Researchers found that higher English proficiency levels correlated with better executive control performance in unbalanced bilinguals. This suggests that language skills may play a significant role in cognitive control efficiency. The study used an objective method to evaluate second language proficiency, providing new insights into t...
SourceNational Research University Higher School of Economics·JournalFrontiers in Psychology·DateFeb 18, 2020
Research by Peng and Kievit found a bidirectional relationship between academic achievement and cognitive abilities, with sustained education fostering children's growth. Short-term training may be insufficient to improve academic performance due to modest effects that take time to develop.
SourceSociety for Research in Child Development·JournalChild Development Perspectives·DateJan 28, 2020
New York University professors created three digital games to train cognitive skills, which have proven effective through research studies. The games, including Gwakkamolé, CrushStations, and All You Can ET, improve executive functions like memory, inhibition, and working memory.
Researchers analyzed 20 years of research on intention deactivation and found that completed intentions can sometimes continue to affect people, particularly when reminders or stimuli trigger their retrieval. This effect is often rare but can play a role in learning new routines.
SourceTechnische Universität Dresden·JournalPsychological Bulletin·DateJan 10, 2020
SAMSUNG T9 Portable SSD 2TB
SAMSUNG T9 Portable SSD 2TB transfers large imagery and model outputs quickly between field laptops, lab workstations, and secure archives.
Researchers identified changes in neural circuits supporting executive function and self-control during adolescence, finding that complex brain areas like the prefrontal cortex develop later and have higher structure-function coupling, leading to improved cognitive abilities.
SourceUniversity of Pennsylvania School of Medicine·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateJan 3, 2020
The MIPT team developed a new method for reinforcement learning with demonstrations, enabling rapid solution of hierarchical problems in Minecraft. This approach opens opportunities for applying reinforcement learning to real-world tasks like autonomous vehicle control and manipulator control.
SourceMoscow Institute of Physics and Technology·DateDec 20, 2019
A new study finds that preschool-age children with higher screen time have lower white matter integrity and lower scores on language and literacy measures. The researchers suggest that parents set appropriate limits on technology use to support healthy brain development during early childhood.
SourceCincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center·JournalJAMA Pediatrics·DateNov 4, 2019
Researchers discovered shared brain circuit abnormalities in patients with mood and anxiety disorders, enabling targeted interventions. These findings hold promise for improving outcomes for individuals with major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, and anxiety disorders.
SourceUniversity of British Columbia·JournalJAMA Psychiatry·DateOct 30, 2019
Celestron NexStar 8SE Computerized Telescope
Celestron NexStar 8SE Computerized Telescope combines portable Schmidt-Cassegrain optics with GoTo pointing for outreach nights and field campaigns.
Research from the University of Cambridge found an association between increased BMI and significant reductions in cortical thickness, as well as poorer performance at tests measuring executive function. The study used data from 2,700 children aged 9-11 years and controlled for various factors, including age, sex, and parental education.
SourceUniversity of Cambridge·JournalCerebral Cortex·DateOct 23, 2019
The artificial skin developed by Prof. Gordon Cheng and his team enables robots to perceive their surroundings in greater detail and with more sensitivity, making them safer when operating near people. The system combines hexagonal cells with microprocessors and sensors to detect contact, acceleration, proximity, and temperature.
SourceTechnical University of Munich (TUM)·JournalProceedings of the IEEE·DateOct 10, 2019
A new study found that excessive athletic training can lead to mental fatigue, including reduced activity in a portion of the brain important for making decisions. The athletes also acted more impulsively, opting for immediate rewards instead of bigger ones that would take longer to achieve.
A study shows that intensive physical training can harm brain capacity, particularly cognitive control. Excessive physical activity is linked to reduced activity of the lateral prefrontal cortex, leading to impulsive decision-making and burnout syndrome.
SourceINSERM (Institut national de la santé et de la recherche médicale)·JournalCurrent Biology·DateSep 26, 2019
AmScope B120C-5M Compound Microscope
AmScope B120C-5M Compound Microscope supports teaching labs and QA checks with LED illumination, mechanical stage, and included 5MP camera.
