Articles tagged with Functional Neuroimaging
Researchers found that higher eye-blink rates in 3-6 year-olds are associated with improved cognitive flexibility and activation in the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. The study suggests that spontaneous eye-blink rate could be a non-invasive indicator for tracking executive function and brain development in early childhood.
A study found that just 10 minutes of very slow running improves mood and executive function, activating the prefrontal cortex. This suggests that even low-intensity exercise can have cognitive benefits.
Researchers have developed a genetic toolkit to isolate individual neuron types in a fruit fly brain, revealing distinct neuronal subgroups that produce different effects, including suppressing aggression. The study identifies a universal control of aggression across sexes and highlights the complex roles of neurons within the same neu...
A study published in Molecular Psychiatry found that about 65% of patients who developed psychosis after age 40 showed abnormal tau buildup, compared to 15% of healthy older controls. The findings suggest diverse tau-related brain changes may be involved in late-onset psychosis.
Transcranial ultrasound stimulation (TUS) has been shown to improve gait and restore communication between cortical brain networks in mice with ischemic stroke. This treatment targets neural mechanisms that may lead to improved motor function, according to the study.
A POSTECH research team developed a haptic device that can operate inside MRI scanners, enabling the measurement of brain activity during VR experiences. The study found that adding tactile feedback increased brain activation in areas responsible for motor control, attention, and cognitive processing.
Researchers identified two reproducible autism subtypes characterized by reduced brain connectivity (hypoconnectivity) or increased connectivity (hyperconnectivity), linked to synaptic pathways and immune-related systems, respectively. The study provides a biological foundation for precision medicine approaches.
A study links insulin resistance and leptin dysregulation to cognitive impairment in bipolar disorder, highlighting the potential of targeted clinical pathways. Metabolic alterations are associated with cognitive deficits and poorer performance in memory and attention.
Genomic Press launches Brain Health, a new peer-reviewed journal dedicated to the science of lifelong brain resilience, featuring research on glial plasticity and recovery from depression. The inaugural issue explores the intersection of fields including cognitive reserve, sleep, aging biology, nutritional psychiatry, and social sciences.
A new study suggests that language and theory of mind, two complex cognitive functions, have distinct origins in the brain in young children. Researchers found separate but related brain regions for these skills, which do not overlap or grow more distinct as the mind matures.
The Individual Brain Charting project has released its fifth update with a new set of cognitive tasks, expanding the dataset to 40 hours of scanned data per participant. This provides an exceptionally rich resource for studying individual variability in brain organisation and understanding brain function.
A secondary analysis of the ANGEL-ASPECT trial found EVT to be beneficial for patients with anterior-circulation LVO and a large ischemic core and absent-to-moderate white matter lesions. In contrast, those with severe WMLs showed less pronounced benefits, suggesting uncertainty about EVT's efficacy in this subgroup.
A Northwestern University study found that imagination is not just a copy of sensation, but emerges at later stages of processing when the brain represents information holistically. The researchers mapped brain activity during imagination and perception, finding overlap in higher-level association areas.
A Tulane University study reveals how the brain regulates defensive behavior and fine-tunes fear responses as perceived threats diminish. Researchers identified distinct roles for neurons in the central amygdala, which help determine whether an animal responds with intense escape behavior or freezing.
A systematic review and meta-analysis of 33 studies found that nature exposure is associated with reductions in negative emotions and increases in positive emotions. Experts recommend integrating nature into urban design to promote brain health and treat mental illnesses.
Dr. Phillips's laboratory identifies abnormalities in prefrontal-striatal-limbic circuitry as biomarkers for bipolar disorder before symptoms appear. Her team tracks neural network development from infancy through young adulthood.
A team of researchers has developed a method to decode fluctuations in spontaneous pain intensity in individuals with chronic pain using extensively sampled functional MRI data. The study found that neural patterns underlying pain differ markedly between individuals, highlighting the importance of individualized brain-based biomarkers.
Researchers found that people's expectations about sugar content alter their enjoyment of beverages containing artificial sweeteners. By manipulating participants' expectations, the study shows how the brain's reward system responds to sweet flavors, with increased activation in the dopaminergic midbrain.
Research shows that expert birders have more compact attention- and perception-related brain areas, linked to accurate bird identification. These structural changes persist in older birders and may benefit cognition as people age.
