Research on the brain basis of thinking and attention. Covers games and attention, cognitive training platforms, adaptive AI frameworks, and brain-health research.
Researchers used a visual illusion to examine AI vision capabilities, finding gaps in computation that affect spatial representations. Human observers and primate visual cortex showed similar responses to the illusion, highlighting the need for AI to replicate these computations.
Two NIH-funded studies will investigate pregnenolone's potential to treat substance use disorders and co-occurring depression. Researchers aim to determine whether a single brain-based approach can address overlapping conditions in behavioral health.
The BrainHealthy Campus partnership at Dallas College equips students with science-backed strategies to strengthen brain performance, support well-being, and improve academic success outcomes. Participants gain access to brain health assessments, workshops, and digital resources to track changes in brain performance over time.
A new study found that dogs, like humans, rely more on consonants than vowels when parsing speech. This bias emerges in dogs with both early and later exposure to human speech, suggesting that statistical learning and not domestication is key. Dogs can detect changes in individual sounds and extract words from continuous human speech, ...
Finalists in the 2026 Blavatnik National Awards for Young Scientists have been recognized for their groundbreaking research in Life Sciences, Chemical Sciences, and Physical Sciences & Engineering. The 18 Finalists will compete for three $250,000 Laureate prizes, with the remaining 15 receiving $15,000. The Awards aim to support innova...
Scientists at UCSF and UC Berkeley have discovered two neighboring brain regions that signal in opposite directions, one pushing toward
A University of Minnesota Medical School research team has been awarded $6 million to develop new treatments for people with severe mental health issues, including thoughts of suicide. The research focuses on cognitive flexibility, which can help individuals adjust to changing situations and improve their mood and overall wellbeing.
A trial testing out-of-body experiences found no correlation with target identification, but participants unexpectedly described researchers' locations and activities. The unexpected findings may lead to the development of better evaluation methods and potentially support the case for out-of-body remote viewing.
A study by Politecnico di Milano and the University of Insubria tested THInkPen, a sensorized pen, on over 700 children to assess writing difficulties. The results revealed significant relationships between digital indicators and clinical scores, confirming the ability of the pen to reliably reflect performance characteristics.
A study involving 48 preschool children found that brief digital or traditional gameplay improved performance on tasks requiring quick responses, but reduced performance on tasks demanding greater concentration and self-control. The study suggests that these play sessions temporarily enhance automatic attentional processes at the expen...
Researchers propose an AI framework, called interoceptive AI, that uses internal states to inform learning and decision-making in dynamic environments. This approach treats internal conditions as a continuous source of context, influencing what an agent learns, prioritizes, and does.
Lumos Labs has launched the Lumosity Research Platform, offering cognitive assessments, digital training interventions, and real-world data for researchers. The platform is designed to support large-scale randomized controlled trials and advance cognitive science.
Two studies from SISSA show that cognitive reserve built over a lifetime, together with emotional resources, helps preserve mental abilities in adults over 65. Cognitive reserve improves language performance and working memory, while emotional intelligence influences responses to emotional stimuli.
Mara Mather's research focuses on the interplay between brain, body, and emotions, exploring how changes in the autonomic nervous system affect brain health across the lifespan. Her work aims to understand the consequences of physiological changes on brain health and develop interventions to promote emotional well-being.
The Center for BrainHealth has appointed new members to its 2026-27 Advisory Board, bringing together leaders from various fields to champion brain health awareness and advocacy. The new board will focus on strengthening connections between the center and communities, inspiring individuals to prioritize brain health throughout life.
Francesca Filbey, Ph.D., joins Center for BrainHealth as Deputy Director of Research, focusing on advancing research priorities, strengthening collaborations, and expanding impact. With expertise in addictive disorders and a strong track record of scientific excellence, Filbey aims to accelerate brain health research and its applications.
Researchers suggest that biological memory is connected to emotion and thought, and that AI may lack the biological infrastructure to replicate human-like consciousness. The study proposes a biochemical process connecting brain cells and chemistry to memory, potentially offering a new route to understanding mental processes.
A study in mice found that the prefrontal cortex can block flexible thinking, but silencing this region allows for faster learning of a new strategy. This discovery may provide insights into human neurodiversity and cognitive disorders.
Ochsner Health has received multiple Get with the Guidelines achievement awards for demonstrating commitment to following research-based guidelines for treating heart disease and stroke. This recognition reflects Ochsner's unwavering commitment to clinical excellence in cardiovascular care.
