Research on the structure and workings of the human brain. Covers prenatal brain development, structural changes in disease, gray and white matter, and brain stimulation.
Researchers used fMRI to divide the precuneus into four distinct functional regions, finding similarities with monkey brains. This discovery confirms that higher-order association areas have complex architectures preserved across evolution.
Researchers used a rare brain procedure to document how the human brain computes grammar and produces words. The study found that distinct linguistic processes are computed within small regions of Broca's area, separated in time and partially overlapping in space.
Researchers will use DNA sequencing and profiling technologies to create an atlas of gene expression during key periods of development. The findings aim to provide insights into the origins of mental disorders such as autism and schizophrenia.
Researchers tracked emergence and application of conceptual knowledge using behavioral and neuroimaging techniques. The hippocampus played a critical role in creating and storing concepts that guided decision making.
A recent study published in Psychological Science found that bilinguals cannot completely 'turn off' a language, as knowledge of a second language affects native-language reading. Bilingual students read sentences with control words and cognates, showing shorter fixation times on cognates than controls.
Researchers found category-specific brain activation in both sighted and blind humans, suggesting innate structure of the human brain. The ventral stream's medial-to-lateral organization reflects preferences for nonliving-to-living stimuli, indicating evolutionary history constraints.
Researchers at the Salk Institute found that human brain cells harbor astonishing genomic variability due to mobile DNA elements. This phenomenon may drive evolution and create neural diversity, making each person unique.
Research suggests that THC induces autophagy-mediated cell death in human brain cancer cells, including glioblastoma multiforme. Administration of THC to mice with human tumors decreased tumor growth and induced autophagy in tumor cells.
Human astrocytes differ significantly from those in mice and rats, being bigger, faster, and more complex. This discovery has big implications for how our brains process information and suggests a higher cognitive functioning that defines humanity.
The human brain operates in a self-organized critical state, characterized by optimal memory and information-processing capacity. Researchers used brain imaging techniques to measure synchronization between brain regions, finding dynamic changes consistent with critical dynamics.
A new neuroimaging study shows that stressed humans experience impaired attention-shifting abilities, similar to rats under stress. However, the brain's resilience allows for quick recovery from stress, returning to normal function within a month.
Scientists are using slices of living human brain tissue to identify new stroke therapies by blocking anoxic depolarization, a wave of death that engulfs and engorges brain cells. The study aims to find treatments that can delay or prevent the destructive electrical activity, potentially improving treatment options for strokes.
Research reveals how value influences visual processing, with early regions of the visual cortex activated by more valuable stimuli. Frontal and parietal cortex areas track value differences to guide decision making.
Researchers at UC Davis have discovered a new mechanism of attention in the human brain using modafinil. The study shows that modafinil shifts the brain into an 'exploitation mode' where subjects perform better on tasks requiring focus.
Researchers created a complete map of millions of neural fibers in the human cerebral cortex, identifying a single network core that may be key to understanding higher level thinking. The study provides a comprehensive map of brain connections and describes a non-invasive technique for mapping neural connections at greater resolution.
A new study published in PLoS Biology uses magnetoencephalography to record brain activity as humans detect target tones in a complex auditory scene. The researchers find that the awareness of these sounds correlates with activity in high-level auditory regions, not the initial cortical region where sound is processed. This novel study...
A study by Max Planck Institute researchers found that unconscious brain activity can predict decisions made by participants up to 7 seconds before they consciously make a choice. This suggests that the decision is unconsciously prepared ahead of time, but the final decision may still be reversible.
A study by Birte Forstmann and colleagues found that two areas in the medial frontal cortex contribute to decision-making: the rostral cingulate zone (RCZ) for choosing among options, and Brodmann area 10 when making completely our own choice. The study suggests context and agency play a crucial role in decision-making.
Researchers at Yerkes National Primate Research Center have identified a unique language feature in the human brain that differs from our closest living relative, the chimpanzee. The study used DTI to compare human brain structures and found a larger and more widespread projection of fibers in the middle temporal lobe.
The human brain can quickly perceive visual and auditory changes, but a recent study found that this ability is impaired when there's a brief time gap between the change and our perception. The researchers discovered that the brain uses more efficient mechanisms for auditory memory than visual memory.