A study published in PLOS Biology found that crows can deliberately control their calls, suggesting a high level of cognitive sophistication. The research used trained carrion crows to learn and respond to specific cues, revealing the birds' ability to exert control over their vocalizations.
Early-life adversity impacts executive function skills, such as focusing and organizing tasks, and brain chemistry, affecting stress hormones like cortisol. This snowball effect contributes to social and emotional challenges throughout childhood.
SourceUniversity of Washington·JournalDevelopment and Psychopathology·DateJun 5, 2019
A new study reveals that specific brain regions, including executive function areas and sensory monitoring zones, moderate both depressive mood and physical pain. The research found that individuals with higher levels of depressive mood exhibited increased sensitivity to pain and heightened activation in these brain regions.
SourceUniversity of California - San Diego·JournalPain·DateMay 21, 2019
Researchers at the Center for BrainHealth found that combined cognitive training with Strategic Memory Advanced Reasoning Training (SMART) and Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) improved executive functions, episodic memory, and subjective memory satisfaction in adults with mild cognitive impairment. However, tDCS failed to...
A study found that teenagers with ADHD who got less sleep experienced significant deficits in executive functioning skills, including working memory, planning, and organization. In contrast, those who got more sleep showed improved performance.
Apple iPhone 17 Pro
Apple iPhone 17 Pro delivers top performance and advanced cameras for field documentation, data collection, and secure research communications.
A new study shows that deep-brain stimulation improves cognitive control by increasing low-frequency brain rhythms in the prefrontal cortex. This finding could lead to more effective treatment plans tailored to individual patients' needs.
SourcePicower Institute at MIT·JournalNature Communications·DateApr 4, 2019
A new study assesses how large-scale patterns of brain activity relate to different cognitive systems, revealing variations between individuals. The research uses computational modeling to simulate brain activity and identify repeatable patterns in some cognitive systems.
SourceUniversity at Buffalo·JournalScience Advances·DateApr 3, 2019
A Baycrest study reveals that adults experiencing frequent forgetfulness or distraction may be displaying earlier symptoms of cerebral small vessel disease, a 'silent stroke'. Individuals with brain damage from these strokes reported poor attentiveness and being sidetracked more frequently on day-to-day tasks.
SourceBaycrest Centre for Geriatric Care·JournalNeurobiology of Aging·DateFeb 6, 2019
Davis Instruments Vantage Pro2 Weather Station
Davis Instruments Vantage Pro2 Weather Station offers research-grade local weather data for networked stations, campuses, and community observatories.
A new study found that aerobic exercise training increases executive function and cortical thickness in the brain of young adults, suggesting that exercise can prevent or slow age-related cognitive decline. The flexibility of the exercise protocol made it more attractive to the general population.
SourceColumbia University Irving Medical Center·JournalNeurology·DateJan 30, 2019
A new study published in PLOS ONE found that bilingualism does not improve executive functions in children, including remembering instructions and controlling responses. Researchers used a computer test to compare the cognitive abilities of Turkish-German bilingual and monolingual children between ages 5-15.
SourceUniversity of Tennessee at Knoxville·JournalPLOS ONE·DateJan 18, 2019
A new study reveals that anticipation of touch in children's brains relates to their executive function skills, including selective attention. Children's ability to anticipate a tactile impact is associated with better cognitive control and academic performance.
SourceUniversity of Washington·JournalDevelopmental Cognitive Neuroscience·DateDec 12, 2018
Researchers at the University of Zurich found that people who take cocaine cut with levamisole show impaired cognitive performance and a thinned prefrontal cortex. The study suggests that drug-checking programs should be expanded to protect users from the toxic effects of levamisole.
SourceUniversity of Zurich·JournalTranslational Psychiatry·DateOct 31, 2018
Rigol DP832 Triple-Output Bench Power Supply
Rigol DP832 Triple-Output Bench Power Supply powers sensors, microcontrollers, and test circuits with programmable rails and stable outputs.
