Articles tagged with Cognitive Neuroscience
Researchers at University of Rochester discovered that neural noise enhances brain's processing and enables decision-making in uncertain environments. The 'noise' is actually the brain's optimal format for running Bayesian computations, making it easier to compute complex answers.
Scientists at Stanford University used gene therapy to improve memory and learning in rats under stress, blocking the negative effects of steroids. The experimental technique transforms harmful corticoids into beneficial estrogens, potentially reducing cognitive side effects of steroids.
A new dementia screening tool developed by Saint Louis University has been shown to detect mild cognitive problems in the elderly that were missed by the Mini Mental Status Examination. The tool, known as SLUMS, is more sensitive and can help clinicians identify patients with mild neurocognitive disorder on initial visit.
A study found that eating at least 2.8 servings of vegetables daily slows the rate of cognitive change in older adults by 40%, equivalent to about five years of younger age. Green leafy vegetables had the strongest association with slowing cognitive decline.
Researchers found that internet-accessible computer activities improved cognition in patients with Alzheimer's disease, even after the disease had advanced. The study showed that tasks aimed at increasing or maintaining mental function have a place in treating Alzheimer's alongside pharmacotherapy.
A study of 3,718 residents found that eating at least 2.8 servings of vegetables per day slowed cognitive change by 40% compared to those who consumed less than one serving per day.
Nicotine exposure at a young age can alter brain development, leading to future addiction risk. The study found molecular changes in the brain that break down nerve cell membranes, especially in males.
A study of 2,223 healthy men and women found that those with high body mass index (BMI) scores performed worse on cognitive tests than those with low BMI scores. The study suggests a possible link between obesity and cognitive decline in middle-aged adults.
A study published by the American Academy of Neurology found that long-term lead exposure is linked to cognitive decline in older adults. The researchers tested 985 participants and found higher tibia lead levels were consistently associated with worse cognitive performance on tests, equivalent to two to six years of aging.
Researchers found a brain region that also responds to objects like cars, animals, and sculptures, challenging current face perception theories. The discovery suggests the need for a new model of how the brain recognizes faces and objects.
Research reveals that brief morning exposure to bright white light significantly boosts alertness and modulates brain responses in areas involved in attention and non-visual cognitive processes. The effects are highly dynamic, dissipating within minutes.
Jeff Elman's work in connectionism and artificial neural networks has led to breakthroughs in speech perception, language processing, and cognition. His creation of the TRACE model and Simple Recurrent Network has been widely used to simulate human behavior.
Researchers at MIT's Picower Institute for Learning and Memory have developed a state-of-the-art imaging system that allows them to directly visualize molecular activity within individual neurons in the brain of live animals. This breakthrough enables the observation of changes in neuronal activity in response to environmental stimuli,...
A computer card game called FreeCell has been adapted to detect early signs of dementia by assessing players' planning and efficiency. Researchers found that the game can distinguish between cognitively healthy elders and those with mild cognitive impairment, suggesting potential for early treatment strategies.
A new UCLA study found that brain activity responds differently to opposition candidate's face depending on the viewer's party affiliation. The brain's cognitive networks regulate emotions in response to opposing candidates' faces, with increased negative feelings toward opponents and positive feelings toward favorites.
A study found that mild sadness can provoke depressive thinking in some recovered patients, leading to a higher risk of relapse. Cognitive behavioral therapy and antidepressant medication were tested on 301 patients with major depressive disorder, showing that those who displayed greater cognitive reactivity were more likely to relapse.
The brain's craving for a fix motivates humans to absorb knowledge at an optimal rate, driven by the release of natural opiates. This theory, proposed by USC Professor Irving Biederman, suggests that knowledge addiction has strong evolutionary value due to its correlation with perceived intelligence.
The Aymara language locates the past ahead and the future behind, defying the conventional spatial metaphor for chronology. The study's findings suggest that cognition of everyday abstractions like time is partly a cultural phenomenon.
Researchers identified three brain regions - dorsal anterior cingulate and left and right frontal operculum - as core components in creating task sets. These regions help determine which brain areas contribute to a cognitive task and when they play a part, according to the study published in Neuron.
Dr. Joseph Culotti's research into nerve cell growth and migration may lead to future spinal cord repair processes. He was awarded the $50,000 Barbara Turnbull Prize in recognition of his contributions to world-leading spinal cord research in Canada.
