Articles tagged with Sensory Perception
A new study from Anglia Ruskin University suggests that reaction times could be an early indicator of cognitive decline and dementia risk. Researchers found that people screening positive for mild cognitive impairment performed significantly worse on visual tasks, taking longer to respond than cognitively healthy adults. This could lea...
New research in mice reveals the nucleus of the lateral olfactory tract (NLOT) is essential for learning to associate odors with unpleasant bodily experiences following water consumption. Activating or inhibiting NLOT neurons hindered the ability to make these associations, suggesting pattern of activity matters more than activity alone.
Researchers assessed eye movements and brain activity in humans and macaques to understand how they create meaning from visual scenes. They found that new semantic information influences neural activity in attention and scene-processing brain areas, suggesting a higher-order mental system involved in predicting what's about to happen.
Adult-onset hearing loss leads to adaptations in the brain that improve the sharpness of peripheral vision in mice. The visual brain area adapts to improve processing of remaining senses.
A KAIST research team creates a technique to encode virtual object roughness as visual cues, allowing users without haptic devices to distinguish between roughness levels visually. This enables more effective collaboration in VR, with pairs completing tasks 23% faster and reporting higher confidence in judgments.
Penn's Fast Feature Field transforms event-camera data into information that many different kinds of robots can use, improving robots' ability to recognize objects, estimate distances and perceive motion. The tool could transform robotics by allowing for the widespread use of event cameras in self-driving cars and drones.
The study reconstructs thalamic development, identifying two major cell lineages that diverge early and distinct genetic programmes, and pinpointing the gene Sp9 as essential for visual neuron identity.
Researchers at the University of Copenhagen used brain scans to show that music activates brain regions involved in processing taste, constructing flavour through integration of multiple senses. This finding has potential to improve wellbeing and eating experiences in various settings.
A recent study published in JNeurosci found that people with early blindness and musicians exhibit similar improvements in pitch discrimination, which is attributed to reduced internal noise. This reduction in internal noise enables individuals to better distinguish between pitches, leading to enhanced hearing ability.
Researchers discovered the genetic modification that gave butterflies their visual advantage, adding a photoreceptor to every unit of their compound eye. The brain adapted quickly to the new input, with no further genetic change needed, allowing butterflies to see more colors in flowers and locate nectar and potential mates.
Butterflies use optical illusions to confuse predators, creating motion illusion effects that scramble a predator's aim. The patterns on their wings interfere with the way visual systems try to guess the direction and speed of moving things, boosting false motion cues.
Researchers found that sharks can detect low-frequency sounds from considerable distances and respond by dramatically changing direction away from the source. They detected sounds from up to 243 feet away and were more sensitive to lower frequencies.
A study published in The Journal of Neuroscience reveals that the thalamus actively contributes to the development of visual circuits during brain development. Altering thalamic activity changes the number and distribution of interneurons in the visual thalamus and affects the organization of these cells in the visual cortex.
Researchers found that experiences combining physical spaces with digital technology need a coherent sensory balance to strengthen emotional engagement. The study recommends testing sensory combinations before launch and adjusting their intensity to create a meaningful visitor experience.
Researchers have mapped the complete neural wiring behind taste in an animal, tracing taste signals from sensory neurons to motor neurons that drive feeding. The study reveals neural pathways that could explain how taste triggers anticipatory insulin release before a single calorie is absorbed.
Researchers identified a brain circuit that enables comparison between current and previous sensory information to aid judgment. The pulvinar region in the thalamus provides advice on how much sensory information has changed, helping the brain make predictions about what's happening.
Researchers discovered that tobacco hawkmoth wings have specialized hair-like structures that can detect specific aromas. The wings contain sensory receptors that can pick out unpleasant amine odours, guiding the moths to their favorite plants for laying eggs.
A new review article synthesizes information on neural traveling waves, concluding they are a computational engine in the visual cortex. These waves allow the brain to build internal representations of the external world, enabling prediction and perception.
A Dartmouth study reveals that people's gaze patterns in new environments contain unique personality preferences. The researchers used eye-tracking data to model individual gaze patterns and create machine-learning models that could distinguish between participants based on their conceptual themes.
