neuroscience

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Hidden Consciousness Found in Patients in Vegetative State

25% of unresponsive patients with brain damage thought to perform cognitive tasks

(Newser) - One in four people with brain damage who are largely unresponsive are capable of thought, a finding that suggests up to 100,000 US patients diagnosed as being in a minimally conscious or vegetative state have at least some level of consciousness, researchers say. Traditionally, doctors asked patients with brain...

'I Think We're Onto Something Important' for Alzheimer's

Scientists believe the protein reelin may help shield brain from aging diseases

(Newser) - "I think we're onto something important for Alzheimer's," MIT neuroscientist Li-Huei Tsai tells NPR , after her team's latest research backs up a pair of previous studies regarding a protein they say may help fend off cognitive decline. That protein, reelin, appears to act as a...

Pregnancy Changes the Brain in More Ways Than We Knew

'WSJ:' Neuroscientist volunteers herself for study, resulting in first-of-its-kind discoveries

(Newser) - When Dr. Liz Chrastil was ready to begin in vitro fertilization, she realized becoming pregnant could also serve as a data goldmine. The Wall Street Journal walks through the cognitive neuroscientist's decision to sign herself up for a one-woman research study that resulted in groundbreaking insights on how pregnancy...

What Does a Dog See in Its Mind When You Say 'Ball'?

Scientists cite pups' 'referential understanding,' with mental images hinting at deeper grasp of language

(Newser) - Many dog owners believe their pets understand and respond not only to commands such as "sit" and "stay," but also to words referring to their favorite objects. "Bring me your ball" will often result in exactly that. But science has had trouble determining whether dogs and...

Schools Screen for Dyslexia. 'Dyscalculia,' Not So Much

Hundreds of thousands of students have learning disabilities that make math harder

(Newser) - Nationwide, hundreds of thousands of students face challenges learning math due to disabilities like dyscalculia, a neurodevelopmental learning disorder caused by differences in parts of the brain that are involved with numbers and calculations. There are often obstacles to getting help, and America's schools have long struggled to identify...

At Musk's 'Show and Tell,' New Demo of Brain Implant Device

Billionaire says human trials of device from his Neuralink company are imminent

(Newser) - Elon Musk held a "show and tell" event Wednesday night, but it had nothing to do with his most recent Twitter troubles . Instead, the billionaire showed off a brain implant device developed by one of this other companies, Neuralink—a device he says will link the human brain to...

Scientist's Monkey Research Is Put on Blast: 'I'm Horrified'

PETA, animal behavior experts slam Harvard's Margaret Livingstone for her work; others defend her

(Newser) - A Harvard neuroscientist is drawing backlash for her studies on infant monkeys, as is the scientific journal that referenced the research. Per Science , Margaret Livingstone has studied the primates for more than four decades, specifically monkeys' vision. In some of the experiments she's done, in order to see how...

This Is Why Your Brain Logs a Memory as Happy or Sad
Brain Discovery May Be
a Breakthrough on Memories
new study
Sep 12, 2022 10:10 AM CDT

Brain Discovery May Be a Breakthrough on Memories

Molecule called neurotensin appears to decide whether a memory is logged as good or bad

(Newser) - Brain researchers appear to have figured out precisely how our brains store a particular memory as either good or bad—and the discovery could have implications for the treatment of everything from depression to PTSD. Researchers at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies in California say it all comes down...

A Diss Can Feel Like an Actual Slap in the Face


Insults Can
Feel Just Like
'Mini Slaps'
NEW STUDY
Jul 19, 2022 10:50 AM CDT

Insults Can Feel Just Like 'Mini Slaps'

Research finds that our brains may be more sensitive to negative words than we realize

(Newser) - If you've ever felt the sting of an insult—as in it almost felt like a literal sting, as if you'd been physically hurt—you're not alone. Gadgets 360 reports on a new study out of the Netherlands' Utrecht University that shows verbal put-downs can feel "...

Young Spinal Fluid Improves Memory in Older Mice
Fight Against Aging
Enters a 'Whole New Era'
NEW STUDY
May 17, 2022 12:09 PM CDT

Fight Against Aging Enters a 'Whole New Era'

Young spinal fluid is seen to improve memory in older mice, per new research

(Newser) - Researchers are heralding "a whole new era" in the search for Alzheimer's treatments, with a new study suggesting those treatments don't necessarily need to address damage in the brain. Tony Wyss-Coray of Stanford University previously showed infusions of blood from younger animals could reverse the effects of...