Researchers discover cerebellum's involvement in higher-order cognition, including attention, thinking, planning, and decision-making. The cerebellum was found to be responsible for quality control over thoughts and actions, with 80% of its networks devoted to these functions.
The National Science Foundation has awarded $16 million to 18 cross-disciplinary projects exploring the intersection of neural and cognitive systems. These innovative research approaches aim to tackle fundamental questions about the brain, developing new methods for studying neural activity and behavior.
Bilingual individuals exhibit unique brain activity when switching between languages, with increased cognitive control activity during disengagement. In contrast, engaging in a new language comes relatively cost-free from a neurobiological standpoint, suggesting that the burden of language-switching lies in disengagement.
SourceNew York University·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateSep 10, 2018
Nikon Monarch 5 8x42 Binoculars
Nikon Monarch 5 8x42 Binoculars deliver bright, sharp views for wildlife surveys, eclipse chases, and quick star-field scans at dark sites.
A new study found significant correlations between blood levels of EPA plus DHA omega-3s and cognitive depression in heart failure subjects. The study also showed improvements in social functioning and a positive correlation between the Omega-3 Index and reduced cognitive depression scores.
SourceWright On Marketing & Communications·JournalJournal of the American College of Cardiology·DateAug 22, 2018
Researchers found that parrots make deliberate, profit-maximizing decisions, prioritizing higher-value food over immediate rewards. However, individual motivation plays a role, with some birds valuing the token itself over economic gain.
SourceMax-Planck-Gesellschaft·JournalScientific Reports·DateAug 22, 2018
Research found a strong correlation between blood omega-3s and executive function in children from Northern Ghana. Children with higher omega-3 levels were more likely to perform better on cognitive tests, suggesting potential benefits for brain development.
SourceWright On Marketing & Communications·JournalThe Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry·DateAug 13, 2018
A new study published in the Journal of Youth and Adolescence found that most teenagers do have behavioral brakes, contradicting the long-held idea that adolescence is a time of impulsive behavior. The research suggests that only children with weak cognitive control are at risk for trouble in adulthood.
SourceUniversity of Oregon·JournalJournal of Youth and Adolescence·DateAug 9, 2018
Sky & Telescope Pocket Sky Atlas, 2nd Edition
Sky & Telescope Pocket Sky Atlas, 2nd Edition is a durable star atlas for planning sessions, identifying targets, and teaching celestial navigation.
Researchers assessed 21 professional athletes on neuropsychological measures, executive function, and advanced brain imaging. The study found mild cognitive impairment but no statistically significant impairment compared to non-contact sport controls.
SourceUniversity at Buffalo·JournalJournal of Head Trauma Rehabilitation·DateAug 7, 2018
Researchers identified a larger volume of gray matter in resilient readers in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, which is important for executive functions and working memory. This finding may help develop new reading interventions that emphasize executive functions and working memory.
SourceAmerican Friends of Tel Aviv University·JournalPLOS ONE·DateJul 24, 2018
A new study found that 'skinny fat,' a combination of low muscle mass and high fat mass, may predict cognitive decline in older adults. Sarcopenic obesity was associated with the lowest performance on global cognition tests, followed by sarcopenia alone and then obesity alone.
SourceFlorida Atlantic University·JournalClinical Interventions in Aging·DateJul 5, 2018
Anker Laptop Power Bank 25,000mAh (Triple 100W USB-C)
Anker Laptop Power Bank 25,000mAh (Triple 100W USB-C) keeps Macs, tablets, and meters powered during extended observing runs and remote surveys.
Research shows that anxious individuals exert more cognitive control when making a risky decision, resulting in less risky choices. Higher frontal midline theta power predicts this increased cognitive control and associated risk aversion.
