Articles tagged with Cognition
BrainHealth Week 2026 will explore precision brain health, biosensor technology, and mental resilience, offering actionable strategies for improving daily performance and quality of life. The event brings together industry leaders, scientific community, students, and the community at large to discuss practical roadmap for longevity.
A new study published in the New England Journal of Medicine found that many hospital screening policies for late-career physicians lack basic fairness protections. The authors recommend creating policies that balance patient safety with fair treatment of physicians, including clear standards and appeal processes.
Research reveals structural brain changes in older adults affect ability to shift between tasks and update environmental information. These changes may lead to deficits in behavioral adaptability, emphasizing the importance of identifying age-related brain structure changes.
An 18-week study found that maintaining grip strength and chair-rise performance alongside weight loss was possible without a prescribed strength-training program, alongside improvements in biomarkers linked to metabolic and cognitive aging. A plant-forward diet featuring fresh lean pork supported healthy-aging markers in older adults.
A new study by University College London researchers found that women and people with anxiety are prone to two distinct types of underconfidence. Women initially show underconfidence but confidence grows as time elapses, while those with anxiety become less confident with more reflection.
A landmark study finds that structural brain changes tied to memory decline are nonlinear, stronger in older adults, and not solely driven by known Alzheimer's-associated genes. The study suggests that cognitive decline reflects a broad biological vulnerability in brain structure that accumulates over decades.
A study found that older adults are prescribed potentially inappropriate central nervous system-active medications despite guidelines. Patients with cognitive impairment were more likely to receive these medications than those with normal cognition. The study highlights the need for better medication management in older adults.
Researchers propose a roadmap for using transcranial focused ultrasound to study consciousness, enabling precise manipulation of brain activity and determining cause-and-effect patterns. This technology may help address the hard problem of consciousness by probing neural circuits that generate sensations, thoughts, and feelings.
A new study published in Science uncovers how the brain prepares and produces facial gestures through a temporally organized hierarchy of neural codes. The research found that multiple brain regions work in parallel, each contributing different timing-based codes to generate coherent facial gestures.
A new approach to assessing patients with disorders of consciousness combines six assessment techniques, including high-density EEG and functional MRI. The study reveals that combining data from multiple techniques significantly improves model performance and provides a synthetic and precise assessment of patient outcomes.
A Rice University psychologist is investigating how irrelevant visual information interferes with ability to stay on task. Her research aims to clarify how attention is captured, linger on distractions and recover. The study uses electroencephalography to measure brain activity in real-time.
Research highlights the moderating role of collective innovativeness in teacher collaboration, showing its significant impact on cognitively activating teaching practices. Schools with high innovativeness levels experience stronger positive effects from collaboration.
Researchers discovered that calcium alpha-ketoglutarate restores key memory-related brain functions disrupted in Alzheimer's disease. The molecule enhances synaptic plasticity, protects neurons from degenerative changes, and supports healthier cognitive ageing.
Mind blanking is characterized by decreased connectivity between neural networks, disrupted visual information processing, and reduced sensory input. The study's findings suggest that being awake does not necessarily mean being conscious of something, and mind blanking corresponds to a genuine interruption in the stream of thoughts.
Researchers tested Spatial Computing theory by examining neural activity and brain wave patterns in animals performing working memory and categorization tasks. The findings support the theory's predictions, including that alpha/beta waves represent task controls and rules, while spiking activity carries sensory information.
A new study published in Sleep Health found that the quality of a night's sleep, rather than its length, predicts how quickly older adults process information the next day. Researchers analyzed data from 261 participants aged 70 and above, who wore devices to track their sleep and completed cognitive assessments six times a day.
A new study found that slower reaction time and lower response accuracy in cognitive tasks are associated with higher levels of frailty. The association can be detected in late midlife among individuals aged 57 to 70 years.
A research team at the University of Göttingen investigated how laughter can be regulated and found that social cues can strongly interfere with these efforts. The results showed that suppression and distraction were effective strategies to hold back laughter, while cognitive reappraisal could reduce how funny the jokes felt.
A new study found that brief, light-intensity exercise significantly improves inhibitory control and mood in children, with potential to enhance learning efficiency. The research, conducted at Waseda University, also revealed that even short periods of physical activity can have a lasting impact on cognitive function.
