Articles tagged with Cognitive Neuroscience
Abhijit Das, a postdoctoral fellow at Kessler Foundation, was named to the NIDRR-sponsored ARRT Young Investigators Panel for his research on cognitive fatigue in multiple sclerosis. His work aims to convert knowledge about brain networks underlying fatigue into treatment protocols using non-invasive brain stimulation.
A team of researchers has discovered a genetic defect in the RMND1 gene linked to severe neurodegenerative disorders. The study reveals mutations in this gene can lead to early death in infants and has implications for understanding later-onset neurological diseases.
Teachers can utilize specific behaviors to increase students' emotional and cognitive interest, leading to greater engagement. Research found that immediacy behaviors stimulate emotional arousal, while clarity behaviors enhance structural understanding of course content.
Researchers Todd Gureckis and Douglas Markant examine the benefits of self-directed learning from a cognitive and computational perspective. They argue that this approach optimizes educational experiences by focusing on useful information and exposing learners to new sources. By understanding these processes, researchers can develop as...
A study defines boredom as an aversive state caused by difficulty paying attention to internal or external information required for engaging satisfying activities. The researchers hope to develop new strategies to ease the problems of boredom and address potential dangers associated with cognitive errors.
A Cornell University study challenges the long-held hierarchical structure of sentence construction, proposing instead that language uses simpler sequential structures. This concept has implications for understanding human communication abilities and their relationship to other species.
Researchers Dr. Helen Genova and Starla Weaver received three-year grants to investigate cognitive function after traumatic brain injury. They aim to develop strategies for rehabilitation using neuroimaging techniques like diffusion tensor imaging.
A new report highlights the cognitive factors that make misinformation sticky, including the need for cognitive effort to reject information. Effective strategies for debunking or counteracting erroneous beliefs include providing alternative narratives, focusing on facts rather than myths, and considering audience beliefs. Research has...
A study published in Journal of Consumer Research found that people vary widely on the level of detail required for understanding a product. Explanation fiends require more details to feel informed, while explanation foes feel confident with superficial explanations. Understanding what consumers want is crucial for marketers.
Cognitive training significantly reduces postoperative complications in coronary bypass surgery patients, improving attention and memory. Benefits are maintained over time, suggesting brain plasticity in older adults.
Jelana Stojanovic, a Kessler Foundation postdoctoral fellow, received the Research Award for Best Poster at the 2012 MS Centers Meeting. Her study used fNIRS to evaluate working memory performance in people with and without multiple sclerosis.
Dr. Chiaravalloti discusses the potential of functional MRI and behavioral therapies to target cognitive deficits in MS patients. Research suggests that these approaches may be effective in improving learning, memory, and processing speed in individuals with MS.
A new study published in Neurology says Gingko biloba does not improve cognitive performance in people with multiple sclerosis. The research followed up on earlier findings that suggested there may be some benefit, but found no cognitive benefits to using the supplement.
Researchers have identified a neural signature of affiliative experience in the human brain, using functional MRI to differentiate between positive and negative emotional experiences. The study's findings have implications for understanding emotions and neuropsychiatric conditions such as post-partum depression, psychopathy, and attach...
Intensive LSAT training strengthens brain connections involved in thinking and reasoning, potentially improving IQ scores. Brain imaging reveals increased connectivity between frontal lobes, and between frontal and parietal lobes.
A study published in Neurology found that obesity and metabolic abnormalities are associated with a faster decline in cognitive skills. People who were obese and had high blood pressure, low HDL cholesterol, or other risk factors experienced a significant decline in their cognitive test scores over a 10-year period.
A team of researchers at UC San Diego developed a multi-dimensional set of brain measurements that can accurately assess a child's age. The study, published in Current Biology, shows that the 'developmental clock' within the brain captures age differences well regardless of individual variability.
Carnegie Mellon's Marcel Just has made significant advancements in understanding how the brain processes information. He will give a keynote lecture on 'Changing Brains for Changing Times' at the Society for Text and Discourse's annual meeting, discussing how cultural and educational influences shape brain capabilities.
Researchers at MIT CSAIL discovered brain organizes objects based on size, with distinct regions for big and small objects. This finding has major implications for fields like robotics and could lead to better understanding of brain organization and mapping information.
A Baylor University study reveals that juvenile rats build up a physical tolerance to alcohol but not cognitive impairment. This finding has significant implications for understanding adolescent behavior and the development of alcoholism.