Researchers found that smelling dark chocolate odors increased training volume and suppressed hunger, while milk chocolate had no effect. The study suggests that food scents can trigger changes in body and mind similar to actual consumption.
A University of Stirling-led review found that certain design elements, such as striped patterns and high-contrast colors, can contribute to visual discomfort. This can range from eyestrain to migraine, and is often more pronounced in individuals with sensory sensitivities like autism, ADHD, or dyslexia.
Researchers at Tokyo University of Science found that revealing visual elements sequentially and matching each element with the speaker's narration improves attention and learning. Participants in a cumulative presentation format showed higher test scores compared to whole-slide presentations.
Researchers warn that AI faces are becoming increasingly trustworthy, with the latest diffusion model outperforming earlier models. This poses significant risks of online fraud and erosion of trust in society, as people become more susceptible to fake faces used for nefarious purposes.
Two studies found that mice take single sniffs to deliberately probe their environment, like humans. Humans process odors rapidly within a single sniff, mirroring rodent-like olfactory brain processing. These findings suggest fundamental biological rules behind smell processing have been preserved through evolution.
A new color-changing tactile sensor, developed by Queen Mary University of London, allows robots to map contact, strain, and pressure in high resolution. This technology has the potential to improve robotic grippers for precision manufacturing and prosthetic limbs for better sensing capabilities.
A virtual reality study with zebrafish shows that the environment experienced by young fish influences the shape and electrical activity of neurons in the eye. Fish growing up surrounded by horizontal stripes develop differently shaped neurons compared to those exposed to vertical stripes, which affects their behavior.
Researchers discovered that the brain uses both sharpening and refining strategies to process expected and unexpected events. Expected events lead to rapid responses but poor memory recall, while unexpected events receive sensory priority and are better remembered.
A new study reveals that smell loss can have a devastating impact on quality of life, comparable to conditions like Parkinson’s, stroke, and diabetes. Patients with smell disorders experience significant emotional, social, and psychological suffering, often rivaling those with chronic illnesses.
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 at MIT's Picower Institute have identified key properties that influence how neurons respond to visual stimuli, including distance from the soma and local clustering. These findings provide insight into how brain circuits process information and may shed light on neural disorders.
A new paper in Neuroscience & Biobehavioural Review proposes a comprehensive neurobiological model of affective tactile memory, suggesting that emotionally meaningful touch is stored in the brain in powerful and lasting ways. This research opens a new window into how early and everyday tactile experiences influence our emotional lives.
A new study removes bitter-tasting compounds from flaxseed oil, preserving its health-beneficial fatty acids and extending its shelf life. The approach uses bleaching earth to selectively reduce cyclolinopeptides, resulting in a flavor-stable oil that remains milder for longer.
A new genetic study found that Indigenous populations in Malaysia have well-preserved olfactory receptor genes, suggesting a strong evolutionary pressure to maintain them. The study suggests that the human sense of smell has played a bigger role in shaping evolution than previously thought, adapting alongside major cultural changes.
A new study reveals that mice can rapidly identify odors using temporal filtering, a process that enables transmission of only the first set of signals belonging to the identified smell. This finding challenges traditional views on mammalian sensory processing and may have implications for artificial intelligence tools.
A new study found that nearly half of young survivors of the October 7 attacks developed atypical sensory patterns, causing everyday stimuli to be perceived as overwhelming threats. This altered sensory processing is directly tied to emotional distress and anxiety in children.
The 48th AChemS Annual Meeting will present cutting-edge research on chemosensory perception, including its implications for human health, behavior, and quality of life. The conference highlights new findings on the role of smell in eating behavior, disease diagnosis, and obesity treatments.
Researchers confirmed core predictions of Hubel and Wiesel's model by analyzing signal transmission at individual synapses between the thalamus and visual cortex. They found that orientation selectivity emerges through cortical circuits, resolving a long-standing controversy in neuroscience.