Researchers found that valacyclovir, an antiviral medication, was ineffective in treating early symptomatic Alzheimer's disease and may even worsen cognitive function. The study suggests that individuals with early symptomatic Alzheimer's disease and herpes simplex virus seropositivity should not be treated with valacyclovir.
A randomized clinical trial found digital cognitive behavioral therapy to be significantly beneficial for adults with generalized anxiety disorder. The treatment provided sustained benefits and has the potential for public health impact due to its accessibility.
Researchers at Cornell University used optogenetics to boost large sharp-wave ripples in the brains of mice, improving their ability to remember new experiences. The technique showed promise in extending memory consolidation even in mice engineered to have cognitive deficits.
Children who spend a significant amount of time on social media platforms experience a gradual decline in their ability to concentrate. The study found no association between TV watching or video game playing and attention symptoms.
A new study published in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease has shown that dance can be beneficial in halting cognitive decline associated with Parkinson's disease. The study found significant improvements in cognitive scores for participants who engaged in dance classes, compared to those who did not participate.
A study from the University of East Anglia explores how our brains remember past events and how those memories can change over time. Memories are made up of different parts and can become less accurate or include new information as they are retrieved.
Researchers found that recalling memories is facilitated when breathing cues are presented during inhalation, with actual memory retrieval happening during exhalation. The study suggests that respiration acts as a natural pacemaker for memory processes, highlighting the close interaction between the brain and body.
Researchers found that words with phonetically pleasing sound patterns are more memorable due to their aesthetic appeal. The study was supported by a grant from the Austrian Academy of Sciences and the Austrian Science Fund.
A new study reveals limited data on cognition in individuals with comorbid personality disorder and schizophrenia, leading to unfavourable outcomes. The researchers emphasize the need for further investigation into adapting treatments to support functional recovery.
A study published in Neurology found that using GPS driving data can predict cognitive decline in older adults with mild cognitive impairment. Participants who developed cognitive issues had greater reductions in driving frequency and variety over time.
A study published in Alzheimer's & Dementia found that long-term pharmacological treatment improves memory alterations and inflammation in mice models for Down syndrome. The treatment targets the CB1 receptor, which is involved in neuronal connections and memory, and shows positive results even when age-related neurodegeneration is added.
Researchers found that dogs with stronger ADHD-like traits were slower to learn new information, but improved with repetition and sufficient sleep. The studies also revealed a link between ADHD-like traits and self-control in dogs, suggesting that cognitive training and sleep can mitigate these impairments.
Researchers at Florida Atlantic University have discovered a potential new treatment for Alzheimer's disease by targeting muscle protein Cathepsin B. The study found that increasing Ctsb in muscle tissue may offer protection against the effects of AD and promote brain cell growth, restoring protein balance and rebalancing brain activity.
A team of New York University researchers has identified the orbitofrontal cortex as an 'inference engine' that allows animals to update their understanding of their surroundings based on changing circumstances. The study found that trained rats waited longer for water rewards in low states and less time in reward-rich states, indicati...
According to Miller, brain waves sculpt the flow of information in the cortex, enabling volitional control of thought. The cortex organizes itself through analog computation, leading to consciousness as a unified awareness of thought and experience.
Researchers at NYU Tandon developed a method to measure cognitive arousal using skin conductance, revealing patterns of physiological responses to different stimuli. The analysis showed that haptic sensations and auditory stimuli elicit strong immediate activations, while visual cues respond more gradually.
A study from the University of Victoria suggests that humans can smell testosterone and associate it with dominance. The research found that participants rated men with higher testosterone levels as more dominant than those with lower levels, indicating a link between body odour and perceptions of social status.
Researchers at Queen Mary University of London have shown that bumblebees can be trained to differentiate between long and short light flashes, which was previously observed only in humans and other vertebrates. This ability allows the bees to decide where to forage for food based on visual cues.
A Baycrest study found that subtle features of speech timing, such as pauses and fillers, are linked to executive function and predict cognitive decline. The research uses artificial intelligence to analyze natural speech patterns for early detection of dementia.
A new study found that faster biological aging measured by DNA-based epigenetic clocks is associated with greater cognitive decline and higher risk of mild cognitive impairment in Hispanic/Latino adults. The study highlights the potential of epigenetic clocks to track changes in brain health over time.
