260422-Tachibana-Tics-Relay (IMAGE)
Caption
In the journal Cell Reports, Kobe University neurophysiologist TACHIBANA Yoshihisa and his team report their discovery in mice of a neuronal connection between the motor cortex via an intermediary thalamic relay station (pictured; axons of incoming neurons in red, cell bodies of outgoing neurons in green) to the insular cortex that is responsible for emotional processing and internal awareness. This connection possibly contributes to the sensation of premonitory urges, which are a hallmark of tics in Tourette syndrome, and presents a novel target for the development of therapies for the condition.
Credit
H. Kuno et al., Cell Reports 2026 (DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2026.117272)
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License
CC BY