Imagine you’re a student, it’s finals week, and you’re preparing for a big exam: do you pull an all-nighter or do you get some rest? As many a groggy-eyed person who’s stared blankly at a test knows, a lack of sleep can make it extraordinarily difficult to retain information. Two new studies from University of … Read more
For the first time, researchers have successfully visualized the intricate network of blood vessels spanning the cortex of awake mice. Their groundbreaking observations revealed that these blood vessels rhythmically expand and contract, creating “waves” that wash across the brain’s surface. This discovery, published in the journal Neuron, significantly enhances our understanding of cerebral blood flow, … Read more
Neurochemistry is the branch of neuroscience that focuses on the chemical processes occurring within the nervous system, including the synthesis, release, reuptake, and metabolism of neurotransmitters, neuromodulators, and other signaling molecules. It encompasses the study of molecular mechanisms underlying neuronal communication, synaptic transmission, neuroplasticity, and brain function. Understanding neurochemistry is essential for unraveling the molecular … Read more
Researchers who want to bridge the divide between biology and technology spend a lot of time thinking about translating between the two different “languages” of those realms. “Our digital technology operates through a series of electronic on-off switches that control the flow of current and voltage,” said Rajiv Giridharagopal, a research scientist at the University … Read more
Neurobiology is a fascinating field of study that delves into the intricacies of the nervous system, which serves as the body’s communication and control center. The nervous system is a complex network of cells, tissues, and organs that coordinate sensory perception, motor function, cognition, and behavior. In this exploration of neurobiology, we will delve into … Read more
Neuroscience researchers from Bochum confirm different strategies when choosing between primary and secondary rewards. The lever is impulsivity. People make decisions every day—from what to wear in the morning to what to watch on TV in the evening. But how do decisions differ when it comes to essential food and money? A neuroscientific research team … Read more
Heavy school bags, poor posture, one-handed sports are often blamed for the development of curved spine in teens. Known as adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS), it affects those aged 10 to 19 but has no known cause. A team from Singapore General Hospital (SGH) and National Neuroscience Institute (NNI) has now discovered that the answer to … Read more
Imagine a busy restaurant: dishes clattering, music playing, people talking loudly over one another. It’s a wonder that anyone in that kind of environment can focus enough to have a conversation. A new study by researchers at Brown University’s Carney Institute for Brain Science provides some of the most detailed insights yet into the brain … Read more
How does sex relate to lasting love? To answer that question, scientists have long studied a small Midwestern rodent called the prairie vole, one of the few mammals known to form long-term, monogamous relationships. A team of researchers, including Steven Phelps at The University of Texas at Austin, has created the first brain-wide map of … Read more
The way our brain processes different emotional and cognitive tasks may be underpinned by common factors, find scientists from UNSW and Neuroscience Research Australia (NeuRA). In this latest study, published in the journal Human Brain Mapping, Dr. Haeme Park and Associate Professor Justine Gatt, who hold joint positions at UNSW Psychology and NeuRA, looked at … Read more
Researchers from Zhejiang University, China, led by Jiaxin Gao, have shed light on the remarkable ability of the human brain to untangle speech from echoes, a feat that continues to baffle engineering solutions. In their study published in PLOS Biology, they investigated how our brains effortlessly decipher direct speech amidst echoing reverberations, a common occurrence … Read more
As opposed to the sensory perception of the external world, interoception is the sensing of internal body signals, which informs the brain about the state of the body. Rhythmic bodily processes such as breathing, the heartbeat, or the pulsing of the gut may help keep brain activity organized. Indeed, it seems that how we think … Read more
Evolutionary biologists at Johns Hopkins Medicine report they have combined PET scans of modern pigeons along with studies of dinosaur fossils to help answer an enduring question in biology: How did the brains of birds evolve to enable them to fly? The answer, they say, appears to be an adaptive increase in the size of … Read more
As digital devices progressively replace pen and paper, taking notes by hand is becoming increasingly uncommon in schools and universities. Using a keyboard is recommended because it’s often faster than writing by hand. However, the latter has been found to improve spelling accuracy and memory recall. To find out if the process of forming letters … Read more
Neuroscience, a multidisciplinary field of study, is dedicated to understanding the structure and function of the nervous system, which includes the brain, spinal cord, and peripheral nerves. This dynamic and rapidly evolving field integrates knowledge from various scientific disciplines, including biology, psychology, physics, and computer science, to unravel the complexities of the nervous system. Neuroscience … Read more
When brain oxygenation is cut off for a prolonged period, the electrical activity of the cerebral cortex is quickly reduced to zero. But that’s not the end of the story. Researchers at the Paris Brain Institute, coordinated by Séverine Mahon, have shown that the “wave of death” appearing on the flat electroencephalogram is initiated deep … Read more
A team of international neuroscientists, led by the University of Iowa, has made groundbreaking strides in understanding the human brain’s dynamics by capturing direct recordings in the minutes surrounding the surgical disconnection of a crucial language-related brain hub. This unprecedented experiment sheds light on the pivotal role of brain hubs within neural networks and unveils … Read more
Researchers have investigated the shared and unique neural processes that underlie different types of long-term memory: general semantic, personal semantic and episodic memory. Their study, published Nov. 21 in eLife, suggests that these memory types all use the same network of the brain, rather than relying on different areas of the brain altogether. This calls … Read more
Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), formerly known as electroshock therapy, involves inducing a brief seizure in the brain using controlled doses of electricity. While ECT is highly effective for certain mental illnesses, particularly depression, the reasons for its efficacy have long puzzled the fields of psychiatry and neuroscience. Now, researchers from University of California San Diego may … Read more
Researchers at EPFL has shed light on why only a subset of individuals exposed to trauma develop posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). PTSD is a debilitating condition that can result from experiencing traumatic events, yet only approximately 25% to 35% of those exposed to trauma develop this condition. Understanding the factors that render some individuals more … Read more