Researchers found that attention networks play a crucial role in communication difficulties in children with autism, affecting verbal and non-verbal communication. Weaker connections in the Dorsal Attention Network and Salience Network led to greater difficulties with understanding gestures, facial expressions, and social signals.
Researchers at Emory University developed an AI system, CapuchinAI, to automate cognitive studies of capuchin monkeys in the wild using facial recognition and real-time testing. The system identifies individual capuchins with 97% accuracy and provides a scalable field method for cognitive testing.
A new review article synthesizes information on neural traveling waves, concluding they are a computational engine in the visual cortex. These waves allow the brain to build internal representations of the external world, enabling prediction and perception.
A new neuroimaging study has identified specific MRI biomarkers that track along with changes in an individual's brain health trajectory over time. These findings demonstrate a holistic, multidimensional index of human performance correlating with physical, measurable changes in brain architecture.
Researchers discovered that brain regions switch between shared and independent timing, allowing for flexibility in coordination. This finding provides a new framework for understanding how brain regions communicate and enables the development of brain-inspired artificial intelligence and robotic control systems.
Researchers at Columbia's Zuckerman Institute found that specialist neurons exist but are the exception, not the rule. Most neurons can display a huge diversity of responses and help the brain solve complex tasks.
A team of surgeons used robot-assisted stereotactic surgery to treat a patient with multiple deep brain abscesses, achieving complete resolution and rapid neurological recovery. The minimally invasive strategy reduced surgical trauma and accelerated healing.
Researchers discovered that random sounds played during sleep can disrupt the consolidation of new memories by altering the composition of sleep stages. Participants who heard randomly played sounds spent less time in deep sleep and experienced poorer memory performance.
The Center for BrainHealth has partnered with Dr. Krystal Sexton to expand its workplace-focused strategy, providing science-based tools to optimize workforce performance and resilience. The partnership aims to equip organizations with scalable solutions to enhance adaptability, innovation, and long-term performance.
The Neuroscape Technology for Aging Health - Digital Approaches (TAH-DA) longitudinal study aims to identify biometric predictors of cognitive decline over a year. Participants will use Samsung wearable technology and digital interventions to assess brain health.
Researchers found that local electric fields exert influence on neurons via ephaptic coupling, which helps explain variations in brain activity even within the same task. The study suggests that manipulating these electric fields could be a potential therapeutic approach for improving brain function in disease.
Research suggests that speaking more than one language can delay brain ageing and make individuals appear younger. The study found that those who spoke two languages had brains that appeared around six years younger, while those who spoke four languages appeared up to 13 years younger.
Research presented at the European Academy of Neurology Congress 2026 found that women with Parkinson's disease had significantly greater amyloid plaque burden and neuritic plaque density compared to men. The study suggests that women may be more susceptible to Alzheimer's-related changes in the brain.
Researchers at New York University have developed a way to measure and visualize brainwaves of thousands of people during live face-to-face communication, finding that synchrony can be used to guide and improve social interactions. This phenomenon, known as social synchrony, is linked to healthy relationships and learning.
The study found that during surprising events, the brain allocates more energy to sensory information, leading to better memory recall. In contrast, predictable situations stimulate faster responses but less detailed encoding.
A recent international MRI study found evidence of ongoing neurodegeneration in NMOSD patients, even when they are clinically stable and not experiencing flare-ups. The research suggests that subtle cognitive decline may occur even in the absence of relapses, with brain atrophy rates being faster in NMOSD patients compared to healthy v...
A recent study found that bilingualism is driven by a common neural system that works across languages, contradicting the idea of separate grammar engines. This neural mechanism supports grammar in English and Spanish, indicating that human language may be built from universal computations.
A new study investigates whether obesity contributes to faster brain aging and earlier memory decline. Researchers found that high K63 polyubiquitination levels in young obese rats matched those seen in older brains, suggesting a connection between obesity-induced and age-related memory loss.
The new section in JMIR Neurotechnology focuses on the responsible and ethical use of neurotechnology. Submissions welcome for original research, case series, theoretical viewpoints, and data-driven analyses on ethics and policy in neurotechnology.
A new study found that socioeconomic factors, including increased stress and reduced sleep, are strongly associated with changes in brain structure and function in children. The research suggests that early support for families is needed to address these effects.
A study published in Neuroepidemiology found that individuals with traumatic brain injury (TBI) are at a higher risk of dying from brain cancer compared to the general population. The research, which analyzed data from over 20,000 TBI patients, revealed that those with severe TBI were nearly 14 times more likely to die from brain cancer.
