Articles tagged with Brain
A Northwestern University study found that music training during high school can enhance the teenage brain's responses to sound and sharpen hearing and language skills. The research suggests that music instruction helps improve critical skills for academic success, potentially offsetting negative influences of poverty on sound processing.
Researchers at Duke University discovered that tapeworms in babies' guts can shield their brains from long-term learning and memory problems caused by newborn infections. Expectant mothers who had tapeworms passed on protection to their worm-free offspring, suggesting the benefits began early in life.
Researchers at Duke University found that attention problems are a key factor in civilian shooting casualties. Training in response inhibition can improve shooting abilities and reduce errors.
Researchers found that subtle visual distractions caused significant deviations from the intended path, contrary to intuition. The study's findings suggest a new phenomenon where the brain employs a suppression mechanism to tune out bigger distractions, but struggles with less apparent ones.
Researchers identify a specific variation in brain waves of individuals with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI), which may indicate an early dysfunction related to Alzheimer's disease. The test uses electroencephalogram (EEG) technology, offering a more affordable and non-invasive alternative to other methods.
A study published by the American Academy of Neurology found that Alzheimer's disease causes different changes in the brain, or pathologies, in African-Americans compared to white Americans of European descent. African-Americans were more likely to have mixed pathologies and blood vessel disease in their brains.
A recent study published in Nature Communications reveals that a specific brain mutation can impair a biochemical process in the brain, leading to impaired synaptic function and contributing to neurological diseases. The researchers found that a mutation called A548T in synapsin 1a reduces its ability to regulate chemical transmission.
Researchers have discovered a key mechanism behind brain growth abnormalities in individuals with autism spectrum disorder, revealing how PTEN gene mutations alter the trajectory of early brain development. Excess glia cells and changes in β-Catenin signaling contribute to the observed brain overgrowth.
A six-month trial conducted at the University of Kansas Medical Center found that older adults can improve their visual-spatial processing and attention levels by exercising for 75-225 minutes per week. The study's results suggest that intensity, rather than duration, is more important for benefits to brain function.
Researchers have developed a new non-invasive brain stimulation technique that increases brain excitability, potentially improving physical performance and treating neurological disorders. The technique, called transcranial pulsed current stimulation (tPCS), produces larger changes in the brain than conventional methods.
The Paul G. Allen Family Foundation has partnered with the Alzheimer's Association to award three grants totaling $500,000 to study the role of inflammation on characteristic plaques and tangles of devastating brain disease. Researchers aim to better understand the interactions between the immune system and Alzheimer's pathologies.
University of Adelaide researchers found a significant correlation between brain volume and blood flow rate in primates, indicating faster cognitive ability. The study suggests that brain metabolic rate increased with brain size, leading to higher intelligence.
Neurophysiologists David Hubel and Torsten Wiesel won the Golden Goose Award for their work on cat vision, leading to breakthroughs in brain research, childhood cataract treatment, and computer image processing. Their lab accident resulted in new discoveries about neuroplasticity and its impact on human health.
A UC Berkeley study found that mice who received cognitive training showed reduced preference for cocaine chambers, implying a protective effect on the brain's reward system. The results suggest that brief cognitive interventions may promote long-term resilience against drug-seeking behaviors.
Researchers discovered a biological test that can identify children with literacy challenges or learning disabilities long before they learn to read. The study found that pre-readers' brains inefficiently process speech against background noise, predicting future reading skills and language development.
A new study published in PLOS Biology has discovered a way to assess future literacy challenges in children. The research centers on the child's ability to decipher speech in a chaotic, noisy environment, and found that preliterate children with brain inefficiencies are more likely to struggle with reading and language development.
High-fat feeding, especially saturated fats, can cause impairments in critical motivation brain pathways, according to a new study published in Neuropsychopharmacology. The research found that rats fed with palm oil had blunted dopamine function, leading the brain to compensate by heightening reward-seeking behavior.
Researchers have discovered that two antioxidant supplements, N-acetylcysteine and glutathione, are effective in treating skin-picking disorder in mice. The study suggests that people with the condition may benefit from this therapy, which could potentially lead to fewer side effects compared to existing treatments.
The Group Health-University of Washington Adult Changes in Thought (ACT) study has been awarded nearly $13 million to continue tracking the aging process, particularly in the brain. The study aims to identify risk factors for conditions like dementia and promote healthy aging through data-driven insights.
