Articles tagged with Cognitive Neuroscience
Researchers found that ordinary sleepers can pick up verbal information and respond to it by contracting facial muscles, even during most stages of sleep. The study suggests that standardized communication protocols may be possible with sleeping individuals to better understand mental activity changes during sleep.
A study of 15,000 dogs found that body size significantly impacts aging patterns, with smaller dogs living longer and experiencing slower decline rates. Larger dogs show an earlier onset of age-related decline but maintain cognitive health longer.
A study published in Trends in Cognitive Science found that infants are capable of conscious experiences from birth, which can shape their sense of self and understanding of the environment. This breakthrough has important implications for clinical, ethical, and legal aspects of infant care and development.
A new trial combining an Alzheimer's medication with two other drugs may amplify its effects and arrest disease progression. The trial, funded by a $150M grant, will recruit 900 participants with early-onset Alzheimer's.
The UK Biobank study found that racial minority status increased dementia risk by 24%, with socio-economic status attenuating this effect. Lifestyle factors such as diet, smoking, physical activity, and sleep were identified as crucial in reducing racial and socio-economic disparities in dementia.
A study using virtual reality led by UCL researchers found people with early Alzheimer's consistently overestimated turns and showed increased variability in sense of direction. These specific impairments were not observed in healthy older participants or those with mild cognitive impairment.
Researchers measured metabolite concentrations of two herbicides in urine samples from Ecuadorian adolescents and found negative associations with attention, memory, and language. Glyphosate was also linked to social perception issues.
A clinical trial led by Western Sydney University's NICM Health Research Institute has revealed that Sailuotong, a novel herbal extract, shows promise as a potential treatment for mild cognitive impairment. The study found improvements in memory and executive function in participants taking SLT compared to those on a placebo.
Middle-aged Chinese surgery patients experience subjective cognitive impairment within 12 months after surgery, with identified risk factors. Preoperative psychological interventions and optimized perioperative management may help prevent postoperative cognitive impairment.
Previous studies suggest that psychedelics can induce an altered state of consciousness leading to new thought patterns, which is promising in treating OCD. Research analyzing the experience of past users found dissipation of obsessive thoughts, reduced anxiety, and increased acceptance of OCD symptoms.
A new study aims to identify environmental and social factors contributing to Alzheimer's disease in older Black adults, who are up to two times more likely to develop the condition. Using remote cognitive assessments and biomarkers, researchers hope to gain a better understanding of the biopsychosocial factors behind this disparity.
Researchers used custom-designed headsets to evaluate headpulse biometrics among Australian Rules Football players and found brain abnormalities in 81% of those inflicted with concussion. These alterations lasted 14 days beyond expected recovery times.
A study published in Alzheimer's Research & Therapy suggests a possible association between chronic stress and an increased risk of developing mild cognitive impairment or Alzheimer's disease. The research, conducted on 44,447 individuals between 18-65 years old, found that those with chronic stress or depression had a higher risk of d...
A new study suggests that life satisfaction has limited benefits for cognitive function in older adults experiencing health or socioeconomic challenges. High life satisfaction was associated with increased cognitive functioning among most individuals, but it was less beneficial for those with low SES, poor health, or adverse psychologi...
Researchers identify somatostatin-positive interneurons as crucial in maintaining cognitive function, and their dysfunction leads to impaired memory and learning. The study uses a toxin to ablate these cells, resulting in mice exhibiting cognitive deficits similar to those seen in aging humans.
A study of 1,500 participants found that certain brain regions, including the hippocampus, exhibit stronger activation in individuals with better memory performance. The researchers identified functional networks in the brain linked to memory performance, shedding light on individual differences in memory recall.
A study using ultra-high field 7 Tesla MRI found that the locus coeruleus is essential for regulating REM sleep, with increased activity during wakefulness associated with poorer quality sleep. This effect was particularly pronounced in older individuals (50-70 years), who were more likely to experience insomnia.
A study found that two brain areas, typically associated with language processing, are also linked to social-semantic working memory. This challenge traditional views of language comprehension and its connection to social cognition.
A study published in Biological Psychiatry: Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuroimaging found that greater activation in the right inferior frontal gyrus predicts better recovery from early PTSD symptoms. This breakthrough suggests a potential role for cortical/cognitive regions in regulating fear and PTSD development.
A randomized clinical trial shows cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) reduces fibromyalgia pain and improves daily living. CBT alters brain connectivity to reduce catastrophizing, a key contributor to fibromyalgia symptoms.