Mental Speed Slows at 20? Think Again
Our Brains Stay Sharp
Much Longer Than Thought
NEW STUDY
Feb 18, 2022 11:00 AM CST

Our Brains Stay Sharp Much Longer Than Thought

Study suggests mental acuity is largely unchanged until about age 60

(Newser) - Don't let the youngins tell you your brain is slower than molasses. Though plenty of research shows response times slow beginning around the age of 20, that doesn't necessarily support the widely held view that brain processes slow from that age. Indeed, a new study finds this slowing...

In 'Hatred of Sounds' Condition, Sound May Not Be the Issue

Study finds unusual brain connections in misophonia sufferers

(Newser) - Scientists are getting closer to unlocking the secrets behind a common condition marked by hypersensitive reactions to everyday sounds, like breathing or chewing. Misophonia, meaning "hatred of sounds" and which affects up to 20% of people , has long been thought to be a disorder of sound emotion processing, in...

Secretive Company Musk Has Sunk $100M Into Opens Up
Secretive Company Musk
Has Sunk $100M Into Opens Up
the rundown
Jul 17, 2019 9:13 AM CDT

Secretive Company Musk Has Sunk $100M Into Opens Up

Neuralink gives presentation on its brain-reading technology

(Newser) - "We want this burden of stealth mode off of us so that we can keep building and do things like normal people, such as publish papers." And with that, Neuralink shrugged off the secrecy that has surrounded it since its 2017 launch . On Tuesday it went public with...

Test Tube Brains Make for Ethical Dilemma

Rapidly evolving tech has some wondering where to draw the line

(Newser) - Rapidly evolving technology now allows scientists to create bits of tissue that are extremely similar to the kind that make up parts of the human brain. Per the Washington Post , these developments are a boon for researchers, but they've forced scientists to ask themselves basic ethical questions about what...

Babies May Not Get the Concept of 'Zero,' but Bees Do

Researchers amazed that honeybees can grasp the abstract construct of 'nothing'

(Newser) - Dolphins, monkeys, birds, and homo sapiens have a shared understanding of a quite difficult concept, and now honeybees are joining the party. Per a release , that concept is "zero," an abstract mathematical construct that scientists say stumps humans until at least preschool , but which they now note is...

Women's Brains More Active Than Men's in 2 Key Areas

Those managing self-control and focus, as well as mood disorders

(Newser) - In the latest "men are from Mars, women are from Venus" debate, neuroscience jumps into the fray. In what UPI deems the "largest functional brain imaging survey ever," researchers from California's Amen Clinics used a type of 3D imaging to determine that women's brains are...

Alzheimer's May Afflict More Than Just Humans

Telltale signs have been observed in chimps

(Newser) - Humans are the only animal known to develop Alzheimer's disease, and an official diagnosis requires checking off this list of three things: dementia, which is observed through screenings, and two pathologic markers—amyloid plaques (sticky bunches of misfolded proteins) and neurofibrillary tangles (tau proteins clumped together and twisted around)....

She Was Famed for Examining Einstein's Preserved Brain

Neuroscientist Marian Diamond dies at 90

(Newser) - Marian Diamond, a neuroscientist who studied Albert Einstein's brain and was the first to show that the brain's anatomy can change with experience, died on July 25 in Oakland, Calif. She was 90. Diamond, a professor of integrative biology at the University of California-Berkeley, became famous in 1984...

Kissing the 'Right' Way: Most of Us Don't Go Left
Kissing the 'Right' Way:
Most of Us Don't Go Left
NEW STUDY
Jul 19, 2017 11:00 AM CDT

Kissing the 'Right' Way: Most of Us Don't Go Left

New research suggests this tendency might be innate

(Newser) - Dig if you will the picture: two people engaged in a kiss. Prince sang about "curious poses," but new research suggests that most of us may strike similar poses, leaning to the right instead of the left when kissing the lips of our partners. Researchers at the University...

She Lost Her Vision, but in Rare Phenomenon, Can 'See'

Scientists have found some who are blind can perceive their environments

(Newser) - It's incredibly rare and incredibly intriguing. A few people in the world have something called "blindsight," which describes their ability to subconsciously perceive their environments in spite of being blind. A researcher in 2007 described the science of the phenomenon—the term was coined in 1974 —...

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