Articles tagged with Cognitive Neuroscience
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A new study found that loneliness grows as people age, with a U-shaped pattern of higher levels in younger and older adulthood. Factors associated with persistent loneliness include social isolation, lower education, income, and functional limitations, as well as being divorced or widowed, a smoker, or having poorer health.
A culturally-responsive training intervention based on science of reading and math improved comprehension, visualization, and connection-making skills among 66 third-grade English language learners. The program enhanced students' performance in math by utilizing direct and explicit teaching methods, focusing on key cognitive concepts.
A study by Eötvös Loránd University found that a combination of cognitive and physical therapy improved the behavior and engagement of older dogs. However, it was discovered that cognitive exercise alone had no positive effects, while physical activity alone showed modest improvements in flexibility and friendliness.
Researchers found that a high single dose of creatine can temporarily improve cognitive performance reduced by sleep deprivation. This was seen in improvements in processing capacity and short-term memory.
A new study assesses cognitive impairment over time in adults with essential tremor, finding a cumulative prevalence of 26.6% for mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and 18.5% for dementia. Early detection is crucial to slow further cognitive decline and improve quality of life.
A new study found that better heart health in middle-aged Black women is linked to reduced cognitive decline and preserved brain function. However, this benefit was not observed among white women. The study suggests that taking care of one's heart may have a positive impact on brain function and overall well-being.
Beta bursts regulate neuron activity to implement cognitive control, enabling flexible but controlled patterns of neural activity for intentional thought. Studying these bursts could aid in diagnosing and treating cognitive disorders, including ADHD, schizophrenia, and Alzheimer's disease.
Research found that higher light levels increase activity in the posterior hypothalamus, leading to improved cognitive performance during executive tasks. In contrast, lower light levels decreased activity in this region, negatively correlating with cognitive performance.
A new study by UNC-Chapel Hill researcher Jennifer E. Arnold examines how people use 'they/them' pronouns in a spoken storytelling context. The findings show that college-aged speakers are able to adopt and use nonbinary 'they' with ease, suggesting a natural process of language change.
A study published in Cell Reports found that environmental factors play a significant role in shaping metacognitive abilities, including mentalizing. The researchers used twin studies to investigate the interplay between genetics and environment on cognitive processing.
A new study found that people with cognitively stimulating occupations during midlife had a lower risk of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and dementia after age 70. The researchers analyzed data from over 300 jobs and found that high occupational cognitive demands were related to lower risks of MCI and dementia.
A study published by the American Academy of Neurology found that people with jobs requiring more complex thinking had a lower risk of mild cognitive impairment after age 70. Cognitive stimulation at work during different stages of life was linked to reduced risk of mild cognitive impairment.
A recent study reveals the 3D structure of Asc1, a protein gate that controls amino acid transport in neurons. The findings provide crucial information to develop new drugs for neurological disorders such as schizophrenia, stroke, and ALS.
The study suggests that understanding brain rhythms is critical for developing effective treatments for neurological disorders like schizophrenia, epilepsy, and Parkinson's. Cognition emerges from the coordinated activity of millions of neurons via electric fields, known as brain waves or rhythms.
Researchers from the University of Rochester found that blinking allows brains to process visual information more effectively, providing a new understanding of how humans see. By modulating visual input, blinks reformulate visual signals, enabling better perception of big patterns and overall visual scenes.
Researchers discovered that rats without prior knowledge of numbers can develop a sense of numbers when trained with sounds representing two or three numbers. The study found that the brain has a specific area for dealing with numbers, which is separate from the processing of magnitude.
A new review links poverty and low socioeconomic status to brain changes that influence educational attainment, psychiatric illness, and language development. Chronic stress, poor nutrition, and environmental hazards can impair brain development, leading to negative consequences for individuals and families.
A randomized controlled trial found that co-administration of probiotic and vitamin D supplements improved MoCA scores and increased the percentage of patients with normal cognition in individuals with schizophrenia. The study suggests that probiotics may be a novel way to treat mental disorders by regulating gut microbiota.
A noninvasive brain stimulation treatment, transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), improved depression and anxiety symptoms among older adults. The treatment benefits persisted at a one-year follow-up, particularly among those with moderate to severe state anxiety.
A study of 156 severe COVID-19 survivors found that nearly two-thirds experienced persistent impairments after one year, including physical, respiratory, psychiatric, and cognitive problems. The study highlights the life-altering impact of SARS-CoV-2 on these individuals, many of whom required long-term acute care hospitalization.
