Researchers at Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences have identified distinct cortical networks associated with subregions of the human medial temporal lobe. The study used precision neuroimaging to explore the distributed anatomy of the MTL, overcoming previous challenges in studying this region.
Researchers discovered how our brain makes new decisions by applying stored knowledge to novel situations. The study found that individuals use both spatial and temporal relationships learned from past experiences to inform their choices.
A recent study at the Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences found that mothers' postnatal depressive moods can impact their babies' ability to distinguish speech sounds. Mothers in a negative mood tend to use less infant-directed speech, leading to delayed language development in infants.
Research found that human brain hemispheres have distinct functional patterns, with regions on the left and right sides specialized for different tasks. Individual differences in these arrangements were heritable, suggesting genetic influence, while environmental factors also play a role. The study also compared humans to monkeys, find...
Researchers found that 41% of schizophrenia patients met the criteria for frontotemporal dementia, a condition characterized by personality changes and behavioral alterations. The study suggests that targeting specific brain regions and neural structures may lead to improved treatment outcomes for this subgroup.
Artificial neural networks use white matter cracks and cerebral cortex furrows to estimate biological age, which can indicate possible disease or injury. The 'black box' problem has been solved, revealing the algorithm's decision-making process.
A study found that actively suppressing negative experiences can weaken the associated memories, making them less vivid and reducing brain activity. This process is linked to a decrease in neural reactivation, particularly in individuals with good suppression skills.
A recent study at the Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences used virtual reality to simulate emotionally engaging situations, allowing researchers to measure brain activity and find a correlation between alpha oscillations and emotional arousal. This discovery has implications for psychological therapy and treatment.
A study found that meditation training reduced chronic stress by 25% through decreased cortisol levels in hair. The researchers used a 9-month training programme to measure the effect, and the results showed that only sufficiently long training leads to significant stress-reducing effects.
Researchers warn that face masks could worsen social communication among elderly and those with dementia, leading to accelerated cognitive decline. The study suggests transparent masks and explicit conversation methods as potential solutions.
Research at the Max Planck Institute found that people over 50 with multiple health risks are more likely to experience depression. However, the severity of depressive moods decreases with age, suggesting a potential psychological component and better coping mechanisms in older adults.
The study found that the brain processes individual features of an object, such as sounds and actions, and also abstract symbol-like features. The researchers developed a hierarchical model to reflect how conceptual knowledge is represented in the human brain.
Researchers identified Broca's area as a key region for sign language processing, showing an overlap with areas used for spoken language. The study highlights the brain's linguistic specialization and its role in processing abstract information across different forms of language.
Empathy and perspective-taking are two essential social skills that enable us to form connections with others. A recent study reveals that both abilities are processed in the brain by a 'main network' specialized in empathy or changing perspective, which is activated in every social situation.
Scientists have deciphered two axes of brain organization, mainly determined by genetic factors, which reflect functional hierarchies from basic capabilities to complex skills. These findings provide insight into the evolution of brain structure and its relationship with genetic and environmental factors.
Researchers at Max Planck Institute successfully precisely influenced a single area of the brain by inhibiting its rhythm, decreasing functional connectivity and information exchange with other networks. This precise control enables potential therapeutic applications for diseases caused by disturbed brain functions.
A large-scale study found that vegetarian diets are associated with lower body mass index (BMI) and greater dietary fiber consumption, leading to earlier feelings of fullness. Additionally, vegans were found to be more introverted than meat-eaters, while no correlation was found between plant-based diets and depressive moods.
Scientists have identified a key brain region responsible for executive functions, including selective attention and working memory. The study found that damage to the inferior frontal junction area (IFJ) can lead to impairments in these abilities, as seen in individuals with dysexecutive syndrome.
Researchers found that brain activity changes with heartbeat, suppressing certain components associated with consciousness during systole, leading to reduced detection of weak stimuli. Additionally, a large heartbeat-evoked potential indicates focus on internal bodily signals over external environmental cues.
Researchers found that babies build episodic memory during sleep, enabling them to remember details of their experiences. The study showed that brain activity differs in children who slept versus those who stayed awake, especially when recalling specific events.
Researchers found that 4-year-olds can understand others' thoughts, but younger children can predict behavior based on surface-level cues. The brain has two distinct systems for perspective-taking, which mature at different ages.
Researchers identified key brain areas linked to limited sense of touch, including somatosensory cortex and prefrontal cortex. The study supports findings from previous research on body awareness and discovers new brain regions associated with touch perception.
Researchers used virtual reality to test how humans remember positions in space with distorted grid cell patterns. In trapezoidal environments, participants were worse at learning positions than in square environments, and their memories remained distorted even when no longer in the environment.
The study found that BCI training alters specific regions of the brain involved in motor and visual tasks. This suggests potential therapeutic benefits for conditions like stroke rehabilitation. The changes occur within a short period, raising hopes for more efficient decoding of BCI activities.