Researchers at the Centre for Genomic Regulation have developed Brain Polyphony, a device that produces sounds from brain signals, allowing people with cerebral palsy to communicate their emotions. The system uses real-time analysis of brain waves to translate into code words, providing an alternative communication method.
A crowdsourcing experiment with over 500 adults yielded new evidence that neurofeedback learning can affect the brain almost immediately. The study demonstrated the scientific viability of collective neurofeedback as a potential new avenue in neuroscience research.
A 15-million-year-old Old World monkey's tiny but complex brain supports the idea that brain complexity can evolve before brain size. The olfactory bulb was three times larger in Victoriapithecus than in present-day monkeys, suggesting a better sense of smell.
A new study found that people with type 2 diabetes experienced negative changes in brain blood flow regulation after just two years, leading to lower scores on tests of memory and thinking skills. Higher levels of inflammation were associated with greater declines in cognitive skills.
Researchers discovered that chameleons' eyes do not move completely independently, but instead have cross-talk between the eyes, similar to binocular vision. The study showed that chameleons can track objects moving in opposite directions before deciding which object to target.
A new study shows that stroke survivors experience accelerated and persistent declines in thinking ability over the years after their stroke, even after accounting for normal brain aging. The study suggests a need for better long-term follow-up care for stroke survivors to manage their cognitive problems.
Researchers have visualized the oldest known Old World monkey skull, revealing a tiny but remarkably wrinkled brain. The ancient creature's brain supports the idea that brain complexity can evolve before brain size in primates, contradicting conventional wisdom.
A new study from Washington State University suggests that REM sleep plays a crucial role in converting waking experiences into lasting memories and abilities in young brains. The study found that brain circuits change in the visual cortex during exploration, but REM sleep is required to make those changes "stick".
Research by Eric Kandel's lab shows prion-like proteins, like those causing mad cow disease, are critical for maintaining long-term memories in mice. These proteins work by creating aggregated structures that turn on protein synthesis necessary to maintain the memory.
Researchers from Université de Genève found that activated neurons swell due to massive entry of water, providing a new insight into brain functioning. This discovery enables the detection of cellular mechanisms behind brain activity, allowing for more accurate localization and pathologies diagnosis.
Researchers discovered a new epigenetic mechanism in brain cells that enables genetic adaptation to the environment through histone turnover. Histone replacement, or turnover, allows genes to be switched on and off in response to external stimuli.
Researcher Richard Born's team at Harvard Medical School has discovered key principles about how the brain makes sense of visual information. They found that individual neurons are tuned to detect specific motions and relative depth, with a direct bottom-up contribution to these signals.
Researchers developed a computer model to simulate the biological processes of neural network development in the visual cortex. The results show that newborns possess specialized nerve cells but lack systematic connections, which are refined through experience, leading to improved perception.
Researchers at Kessler Foundation received grants to investigate treatments for emotional processing deficits, balance dysfunction, and memory impairments in TBI patients. These studies aim to improve quality of life, independence, and community involvement for individuals affected by brain injury.
Researchers at the Weizmann Institute create a complex mathematical formula to determine individual olfactory fingerprints, which are unique patterns based on personal scent preferences. This breakthrough could lead to early disease detection, non-invasive organ matching, and personalized medical treatments.
A new study from Indiana University found that female mice exposed to male pheromones gave birth to infants with greater mental ability. The research suggests that male pheromones may influence the nutritional environment following birth, resulting in changes to the brain that could extend to future generations.
A new study published in the Journal of Family Psychology found that children from high conflict homes have altered brain activity when processing emotional stimuli, indicating a heightened state of vigilance. This trait may lead to challenges in social relationships later in life.
A special protein called FoxF2 found in brain's tiny blood vessels affects the development of the blood-brain barrier, a vital protective function that controls substances reaching the brain's nerve cells. Variations in the FoxF2 gene have been linked to an increased risk of stroke in humans.
Researchers have discovered a crucial role for Cav3.1 calcium channels in healthy sleep patterns, which helps regulate slow-wave sleep and overall brain activity. The absence of this channel leads to abnormal brain function, including difficulties with falling asleep and staying asleep.
Researchers question the brain's sparse coding mechanism, instead finding a large network of connections activated when we process impressions.
