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Pedophilia patients are found to have deficits in brain activation

A new study published in Biological Psychiatry found that pedophilia patients exhibit reduced activation of the hypothalamus and frontal cortex when viewing sexually arousing pictures, indicating altered sexual interest. This deficit may predispose individuals vulnerable to pedophilia to seek alternative stimulation.

SourceElsevier·JournalBiological Psychiatry·DateSep 20, 2007

Vision restoration therapy shown to improve brain activity in brain injured patients

Researchers at Columbia University Irving Medical Center found increased visual processing areas in the brain of patients who underwent Vision Restoration Therapy (VRT) after stroke or traumatic brain injury. The therapy, which uses daily visual stimulation, showed enhanced activity levels one month after treatment.

SourceColumbia University Irving Medical Center·JournalNeurorehabilitation and Neural Repair·DateAug 14, 2007

How pain distracts the brain

Researchers identified the lateral occipital complex as a region affected by both working memory load and pain, but found that pain influences visual processing through the rostral anterior cingulate cortex. This modulation affects accuracy in recognizing images.

SourceCell Press·JournalNeuron·DateJul 5, 2007

How the brain's backup system compensates for stroke

Researchers have identified how the brain's dorsal premotor cortex (PMd) compensates for disruption caused by a stroke. The study found that the PMd in the intact hemisphere increases activity to 'rescue' function in the damaged hemisphere, leading to recovery of movement.

SourceCell Press·JournalNeuron·DateMay 2, 2007

Neural bottleneck found that thwarts multi-tasking

Researchers have identified a neural bottleneck in the brain that prevents simultaneous processing of multiple tasks, such as driving and talking on a cell phone. The lateral frontal and prefrontal cortex regions were found to be responsible for this limitation, which causes a delay in neural activity when performing two demanding tasks.

SourceVanderbilt University·JournalNeuron·DateJan 18, 2007

All itches not created equal -- Different parts of brain activated depending on cause

Researchers found that different parts of the brain are activated depending on the cause of itching, with allergen-induced itches activating the supplementary motor and posterior parietal areas. Histamine-induced itches, on the other hand, activate a smaller area of the brain, suggesting a compulsion to scratch in those cases.

SourceAmerican Physiological Society·JournalJournal of Neurophysiology·DateDec 6, 2006

How the brain weaves a memory

Studies using fMRI reveal that the hippocampus integrates perceptual strands to form coherent memories. The intraparietal sulcus plays a crucial role in binding multiple features of stimuli into a common representation, essential for episodic memory formation.

SourceCell Press·JournalNeuron·DateNov 8, 2006

A Wellcome brain gain for world leading neuroscience lab

The Wellcome Trust Centre for Neuroimaging at UCL will further bolster the reputation of a laboratory renowned for its research into neural cognition and common neurological diseases. The centre aims to study the functional architecture of the human brain to identify core mechanisms causing common human neurological diseases.

Brain's 'gambling circuitry' identified

A team of researchers at the California Institute of Technology has identified a specific region in the brain responsible for processing risk and reward, known as the 'gambling circuitry'. This discovery could help understand abnormal risk-taking behavior in disorders such as addiction and bipolar disorder.

SourceCell Press·JournalNeuron·DateAug 2, 2006

A neural mosaic of tones

Researchers created frequency maps for most of the 11 auditory cortex fields (ACFs) and observed a periodic pattern of topographic preference for certain frequencies. The ACFs were divided into two groups, with three core fields reacting to individual frequencies in simple sounds like tones.

SourceMax-Planck-Gesellschaft·JournalPLOS Biology·DateJun 22, 2006

Aha! Favors the prepared mind

A new study reveals that mental preparation involving inward focus of attention promotes insight even prior to the presentation of a problem. Brain activity patterns before problem solving, as measured by EEG and fMRI, differ between those who solve problems with insight and methodically.

SourceAssociation for Psychological Science·JournalPsychological Science·DateApr 5, 2006

Explaining how the brain recognizes faces

Researchers propose a theory that the fusiform face area (FFA) recognizes faces based on selective processing of shapes of facial features. Their computational model and experimental studies support this idea, suggesting that face recognition can be achieved by hierarchical shape detectors.

SourceCell Press·JournalNeuron·DateApr 5, 2006

How the brain sees people in motion

Studies using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) found that the visual cortex uses a specific region known to detect motion of other people, but also engages areas responding to static human form. This clarifies the emerging picture of how the brain makes sense of other individuals' appearances and actions.

Training benefits brains in older people, counters aging factors

The study found that training increases neural activation in areas associated with executive control, countering the idea that opposite brain areas compensate for cognitive decline in aging. Older adults who received training showed increased activity in brain regions tied to scheduling and planning, similar to younger participants.

Older adults more vulnerable to distraction from irrelevant information

A study by Baycrest Centre for Geriatric Care found that older adults are more easily distracted due to gradual brain changes beginning in middle age. The researchers used fMRI to scan the brains of three age groups, including young adults, middle-aged adults, and older adults, revealing a seesaw imbalance in frontal lobe areas.

SourceBaycrest Centre for Geriatric Care·JournalJournal of Cognitive Neuroscience·DateFeb 6, 2006