{"693330":{"#nid":"693330","#data":{"type":"news","title":"New Study Reveals How Brain Chemicals Reorganize the Way Neurons Process Information","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EHow does the brain rapidly adjust the way it processes information as we shift between activities, levels of attention, and behavioral states? A new study suggests that the answer lies not simply in changes in the activity of individual neurons, but in how chemical signals reorganize the relationships among the properties that govern neuronal function.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EPublished in the\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003EProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences\u003C\/em\u003E (PNAS), the study, \u201cNeuromodulatory control of cortical function: Cell-type-specific regulation of neuronal information transfer,\u201d reveals that dopamine and acetylcholine, two chemical messengers essential for learning, attention, and cognitive flexibility, can fundamentally alter how neurons encode and transmit information.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThe international research team, led by Tansu Celikel of Georgia Tech\u0027s School of Psychological and Brain Sciences and Fleur Zeldenrust of Radboud University in the Netherlands, found that these chemical signals influence different types of neurons in distinct ways. Their effects extend beyond changes in individual neuronal responses to reshape how multiple functional properties are organized and interact.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3 dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EBeyond Turning Neurons Up or Down\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003ENeurons process incoming information and communicate through electrical impulses known as action potentials. For decades, scientists have investigated how neuromodulators such as dopamine and acetylcholine influence this process, often focusing on whether these chemicals increase or decrease neuronal activity.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201c\u003Cem\u003EChanges in neuronal activity alone do not necessarily tell us how effectively neurons process information,\u003C\/em\u003E\u201d explains Dr. Celikel. \u201c\u003Cem\u003EA neuron that fires more frequently is not necessarily transmitting more useful information about its inputs. Likewise, a neuron that becomes less active may still play an important role in shaping how information is represented in the brain.\u003C\/em\u003E\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThe new study moves beyond conventional measures of neuronal activity by examining how neuromodulators affect multiple interacting properties, including the electrical characteristics of neuronal membranes, the generation of action potentials, adaptation to sustained stimulation, and sensitivity to incoming signals.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201c\u003Cem\u003ERather than acting like simple volume controls that turn neuronal activity up or down, dopamine and acetylcholine function as reconfiguration signals,\u003C\/em\u003E\u201d says Dr. Celikel. \u201c\u003Cem\u003EThey change not only how individual neurons respond, but also how the different components of neuronal information processing work together.\u003C\/em\u003E\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3 dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EDifferent Neurons, Different Responses\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003ETo investigate these effects, the researchers analyzed electrical recordings from excitatory and inhibitory neurons in the somatosensory cortex of mice, a brain region involved in processing sensory information, including touch.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EExcitatory neurons generally promote activity within neural circuits, while inhibitory neurons help regulate and constrain that activity. The balance between these two populations is essential for normal brain function.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThe researchers examined how activating three specific receptors, dopamine D1 and D2 receptors and the acetylcholine-sensitive muscarinic M1 receptor, influenced how neurons encode and transmit information.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003ETheir findings revealed striking differences between neuronal populations and receptor types.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201c\u003Cem\u003EActivating D1 receptors increased the amount of stimulus information transmitted by inhibitory neurons, while activating M1 receptors significantly reduced information transfer in excitatory neurons,\u003C\/em\u003E\u201d explains Dr. Celikel. \u201c\u003Cem\u003ED2 receptor activation produced more modest effects, some of which were comparable to normal experimental variability.\u003C\/em\u003E\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThese findings challenge the assumption that increasing neuronal excitability necessarily improves information processing.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201c\u003Cem\u003EWhat matters is not simply how much a neuron fires, but how effectively its activity represents incoming information,\u003C\/em\u003E\u201d adds Dr. Celikel. \u201c\u003Cem\u003EOur results suggest that neuromodulators can selectively redistribute information processing across different neuronal populations.\u003C\/em\u003E\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3 dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EA More Flexible View of Neuronal Identity\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EAnother important finding challenges traditional assumptions about how neurons are classified according to their functional characteristics.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EScientists commonly group neurons into functional categories based on properties such as their electrical activity, membrane characteristics, and responses to stimulation. These classifications are often treated as relatively stable.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EHowever, the researchers discovered that activating neuromodulatory receptors reorganized how neurons clustered according to these properties.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003ENeurons that were functionally similar under baseline conditions could become more distinct following receptor activation, while previously dissimilar neurons could develop more closely related functional profiles.