Neuroscience
Listen: There’s 1 easy thing you can do to improve your memory
Listen: There’s 1 easy thing you can do to improve your memory Dr. Edward Awh, a cognitive neuroscientist at the University of Chicago, shares insights on improving memory and focus. The human brain has limited capacity for conscious awareness, making it hard to focus and remember information in an information-saturated world. Dr. Awh’s research explores […]
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How brains create facial expressions
How brains create facial expressions Researchers at Rockefeller University have identified a network of neural circuits in the brain and muscles in the face that work together to create facial expressions. The study, led by Winrich Freiwald, found that both lower-level and higher-level brain regions are involved in encoding different types of facial gestures, contrary […]
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Raccoons break into liquor stores, scale skyscrapers and pick locks – studying their clever brains can clarify human intelligence, too
Raccoons break into liquor stores, scale skyscrapers and pick locks – studying their clever brains can clarify human intelligence, too Raccoons are known for their intelligence, curiosity, and problem-solving skills, but they have been overlooked as a model organism in scientific research. The species’ impressive cognitive abilities, including mental imagery capabilities similar to humans, may […]
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Team finds gene that calms the mind and boosts attention in mice
Team finds gene that calms the mind and boosts attention in mice Researchers at Rockefeller University have identified a gene called Homer1 that calms the mind and improves attention in mice. The study found that mice with lower levels of two specific versions of the Homer1 gene had quieter brain activity and improved ability to […]
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Gazing into the mind’s eye with mice – how neuroscientists are seeing human vision more clearly
Gazing into the mind’s eye with mice – how neuroscientists are seeing human vision more clearly Mice have complex visual systems that can help neuroscientists understand how vision works in humans, including how individual brain cells communicate and work together to create a mental picture of the visual world. Research has shown that mice are […]
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A unique brain cell may hold the key to Alzheimer’s disorientation
A unique brain cell may hold the key to Alzheimer’s disorientation A unique brain cell type has been discovered that may hold the key to understanding Alzheimer’s disorientation. The retrosplenial cortex, a brain region linked to spatial orientation, contains specialized neurons that can encode an individual’s sense of direction at all times. These neurons are […]
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Bacteria may be key to the mystery of why you sleep
Bacteria may be key to the mystery of why you sleep Bacteria may play a key role in regulating our sleep patterns, according to new research that suggests a substance found in bacterial cell walls is present in the brains of mice and closely aligned with the sleep cycle. The study proposes a new paradigm […]
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Can inflammation actually protect aging brains against decline?
Can inflammation actually protect aging brains against decline? A new study published in Cell Reports suggests that inflammation may actually protect aging brains against decline, challenging long-held assumptions about the immune molecule STING. Mice genetically engineered to lack STING had worse memory and movement problems, mimicking senility and frailty seen in people with dementia and […]
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Parenting strategies are shifting as neuroscience brings the developing brain into clearer focus
Parenting strategies are shifting as neuroscience brings the developing brain into clearer focus Parenting strategies are shifting as neuroscience brings the developing brain into clearer focus, revealing that old-school approaches based on outdated behavioral models can be ineffective and even harmful. The traditional “carrot and stick” approach, popularized by B.F. Skinner’s rat experiments, is not […]
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Immune cells are key to teen brain wiring
Immune cells are key to teen brain wiring Researchers have discovered that microglia, the brain’s immune cells, play a key role in wiring the adolescent brain during adolescence. The frontal cortex, responsible for executive functions such as empathy and decision-making, undergoes profound changes during adolescence, which can set the stage for neurodevelopmental disorders like schizophrenia […]
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