The University of Illinois Chicago's 9.4 Tesla MRI successfully completed safety trials, allowing for the visualization of biological processes in the human brain. This technology has the potential to tailor radiation therapy based on a brain tumor's real-time response to treatment.
Scientists have discovered a method to track neural progenitor cells in the adult human brain, opening new avenues for diagnosis and treatment of neurological disorders. The breakthrough uses magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) to detect proteins produced by these cells.
A recent study by Western psychology graduate student Ben Bowles and professor Stefan Köhler found that the feeling of familiarity during recognition relies on a distinct brain mechanism. This insight sheds light on how memory is wired in the human brain, with implications for understanding memory deficits in neurology, including Alzhe...
Researchers investigated dynamic cortical networks in humans, confirming that familiar and unfamiliar objects activate distributed brain areas. They also measured directed information transfer between brain areas, revealing that most regions are involved in both receiving and sending signals during object recognition.
Indiana University neuroscientists Olaf Sporns and Christopher Honey found that the brain's spontaneous activity is shaped by its wiring diagram. Their computational model of a macaque monkey's brain shows how fluctuations in activity emerge from chaotic neural interactions, revealing rich temporal structure at multiple time scales.
Scientists have successfully decoded brain patterns to determine an individual's chosen plan of action before execution, revealing a key role for the medial prefrontal cortex in reflecting mental states. This breakthrough uses functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to decode intentions from neural activity patterns.
A team of international experts, led by FSU's Dean Falk, has concluded that the 'Hobbit' is indeed a separate species closely related to Homo sapiens. The study found that the Hobbit's brain is highly evolved and unique, with advanced features distinct from microcephalic humans.
Despite rapid brain growth, human brain genes have slowed down evolution since the split from chimpanzees. Complexity and gene-gene interactions place constraints on brain genes, hindering change. Genes in humans evolve more slowly than in other primates or mice.
UCLA scientists identified gene networks that correspond to specific brain regions in humans and chimps. The study found significant differences in the cerebral cortex region, where human-specific genes show changes at the DNA level. These findings support the theory that variations in DNA sequence contributed to human evolution.
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.
Scientists from the University of Florida have found that ordinary human brain cells can generate new brain tissue in mice and produce large amounts of new brain cells in culture. This discovery could potentially be used to fight Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, stroke, and other brain disorders.
A recent study published in Neuron found that brain areas related to self-awareness are inactive when individuals focus on external tasks, and only active when both sensory experience and self-awareness are present. This suggests a new perspective on the role of self-awareness in perception.
A new study compares handedness of medieval English villagers to modern-day sample, finding that active individuals display a high degree of asymmetry. Researchers used skeletal analysis to determine changes in hand preference over time, shedding light on the evolution of right- and left-handedness.
Researchers at UCSD develop mouse model for lissencephaly, a severe brain disorder in newborn children. The study shows that removing two genes from the mouse replicates human lissencephaly features, shedding light on the condition's causes and potential treatment.
The PALS (Population-Average, Landmark-, and Surface-based) atlas provides a comprehensive map of the human cerebral cortex, combining data from multiple individuals to improve accuracy. The atlas has already helped scientists understand how genetic disorders affect brain structure and function.
The human cerebellum and cortex age at vastly different rates, with the cortex showing pronounced and consistent changes, while the cerebellum experiences smaller and less coordinated changes. This study, published in PLoS Biology, reveals that the functions of brain regions influence how they age.
Researchers have discovered that nonlinguistic monkeys have an area comparable to Broca's area, which is responsible for controlling oral and facial actions. This finding suggests that Broca's area may have evolved to control certain aspects of the speech act in humans.
A study published in PNAS reveals a short protein, SDF-2, used by Dictyostelium to synchronize spore formation, similar to DBI found in human brains. The discovery confirms the organism's potential as an experimental system for studying cell communication.
Researchers have discovered that marine snails and humans share identical cellular mechanisms for learning and memory, which could lead to breakthroughs in understanding age-related memory loss and developing interventions for people with memory disorders. The study may also shed light on the role of protein synthesis in long-term memory.
Researchers found asymmetries in KNOB and language brain region correspond to right- and left-handedness, challenging previous theory of human-chimpanzee brain differences. The Yerkes National Primate Research Center is a leader in biomedical and behavioral studies involving nonhuman primates.