The NIH Cognitive and Emotional Health Project aims to coordinate research on interventions for neurological health. The report highlights the interconnectedness between cognitive and emotional health, emphasizing the need to examine them simultaneously.
Researchers isolate causes of cognitive loss following coronary artery bypass surgery, finding that minimal aortic movement significantly reduces neurological deficits. The study suggests that emboli are the cause of cognitive problems, and patients who did not use the heart-lung machine had fewer emboli.
Researchers will use fMRI technology to map brain regions active during speech and language tasks in healthy subjects, with data from stroke patients used to correlate language deficits with damage to specific brain areas.
Neurons in the inferior colliculus of the brain can detect changes in pitch, loudness, and duration of sounds, as well as complex patterns. These 'novelty detector neurons' prevent unimportant sounds from reaching the cortex, enabling people to ignore background noises.
A new perspective on cortical development suggests that genetic and environmental factors interact to shape brain regions. Researchers, led by Mriganka Sur, have discovered that transcription factors play a key role in controlling cell growth and connectivity during early prenatal development.
The SAGE Center will foster interdisciplinary research on the human mind, integrating social sciences, arts, humanities, and natural sciences. Michael Gazzaniga aims to build a powerful new center focused on understanding the unique nature of the human mind.
Researchers found that monkeys demonstrate a significant semantic congruity effect when making numerical comparisons, similar to humans. The study used colored cues to instruct monkeys to choose larger or smaller numbers, showing high accuracy and speed in the task.
Two patients with a rare illness lost ability to perceive their own body, yet could correctly guess weight of boxes lifted by others. They relied on internal simulation to interpret body movements, suggesting our brains simulate others' actions to understand their intentions.
Research found a link between high blood homocysteine levels and decreased cognitive performance in individuals over 60. Taking vitamin B12, B6, and folate supplements may help prevent mild cognitive deficit in older adults.
The PALS (Population-Average, Landmark-, and Surface-based) atlas provides a comprehensive map of the human cerebral cortex, combining data from multiple individuals to improve accuracy. The atlas has already helped scientists understand how genetic disorders affect brain structure and function.
Research by Dr. Dennis Foth and Dr. Gordon Thompson found that mental declines related to aging are not universal and can be improved with a lifetime of good mental habits. Activities such as reading, traveling, and learning new skills can help maintain cognitive abilities throughout life.
Georgetown University researcher aims to create mathematical model of how the brain recognizes objects in different scenes. His work has applications in artificial intelligence and understanding neurodevelopmental disorders like autism.
A new clinical trial at UT Southwestern Medical Center has shown that cognitive therapy can effectively treat recurrent depression in patients. The study, which involves 16-20 sessions of cognitive therapy over 12 weeks, has been shown to improve treatment outcomes for individuals with major depressive disorder (MDD).
A new study found that cognitive therapy significantly reduced repeat suicide attempts among participants, with a 50% decrease in such attempts. The therapy was effective in reducing depressive symptoms and improving coping mechanisms.
Researchers found that language comprehension involves continuous processing and competition between representations, contradicting traditional discrete models. The study used mouse movements to track students' processing of words, revealing curved trajectories indicating gradual ambiguity resolution.
Researchers at Northwestern University discovered that brain regions involved in information integration shift depending on cognitive task. Dynamic Causal Modeling revealed that specific regions, like the lateral temporal cortex and intraparietal sulcus, act as convergence zones integrating information from other parts of the brain.
Research suggests long-term cancer survivors may experience increased cognitive impairment, with 15% showing signs of cognitive dysfunction. The study's findings highlight the need for further research into potential causes and possible treatments.
A new study found that exercise can delay the development of Alzheimer's-like brain changes in mice by decreasing beta-amyloid levels. Exercise was shown to improve learning and memory in mice with AD-like pathology, suggesting a potential mechanism for reducing cognitive decline.
A new gene therapy approach has shown promising results in slowing the progression of Alzheimer's disease by reducing cognitive decline. The therapy, which involves delivering nerve growth factor to the brain, demonstrated significant improvements in patients' mental status and brain activity.
Research reveals that humans have a limited capacity for processing multiple variables simultaneously, with performance decreasing significantly as problem complexity rises. The study found that academics struggled to accurately solve problems involving four or more variables, often reporting feelings of information loss and confusion.
