FeaturedNeuroscience·March 31, 2025·5 min readGlutamate Unlocks Brain Cell Channels to Enable Thinking and LearningResearchers used advanced cryo-electron microscopy to capture atomic-level images of how glutamate, a key neurotransmitter, opens channels in brain cells. These channels, known as AMPA receptors, are essential for neuron-to-neuron communication and play a role in learning, memory, and disorders like epilepsy.Read More
FeaturedNeuroscience·March 21, 2025·5 min readDendrites Link Memories Formed Close in TimeA new study shows that our brains physically link memories formed close together in time through changes in the dendrites of neurons, rather than in the cell bodies. Using advanced imaging in mice, researchers found that the same dendritic branches are activated when closely timed experiences are encoded, effectively binding the memories.Read More
FeaturedNeuroscience·March 20, 2025·5 min readBrain Activity Reveals How We Learn From MistakesNew research uncovers how the brain processes learning by identifying the exact moment an animal learns a new skill. By observing individual neurons in mice, scientists found that learning occurs much faster than previously thought, in as few as 20 to 40 tries.Read More
FeaturedGeneticsNeuroscience·March 18, 2025·7 min readWhen Did Humans First Speak? Genes Offer New Clues on Language OriginsNew genetic research suggests that humans first developed language around 135,000 years ago when populations began geographically splitting, followed by widespread social use around 100,000 years ago. Using data from 15 genetic studies, researchers found that early human groups branched out approximately 135,000 years ago, which likely coincides with the origin of language as a cognitive system.Read More
FeaturedNeuroscience·March 1, 2025·4 min readMultilingualism Starts Early: Study Challenges View on Language LearningA new study of 121 infants in Accra, Ghana, reveals that babies regularly hear between two and six languages from multiple caregivers. Unlike the Western model of learning one language from a primary caregiver, these children acquire language through a dynamic social environment.Read More
FeaturedNeuroscience·February 19, 2025·6 min readBrain Circuit Identifies What’s Familiar, Important, or Just BackgroundScientists have identified a previously unknown brain circuit that rapidly evaluates sensory information by integrating memories and emotions. This direct feedback loop between the entorhinal cortex and hippocampus allows the brain to prioritize important sights and sounds almost instantly.Read More
FeaturedNeuroscience·February 18, 2025·6 min readWhy We Keep Exploring Even After Learning the Best StrategyA new study reveals that both humans and marmosets continue to adjust their behavior even after learning an optimal task strategy. Instead of sticking to a known successful approach, they subtly modify their responses based on their most recent experience.Read More
Auditory NeuroscienceFeaturedNeuroscience·February 12, 2025·4 min readPerfect Pitch Can Be Learned: Study Challenges Long-Held BeliefsAbsolute pitch, once thought to be an innate ability or only attainable through early childhood training, may be learnable in adulthood. Researchers trained 12 adult musicians in an eight-week online program, focusing on recognizing pitch class rather than specific pitch heights.Read More
FeaturedNeuroscience·February 7, 2025·6 min readBrain Cells Use Muscle-Like Signals to Strengthen Learning and MemoryNew research reveals that brain cells use a muscle-like signaling mechanism to relay information over long distances. Scientists discovered that dendrites, the branch-like extensions of neurons, contain a structured network of contact sites that amplify calcium signals—similar to how muscles contract.Read More
FeaturedNeuroscience·January 23, 2025·7 min readAI Mimics Toddler-Like Learning to Unlock Human CognitionA new AI model, based on the PV-RNN framework, learns to generalize language and actions in a manner similar to toddlers by integrating vision, proprioception, and language instructions. Unlike large language models (LLMs) that rely on vast datasets, this system uses embodied interactions to achieve compositionality while requiring less data and computational power.Read More
FeaturedNeuroscience·December 20, 2024·4 min readHow Alcohol Impairs the Brain’s Ability to Adapt and LearnAlcohol use disorder (AUD) disrupts cognitive flexibility, crucial for learning and adapting to change. New research reveals that chronic alcohol exposure alters the firing patterns of cholinergic interneurons (CINs), key neurons in the brain’s striatum that regulate dopamine and influence reward-driven learning.Read More
FeaturedNeuroscience·December 12, 2024·6 min readSlow-Wave Sleep Optimizes Memory FormationNew research shows that slow-wave sleep strengthens synaptic connections in the neocortex, making it more receptive to long-term memory formation. Researchers found that during deep sleep, synapses in the neocortex reach peak efficiency at precise moments within slow-wave oscillations.Read More