Researchers found that zebra finches categorize calls into about a dozen call-types, similar to how humans hear and group them. The birds' ability to distinguish between calls with similar meaning suggests they have a mental representation of the meaning behind these vocalizations.
A study found that rats' impulsive behavior and risky decision-making are shaped differently in males and females based on the timing of neural stimulation. The results highlight the importance of considering biological sex when developing treatments for disorders related to impulsivity and addiction.
Researchers found that a rotating brain wave helps the cortex recover its computational path after a distraction, improving performance in visual working memory tasks. Longer time intervals between distractions also aid recovery.
Researchers warn that advances in AI and neurotechnology are outpacing our understanding of consciousness, with potential serious ethical consequences. A better understanding of consciousness could have major implications for AI, prenatal policy, animal welfare, medicine, mental health, law, and emerging neurotechnologies.
Researchers Prof Axel Cleeremans, Prof Anil Seth, and Prof Liad Mudrik warn that advances in AI and neurotechnology are outpacing our understanding of consciousness. They emphasize the need for theory-driven research and innovative methods to advance consciousness science.
A new study published in Science provides evidence that chimpanzees can change their minds based on the strength of available evidence, a key feature of rational thought. Researchers found that chimps frequently switched their choices in response to stronger clues, aligning with rational strategies of belief revision.
A new study has compiled records of brain activity during sleep and dream reports, revealing that dreams occur not only during REM sleep but also during deeper and calmer NREM stages. In these cases, brain activity resembles wakefulness more than deep sleep.
Psychedelic substances profoundly alter our perception of time, inducing temporal distortions that offer unprecedented insights into consciousness. By suppressing the default mode network and modulating multiple brain regions, psychedelics provide unique windows into brain function and mental health treatment.
A significant genetic correlation has been identified between childhood cognitive function and parental longevity, providing molecular evidence for the connection. The study found that shared genetic factors influence both early cognitive abilities and lifespan, with a genetic correlation of 0.35.
The team aims to build an anonymized database representative of the whole population by collecting two vivid memories from participants. The findings will inform new ways to help people remember in more detail and understand human memories across the lifespan.
Researchers found that voluntary running exercise mitigates cafeteria diet-induced behavioral changes via hormonal and microbial pathways. The study revealed specific metabolites, such as anserine and indole-3-carboxylate, were decreased by the cafeteria diet but partially restored by exercise.
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 new MIT study found that a theta-frequency brain wave scans the mental image and a region of the cortex maps visual information. The researchers observed that performance depends on the phase of this wave when the changed square appears, and the vertical location on the screen of that target square.
Researchers found that brain mechanisms for spatial attention differ when processing mental images from memory versus visuals on a screen. When recalling imagery, frontal areas are more active, suggesting distinct mechanisms for spatial attention in mental imaging.
A new study published in JNeurosci used fMRI to investigate how the brain acquires semantic information. The results suggest that the quality of activity in distinct brain regions can predict whether people successfully acquire knowledge about places and characters in fictional civilizations.
A new study reveals that astrocytes, a type of glial cell, are responsible for stabilizing memories through repeated engagement. The researchers found that Fos activity in astrocytes only occurs during recall, and that these cells can be activated to produce stable memories.
Research synthesizes current evidence on psychedelic therapy's potential to fundamentally alter treatment paradigms for depression, anxiety, and PTSD. Chronic stress contributes significantly to psychiatric illness worldwide, leaving traditional treatments with residual symptoms or side effects.
A study published in JAMA found that both low and high increases in social media use during early adolescence are negatively associated with cognitive function. Specifically, adolescents with higher or lower social media use tend to perform poorly in certain aspects of cognition.
Terrence Sejnowski, a renowned neuroscientist at Salk Institute, has been awarded the 2025 NIH Director's Pioneer Award to develop advanced computational techniques for analyzing working memory. His research aims to better understand and treat memory disorders in mental health conditions.
A cohort study found that early extracranial surgery was associated with adverse outcomes in function, cognition, and disability after moderate-severe traumatic brain injury. The study suggests that further research is needed to determine if surgical timing or other interventions can improve long-term deficits.
Researchers discovered that adults can better access their early memories after embodying a childlike version of their own face. Participants who viewed their childlike faces recalled significantly more episodic childhood memories than those who saw their adult faces.