Researchers developed A-CensNet, a fusion model predicting cognitive scores from movie-watching fMRI and eye-tracking data. The model outperforms individual modalities and leading techniques, suggesting synergy between brain functionality and behavior.
Researchers found that a two-nap schedule of 90-minute and 30-minute naps can help counteract drowsiness and fatigue during long night shifts. This strategy may also be beneficial for new parents experiencing sleep deprivation.
A study published in Sleep Medicine found that arousal disorders, including sexsomnia and sleep eating, often go untreated due to a lack of consensus on best treatments. Cognitive behavioral therapy and sleep hygiene have shown effectiveness in managing these conditions, which can result in injuries or weight gain.
A study on songbird species reveals that complex vocal learning is associated with better problem-solving skills and larger brains. The research found a robust relationship between vocal learning abilities, problem-solving, and brain size, even when considering individual variation and other factors.
In a new study, researchers deciphered mice's behavior during reward-based learning tasks, finding they persistently blend multiple strategies. The findings suggest mice do not fully adopt optimal approaches, and their ability to shift between strategies is crucial for understanding their decision-making process.
Researchers have confirmed that human brains use Bayesian inference to process visual information, allowing for precise interpretation and speed. This natural ability enables people to outperform machines in tasks such as recognizing objects in images, with implications for fields like artificial intelligence and clinical neurology.
A new study uses brain imaging to explore the neural underpinnings of uncertainty processing in OCD, finding that patients struggle with certainty and decision-making, particularly when outcomes are more certain. This understanding may offer new hope for developing therapies targeting uncertainty processing in OCD.
Researchers highlight microvascular contributions to white matter injury in Alzheimer's disease, sparking calls for exploration of connections between AD, WM injury and cerebral small vessel disease. The study emphasizes the critical need to define mechanisms and diagnostic features of mixed vascular and AD neuropathological change.
A new study suggests that transcranial ultrasound stimulation can be used to change specific types of activity within the brain, paving the way for targeted treatments of mental health conditions. The research found that TUS induced significant changes in GABA concentration and altered communication between brain regions.
A study by Paolo Bartolomeo and Jianghao Liu investigated the nature of aphantasia, finding that individuals with aphantasia have normal perception and memory capabilities but struggle with visual mental imagery. They propose that phenomenal consciousness may play a role in this phenomenon.
A soft ball designed to support mental health has been invented, giving users a tangible representation of their breath to regulate emotions. The device, called PAWS, shows significant improvement in reducing anxiety and increasing protection against worry-induced thoughts, with an average 75% reduction in anxiety.
Researchers have developed a Principal Odor Map (POM) that models the connections between an odorant's chemical structure and its perceptual property. The map performs as well as trained human sniffers in describing odor quality, enabling the prediction of odor intensity and similarity.
A new method can detect drivers' attention levels from their eye movements, enabling the development of more effective takeover signals. The study found that drivers who are engrossed in on-screen activities take longer to respond to warnings, highlighting a potential safety concern.
Research finds that 75% of boys with fragile X meet criteria for co-occurring autism, but only 31% are identified in community settings. Early diagnosis is crucial to access services improving outcomes and quality of life.
A new study will examine the role of lifestyle physical activity in cognition among insufficiently active older adults with higher risks for Alzheimer’s or related dementias. The research aims to identify achievable lifestyle health behaviors that can reduce the risk of these conditions.
The study found a significant decline in the prevalence of serious later-life cognitive impairments among Black Americans, narrowing racial disparities. However, racial disparities persisted in activities of daily living and functional limitations. Improved air quality may have contributed to the narrowing of disparities in cognitive i...
Research by Kessler Foundation team found that processing speed plays a role in benefit from the modified Story Memory Technique on verbal list learning but not on prose memory tasks. This suggests that treating deficits in processing speed may lead to optimal outcomes for individuals with traumatic brain injury.
A new study found that children's mental health and wellbeing gradually worsened over the past six years, with measures of life satisfaction, optimism, and emotional regulation declining consistently since 2020. The COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound impact on young Australians, particularly those in higher year levels and from lower...
A study found that dogs are more sensitive to speech directed at them than adult-directed speech, with a greater response to female voices. The researchers measured dog brain activity via fMRI and found that the sensitivity was affected by voice pitch and variation.
A new special issue of the Journal of Huntington’s Disease highlights the critical impact of sleep dysfunction on HD patients. Disrupted sleep can alter metabolism, increase vulnerability to infection, and exacerbate disease outcomes.