A new study found that mothers' involvement in play with their children can influence the development of their oxytocin systems. Higher maternal involvement was associated with reduced DNA methylation and increased expression of the oxytocin receptor gene, which can lead to a stronger bond between mother and child.
Researchers investigate how 9-month-old babies process novel information using EEG. They find that the theta rhythm is sensitive to unexpected outcomes, suggesting it plays a key role in encoding new information. The study's findings have implications for understanding infant learning processes.
Researchers found that telomere length changes are associated with structural changes in the brain, including thickening or thinning of the cerebral cortex. This study suggests that short-term changes in telomere length may reflect general fluctuations in health and aging status, but long-term effects remain unclear.
Researchers found that children's brains are becoming more myelinated, which could affect estimates of cortical thickness. This discovery challenges previous hypotheses on brain development and has implications for understanding neurodegenerative diseases like Multiple Sclerosis.
Researchers found that brain stimulation during short breaks improves recall of learned motor sequences, even after several hours of practice has stopped. The study suggests that pauses between practice sessions solidify learning in the brain, and stimulation can enhance this process.
Increased visceral fat is associated with reduced brain structure and storage capacity, but oestradiol hormone protects women's brains in mid-life. Low oestradiol levels are linked to weaker memory performance during this age range.
A study led by Roland Benoit and Philipp Paulus found that imagining interacting with a liked person at a neutral place can transfer emotional value to the location. The ventromedial prefrontal cortex plays a key role in this process, evaluating importance of individuals and places.
Researchers measured brain activity patterns that suggest new information is organized in a map-like format in the hippocampus. This organizational structure likely enables flexibility in applying knowledge, which could help explain human intelligence and inform teaching methods for efficient learning.
A systematic prospective study investigated the safety of MRI scans for individuals with tattoos. Researchers found that the risk of side effects is very small and that most participants did not experience any adverse reactions. The study's results provide valuable information on safety guidelines for research and clinical environments.
At 5 months, babies demonstrated the ability to recognize nested structures similar to human grammar. This basic understanding is thought to be part of what makes humans uniquely capable. The study used tone sequences and EEG measures to test infants' perception of embedded structures.
Researchers suggest that humans think using their brain's navigation system, storing information in cognitive spaces. This theory combines evidence from place and grid cells, allowing the formation of mental maps of surroundings and reactivated during later visits.
Researchers have demonstrated the existence of grid-like activity in the human brain using electrophysiological evidence. Grid cells encode spatial positions evenly distributed across space, creating a honeycomb pattern that tiles the environment.
A study found that infants' responsiveness to fearful faces at 7 months predicts altruistic behavior in toddlerhood. Additionally, brain responses in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex are linked to this early precursor of prosocial behavior.
Researchers at the Max Planck Institute discovered that individuals with depression have a larger left hypothalamus than those without the disorder. The study found a correlation between the severity of depression and the size of the brain region, but no effect from medication.
Researchers found that the right hemisphere equivalent of Broca's area processes musical non-local dependencies, and that this processing is integrated with working memory to determine grammatical rules. The study uses a novel 'genre' of music to tease apart contributions of local and non-local dependencies.
Researchers at the Max Planck Institute found that Jymmin increases pain threshold by up to 50% and reduces anxiety in chronic pain patients. The combination of physical exertion and music triggers endorphin release, making users more tolerant to pain.
Children with cochlear implants learn words faster than their hearing counterparts, thanks to earlier exposure to spoken language and better-developed brain structures. Researchers found that these children build up word pools at an accelerated rate.
Researchers found that jazz pianists' brains plan movements differently than classical pianists, with a focus on improvisation and flexibility. Classical pianists, on the other hand, prioritize technique and expression, leading to differences in brain activity when playing the same piece.
Scientists tested patients with brain injuries to understand how the brain recognizes voices. The study found that lesions in the right posterior temporal lobe led to difficulties recognizing voices, with a crucial role played by the posterior superior temporal gyrus.
Research at the Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences reveals that hyperactivity in the right hemisphere of the brain is central to stuttering. The study found a stronger connection between brain regions involved in speech movements, leading to impaired fluency.
Researchers found that babies prefer to look at the likely option when it is easier to distinguish, but not when the difference is smaller. Six-month-old babies can also estimate which color makes up the majority of balls and choose accordingly.
A recent study found that infants as young as six months old exhibit a stress reaction when seeing spiders or snakes, with a significant increase in pupil size indicating activation of the brain's noradrenergic system.
Researchers from the Max Planck Institute found that mental training changes brain structure and reduces social stress. The study used three 3-month training modules focusing on different competencies, including socio-affective and socio-cognitive abilities.
Scientists found that babies associate words with content between 6-8 months old during a midday nap, while awake they can't connect new objects to the corresponding name. This early word learning ability suggests that children hold real word meanings in their long-term memory much earlier than previously assumed.