A new study by Kessler Foundation scientist Glenn Wylie will independently investigate brain networks associated with 'state' fatigue in MS. The research aims to validate 'state' measures of fatigue and offer a more accurate assessment of primary fatigue, potentially improving the quality of life for individuals living with MS.
Concordia researchers use network analysis to study cognitive decline, identifying key variables that predict subtle changes in brain function. Executive function and processing speed are found to be strongly influential, with age affecting cognition differently for those with mild cognitive impairment or Alzheimer's disease.
Research analyzed over 130 studies to find that touch benefits mental health, especially when administered by parents to infants. Touch can reduce pain, depression, and anxiety in adults, with a positive effect on cardiovascular factors.
A large naturalistic study found ECT to be effective in reducing illness severity for depression, bipolar depression, schizophrenia, and mania. Common side effects included confusion and cognitive impairment, but rare complications such as prolonged seizures and cardiovascular issues were also reported.
Researchers found that subjective fatigue did not increase until 2 hours of play, while pupillary constriction occurred at 2 and 3 hours, indicating cognitive fatigue despite varying levels of expertise. This suggests that monitoring pupil constriction could help detect cognitive resource depletion in mentally demanding environments.
A Mayo Clinic study suggests that active workstations, incorporating walking pads, bikes, and standing desks, can improve neurocognitive function and reduce sedentary time without reducing job performance. The study found improved reasoning scores when participants used active workstations compared to sitting.
The study found that the cerebellum uses information about errors to refine movement and contributes to cognitive functions. The posterior lateral region of the cerebellum is interconnected with the prefrontal cortex and helps shape cognition.
Researchers at Eötvös Loránd University discovered that dogs have a 'canine g factor' similar to humans, influencing cognitive abilities and ageing patterns. The study found a global cognitive decline in dogs over two and a half years, with poorer health affecting the rate of decline.
A blended antioxidant supplement improved spatial learning ability and short-term memory in supplement-treated aged mice. The discovery suggests that the supplements may also prevent age-related cognitive decline in humans and mitigate muscle frailty.
Researchers developed a smartphone cognitive testing app that detects early signs of FTD in gene carriers before symptoms appear. The app was found to be comparable to gold-standard methods and may enable greater participation in clinical trials.
The study reveals that smartphone-based cognitive assessments can provide reliable and valid results for diagnosing frontotemporal lobar degeneration. These findings suggest a scalable solution for remote evaluations, which may enhance early detection.
Research on aphantasia, a condition where people cannot visualize images in their mind's eye, reveals its subtypes and links to variations in physiology and behavior. A review of nearly 50 studies found that aphantasia is not a disorder but rather a variation in human experience with both advantages and disadvantages.
Molecular quantum computing may connect quantum biology and cognitive science through shared concepts like quantum degrees of freedom. Researchers explore potential links between charge movement, spin states, and biological processes in neurons and photosynthesis.
Early bilingualism may protect theory of mind abilities against normal age-related declines. The research team found that early bilingualism was associated with higher gray matter volume, greater cortical thickness, and larger surface area in brain regions involved in mental state inferences and language processes.
Academics from the University of Birmingham suggest a new approach to identifying consciousness in babies, building on adult markers. They propose clustering markers across early and late development stages to pinpoint emergence.
Research highlights advances in developmental executive functions study from Latin American regions, finding both universality and cultural specificity in EFs development. This contextualized approach fosters effective pathways for supporting children's cognitive and emotional development.
Researchers argue that middle age marks a shift in brain aging and should be a focus for more research. The study identified changes in the brain's structure, function, and gene expression during this period.
A new study highlights the importance of differentiating between formal and functional competence in language learning models. Researchers argue that leveraging human neuroscience insights can help develop more powerful AIs that mimic the brain's modularity, leading to improved performance and natural user interaction.
People with dementia experience declines in social well-being as their disease progresses, while caregivers become isolated due to caregiving responsibilities. Experts recommend screening for loneliness and finding ways to keep individuals socially connected to improve quality of life and reduce health outcomes.
Researchers from UNIGE have developed an AI that can learn a task solely based on verbal instructions, then describe it to another AI, which reproduces the task. This breakthrough is promising for robotics and understanding human language.
