds his Replication Award plaque.

191

Max Planck Neuroscience @mpneuro.bsky.social · 13/11/2025

Open science breakthrough: @arc-cogitate.bsky.social has launched an open-access iEEG dataset of 38 people, including work from @ae.mpg.de. This high-resolution resource tests competing theories & is available to researchers worldwide: bit.ly/49gRhne

Drawing of how intracranial recordings become a public dataset.

002

Max Planck Neuroscience @mpneuro.bsky.social · 04/11/2025

Researchers at @mpibrain.bsky.social have created a vividly detailed atlas of the mouse hippocampus, combining RNA & protein data to pinpoint more than 27,000 molecules at single-synapse resolution: bit.ly/3WgAaui

A fluorescence image of a slice of a mouse hippocampus.

020

Max Planck Neuroscience @mpneuro.bsky.social · 29/10/2025

A 5-year project at @mpicybernetics.bsky.social is using fMRI to understand shared mechanisms and the role of dopamine in hasty or delayed decision-making in schizophrenia and OCD. Explore the study: bit.ly/49juJSR

A man scratching his chin while writing on colorful notes.

000

Max Planck Neuroscience @mpneuro.bsky.social · 14/10/2025

New discovery: Researchers at LMU University Hospital of Psychiatry, IMPRS-TP & Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry found a mechanism for schizophrenia cognitive symptoms. Explore early maturation in oligodendrocytes, which may become a treatment target: bit.ly/48gHXzd

Two charts that show no alterations or morphological changes in oligodendrocyte precursor cells in schizophrenia.

010

Max Planck Neuroscience @mpneuro.bsky.social · 07/10/2025

Researchers at @mpibrain.bsky.social found that ribosomes may be able to be assembled on-demand & where needed. This discovery could influence future research on synaptic plasticity, memory formation & protein-associated neurological disorders. Explore the study: bit.ly/3VRVbuU

A black ink drawing of a neuron on a white background.

000

Max Planck Neuroscience @mpneuro.bsky.social · 30/09/2025

Researchers from @mpi-psychiatry.bsky.social, Helmholtz Munich & the University of Sydney have identified shared biological mechanisms in 3 psychiatric disorders, including disruptions in circadian rhythm & dopamine levels. Explore the research: bit.ly/4mjec4e

A pair of diagrams showing how DNA (gene level) is transcribed into mRNA (transcript level).

000

Max Planck Neuroscience @mpneuro.bsky.social · 28/08/2025

Lean mice that smell food before eating feel full; obese mice don’t. Why? Research from @mpi-metabolism.bsky.social found a link between olfactory bulb nerve cells and the brain area that triggers satiety. This could shed light on how humans react to smelling food: bit.ly/4nX4XZI

001

Max Planck Neuroscience @mpneuro.bsky.social · 21/08/2025

How do rats sense their world? Through their whiskers! Researchers at @mpinb.mpg.de found that whisker movement is controlled by surprisingly diverse brain areas, including sensory and motor regions working together. Explore the research: bit.ly/3TMNbuh

A schematic illustration of a rat, featuring an inset microscopy image that shows neurons responsible for controlling whisker movements

000

Max Planck Neuroscience @mpneuro.bsky.social · 18/08/2025

Research from @mpiforbi.bsky.social ‪in @natneuro.nature.com shows that later-born inhibitory neurons mature more quickly in the developing brain. This allows them to synchronize with earlier-born neurons and maintain balanced networks. bit.ly/3TIghem ‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

White excitatory neurons and black inhibitory neurons falling like sand in an hourglass.

022

Max Planck Neuroscience @mpneuro.bsky.social · 07/08/2025

Research from @mpfneuro.bsky.social shows a connection between lack of the gene PTEN in specific neurons in the amygdala and rewiring of anxiety and fear circuits. This hyper-local brain circuitry discovery may lead to future targeted therapies: bit.ly/4nWSa9z

AI-generated illustration of brain circuitry

000

Max Planck Neuroscience @mpneuro.bsky.social · 05/08/2025

Researchers at @mpi-metabolism.bsky.social have identified a group of nerve cells in the brains of mice that have an outsized influence on appetite and weight gain. Humans have similar nerve cells, and this discovery may lead to new obesity treatments. Learn more. bit.ly/4fHjpS1

010

Max Planck Neuroscience @mpneuro.bsky.social · 29/07/2025

LLMs’ creative processes are similar to humans’, favoring either a flexible or persistent approach to ideation. See why @mpicybernetics.bsky.social suggests choosing an LLM that finds ideas in the same way as a particular human can improve collaboration. maxplanckneuroscience.org/almost-like-...

robot hand touching fingertips with human hand

000

Max Planck Neuroscience @mpneuro.bsky.social · 22/07/2025

For the first time, researchers from @mpi-psychiatry.bsky.social have shown how environmental stressors alter neuronal balance before birth. Explore the research: maxplanckneuroscience.org/stress-alter...

