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R. Douglas Fields

Contributing Columnist

Latest Articles

Orange netlike structures surround the neurons in our brains.
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Neuronal Scaffolding Plays Unexpected Role in Pain

By R. Douglas Fields
July 28, 2022
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Perineuronal nets, rigid structures that hold certain neurons in place, affect a surprising amount of brain activity, including some associated with chronic pain.

Illustration of red spools with strands of DNA as the thread, with a blue brain in the background.
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Can Machines Control Our Brains?

By R. Douglas Fields
May 17, 2021
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Advances in brain-computer interface technology are impressive, but we’re not close to anything resembling mind control.

Illustration of red spools with strands of DNA as the thread, with a blue brain in the background.
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The Epigenetic Secrets Behind Dopamine, Drug Addiction and Depression

By R. Douglas Fields
October 27, 2020
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New research links serotonin and dopamine not just to addiction and depression, but to the ability to control genes.

Animated illustration of flashing, moving wavelengths and strobing lights surrounding a pair of eyes.
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Spreading the Word on a Possible Alzheimer’s Treatment

By R. Douglas Fields
May 27, 2020
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Neuroscientists could use brain waves to spur immune cells into action against the disease — but the process is almost too fantastic to believe.

Neuron drawings by Santiago Ramón y Cajal
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Why the First Drawings of Neurons Were Defaced

By R. Douglas Fields
September 28, 2017
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Every exquisite drawing by Santiago Ramón y Cajal, the founder of modern neuroscience, is marred by a curious mark. Here is the little-known story behind it.

About the author

R. Douglas Fields is a neuroscientist and an international authority on brain development and the cellular mechanisms of memory. He is the author of the books Electric Brain, The Other Brain and Why We Snap, and he is an adjunct professor of neuroscience and cognitive science at the University of Maryland.
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