A research team led by LEE Doyun and KIM Yee-Joon found that the primary visual cortex encodes motion summaries and variability before higher brain regions transform them into category signals. This process, known as ensemble perception, allows the brain to capture the overall structure of a scene at a glance.
A new brain pathway has been identified that enables humans to quickly detect and respond to 'scary' sounds, leading to increased self-reported fearfulness. This pathway is associated with better hearing ability in noisy environments.
A recent study found that adults with total or near-total vision loss who also experience hearing loss report lower confidence in their sound localization abilities, despite receiving specialized training. The researchers suggest that clinicians should account for hearing status during vision rehabilitation training to address individu...
Researchers identified new neurons that respond to different spatial frequencies, allowing for more precise object recognition, and used digital twins to confirm the findings in mouse brains.
Researchers assessed whether people can distinguish between AI-generated and human speech, discovering that short training minimally improves this ability. However, neural responses became more distinct for human versus AI speech, suggesting training can help in the future.
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.
A study published in the Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology found that exposure to oleamide, a chemical additive in plastics, caused immediate changes in octopus prey choice and interactions with predators. The effects persisted for at least three days, suggesting a lasting impact on marine behavior and ecosystem dynamics.
A blind patient partially recovered natural vision through electrical stimulation of the visual cortex, independent of the implant. The recovery was sustained over time and remained even after the device was removed, suggesting individual factors may have contributed to this outcome.
Research shows that bitter taste receptors can be activated by steroid hormones, influencing physiological processes. The study found that certain hormone types, like progesterone and testosterone, activate these receptors, which may play a role in pregnancy-related taste changes or stress-induced physiological responses.
Researchers compared brains of stroke patients with healthy controls to reveal differences in language processing mechanisms. People with verbal speech processing issues from stroke have weaker processing of speech sounds than healthy participants.
Researchers found that the skin relies on TRPM8 sensor for cold detection, while internal organs primarily use TRPA1 sensor. This difference explains variations in external and internal cold perception, and has implications for understanding thermal homeostasis and pathologies related to cold sensitivity.
A new device from Stanford University aims to improve mindfulness by amplifying and channeling sounds of hand interactions, drawing users into the present moment. The auditory approach fosters greater awareness and clarity, encouraging users to perceive their environment with renewed curiosity.
A new review emphasizes the importance of smell health, highlighting its role in nutrition, cognitive function, and psychological resilience. Researchers call for a global campaign to promote smell health through education, awareness, and targeted public health policies.
Biologists have discovered that shiny colours serve as signals for pollinators and mates, but compromise colour perception at close range. This study found that dynamic, shiny colours are more conspicuous from afar, but harder to discern in detail.
Researchers analyzed clips from Hollywood films to identify brain structures linking visual and tactile experiences. They discovered eight remarkably similar maps in the visual cortex, mirroring the body's organization in the somatosensory cortex.
A new study found that the brain encodes molecular features of odors early on to support odor discrimination, while representing subjective attributes like pleasantness later. This distinction can be used to assess olfactory disorders or enhance function.
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.
The study reveals how chemical sensors discriminate among various odorant molecules using explainable AI, enabling the selection of receptor materials for high-performance sensors. This breakthrough advances understanding of human olfaction and paves the way for practical application of artificial olfaction technology.
A new study from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem reveals that early sound exposure significantly affects brain activity and emotional preferences in mice. Male mice develop strong behavioral changes when exposed to Beethoven's Symphony No. 9 or silence, while female mice show varied preferences.
A study led by Dr. Yasuyuki Fujii found that flavanols activate the brain's sensory nerves, inducing physiological responses similar to those induced by exercise, improving attention, arousal, and memory. Flavanol intake also boosted neurotransmitter activity, strengthened the noradrenergic system, and enhanced stress response regulation.
Researchers at Northwestern University captured a detailed look at TRPM3, a core temperature sensor, revealing how it turns on when temperatures rise. The finding uncovers a new way that cells sense temperature, helping explain how the nervous system distinguishes harmless warmth from dangerous heat.
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 activity corresponds to perceived beat when listening to music via sound but not through touch. This ability is crucial for human social interactions through music and may be strengthened by long-term practice.