Researchers found that simply being told a musician is professional changes the way the brain responds to music, with more activity in pleasure and reward regions for 'professional' recordings. Overcoming this bias requires conscious effort, as participants who resisted the bias showed increased executive control.
SourceUniversity of Connecticut·JournalScientific Reports·DateApr 18, 2018
Primary school children with lower executive function skills are more likely to show increased aggression in middle childhood, including physical and relational types. The study suggests that improving executive function could reduce aggression, and training programs may be effective in achieving this.
SourceFrontiers·JournalFrontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience·DateMar 15, 2018
A comprehensive review of 152 studies on bilingualism and executive functions found no significant benefits for bilinguals. Bilingualism is beneficial for communication between people and cultures, but not for cognitive skills like focusing attention or switching tasks.
SourceAbo Akademi University·JournalPsychological Bulletin·DateMar 5, 2018
Apple iPad Pro 11-inch (M4)
Apple iPad Pro 11-inch (M4) runs demanding GIS, imaging, and annotation workflows on the go for surveys, briefings, and lab notebooks.
A new study by Concordia professor Natalie Phillips explores the effects of bilingualism on patients with Alzheimer's disease and mild cognitive impairment. The research found that multilingual individuals may be able to compensate for AD-related tissue loss by accessing alternative networks in their brains for memory processing.
SourceConcordia University·JournalNeuropsychologia·DateFeb 6, 2018
A long-term study by Norwegian University of Science and Technology researchers has shed new light on the consequences of very low birth weights on cognitive development. The study found that individuals born with very low birth weights have difficulties with cognitive control, including proactive and reactive systems.
SourceNorwegian University of Science and Technology·JournalNeuroImage·DateJan 22, 2018
A study conducted by primary school pupils found that exercising at their own pace significantly improves a child's mood, attention, and memory. The research used over 11,000 schoolchildren across the UK, who completed various physical activities before answering tests on concentration and happiness.
A preschool program called REDI (Research-based, Developmentally Informed) has been shown to improve executive function skills and academic performance in low-income children. The program focuses on building social and emotional skills, which are critical for learning and classroom engagement.
SourcePenn State·JournalPsychological Science·DateDec 5, 2017
A study by University of Miami researchers found that individuals with specific patterns of salience network dynamics were better able to resist tempting distractors and perform tasks. The study, published in Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience, sheds new light on the neural mechanisms underlying self-control and temptation res...
SourceUniversity of Miami·JournalSocial Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience·DateOct 31, 2017
CalDigit TS4 Thunderbolt 4 Dock
CalDigit TS4 Thunderbolt 4 Dock simplifies serious desks with 18 ports for high-speed storage, monitors, and instruments across Mac and PC setups.
Children in Montessori preschools show improved academic performance and social understanding, while enjoying their school work more. Low-income children, who typically don't perform as well at school, significantly benefit from Montessori education, achieving similar academic results to high-income peers.
SourceFrontiers·JournalFrontiers in Psychology·DateOct 30, 2017
A new study found that consuming a low dose of alcohol can improve bilingual speakers' ability to speak a second language, particularly in terms of pronunciation. However, the study's results suggest that higher levels of alcohol consumption may not have similar benefits.
SourceUniversity of Liverpool·JournalJournal of Psychopharmacology·DateOct 18, 2017
Terrence Sejnowski will use advanced modeling techniques to understand how the brain stores information and how diseases like schizophrenia and Parkinson's affect it. The project aims to create a layered control system model of the brain, testing its accuracy with human tasks requiring fast reflexes and long-range planning.
The NSF has awarded 19 projects to study neural and cognitive systems, advancing frontiers in cognitive science and neuroscience. The research focuses on four themes: education, engineering, computer science, and the impact of neural systems on these fields.
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Generation, USB-C)
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Generation, USB-C) provide clear calls and strong noise reduction for interviews, conferences, and noisy field environments.
Researchers identified the specific region of the brain affected by anoxic brain injury (ABI) in children who survived drowning. The study found that networks controlling perception and cognition remain intact, while motor pathways are damaged.