Researchers at the University of Edinburgh found that the primary visual cortex controls fast responses to animal images, contradicting previous theories. The brain categorizes scenes based on small areas of shape and texture before using complex processing to identify objects.
A new study suggests that virtual reality therapy may help people with alcohol dependence reduce their craving for alcohol. The therapy involves exposing patients to situations that trigger fear and anxiety, then teaching them to manage those situations in real life.
Research at the University of Rochester shows that our brains apply an algorithm to track objects, including baseballs, even when they move outside our visual field. This understanding can help hitters better anticipate a curveball's trajectory.
A study by University of Pennsylvania researchers found that maternal stress during pregnancy can 'reprogram' the developing brains of her children through changes in the vaginal microbiome. This initial exposure affects gut microbiota, metabolism, and brain development.
Corina Logan's research using CT scans to measure endocranial volume found that external skull measurements are not accurate for predicting brain size in the great-tailed grackle. The study highlights the importance of validating and quantifying predictive accuracy of brain size proxies for each species and sex.
A new article highlights key action areas for healthcare professionals to improve the quality of life of older adults by maintaining brain health. Action areas include formal cognitive assessments, screening for risk factors, and promoting physical exercise and social engagement.
A study combining clinical assessment, genomic analysis, and electroencephalography identified specific gene combinations in autistic patients that distinguished them from those with intellectual disabilities. This integrated approach provides new prospects for diagnosis and understanding of autism's physiological mechanisms.
Researchers found that musicians' brains can incorporate abstract music notation to enhance their visual perception of congruent musical notes. Non-musicians showed no significant difference in visual preference regardless of the melody played.
Research suggests that maternal stress during pregnancy can impact offspring gut and brain development by altering the vaginal microbiome. This study found disruptions in both maternal and offspring gut microbiota composition, leading to metabolic reprogramming of the gut and brain.
Researchers discovered unique white matter injury patterns in patients with concussion-related depression and anxiety, suggesting similar mechanisms to non-trauma dependent depression. Anxiety patients showed diminished fractional anisotropy in the brain's fear modulation region, indicating different treatment targets may be required.
A new study by Indiana University researchers finds that the Aging Brain Care Medical Home program reduces depressive symptoms in two-thirds of patients and caregiver stress by 50%.
A study of 1403 women found that those exposed to higher levels of air pollution had reduced white matter in their brains. Ambient particulate air pollutants may have a deleterious effect on brain aging, according to researchers.
Researchers used CT scans to study the brain anatomy of ichthyosaurs, revealing an enlarged olfactory region suggesting a key role for smell. The findings also show that vision was crucial for these marine predators.
A study by University of Michigan researcher Monica Dus found a hormone that triggers digestive response to real sugar but not artificial sweeteners in fruit flies, suggesting humans may have similar mechanism. This discovery helps explain why diet foods fail to satiate hunger and lead to weight gain.
Researchers studied hawkmoth's ability to hover and track flowers in mid-air while adjusting to changing light conditions. The moths can slow their brains to improve vision under low-light conditions, but only if the flower is moving rapidly.
A new imaging technique uses discrete wavelength decomposition to analyze functional connectivity in the brain, identifying changes in neural communication following mTBI. The study found alterations in connectivity in both acute and chronic stages of injury, with recovery of connectivity over time.
Women experiencing more menopausal hot flashes, particularly at night, are more likely to have brain changes that increase their risk of cerebrovascular diseases such as stroke. This study found a correlation between the frequency and severity of hot flashes and white matter hyperintensities on brain scans.
Researchers found that GLP-1 receptor activation decreases anticipatory food reward, reducing cravings, and increases feeling of food reward during consumption, reducing overeating. The study suggests a potential therapeutic target for substance abuse disorders, offering new insights into the mechanisms of obesity.
Researchers at Salk Institute found that a low glycemic index diet reduced symptoms of autism in mice, including impaired social interactions and repetitive behaviors. The diet may influence gut bacteria and inflammation, which are linked to the development of autism.
Researchers found that personality traits, particularly Neuroticism, affect brain activity in response to eye contact. Participants who scored low on Neuroticism exhibited approach-associated brain activity when looking at someone making eye contact, while those with high scores showed avoidance-associated patterns.
A new study by Johns Hopkins Medicine researchers found that developing delirium in the ICU increases hospital stays and risk of dying, with risks doubled for brain dysfunction. The study also suggests potential causes of delirium include medication use and inflammation outside the brain.