Scientists have identified platelet factor 4 (PF4) as a common messenger for the cognitive benefits of young blood transfusion, exercise, and the longevity hormone klotho. Studies show that PF4 calms down the aged immune system, reducing inflammation and promoting brain plasticity and cognition.
Researchers found that participants with MCI performed significantly worse on a test of four types of decision-making abilities compared to those without. The study's findings have broad implications for choices about finances, health care, and other daily decisions.
Researchers used machine learning algorithms to analyze brain imaging data and identify changes associated with autism spectrum disorder. The study found that the methodology could determine ASD diagnosis with above 95% accuracy, highlighting potential for improved diagnostic methods.
Researchers studied how tastes influence creativity by analyzing brain networks and individual preferences. They found that the subjective evaluation of ideas plays a crucial role in creativity, and that individuals have different creative profiles related to their fields of activity.
A study found that longer duration of type 2 diabetes is associated with decreased brain structure and increased white matter hyperintensities. Despite this, cognition was not affected, highlighting the need for early screening for cognitive disorders in diabetic patients.
Researchers have identified a therapeutic target for Alzheimer's disease by finding that inhibiting an ion pump can slow down cognitive decline and partially restore brain function. The study's findings suggest that maintaining the ion pump could be key to preventing or reversing the disease.
Researchers at Lund University discovered that psychedelic substances LSD and ketamine cause simultaneous synchronisation of neurons in several brain regions. This phenomenon is linked to the psychedelic experience and may hold clues for understanding psychoses and consciousness.
Researchers from HSE University challenged the famous Libet studies on free will, revealing a lack of correlation between brain activity and decision-making. The study used advanced EEG techniques to investigate the timing of intention awareness and final decision, finding that the latter could be influenced by experimental procedures.
Researchers propose GABA-modulating treatments as potential therapeutic targets for depression's cognitive and affective symptoms. The study highlights the importance of GABA-A receptors in regulating balance and signals between neurons, and suggests compounds that promote or inhibit these receptors may alleviate depressive symptoms.
Researchers at UC Irvine found that a two-hour nightly fragrance exposure improved memory and cognitive function in older adults. The study showed a 226% increase in cognitive performance compared to the control group.
A recent study revealed that attention plays a crucial role in shaping our conscious experience of the world. Researchers found that manipulating attention can modify an individual's ability to consciously perceive visual stimuli, highlighting the intricate relationship between attention and conscious perception. By using advanced neur...
A study published in Annals of Neurology suggests that a protein in spinal fluid can predict mild cognitive impairment and dementia years before symptoms appear. The findings may offer new targets for treating or preventing Alzheimer's disease and other dementias.
A new study from the University of Arizona has found that remembering events can trigger theta oscillations in the brain's hippocampus region, suggesting that memory is a strong driver of these rhythmic signals. This discovery could lay the foundations for cognitive impairment therapy and improve memory.
A study of 463 infants aged 8-36 months found that those with smaller vocabularies and poorer cognitive skills nap more frequently. Reducing naps for these children may not improve brain development, suggesting a need to re-evaluate sleep recommendations.
A study by University of Toronto researchers found that child language development and language evolution share a common cognitive foundation, based on a core knowledge base. The team built a computational model that predicts word meaning extension patterns across languages and time scales, highlighting the role of visual, associative,...
Researchers discovered that adult and aged mice demonstrated improved performance in behavioral tasks after environmental enrichment, with MSK1 playing a vital role. The study highlights the importance of MSK1 in converting positive experiences into cognitive benefits across the lifespan.
Children with greater language diversity are more sensitive to contextual factors when assessing an informant's reliability. This study found that bilingual children selectively trust informants who have provided accurate cues in the past, but not those who provide inaccurate cues. Bilingualism may enhance social-cognitive development ...
A study by UCLA psychologists found that consumers tend to remember marketing claims about products being 'clinically studied' as 'clinically proven'. This can lead to people wasting money on ineffective or useless products. The study highlights the importance of carefully reading product labels and consulting medical professionals.
A Michigan Medicine study in Texas found that 61.4% of older adults with cognitive impairment are still driving, but one-third of caregivers have concerns about their care recipient's ability to drive safely. Researchers emphasize the need for open discussions between caregivers and healthcare professionals to ensure safety.
Researchers created a simplified mathematical analysis to visualize neuron activities in daily experiences, employing state-space analysis. This technique allows for visualization of neuronal activity using general statistical software, revealing changes in brain activity over short time periods.