Research on the brain basis of thinking and attention. Covers games and attention, cognitive training platforms, adaptive AI frameworks, and brain-health research.
Researchers found that moderate aerobic cycling improved auditory verbal learning and processing speed, as well as increased volumes of the hippocampus and cerebellar cortex. The study suggests exercise interventions may be an attractive option for improving cognitive function in individuals with traumatic brain injury.
New research reveals the brain's flexibility in multitasking while walking, improving stability and performance. The study uses a Mobile Brain/Body Imaging system to record brain activity while participants walk on a treadmill or perform cognitive tasks.
A study found that car owners place a higher value on green spaces in shared courtyards, with a twofold increase in attention to trees making the area 30% more attractive. This internal conflict highlights the need for architects and developers to prioritize green spaces in construction planning.
Young children and babies use saliva sharing as a cue to determine strong relationships and mutual obligations. Research found that babies expect people who share saliva to offer help when distressed, suggesting a vital skill for learning social relationships.
A landmark VA study found that prolonged exposure was statistically more effective than cognitive processing therapy in easing PTSD symptoms, with most Veterans showing meaningful improvement from both treatments. The researchers recommended shared decision-making between clinicians and patients to select their preferred treatment.
Researchers aim to expand an existing spinal cord injury intervention to improve self-efficacy, coping, and well-being in individuals with multiple sclerosis. The study will conduct focus groups and a randomized controlled trial to evaluate the efficacy of the adapted intervention.
Researchers have created a compact and affordable device for recording brain activity, offering research-grade signal quality and customizable configuration. The device has the potential to help people with epilepsy detect impending seizures and those with limited mobility regain control over their limbs.
A ketogenic diet has been shown to improve spatial memory and visual memory, lower brain inflammation indices, and cause less neuronal death in individuals with traumatic brain injuries. The diet may also slow down the rate of cellular aging, offering hope for those suffering from this condition.
A new study demonstrates that playing a child-friendly action video game can improve reading skills, including speed, accuracy, and comprehension. Children who played the game showed significant long-term improvements in attentional control and literacy compared to those who played a coding game.
Researchers at West Virginia University are investigating the link between chronic stress and Alzheimer's disease using animal models. They aim to understand how xanthine oxidase may sabotage brain blood vessels in Alzheimer's patients, and explore whether a medication can block this pathway to keep the brain healthy.
UC researchers received a $1.2 million grant to examine the impact of stress hormone receptors on cell degeneration in Parkinson's disease. The study aims to develop a new model that better replicates the progression of the disease, which may lead to treatments targeting stress hormone blockers or next-generation therapeutics.
A new study published in Menopause journal reveals that severe depression and sexual dysfunction can impair a woman's cognitive skills, including orientation, registration, attention, recall, and language. The study suggests that these symptoms have a significant impact on women's overall cognitive performance.
A new study found that certain brain wave patterns during sleep can be used to diagnose dementia and other cognitive impairments. The study identified parameters for automated detection methods, which were linked to fluid intelligence and declined during early stages of dementia.
A team of researchers used neural network data to study grid cell activity in the brain, finding that collective neural activity is shaped like a torus, or doughnut. The study provides new insights into how large networks of neurons produce properties that cannot be inferred from individual cells.
New research published in JNeurosci reveals that impaired cognition can be part of normal aging, rather than an early sign of Alzheimer's. Cognitively frail adults showed brain structure and activity similar to healthy controls, suggesting lifestyle factors like physical activity and education may play a role.
Researchers have developed a promising treatment approach for chronic stroke patients using carefully tuned electrical stimulation of the neuromuscular system. This method has been shown to improve motor control, sensory capabilities, and body perception in patients with long-term disabilities.
The locus coeruleus, a tiny cell structure in the brainstem, regulates our brain's sensitivity to relevant information. Noradrenaline, produced by the blue spot, modulates alpha oscillations, allowing us to focus attention.
Researchers have discovered a new biomarker, microstate D, associated with increased sleep disturbance and inattention symptoms in adults with ADHD. The study, published in Biological Psychiatry: Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuroimaging, provides evidence for a more precise diagnosis of the disorder.
Researchers found that psilocybin doses of 10mg or 25mg administered simultaneously to up to six participants had no adverse effects. The study also showed promise for treating treatment-resistant depression and PTSD.
A study of 70 youth tackle football players aged 9-12 over four seasons found a significant association between head impacts and cognitive and behavioral outcomes. The research suggests that repeated head impacts in youth tackle football may lead to long-term consequences for young athletes.
