Latest News Releases 31 March

The study provides compelling evidence that local dopamine release serves as a crucial signal for neural plasticity in the motor cortex, enabling the necessary adaptations for producing precise and efficient motor commands. A particularly interesting discovery was that blocking dopamine did not affect previously learned motor skills. In other words, the researchers proved that dopamine is essential for learning new movements but is not required for performing already learned ones.

Self-healing coatings are advanced materials that can repair damage, such as scratches and cracks on their own. Researchers from Waseda University have developed an efficient method for preparing self-healing films consisting of alternating layers of highly cross-linked organosiloxane and linear polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). Their film is more durable than conventional self-healing PDMS materials, offering superior hardness and greater thermal stability while self-healing at mild temperatures, paving the way for stronger, more reliable, and easier-maintained self-healing materials.