Lily Jan and Yuh Nung Jan receive the award for their fundamental contributions to understanding potassium channel function, neuronal morphologies, and developmental neuroscience. They have mentored numerous students and postdoctoral fellows, inspiring new generations of researchers.
A new systematic review found no benefit from omega-3 supplements on cognitive health in older adults, but suggests longer-term effects are worth investigating. The researchers recommend eating fish as part of a healthy diet to support brain health.
A new study by Stanford and USC researchers found no significant difference in overall mental abilities between postmenopausal women who took soy supplements and those who didn't. The 2.5-year study also showed a potential gain in visual memory for women taking the supplements, but emphasized the need for further research.
Researchers found that babies seek out situations with just the right amount of surprise or complexity to capture their attention. The findings suggest that babies are active information seekers who can predict what happens next based on previous observations.
A large study suggests dementia incidence in middle-income countries is similar to higher-income countries, with education and literacy providing significant protection against the disease. Individuals with dementia face a nearly three-fold increased risk of dying compared to those without.
A study by Marc Berman found that nature walks improved memory performance after a walk in nature, compared to an urban environment. Participants showed a 16 percent increase in attention and working memory, but no significant improvement in depressive mood.
A new study found that people engage in media multitasking despite knowing it impairs their performance, as it provides an emotional boost. The research recruited 32 college students to record their activities for four weeks, showing that multitasking was more likely when cognitive or habitual needs were present.
Researchers argue that a youthful brain can be maintained through engagement and lifestyle choices, rather than just compensating for age-related decline. Engagement, including social, mental, and physical stimulation, has been shown to promote better cognitive performance in older adults.
A study published in PLoS ONE suggests that the number-line concept is not an innate human intuition but a culturally acquired tool. The research, conducted with indigenous Yupno adults in Papua New Guinea, found that precise number concepts can exist independently of linear spatial representations.
Karl Deisseroth, Edward Boyden, and Feng Zhang received the $10,000 award for developing optogenetics to control neural circuits. This technique has revolutionized neuroscience by allowing selective stimulation of neurons associated with behaviors.
Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University and AT&T found that a vibrating steering wheel reduces driver distraction by 4-9% compared to traditional GPS systems. The study suggests personalizing sensory feedback based on age may improve driver performance and safety.
Scientists have mapped the physical architecture of intelligence in the brain using a large pool of volunteer participants with brain injuries. The study identified specific brain regions and connections essential for general intelligence, planning, and executive function.
Two studies published in Neurology find that memory decline accelerates in the two- and-a-half years before death, while mentally stimulating activities like reading and board games may help preserve cognitive function during late life.
Researchers found that memory decline speeds up in the last two-and-a-half years of life compared to previous stages, with mentally active individuals showing better cognitive health. Activities such as reading and playing board games were linked to preserved memory during late life.
Bilingualism has been shown to improve cognitive reserve and sustain better cognitive performance throughout the lifespan, potentially delaying dementia onset. Lifelong experience managing multiple languages reorganizes specific brain networks, creating a more effective basis for executive control.
A new study published in BioMed Central shows that cognitive training can improve reasoning, memory, language, and hand-eye coordination in healthy older adults. The results suggest that this type of training may help prevent mental decline and promote independent living among elderly individuals.
A new study identifies the QWERTY effect, where words typed with more letters on the right are associated with more positive emotions. The research challenges the traditional view that word meanings are independent of their forms.
A new study by USC researchers reveals that creativity requires both hemispheres of the brain, with the left hemisphere playing a crucial supporting role. The study found that visual creative tasks lit up the left hemisphere more than non-creative tasks, indicating its potential importance in creative thinking.
Helen Genova, a researcher at Kessler Foundation, has received the Women of Excellence Award in Health Sciences for her groundbreaking studies on cognitive fatigue in individuals with multiple sclerosis. Her innovative approach using functional MRI aims to develop more effective strategies for maintaining cognition and quality of life.
A study published in Neuron found that intensive computerized cognitive training exercises can improve complex cognitive functions and social cognition in people with schizophrenia. The training improved the ability to distinguish internal thoughts from reality, coinciding with increased activation in the medial prefrontal cortex.
A study published in Radiology found that computer-assisted cognitive rehabilitation improved attention and information processing skills in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis. The rehabilitation program showed modifications in brain activity correlated with cognitive improvement, without structural changes in the brain.