A new study published in Frontiers in Psychology reveals that proactive brain training can strengthen the human mind before mental health challenges take root. The research found that a five-minute daily training program delivered digitally can lower stress, lift mental health metrics, and improve cognitive clarity among adults with an...
A recent study by Karolinska Institutet researchers found that semantic knowledge plays a vital role in human innovation, enabling individuals to create new connections between objects and ideas. The study showed that groups with access to both semantic knowledge and social learning produced more unique innovations than those with only...
A study by Brown University researchers found that serotonin helps reduce belief stickiness, making it easier to update beliefs and adapt to changes. This discovery holds implications for understanding and treating obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).
Scientists found that larger rewards can increase dopamine signals and lead to faster learning. Mice learned a task in one day with fewer large rewards compared to thousands of small ones. The study's findings have implications for neuroscience research and could lead to new discoveries on learning and cognition.
A new study found that handwriting speed and stroke organization can be indicative of cognitive decline in older adults. The research used digital tools to record writing speed and number of strokes in complex tasks, and found that participants with cognitive impairment showed distinct patterns in their handwriting movements.
A long-term study of patients treated with flow diversion devices (FDDs) for intracranial aneurysms revealed excellent safety profiles, with no significant differences in outcomes between various FDD platforms. The study found that multiple FDDs were associated with a higher risk of insufficient closure and delayed complications.
Research suggests that switching to a nutritious diet can improve memory, but does not fully reverse cognitive deficits and impairment caused by high sugar intake. Diets high in added sugar show little evidence of recovery, highlighting the potential detrimental effects on brain health.
A recent Chinese Medical Journal study analyzed data from 1990 to 2021, revealing a significant increase in neurological disorders such as dementia, Parkinson's disease, and ischemic stroke. The study identified a turning point coinciding with the COVID-19 pandemic, highlighting the need for coordinated national strategies to address t...
Researchers at Columbia University's Zuckerman Institute have developed a brain-controlled hearing system that can help people focus on one conversation among many. The system, which leverages the brain's natural ability to filter through background noise, dynamically isolates specific conversations in real-time.
A three-year longitudinal study of 4,000 adults reveals that proactive engagement and self-agency can measurably improve brain performance across the lifespan. The study's findings challenge the notion that cognitive decline is an inevitable part of aging.
Genomic Press launches Brain Health, a new peer-reviewed journal dedicated to the science of lifelong brain resilience, featuring research on glial plasticity and recovery from depression. The inaugural issue explores the intersection of fields including cognitive reserve, sleep, aging biology, nutritional psychiatry, and social sciences.
The Paul and Shelia Schlosberg Family Foundation has donated $3 million to the Optimal BrainHealth for Warfighters initiative at Center for BrainHealth. This gift aims to boost cognitive resilience among U.S. Special Operations Command operators, veterans, and their families.
Researchers found that the rostral prefrontal cortex acts as a bridge between the default mode network and executive control network, enabling a gradual functional transition. The study suggests that creativity relies on a measurable balance between these networks.
A new study from Center for BrainHealth researchers found that declining slow-wave activity during sleep explains why anxiety rises in older adults. Participants who generated fewer slow waves woke up more anxious the next morning, while those with stronger slow-wave sleep did not show the same pattern.
Renowned physician-scientist Francis Collins was recognized for his groundbreaking work on the Human Genome Project and leadership at the National Institutes of Health. The Center for BrainHealth Award honors pioneers who fundamentally reshape understanding of the brain and human potential.
Researchers will use DNA-encoded chemical libraries and artificial intelligence to screen hundreds of millions of potential drug compounds, identifying those most likely to succeed in treating Alzheimer's. The project aims to shorten the timeline for identifying new treatments, bringing them to patients faster and with greater precision.
The EBRAINS Roadmap Symposium will bring together the global neuroscience community to shape the EBRAINS 10-Year-Roadmap. A total of 159 submissions from 134 unique contributors across 25 countries have been received, reflecting the momentum of Europe's digital neuroscience landscape.
The Individual Brain Charting project has released its fifth update with a new set of cognitive tasks, expanding the dataset to 40 hours of scanned data per participant. This provides an exceptionally rich resource for studying individual variability in brain organisation and understanding brain function.
Terrence Sejnowski receives Scientific Breakthrough Award for his foundational development of Boltzmann machines, providing the architectural bedrock for deep learning and generative AI. His work has had a profound impact on modern artificial intelligence and tools like ChatGPT.
Rapidly growing commercial prediction market platforms raise concerns over democratic manipulation, addictive design features, and potential health risks. The authors call for informed regulatory action to address these issues.