Articles tagged with Cognitive Neuroscience
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.
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 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...
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.
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.
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.
A study of 11,000 children found that maternal tobacco use during pregnancy is associated with enduring deficits in childhood neurocognition. Continued research on the link between maternal tobacco use and cognitive performance is needed.
Researchers connected cognitive and behavioral symptoms to protein buildup in the brain marking the disease. The study showed a clear relationship between CTE pathology and severity of cognitive and functional symptoms during life.
A study by WVU researcher Nancy McIntyre reveals that individuals with ADHD tend to use routines and patterns to store stimuli from their environment, allowing them to make connections and file away resources for future use. This helps entrepreneurs with ADHD excel in qualities such as alertness, adaptability, and entrepreneurial intent.
Researchers found that alternative brain regions can take on impaired areas' roles to compensate for age-related cognitive decline. The cuneus and bilateral frontal cortex showed increased activation with age, supporting functional compensation and maintaining proper cognitive performance.
Researchers found that older adults' brains recruit the cuneus region and frontal cortex to improve performance on fluid intelligence tasks, compensating for age-related cognitive decline. This new finding suggests alternative compensation mechanisms beyond previously assumed networks.
A study published at the American Stroke Association's International Stroke Conference 2024 found that treating people with ischemic stroke with intravenous injections of a combination of biologically active components of ginkgo biloba during the first two weeks after the stroke improved early cognitive recovery. The treatment, called ...
A preliminary study presented at the American Stroke Association's International Stroke Conference 2024 found that lifetime exposure to sexual assault and other traumatic stressors can negatively impact subsequent stroke recovery. Researchers analyzed data from the STRONG study and discovered that stroke survivors exposed to sexual ass...
The Cognitive Neuroscience Society Conference in Toronto will explore the nature of thought and cognition. Registered press members will have access to scientific talks, posters, and receptions.
Researchers discovered the brain uses a process called temporal scaling to adjust processing of time, allowing for flexibility in behavior. This finding may have implications for understanding how our brains enable us to interact with the world.
A study at Lake Okeechobee found that a faith-based approach increased ADRD diagnoses from 0.9% to 24.3%, with 55.3% of participants receiving referrals for further testing and treatment.
A new study confirms that the predominant outcome of non-fatal pediatric drowning is locked-in syndrome. Researchers found that 60% of children who survived drowning events were classified as locked in, with cognitive and sensory networks preserved in their brains.
A KAIST research team led by Professor Hawoong Jung identified the principle behind musical instincts emerging from the human brain without special learning using an artificial neural network model. The study found that cognitive functions for music forms spontaneously as a result of processing auditory information received from nature.
A new MIT study found that children from lower socioeconomic backgrounds show less sensitivity to rewarding experiences, which can impact motivation and attention. The research suggests that the brain adapts to its environment by dampening its response to rewards, making it less responsive in low SES environments.
A NTU Singapore study found that ageing alters brain cells' communication, leading to weakening connections and poorer memory in middle-aged mice. The research suggests strengthening these connections through memory training may delay age-related working memory decline.
A new study using generative AI models simulated how the brain learns and remembers events, revealing how memories are re-constructed in our minds. The model showed how the hippocampus and neocortex work together to create efficient 'conceptual' representations of scenes, enabling us to both recall past experiences and imagine new ones.
A meta-analysis of 5,000 participants found that daily multivitamins showed benefits for memory and global cognition. The study suggests that taking a daily multivitamin can help prevent memory loss and slow down cognitive aging by the equivalent of two years compared to placebo.
Researchers analyzed 241 studies of CBT-I for chronic insomnia and found that cognitive restructuring, third-wave components, sleep restriction, stimulus control, and in-person delivery were the most effective strategies. In-person interaction with a therapist was more beneficial than self-help guides.
This special issue highlights promising research projects developing scalable digital technology solutions for improved heart and brain health. Smartphone-based assessments and point-of-care echocardiography have shown promise in diverse populations, including those with latent rheumatic heart disease and dementia.
A West Virginia University study found that teens' personality traits and social media platform use are linked to depressive symptoms. Teens with higher levels of extraversion tend to experience fewer depressive symptoms on Instagram, while those with lower extraversion may be at risk for more severe symptoms.
A new study will compare the effects of a single bout of cycling alone to two different cycling experiences enhanced with VR technology. The goal is to uncover the relationship between sensory demand and acute improvements in processing speed, informing future research on exercise training for long-term benefits.
