A team led by scientists at the UNC School of Medicine identified a molecule called microRNA-29 as a powerful controller of brain maturation in mammals. Deleting microRNA-29 in mice caused problems very similar to those seen in autism, epilepsy, and other neurodevelopmental conditions. The results, published in Cell Reports, illuminate an important process in the […]
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Study investigates the effects of depression on visual perception
Researchers specialized in psychiatry and psychology at the University of Helsinki investigated the effects of depression on visual perception. The study confirmed that the processing of visual information is altered in depressed people, a phenomenon most likely linked with the processing of information in the cerebral cortex. The study was published in the Journal of […]
Discovering biological mechanisms enabling pianists to achieve skillful fingering: Identifying factors linking to individual differences in skills
In Japan Science and Technology Agency’s Strategic Basic Research Programs, Dr. Masato Hirano of Sony Computer Science Laboratories and his colleagues discovered a sensorimotor function integration mechanism that enables the skillful fingering of pianists. The tactile sensation signaled by the skin and the proprioceptive sensation (deep sensation) signaled by muscles and joints are collectively called […]
Wealth can lead to more satisfying life if viewed as a sign of success vs. happiness
Money can’t buy you happiness, but it could motivate you to live a better life. A new study featuring researchers at Binghamton University, State University of New York found that viewing wealth and material possessions as a sign of success yields significantly better results to life satisfaction than viewing wealth and possessions as a sign […]
Area of brain linked to spatial awareness and planning also plays role in decision making
New research by neuroscientists at the University of Chicago shows that the posterior parietal cortex (PPC), an area of the brain often associated with planning movements and spatial awareness, also plays a crucial role in making decisions about images in the field of view. “Traditionally this part of the brain has been thought to be […]
A step toward better understanding brain anatomy of autism spectrum disorder: Study could lead to development of personalized biomarkers and treatment
Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are often lumped into a single catch-all group, despite significant differences in symptom profile and severity. Further muddying the waters when trying to understand and treat ASD, many previous studies show significant variability in findings. A new study, led by researchers at McGill University’s Faculty of Medicine and the […]
Sugar entering the brain during septic shock causes memory loss: Research gives clear target for drug development and further study into memory loss
The loss of memory and cognitive function known to afflict survivors of septic shock is the result of a sugar that is released into the blood stream and enters the brain during the life-threatening condition. This finding, published today in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, explains the premature mental aging that follows […]
Gender identity leaves imprint on human brains, neuroscience researchers find
Society’s expectations about gender roles alter the human brain at the cellular level, according to a paper published by a group of neuroscience researchers at Georgia State University. “We are just starting to understand and study the ways in which gender identity, rather than sex, may cause the brain to differ in males and females,” […]
Train your brain, change your brain
Less than one hour of brain training with neurofeedback leads to a strengthening of neural connections and communication among brain areas. This is the main finding of a new study conducted at D’Or Institute for Research and Education (IDOR), published today in Neuroimage. According to the authors, the study may pave the way for the […]
Scientists find brain mechanism that naturally combats overeating
Food is, generally speaking, a good thing. In addition to being quite tasty, it is also necessary for survival. That’s why animals have evolved robust physiological systems that attract them to food and keep them coming back for more. Now, research in mice reveals the existence of brain cells that have the opposite effect, curbing […]