A recent study by University of Wisconsin-Madison scientists has identified a brain protein called transthyretin that appears to protect brain cells from toxic beta-amyloid, which contributes to Alzheimer's disease. The findings suggest that boosting transthyretin levels in the brain could be a promising approach to treating the disease.
Researchers at University College London found that humans use a strategy similar to barn owls for sound pitches above middle-C, while gerbils adapt to detect low-pitched sounds. The study suggests the brain adopts an efficient strategy to locate sound sources, adapting to different frequencies.
Researchers found that genes critical for learning and memory are reduced in older brains, while those associated with stress and repair mechanisms are elevated. These changes suggest that gene damage may be contributing to age-related cognitive decline.
Researchers at MIT have discovered that the human brain can recognize faces in blurry images when surrounded by contextual clues, such as a body. This finding has significant implications for the development of better machine vision systems and may also shed light on neurological conditions like autism.
A UCLA study finds that FoxP1 and FoxP2 genes shared by humans and songbirds may play a critical role in human speech and speech disorders. The study suggests that understanding these genes could lead to new medications for speech disorders.
Rutgers-Newark has received a powerful computer grant, which will enable researchers to analyze brain activity more efficiently. The new supercomputing cluster allows for faster processing of massive amounts of data generated by human brain scans.
A small region in the frontal lobe is selectively activated when an individual intends to make a particular action. This finding helps explain why individuals with frontal lobe damage often have problems making decisions and act impulsively.
Scientists discovered microscopic differences in minicolumns, a group of brain cells involved in language, between humans and non-human primates. These findings suggest that the human brain is organized differently than its primate counterparts, which may explain the complexity of human communication.
A new study published in the Journal of Behavioral Neuroscience found that extraverts show greater brain reactivity to positive images compared to introverts. The researchers used fMRI to measure brain responses to negative and positive images, and found associations between personality traits and neural activity in response to emotion...
Researchers at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center found that the right hemisphere helps people recognize themselves in pictures. The study used morphed images blending a patient's face with famous faces and showed that patients' right brains could recognize their own faces even when anesthetized, but not when only the left brain was ...
A new study by Brookhaven National Laboratory researchers shows that Ritalin significantly increases dopamine levels in the brain, stimulating attention and motivational circuits. This increase in dopamine leads to improved focus and completion of tasks, making it an effective treatment for ADHD.
A Johns Hopkins Children's Center study failed to link autistic children's sensory fixation to brain damage, contradicting long-held theories. The study found that the cerebellum's balance regulation function operates normally in high-functioning autistic children.
A new brain imaging study found the thalamus, a key sensory filter, is smaller than normal in people with schizophrenia from its earliest stages. This may explain why individuals experience confusion during their illness due to impaired information processing and overload in certain brain regions.
A recent study published in Neurology has imaged language areas of the brain during recovery from stroke, providing insights into normal language processes and potential therapy optimizations. Researchers found that areas on the right side of the brain contribute to language recovery after left-side damage.
Researchers from UCSD and Japan have identified a new gene called NUDEL, which plays a critical role in regulating the function of motor-molecules that transport cellular cargo within cells. This discovery sheds light on how neurons in the developing brain become wired and provides insights into neurodegenerative diseases.
The University of Washington has established a $35.5 million center for mind, brain and learning to conduct innovative research on early brain and behavioral development. The center, in partnership with Talaris Research Institute, will focus on five major themes: brain plasticity, brain-behavior links, nature-nurture, computer vs. biol...
A Princeton scientist created a computer model of a mouse brain that can recognize spoken words, challenging conventional views on sensory perception. The model uses sensitive timing of electrical signals to perform calculations, potentially leading to faster and more sophisticated brain functions.
Researchers found a set of neurons in the supplementary eye field that react when an individual realizes they made a mistake, shedding light on self-control and cognitive processes. This discovery has implications for understanding schizophrenia, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and psychopathic behavior.
Researchers found a specific protein, OX2, that controls inflammation in the brain. OX2 deficiency may lead to chronic brain inflammation, associated with Alzheimer's disease, multiple sclerosis, and AIDS-related dementia.
A study published by Indiana University School of Medicine found that men and women process language in different ways, with men using only the left side of their brain. The research may have implications for understanding how men and women recover from stroke and brain tumors, as well as improving imaging technologies.