Researchers at Brown University have created a bioluminescence tool that enables the measurement of activity in living brain cells without damaging them. The CaBLAM tool uses bioluminescent light production to capture single-cell and subcellular activity at high speeds, allowing for longer recordings and reducing hardware requirements.
Researchers used data from the Human Connectome Project to build computational models that linked connectivity with brain activation across various cognitive processes. The findings show a consistent correlation between connectivity and function, suggesting that specific patterns of connectivity can predict brain activity.
A new study found that storytelling strategies with conceptual or perceptual details activate distinct brain networks, predicting how well participants recall core elements of the story. This suggests that people's preferred memory systems may vary across age groups, and tailored information could improve memory for older adults.
A study from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology found that older people tend to interpret ambiguous facial expressions as positive. The researchers discovered that this is due to adaptations in the locus coeruleus, a small organ at the bottom of the brain responsible for regulating alertness and attention.
Researchers have discovered that deep sleep plays a crucial role in controlling cerebrospinal fluid dynamics, which is essential for clearing waste from the brain. During slow-wave sleep, changes in cerebrospinal fluid signals are time-locked to slow brain waves and other neural events.
Researchers found that bullying activates social and emotional brain networks, as well as autonomic threat response systems, leading to increased risk of mental and somatic health issues. Viewers with previous bullying experiences show stronger neural responses to bullied individuals, highlighting the long-term effects of bullying.
Researchers found that distinct neural representations of color are conserved across people's brains, enabling scientists to predict the color and brightness of observed stimuli using brain activity comparisons. This study provides new insights into the universal aspects of human color perception.
Researchers developed a new method to correct for variations in brain imaging measurements, reducing bias and increasing the accuracy of studies on ADHD. The traveling-subject method demonstrated reduced measurement bias while maintaining sampling bias, revealing decreased brain volume in critical regions for cognitive functions.
Researchers at Kobe University have discovered a specific set of neurons that direct mice's attention to peers in need and those who are friends. These 'PV interneurons' play a crucial role in modulating social behavior, including empathy and preference for social targets.
Two brain regions have been identified as a neural compass, allowing people to maintain their sense of direction while navigating naturalistic virtual reality cities. These regions are consistent across different city features and task phases, suggesting they track direction relative to the north-south axis.
Researchers found that external cues alleviated pain for all participants but only half reported less pain with placebo treatment. Predictive cues were less impactful when patients received placebo treatment. The study suggests cue-based expectations have more consistent effects than treatment-based expectations.
Researchers discovered a two-step mechanism where inhibitory neurons release nitric oxide to rapidly dilate blood vessels, followed by slower, localized vasodilation via astrocyte activation. This breakthrough sheds light on how neural signals are translated into blood volume changes in brain imaging.
Researchers at Harvard Medical School have discovered a cellular signaling highway in the brain's blood vessels that enables blood flow to be directed on demand. The findings could improve understanding of neurodegenerative diseases and enhance interpretation of functional MRI scans.
Researchers used music to assess brain activity and found that changes in patterns of activity reflect transitions between emotions triggered by music. The study suggests that the relationship between neural activity and emotional responses depends on the context of a person's previous emotional state.
Research finds that mild physical activity affects brainstem dopaminergic and noradrenergic neurons, leading to improved executive function. Blink frequency increases in individuals showing cognitive benefits from exercise.
A study published in Brain found that the orbitofrontal cortex responds more strongly to drug content than other stimuli, even after treatment and abstinence. The researchers used an Academy Award-nominated movie to assess brain responses in individuals with heroin use disorder and healthy controls.
Researchers found that participants took more risks when interacting with avatars displaying facial expressions compared to real human faces. The study suggests that the amygdala plays a key role in driving increased risk-taking behavior in avatar-mediated communication.
Researchers found that brain areas respond to relative quantity rather than absolute quantity, with representations becoming more pronounced along the pathway from parietal to frontal lobe. This flexible nature of numerical quantity processing advances our understanding of how the brain handles other magnitude concepts like time and size.
A team from the University of Trento combined AI techniques with neuroimaging measurements to analyze how emotions and language structure influence brain activity during interactions. The results show that neural synchrony is associated with emotional content and semantic structure, with implications for understanding human relationships.
A study of over 6,000 adolescents found that those with symptoms of gaming addiction showed lower brain activity in the decision-making and reward processing region. This suggests a link between reduced sensitivity to rewards and problematic gaming behaviors.
Researchers from Michigan State University used brain-scanning tools to predict visitation patterns in urban environments. The study found that the brain's reward system can shape human behavior within cities, aiding in designing sustainable living spaces.