The CCEN team will investigate how social, emotional and cultural factors influence learning, as well as the mechanisms of human learning across contexts. The center aims to carry out basic research on how people learn and connect scientists with practitioners to effect meaningful change in the lives of students.
The new center aims to connect scientists with teachers to effect meaningful change in student learning outcomes. The CCEN will conduct basic research on how people learn, focusing on brain mechanisms involved in language, science, reading, and math acquisition.
A study of 295 older men found that those who maintained daily physical activity had less cognitive decline than those who reduced or stopped activity. Physical activities of medium-to-low intensity, such as walking three miles per day, were associated with the least cognitive decline.
A recent study found that people with mild Alzheimer's disease are more likely to make driving errors during a route-following task, including wrong turns and safety errors. However, those familiar with the area drove safely, suggesting that familiar routes may be exempt from restrictions for drivers with early dementia.
Scientists have pinpointed the site of a defect in a brain circuit associated with Williams Syndrome, a genetic disorder that affects thinking and cognitive abilities. The study used MRI scans to identify a small region in the brain's white matter that lacked grey matter in people with the disorder.
Feldman et al report that donepezil treatment for six days is associated with a total societal cost saving of $224 per patient. The American Brain Coalition (ABC) was established to advocate for increased support for biomedical research.
The studies confirm SEROQUEL's effectiveness across a range of schizophrenia symptoms, including positive and negative symptoms, and cognitive functioning. Cognitive improvements were seen in patients treated with SEROQUEL.
Researchers found that despite conflicting visual and tactile inputs, the brain keeps them separate, leading to 'cognitive dissonance.' The study used a visual illusion to trick subjects into perceiving motion in one direction or another. Brain activity scans revealed the middle temporal visual center responding to both visual and tact...
A Phase I study conducted at UCSD showed promising early indications of reduced disease advancement in patients with early-stage Alzheimer's disease. The subjects who successfully completed the surgery showed a 50% reduction in their annual rate of decline on one of the measured cognitive scales.
A study found that moderate iron deficiency negatively impacts cognitive functioning in women aged 18-35, while iron supplementation reverses this effect. The study's findings have significant implications for the prevalence of iron deficiency, which affects over two billion people worldwide.
A study published in The Journal of Cognitive Rehabilitation found that computer-assisted cognitive rehabilitation improved treatment response for individuals with substance abuse. Participants who received the rehabilitation program stayed longer in treatment and had higher graduation rates compared to those who did not receive it.
A recent study from Ohio State University found that listening to music during exercise improves verbal fluency test scores in cardiac rehabilitation patients. The study also revealed that participants reported feeling better emotionally and mentally after working out regardless of whether they listened to music.
A study by researchers at University College London found that when participants were lifting a heavy box, they perceived the weight of an actor's lifted box as lighter than it actually was. This suggests that our brains use simulation theory to understand others' actions, which can lead to biased judgments in social situations. Accord...
The Kavli Institute for Brain Science at Columbia University will focus on analyzing and deciphering neural signaling in complex brain systems. Dr. Eric Kandel, a Nobel laureate, is the first director of the institute.
Researchers found a strong link between increased stroke risk and lower cognitive function in individuals who have never had a stroke or dementia. The study suggests that preventing stroke risk factors may also help prevent cognitive decline.
The Assistment system, developed using Carnegie Mellon's Cognitive Tutor technology, provides individualized tutoring and adapts to students' knowledge gaps. The system aims to improve student performance on standardized tests in Massachusetts and beyond.
A study of older Catholic nuns found that those prone to negative emotions like depression and anxiety were more likely to develop Alzheimer's disease. This suggests that psychological distress may be a risk factor for the disease, rather than an early sign.
A study at Dartmouth College suggests that harboring racial bias makes negotiating interracial interactions more cognitively demanding. The researchers found that brain activity in response to black faces predicted performance on cognitive tasks after actual interactions.
Researchers found neurons in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) respond to discrepancies between intentions and actual events, indicating that the brain monitors the consequences of actions. The study used detailed studies measuring neural activity in macaque monkeys performing tasks requiring self-control.
A recent study suggests that menopause is not associated with an increase in cognitive decline, contrary to previous research. The Study of Women Across the Nation (SWAN) followed over 3,300 women across five ethnic groups, finding improved scores in most groups and minimal decline linked to menopause.