SourceUniversity of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio·JournalHuman Brain Mapping·DateJul 31, 2017
A study published in PNAS found that exposure to violent episodes hinders short-term memory and cognitive control, with significant impacts on school performance, job prospects, and overall life success. Researchers examined civilians in Colombia, finding long-lasting effects of violence on cognition and memory recall.
SourcePrinceton School of Public and International Affairs·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateJul 24, 2017
A new study by UCL and Bangor University researchers found that artists and architects think differently compared to other people and even among themselves. The study used Cognitive Discourse Analysis to categorize responses from participants describing spaces in different ways, revealing patterns related to their profession.
SourceUniversity College London·JournalCognitive Science·DateJun 28, 2017
A treatment for depression using the Emotional Faces Memory Task resulted in a significantly greater reduction of major depressive disorder symptoms compared to a control group. The digital therapeutic targets an imbalance in brain regions involved in emotion processing and cognitive control.
SourceThe Mount Sinai Hospital / Mount Sinai School of Medicine·DateJun 5, 2017
Researchers mapped brain network changes underlying improved executive function in youth, finding a modular yet globally integrated network structure. This architecture supports specialized processing and reduces interference between brain systems.
Aranet4 Home CO2 Monitor
Aranet4 Home CO2 Monitor tracks ventilation quality in labs, classrooms, and conference rooms with long battery life and clear e-ink readouts.
A study published in Current Biology reveals that brain networks become increasingly divided into distinct modules during adolescence, which influences improvements in executive function. The findings suggest that modular sub-networks are critical for complex cognition and behavior, and may predict risks for mental illnesses.
SourceUniversity of Pennsylvania School of Medicine·JournalCurrent Biology·DateMay 25, 2017
Researchers found significant cultural differences in cognitive skills among adolescent participants but not their parents, highlighting the importance of considering developmental and cultural perspectives. The study suggests that cultural contrasts may differ in nature as well as magnitude at different points along the life span.
SourceAssociation for Psychological Science·JournalPsychological Science·DateApr 25, 2017
Researchers found that viewing images of cold landscapes improved cognitive control, suggesting that temperature perception can influence mental processes. The study's results suggest a possible explanation for the relationship between temperature and cognitive control, including social proximity.
SourceAmerican Associates, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev·JournalPsychological Research·DateApr 10, 2017
A Concordia study found that watching TV for more than two hours a day negatively impacts kindergarten readiness, particularly among children from lower-income families. The study suggests limiting screen time, especially in middle- to lower-income households, is crucial for early academic skills and executive functioning.
SourceConcordia University·JournalJournal of Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics·DateMar 9, 2017
A new study from Karolinska Institutet shows that executive cognitive functions in children and young people can be quantified and linked to their performance on the football pitch. The study found strong results for simpler forms of executive function, such as working memory, to be associated with success.
SourceKarolinska Institutet·JournalPLOS ONE·DateFeb 9, 2017
Garmin GPSMAP 67i with inReach
Garmin GPSMAP 67i with inReach provides rugged GNSS navigation, satellite messaging, and SOS for backcountry geology and climate field teams.
A new study finds that executive function and engagement in classroom-based play in kindergarten are linked to participation in extracurricular activities in middle school among low-income children. The study suggests that early childhood experiences shape civic engagement later in life.
SourceNew York University·JournalApplied Developmental Science·DateJan 10, 2017
Researchers found that women who had their last pregnancy at 35 or older scored higher on verbal memory and executive function tests. The study suggests that hormonal changes during menopause can have a positive impact on cognitive function if they occur later in life.
SourceUniversity of Southern California·JournalJournal of the American Geriatrics Society·DateNov 17, 2016
Researchers found that older adults can outperform younger counterparts on certain problem-solving tasks by broadening their attention more easily. This study challenges the common assumption that aging brains require high cognitive control and highlights the potential benefits of reduced focus.
SourceCell Press·JournalTrends in Cognitive Sciences·DateNov 15, 2016