Kids consider track record of accuracy and degree of access to knowledge when judging a communicator's trustworthiness. Children who received accurate non-verbal cues in the familiarization phase followed them in the test phase 83% of the time.
A study published in Nature finds that neurons in the primary olfactory cortex learn to encode spatial maps by associating odours with locations, allowing animals to navigate and remember valuable resources. This discovery sheds light on how our brains process smells and spaces.
A new study found that white matter structural tracts are relatively stable throughout typical development, but show increased instability in children with psychosis spectrum symptoms. The integrity of these tracts was lower in children with psychosis and associated with cognitive function.
Researchers found that distributed codes among larger populations of neurons in the prefrontal cortex make information more reliable and robust. This discovery could support advanced cognitive abilities and potentially treat disorders of memory and cognition.
Researchers found that astrocytes regulate cognitive flexibility by releasing D-serine and glutamate, which integrates synaptic plasticity. Heterosynaptic long-term depression is mediated by astrocytes, critical for memory modification.
Researchers at Ruhr-University Bochum propose a new platform theory of consciousness, which links conscious states to complex cognitive operations. The model suggests that consciousness arises from the interaction of different neuronal networks and is essential for adaptive behavior in humans, animals, and artificial intelligence.
Research reveals that HIV-positive individuals with cocaine addiction struggle to withhold behavioral responses due to distinct brain activity patterns. This finding highlights the need for targeted interventions to address dual diagnosis in recovery programs.
Researchers at University of Rochester Medical Center found that the brain processes attended and unattended speech differently, converting attended speech into linguistic units for understanding. This study contributes to developing better wearable devices, such as hearing aids.
A pilot study of exercise and cognition in progressive multiple sclerosis found that cardiorespiratory fitness and free-living physical activity were not associated with improved cognitive performance. The study, which analyzed data from 240 individuals with progressive MS, suggests that other mechanisms may be at play.
A recent University of Cincinnati study investigated how mindfulness affects mind wandering and found that while it can be effective in reducing mind-wandering thoughts, the results differ depending on the research methodology. The study suggests using computer-based testing methods to measure mind wandering for more reliable findings.
Vanderbilt researchers discover how a protein may treat schizophrenia, including reversing working memory deficits. Enhancing the activity of mGlu1 selectively increases the activity of specific inhibitory interneurons, restoring their ability to inhibit neuronal circuits.
A recent study by SISSA and University of Padua shows that occupation influences the course of cognitive decline. Work activity is found to be a protective factor for cognitive reserve, contributing to brain's resistance to damage caused by illness or aging.
Research using fNIRS found that young children's ability to appreciate humor varies with age and sex. The study suggests differences in brain activity between boys and girls, as well as developmental stages, when it comes to recognizing humor.
Researchers found a specific phase of sleep after falling asleep that triples the chances of finding creative solutions, making it a potential tool for stimulating creativity in everyday life. This discovery opens a new field of study on brain mechanisms of creativity and challenges the common view of sleep as a waste of time.
A study published in iScience reveals that distorted perception of bodily self-consciousness can be predicted by different kinds of memories. The researchers found that the recovery of body ownership was associated with a fast memory process, while agency recovery was mainly linked to a slow memory process.
People with mild dementia struggle to understand speech in both quiet and acoustically challenging situations. Effective communication strategies include speaking clearly and slowly, reducing background noise, and providing contextual information.
A new study published in the Journal of Experimental Medicine showed that a fast-tracked stroke drug, 3K3A-APC, protected mice from injury to the brain's white matter, a leading cause of dementia. The drug may also be effective in slowing down progression of cognitive impairment.
Researchers found that participants with moderate dementia performed better in cluttered environments, while those with mild and severe dementia showed no significant difference. The study suggests that adapting physical environments to suit individual needs may be more effective than de-cluttering in supporting people with dementia.
Researchers at the University of Gothenburg have successfully combined a memory function with a calculation function in the same component, enabling more efficient technologies like mobile phones and self-driving cars. The discovery opens the way for brain-like computers that can perform tasks effectively and energy efficiently.
A long-term study has revealed that drinking higher amounts of coffee may make you less likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease. The study found an association between coffee and several important markers related to Alzheimer’s disease, including executive function and amyloid protein accumulation in the brain.