A Eurac Research study conducted in the terraXcube simulator found that humans can perceive temperature differences as small as 0.92 degrees Celsius. This sensitivity suggests an inherent characteristic of human perception, influencing our thoughts and actions. The study's results have implications for energy sustainability in buildings.
A commonly used cognitive screening tool, MoCA, is found to be inaccurately assessing cognitive impairment in ethnically and linguistically diverse older adults. The study's findings underscore the importance of considering cultural factors when evaluating cognitive performance in traditionally underserved communities.
Researchers have discovered a brain circuit that mediates panic disorder, consisting of specialized neurons that send and receive the neuropeptide PACAP. Inhibiting PACAP signaling reduces panic symptoms, offering promising findings for future treatments.
A study of 526 people found that those with disrupted sleep in their 30s and 40s were more likely to experience cognitive decline a decade later. The quality of sleep rather than the quantity was key, suggesting that improving sleep habits could potentially prevent Alzheimer's disease.
A new study has identified a neural coding mechanism that allows for the transfer of information between perceptual and memory regions of the brain. This discovery challenges traditional understanding of brain organization and suggests that memory areas encode visual information in a 'photographic negative' format.
A study by Mass General Brigham found that daily learning tests can detect Alzheimer's disease-related changes in memory among cognitively normal older adults. The test, called BRANCH, was completed over seven days on a smartphone, revealing diminished learning curves associated with elevated amyloid levels.
Researchers found that baseline amyloid burden and brain health are stronger predictors of Alzheimer's progression than age alone. The study also showed that individuals with higher amyloid levels developed dementia two years earlier than those without.
Researchers investigated cognitive fatigue across multiple sclerosis, traumatic brain injury, and controls using two tasks, finding that fatigue was consistent across participants regardless of task. Cognitive fatigue correlated with longer response times and activation in the caudate nucleus and thalamus.
A growing number of studies have found that non-invasive sensory, electrical, or magnetic stimulation of gamma brain rhythms can reduce Alzheimer's pathology and its consequences. These studies have shown increases in gamma power, brain network connectivity, and improvements in memory, cognition, and sleep.
A new study found that people with Alzheimer's dementia who were treated with lipid-lowering statins showed slower cognitive decline compared to those not treated. The researchers emphasize caution due to the observational nature of the study and initial concerns about statins' effects on patients with dementia.
A recent study published in NeuroImage found that physically active individuals experienced less decline in entorhinal cortex thickness over a seven-year period. Cognitive reserve is also boosted through regular mental stimulation, suggesting that brains can be trained like muscles to counteract age-related decline.
A two-week yoga nidra intervention increased sleep efficiency and percentage of delta-waves in deep sleep, leading to improved cognitive abilities such as decision-making and abstraction. Cognitive tests revealed faster responses with no loss in accuracy.
A Rutgers study finds adults with cognitive disabilities report lower overall satisfaction with healthcare services and worse experiences in encounters. Poor patient-provider communication is a key contributing factor.
A simple EEG before surgery can detect a signal of cognitive vulnerability, predicting which patients are at risk of post-operative confusion and attention problems. Researchers found that this test successfully detected disordered arousal or attention in older adults, helping identify the degree to which they'd experience problems.
Researchers found that whole-word errors are influenced by egocentric position, while unilateral paralexias are not. A failure of selective attention also contributes to whole-word intrusion errors. The findings suggest different rehabilitative approaches are needed for each type of error.
A study found that prenatal discrimination and acculturation stress can alter the strength of infant brain circuits, potentially leading to increased risk for mental health disorders. The research suggests a critical role in treating individuals with kindness during pregnancy.
The study used various tests to analyze the memory performance of jackdaws, finding that their performance decreased when working memory demands increased. The researchers found that corvids, like humans, show reduced accuracy and biased representations when working memory demands are high.
A new study by University of Arizona psychologists investigated the possible scenarios leading to waning memory in older people. The researchers found that the hippocampus contributes to the difficulty in learning new environments and locations in some older adults.
A study published in PLOS ONE found that older adults with a fear of falling tend to be less physically active. The research tracked the physical activity and sedentary behavior of 90-year-olds, revealing an average daily step count of around 3,000.
Researchers at Weill Cornell Medicine found that controlling high blood pressure may not prevent cognitive declines due to immune protein IL-17. Increased levels of IL-17 in the brain suppressed blood flow and induced cognitive impairment in a preclinical model.
Researchers developed two models to evaluate personal learning performance, combining biometric responses with demographic data. The simplified forecast model showed higher accuracy and reduced overfitting than the full forecast model.