A new USC study reveals that face masks make it harder for people of all ages to recognize emotions, especially sadness, behind masks. Parents reporting high stress levels struggle even more to decode sad emotions.
A new study highlights how environmental factors can impact mental health, cognition, and brain development in young people. Researchers analyzed satellite-based observations and neuroimaging data to identify associations between urban environment and mental health outcomes.
Researchers at UNIL find that observing others cope with trauma increases resilience and prevents pathological states. Serotonin release in the habenula brain structure is identified as the key mechanism, offering new perspectives for understanding depression and treatment.
Researchers used advanced brain imaging techniques to identify key regions and networks involved in creative thinking. The Default Mode Network (DMN) was found to play a crucial role, with activity originating from the DMN before being evaluated by other brain regions.
Researchers used low-intensity ultrasound to target and alter the default mode network of the brain, reducing connectivity and enhancing mindfulness. The technique, called transcranial-focused ultrasound (TFUS), can induce meaningful effects with just five minutes of stimulation.
The study reveals a unique, ring-shaped organization of the antennal lobe, with specific glomerular clusters encoding different odors. This coding mechanism differs from other insects and vertebrates, with the representation of odor valence encoded in higher brain centers.
A new study shows that psilocybin initiates a pattern of hyperconnectivity in the brain linked to the ego-modifying effects and feelings of oceanic boundlessness. The findings provide insights into how the brain works on psychedelic drugs and their potential use to treat psychiatric disorders.
Researchers from Kobe University developed an AI image recognition algorithm that can predict mouse behavior based on brain functional imaging data, achieving 95% accuracy. The model identified critical cortical regions for behavioral classification and demonstrated near real-time speeds.
The study reveals that the superior colliculus is vital in the transition from seeing individual flashes to smooth motion, and may be a key component in creating the continuity illusion. Different methods of measuring the Flicker Fusion Frequency threshold suggest other parts of the brain also play a role in this process.
The ultra-high resolution NexGen 7T scanner allows neuroscientists to see functional MRI features 0.4 millimeters across, enabling the study of brain circuitry underlying different diseases with higher spatial resolution. This will help track signals propagating through the brain and reveal underlying causes of developmental disorders.
Researchers found that rodents exposed to light for the first time in adulthood showed significant plasticity in their brains, challenging previous beliefs about adult brain rigidity. After a month, their brains looked similar to those of healthy controls, with organized visual responses and smaller receptive fields.
Researchers at Kessler Foundation are conducting novel studies on identity reconstruction, physical and mental fatigue, and upper limb function to improve the lives of individuals with TBI. The studies aim to develop scalable, accessible, and effective interventions using strength-based approaches.
Research found that very light exercise can improve prefrontal executive function, with pupil dilation during exercise indicating subsequent improvement. Pupil-linked neural activity was also shown to activate the brain's noradrenergic arousal system.
The development of SimulScan technology will help clinicians diagnose disordered swallowing more accurately. The researchers aim to investigate how swallowing behaviors change across the lifespan to create personalized treatments for patients with dysphagia.
Researchers analyzed 557 subjects to link genetic variations, brain structure, and behavior to intelligence test performance. They found specific brain areas where gene variations influence brain characteristics, which in turn affect intelligence.
Researchers from Dartmouth and University Medicine Essen found that strong links between brain measures and traits can be obtained when machine learning algorithms are utilized. This approach allows for high-powered results from moderate sample sizes, opening up studies of many traits and clinical conditions previously inaccessible.
Researchers from Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University found that brain stimulation combined with a nose spray containing nanoparticles can improve recovery after ischemic stroke. The treatment increased cognitive and motor functions, and weighed more quickly than those treated with TMS alone.
Researchers at the University of Rochester Medical Center used fMRI to study how the brain processes complex audiovisual speech. The study found that watching a narrator tell a story activates an extensive network of brain regions involved in sensory processing and cognitive functions associated with comprehension. This finding has pot...
Researchers found that experiencing reward enhances connectivity between the default mode network (DMN) and the ventral striatum. This effect was specific to the DMN and correlated with personality characteristics related to openness. The study used data from the Human Connectome Project, a database of healthy participants.
Children with obesity who lose weight show increased hunger-related brain activity, despite changes in gut hormone levels. This disconnect may underlie why many people regain weight after a strict diet, highlighting the need for targeted treatments.