Interoception

Recent articles

A human silhouette with lines connecting the brain to various organs.

PIEZO channels are opening the study of mechanosensation in unexpected places

The force-activated ion channels underlie the senses of touch and proprioception. Now scientists are using them as a tool to explore molecular mechanisms at work in internal organs, including the heart, bladder, uterus and kidney.

By Calli McMurray
30 January 2026 | 6 min read
Two bouncing balls.

What are the fastest-growing areas in neuroscience?

Respondents pointed to computational neuroscience, systems neuroscience, neuroimmunology and neuroimaging, among other subfields.

By The Transmitter
15 November 2025 | 6 min read
A man with glasses reads from a paper with a graph-like pattern of peaks and valleys on it.

The buzziest neuroscience papers of 2023, 2024

The field took note of work on brain-computer interfaces for speech, the mechanism of psychedelics, a broader definition of hippocampal representations, and more.

By Calli McMurray, Francisco J. Rivera Rosario
15 November 2025 | 18 min read
Illustration of a mouse melting in front of a fan.

To beat the heat, hypothalamus neurons in mice ramp up their firing

The uptick may help the rodents acclimate to temperature hikes and keep their cool.

By Calli McMurray
11 December 2024 | 7 min read
Illustration of a mouse with cheese on its left and a drop of water on its right.

Should I stay (and eat) or should I go? How the brain balances hunger with competing drives

Understanding the interplay among rival signals, such as pain, thirst and fear, could provide insights into anxiety and other neuropsychiatric conditions.

By Giorgia Guglielmi
11 October 2024 | 8 min read
Research image of neurons in the nucleus of the mouse solitary tract.

Cell population in brainstem coordinates cough, new study shows

The work also adds to a growing body of evidence showing that mice, and their genetic toolbox, can be used to study cough.

By Calli McMurray
6 September 2024 | 5 min read
Research image of neurons in the rat olfactory bulb.

Neurons in rat olfactory bulb ‘feel the pulse’

Mechanical receptors can detect intracranial pressure changes caused by blood flow, which enables neurons to synchronize with the heartbeat.

By Calli McMurray
26 March 2024 | 6 min read

Explore more from The Transmitter

Speech bubbles progress from light- to dark- colored.

Amid funding uncertainty, neuroscientists report a mix of cynicism, persistence

Two years into one of the most tumultuous tenures in U.S. federal funding, researchers outline how they are coping with ongoing changes and reflect on the impact these changes are having on the system more broadly.

By Emily Singer
28 August 2026 | 5 min read
Stages of neurodegeneration: Neurofibrillary tangles at different stages of neurodegeneration are labeled with phosphorylated tau antibodies (green and blue).

Reimagining Mexico’s brain bank

Since Alzheimer’s disease researcher José Luna-Muñoz assumed leadership of the facility—Latin America’s oldest—in 2011, he has been acquiring additional tissue types and is working to expand donor recruitment to rural areas.

By Alejandra Manjarrez
28 August 2026 | 7 min read

Revealing how crabs make their escape

Houdini-like Neohelice granulata offers a rare opportunity to record intracellularly from awake, behaving animals.

By Natalia Mesa
28 August 2026 | 0 min watch