A computerized cognitive training program has been shown to improve reality-monitoring tasks and social functioning in individuals with schizophrenia. The study found that 16 weeks of intensive training was associated with increased activation of the medial prefrontal cortex, a critical brain region for reality-monitoring processes.
A study found that the ventral striatum in the brain drives motivation during actions requiring physical and mental effort. The researchers discovered a general motivational system, activating both cognitive and motor parts of the brain depending on task difficulty.
Researchers found that playing World of Warcraft improved spatial ability and focus in older adults who scored poorly on cognitive tests before playing the game. However, memory performance showed no significant improvement.
A new study published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society reveals that brief cognitive screenings combined with further evaluation increased diagnoses of cognitive impairment by two to three fold. Researchers found that veterans aged 70 and older who failed the screen were more likely to have dementia.
Researchers at McGill University discovered how the brain processes visual information to detect motion and collisions. Using mathematical models and recording techniques, they found that specific neurons in the brain's visual cortex respond selectively to motion patterns.
A recent study published by Archives of General Psychiatry found a strong association between smoking and more rapid cognitive decline in men. The study analyzed data from over 5,000 men and women in the Whitehall II cohort study, revealing that continued smoking was linked to greater cognitive decline.
A study published in Neurology found that high levels of beta-amyloid in the brain are associated with subtle changes in memory and mental function in healthy adults. The study, which involved 137 participants aged 30-89, also linked higher amounts of beta-amyloid to lower test scores in working memory, reasoning, and processing speed.
Researchers found that elderly individuals with high insulin sensitivity had larger brains and better verbal fluency skills compared to those with low insulin sensitivity. Higher insulin sensitivity was also associated with more grey matter in regions important for language skills.
A new study reveals that people with no symptoms of Alzheimer's who engaged in cognitively stimulating activities throughout their lives had fewer deposits of beta-amyloid, a destructive protein that is the hallmark of the disease. Lifelong cognitive engagement may affect a primary pathological process in the disease, suggesting potent...
Researchers found conservatives react more strongly to unpleasant images and focus on negative stimuli, while liberals respond more to positive stimuli. This study provides insights into the growing notion that political leanings are partially products of biology.
Researchers found a direct association between cognitive engagement and lower levels of β-amyloid protein, which is associated with Alzheimer's disease. Participants who engaged in cognitively stimulating activities had reduced β-amyloid uptake, while those with the lowest activity had higher uptake comparable to patients with AD.
Research suggests that estrogen can improve mood in women, particularly during the premenstrual phase. Studies have shown a significant increase in activity in brain areas related to emotional processing premenstrually, and estrogen has been linked to reduced symptoms of depression and anxiety in postmenopausal women.
A team of MIT cognitive scientists found that ambiguity in language allows for the reuse of short, efficient sounds that listeners can easily disambiguate with context. This theory contradicts previous arguments that ambiguity is a problem for communication, suggesting it's actually a key to making language more efficient.
A new study found that virtual-reality enhanced interactive exercise, such as exergames, yields greater cognitive benefits than traditional exercise for older adults, with a 23% reduction in progression to mild cognitive impairment. Interactive features like competition and 3D scenery may contribute to these benefits.
A study found that messiness can lead consumers to prefer simpler products and think more clearly, particularly for conservative individuals. This effect is attributed to heuristic information processing, which simplifies product representations.
A new study by Kessler Foundation found that memory retraining using the modified Story Memory Technique (mSMT) increases cerebral activation in patients with multiple sclerosis. This suggests that behavioral interventions can positively affect brain function in MS, validating the clinical utility of cognitive rehabilitation.
A recent study published in Neuron reveals that rare genetic mutations, specifically copy number variants, contribute significantly to the risk of early onset bipolar disorder. These findings suggest that de novo mutations play a crucial role in the development of the disease, which appears in childhood or early adulthood.
Researchers at UCLA's Laboratory of Integrative Neuroimaging Technology use functional MRI brain scans to study mental activity patterns. They employ computerized machine learning methods to identify cognitive states and anticipate neurocognitive changes similar to predictive text-entry for cell phones and Internet search engines.
Jordan Grafman, director of traumatic brain injury research, has received the prestigious Humboldt Research Award for his significant contributions to understanding brain function and behavior. The award recognizes his work on cognitive neuroplasticity and its applications in medicine, rehabilitation, and psychology.