042

Max Planck Neuroscience @mpneuro.bsky.social · 15/07/2025

Despite the trillions of synapses in the brain, there is sparse connectivity between neurons. This may be a feature, not a flaw, per new research at @mpinb.mpg.de‬. A study finds that “sparse connectivity” of neurons may contribute to more efficient info-processing in the brain: bit.ly/4kO1TMY

Image of neural connections. Text reads: The brain’s sparse connectivity is not a limitation it’s an optimization!

021

Max Planck Neuroscience @mpneuro.bsky.social · 08/07/2025

Researchers from @bmc-lmu.bsky.social and @mpi-psychiatry.bsky.social have found why “misplaced” neurons in the brain can lead to periventricular heterotopia. Explore how these insights into disrupted brain wiring could lead to new treatments.‬ maxplanckneuroscience.org/misplaced-ne...

032

Max Planck Neuroscience @mpneuro.bsky.social · 01/07/2025

How do our brains predict what’s next? Research from the Max Planck Institute for Empirical Aesthetics, Ernst Strüngmann Institute for Neuroscience & @goetheuni.bsky.social, published in @natcomms.nature.com, explores how brain rhythms influence our navigation of time: bit.ly/3GpD8rU

Track runner at the starting line. three brains appear as thought bubbles over his head. under him is the word "anticipation".

010

Max Planck Neuroscience @mpneuro.bsky.social · 17/06/2025

How does the brain know when it’s time to rest? Explore new research from the Max Planck Institute for Neurobiology of Behavior in Bonn, in which advanced imaging reveals the role of glial cells in regulating the wake/rest cycles and energy balance of fruit files. bit.ly/4kM90pd

graphic of a fly, a chart, and text that says “…awake, sleep, awake…”

000

Max Planck Neuroscience @mpneuro.bsky.social · 10/06/2025

What is consciousness? An international research consortium led by Max Planck Institute for Empirical Aesthetics set out to test two leading theories. Their groundbreaking collaborative effort yields a new way to study complex scientific questions: maxplanckneuroscience.org/rethinking-c...

Scientists viewing a planet through a large window

000

Max Planck Neuroscience @mpneuro.bsky.social · 03/06/2025

New research from @mpi-psychiatry.bsky.social shows early life stress may contribute to resiliency in female mice, thanks to a specific protein in the brain neurons. This may lead to improved mental health treatments: maxplanckneuroscience.org/early-life-s...

Mouse that is thinking about flexing its biceps

010

Max Planck Neuroscience @mpneuro.bsky.social · 12/05/2025

For the first time, @mpiforbi.bsky.social researchers found functional neuron columns in the visual cortex of mice. The eye-specific neurons form clusters, like in the brains of larger animals. See how this deepens our understanding of fundamental brain organization: bit.ly/4iRPGpr

022

Max Planck Neuroscience @mpneuro.bsky.social · 05/05/2025

New research from @mpiforbi.bsky.social, University of Regensburg, & Stanford identifies specific neurons that regulate thirst & hunger in mice. See how this deepens our understanding of how the brain translates nutritional needs into action: bit.ly/4iAfOF1

Neuron characters arguing over a slice of pizza.

031

Max Planck Neuroscience @mpneuro.bsky.social · 28/04/2025

New research from @mpiforbi.bsky.social on European jackdaws reveals that when sleep deprived, they prioritize deep sleep, even at the cost of vigilance. This highlights the crucial role of deep sleep. Explore the research, published in @currentbiology.bsky.social: bit.ly/3EFeIKc

illustration of awake time and sleep time for jackdaw bird

0111

Reposted by Max Planck Neuroscience

Max-Planck-Gesellschaft @maxplanck.de · 23/04/2025

Happy birthday, Max Planck! 🎂The physicist, pianist, #NobelPrize winner, #quantum trailblazer & timeless thinker was born #OTD 1858 in Kiel: his discoveries in the field of #physics forever changed how we understand energy & matter!🎉

Illustration of an elderly man, about 80, with glasses, combed back grey hair and a moustache. He is wearing a green jacket and a bright green bow tie. The text reads: Happy birthday, Max Planck! Born April 23, 1858. Image by Niels Schröder.

07411