A new pilot study explores the effectiveness of an artificial intelligence-supplemented Cognitive Behaviour Therapy for Perfectionism (CBT-P) intervention for young people with anxiety and depression. The research suggests that AI tools could provide strong guidance through a therapy program, while parent support is also crucial in hel...
A Duke University-led study suggests that targeting disadvantaged neighborhoods for dementia prevention programs could help lower dementia risk. People living in poorer neighborhoods show early signs of cognitive decline and have measurably poorer brain health as early as age 45, regardless of their own personal income or education.
A new study found that the brains of polyglots process their native language with minimal effort, while more proficient languages activate the language network stronger. The researchers explored how polyglots' brains respond to different languages and proficiency levels.
Researchers at Brown University's Carney Institute for Brain Science discovered how the brain coordinates attention and filtering functions to perform complex tasks. The study found that multiple brain regions work together to adjust focus and filter out distractions, providing insight into human cognitive flexibility.
A new study published in JAMA Dermatology reveals that children with atopic dermatitis are more likely to experience difficulties in learning and memory. The research suggests that neurodevelopmental comorbidities such as ADHD or learning disabilities may play a key role in this association.
Researchers at MIT discovered that daily exposure to light and sound with a frequency of 40 hertz protects brain cells from chemotherapy-induced damage, preventing memory loss and improving cognitive functions. The treatment also helped prevent DNA damage, inflammation, and promoted the growth of oligodendrocytes, the cells responsible...
Neuroscientists used wireless recording technology to investigate decision-making in rhesus monkeys foraging for food. The results show that monkeys learned to weigh time and past success when choosing between boxes, with longer wait times leading to more rewards.
Researchers found that bumblebees can learn multi-step tasks through social interaction, even when struggling individually. The study revealed that bees could acquire complex behaviors beyond their individual cognitive capabilities, challenging the traditional view of human exclusivity in social learning.
A new study suggests that personal recovery, defined as living a full meaningful life despite illness limitations, can prevent serious mental health problems. Key elements of recovery include understanding mental health challenges, finding purpose and meaning, and receiving support.
A study investigates the social dynamics of cohabiting family dogs using a new tool, the Dog Rank Assessment Questionnaire (DRA-Q). The results show that DRA-Q can assess rank relationships between family dogs in a meaningful way, making it useful for investigating social dynamics and measuring hierarchy firmness.
A global study finds that people from different cultures favor simple integer ratios in music rhythms, but with varying degrees of bias. The research team gathered data from 39 groups across 15 countries and found a degree of universality in music perception and cognition.
Researchers found that individuals with mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) struggle with ambiguous sentences, indicating a key deficit in processing complex language. This deficit is independent of memory loss and may serve as an additional 'cognitive biomarker' for early detection.
A new study shows that placental oxygen levels are a crucial predictor of cortical growth and childhood cognition and behavior. The study used MRI imaging to demonstrate the connection between placental health and fetal brain health.
Scientists have discovered that the bat brainstem processes echolocation and communication calls differently, with a stronger response to less frequent calls due to better neural synchronization. The findings may also be relevant to medical applications in humans, such as understanding diseases like ADHD or schizophrenia.
Scientists have uncovered a novel form of MRI scan that shows how Long-COVID affects the human brain's delicate network of blood vessels. The study found disruption to the integrity of blood vessels in patients with Long COVID and brain fog, highlighting a potential target for targeted therapies.
A new study published in eClinicalMedicine found that the iTalkBetter app significantly improved patients' ability to talk after six weeks of use. The app provided digital speech therapy for over 200 commonly used words, with a 13% increase in naming items and improvements in spontaneous speech.
Research published in General Psychiatry finds a J-shaped association between dietary thiamine intake (0.68mg/day) and cognitive decline in cognitively healthy older Chinese individuals, with optimal maintenance dose below 1mg/day.
The brain is wired to learn from people who are liked, making connections and updates more likely when faced with information from familiar individuals. This study shows how our brains draw inferences and remember selectively, influencing polarization and knowledge resistance.
Researchers developed a new machine learning method to analyze brain data, separating intrinsic neural patterns from sensory inputs. The method revealed surprisingly consistent hidden patterns in three subjects' neural activity despite different tasks.
A recent twin study published in Human Brain Mapping has found that genetics play a significant role in brain activity during emotional and cognitive tasks, with some factors being exclusive to environment. The study used functional MRI scans on twins to analyze the relationship between genetics and environment in brain function.