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201c\u003Cem\u003EOur findings suggest that a neuron\u0027s functional identity is not entirely fixed, but depends in part on the chemical environment in which it operates,\u003C\/em\u003E\u201d says Dr. Celikel. \u201c\u003Cem\u003ERather than belonging to rigid, discrete functional categories, neurons may occupy a more flexible continuum of functional states.\u003C\/em\u003E\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThe researchers also discovered that neuromodulation reorganized the relationships among neuronal properties in different ways depending on the cell type.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EAcross the recorded populations, inhibitory neurons generally showed greater statistical coordination among their functional characteristics following receptor activation. Excitatory neurons, by contrast, exhibited a more selective reorganization, including greater independence between their sensitivity to incoming signals and other intrinsic properties.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThis distinction suggests that neuromodulatory signals can shape the functional organization of neuronal populations in fundamentally different ways.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003ETogether, the findings point to an additional dimension of neuronal regulation: brain chemicals influence not only individual cellular properties, but also how those properties relate to one another, potentially expanding the range of computational states available to neural circuits.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3 dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EImplications for Understanding Brain Function\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EDopamine and acetylcholine play essential roles in attention, learning, memory, and behavioral flexibility. Disruptions in neuromodulatory signaling are also implicated in neurological and psychiatric conditions, including Parkinson\u0027s disease and schizophrenia.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EUnderstanding how these chemical systems reorganize neuronal information processing may help researchers develop more comprehensive explanations of how the brain adapts to changing behavioral demands and how these processes may be altered in disease.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThe findings also highlight the importance of studying neuronal function beyond conventional measurements such as firing rates or excitability. By examining how different neuronal properties interact, researchers can gain a more complete understanding of how chemical signaling influences the brain\u0027s computational capabilities.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThe current study examined individual neurons in isolated mouse brain tissue rather than measuring cognition or behavior directly. Further research will be needed to determine how these cellular changes influence the activity of larger neural networks and behavior in living animals.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003ENevertheless, the findings establish a framework for understanding neuromodulation as a dynamic process that reorganizes neuronal computation rather than simply increasing or decreasing activity.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EBy demonstrating that dopamine and acetylcholine can reshape information transfer, functional classifications, and the relationships among neuronal properties, the study provides new insight into the cellular mechanisms that may enable the brain to adapt its information processing to changing conditions.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EPublication information\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EArticle:\u003C\/strong\u003E \u201cNeuromodulatory control of cortical function: Cell-type-specific regulation of neuronal information transfer\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EJournal:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003EProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences\u003C\/em\u003E (PNAS)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EPublication date:\u003C\/strong\u003E October 19, 2026\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EDOI:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1073\/pnas.2609893123\u0022\u003E\u0026nbsp;https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1073\/pnas.2609893123\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe study reveals that dopamine and acetylcholine reshape how excitatory and inhibitory neurons process and transmit information, suggesting that the brain adapts to changing demands by dynamically reorganizing neuronal functions rather than simply increasing or decreasing activity.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Researchers found that dopamine and acetylcholine dynamically reorganize how neurons process and transmit information, offering new insights into how the brain adapts to changing demands."}],"uid":"36911","created_gmt":"2026-10-20 15:28:30","changed_gmt":"2026-10-20 15:34:37","author":"tcopeland39","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-10-20T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-10-20T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"681486":{"id":"681486","type":"image","title":"Credit-Stock-image--Pexels","body":null,"created":"1792510125","gmt_created":"2026-10-20 15:28:45","changed":"1792510125","gmt_changed":"2026-10-20 15:28:45","alt":"Alternative text for the image: Abstract illustration of tangled, looping strands in vibrant orange, yellow, pink, and purple, forming a dense cluster on the left and extending into separate, wavy horizontal lines toward the right against a light gray background.","file":{"fid":"265896","name":"Credit-Stock-image--Pexels.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/10\/20\/Credit-Stock-image--Pexels.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/10\/20\/Credit-Stock-image--Pexels.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":3095328,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/10\/20\/Credit-Stock-image--Pexels.jpg?itok=70i_uJxn"}}},"media_ids":["681486"],"groups":[{"id":"443951","name":"School of Psychology"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}