A study from Boston Children's Hospital found that inadequate sleep can jeopardize brain organization in early adolescence, leading to deficits in cognitive processes such as attention, reward, and memory. The research identified racial disparities in the impact of sleep on brain networks, with non-white participants experiencing dispr...
Research found that people who rated their sleep as poor also felt older and had a more negative perception of their ageing. This study suggests that addressing sleep difficulties could promote a better perception of ageing and have other health benefits.
A new study in mice reveals that the insular cortex plays a crucial role in balancing fear responses, integrating sensory and bodily signals to maintain an adaptive range. The InsCtx function depends on bodily feedback signals, dampening excessive fear-evoked activity and promoting healthy fear regulation.
A new study published in Autism highlights the benefits of early diagnosis and treatment for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Children diagnosed before 2.5 years old showed considerable improvements in core social symptoms compared to those diagnosed later in life. Early intervention is critical, emphasizing the need for u...
Researchers at the University of Trento discovered brain cells acting as a compass for navigating conceptual spaces, similar to those found in physical environments. These 'head-direction cells' signal direction even when movement occurs in abstract spaces, suggesting a complementary mechanism for conceptual navigation.
Researchers developed metrics to quantify information in animal responses to reward feedback, showing that animals exhibit undermatching behavior. The new metrics provide a way to predict this deviation from the matching law, offering insights into adaptive behavior and decision-making.
Researchers identified areas of the infant visual cortex that already show strong preferences for faces, bodies, or scenes, similar to those in adults. This challenges the traditional view that these regions take years to develop, suggesting a more rapid emergence of specialized brain structures.
A new study on mice finds that cognitive training designed to focus on what's important while ignoring distractions can enhance the brain's information processing. The research suggests that this type of training can lead to improved learning and memory, particularly in novel tasks. By analyzing neural activity in the hippocampus durin...
Researchers found that human neurons have a lower density of ion channels compared to other mammals, suggesting an evolutionary adaptation for energy efficiency. This difference in channel density may enable the human brain to allocate more resources to complex cognitive processes.
Researchers at the University of Toronto have demonstrated that listening to personally meaningful music induces beneficial brain plasticity in patients with mild cognitive impairment or early Alzheimer's disease. The study showed changes in neural pathways correlated with increased memory performance on neuropsychological tests, suppo...
Researchers found that glatiramer acetate improved cognitive behavior and reduced amyloid plaques in a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease. This study suggests therapies targeting the immune system could be effective in treating the disease.
A new study suggests that greater cumulative estrogen exposure in life may counter the brain-shrinking effect of menopause. Women with longer reproductive years, more children, and hormone therapy showed increased gray matter volume in certain brain areas. This protective effect may help reduce Alzheimer's risk in women.
Researchers identified a gene family called MEF2 that controls a genetic program promoting resistance to cognitive decline. Enriching activities appear to activate MEF2, which may help prevent age-related dementia.
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy alleviated cognitive dysfunction, improved cerebral blood flow, and reduced amyloid burden in Alzheimer's disease models. In elderly patients with significant memory loss, HBOT showed an increase in cerebral blood flow and improvement in cognitive performance, demonstrating its therapeutic effects.
Researchers uncover how sensory inputs and cognitive processes interact in the brain to create our perception of the world. The study explores the neural basis of perceptual phenomena, shedding light on disorders like ADHD, autism, and Alzheimer's disease.
Severely malnourished children who consumed ready-to-use therapeutic food fortified with DHA showed significant improvement in gross and fine motor abilities, language proficiencies, and social skills. The findings suggest that reducing omega-6 fatty acid levels can also aid neurological development.
A new Dartmouth study found that a neural code shared across brains is responsible for recognizing familiar faces, including social and personal information. The study used hyperalignment to align brain responses into a common space, revealing high decoding accuracy in areas outside of visual processing.
A recent study suggests that Long-COVID symptoms, such as cognitive deficits and fatigue, may be attributed to fatigue rather than pathological changes in the brain. Neuroimaging results showed no significant differences in cerebral glucose metabolism or brain pathology between patients with long-COVID and healthy controls.
A chatbot tested with 338 individuals showed a 37% increase in positive views of vaccination and a 20% decrease in vaccine refusal after just a few minutes of interaction. The study suggests that the chatbot could be an effective tool to reduce vaccine hesitancy.
A study published in Nature Communications identifies a specific form of autism caused by an excessive number of synapses in the cerebral cortex, potentially guiding the development of future treatments. The research found that inhibiting mTOR protein activity can restore synaptic function and connectivity.