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·June 28, 2017·5 min read

Why Some With Autism Avoid Eye Contact

A new study sheds light on why some people on the autism spectrum have problems maintaining eye contact. Researchers say that eye avoidance behavior may be triggered by excessive arousal stemming from an over-activation in a specific region of the brain.

Image shows a brain scans with the dlPFC highlighted.

Featured Neuroscience

·June 28, 2017·7 min read

How the Cortex Assigns Credit for Causality

A new study implicates the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex in our ability to assign credit for whatever action leads to a desired outcome. While the study does not rule out the involvement of other brain areas to credit assignment, it does show the dlPFC is a key player in how we assess causality.

Featured Neuroscience Neuroscience Videos

·June 27, 2017·4 min read

A Mouse’s View of the World, As Seen Through Its Whiskers

Researchers have successfully recreated the whisker map a mouse creates of its surroundings to help it navigate the world, catch food and avoid predators.

Featured Neurology Neuroscience Videos

·June 27, 2017·7 min read

Brain Signals Deliver Targeted Treatment for World’s Most Common Movement Disorder

Researchers combine movement sensing electrodes on top of the brain with deep brain stimulating electrodes to help treat essential tremor, the world's most prevalent movement disorder.

Image shows a head with the brain exposed.

Featured Neurology Open Neuroscience Articles

·June 27, 2017·6 min read

Parkinson’s Associated Protein Linked to Human Upper GI Tract Infections

A new study reports chronic infections of the upper gastrointestinal tract could be linked to Parkinson's disease. Researchers say alpha synuclein, a Parkinson's linked protein, is released during upper GI infections, inducing an immune response. Findings suggest frequent chronic infections could overwhelm the body's ability to remove the protein, leading to the onset of Parkinson's.

Auditory Neuroscience Featured Neuroscience Visual Neuroscience

·June 27, 2017·5 min read

Taking Photos Boost Visual Memories, But Impairs Auditory Memory

According to researchers, taking a photo can help us to better recall visual memories, but can impair non-visual aspects, such as auditory details.

Autism Featured Open Neuroscience Articles Psychology

·June 27, 2017·5 min read

Adults With Autism Make More Consistent Choices

A new study reports that while people on the autism spectrum often show reduced sensitivity to contextual information in perceptual tasks, this may actually head them to make more consistent choices in higher level decision making tasks.

Featured Neuroscience

·June 27, 2017·6 min read

A Snapshot of Neural Activity

A new neuron labeling technique allows researchers to obtain a snapshot of their activity at any moment in time. The new approach could provide new insights into neural functioning by offering better precision than current, more long term, labeling techniques.

Featured Neurology

·June 27, 2017·2 min read

Seizures Follow Similar Path Regardless of Speed

By capturing a cell by cell view of seizures propagating through a mouse brain, researchers discovered neurons fire in a sequential pattern, regardless of how quickly the seizure occurs. The findings confirm seizures are not a result of neurons going haywire.

Image shows a woman and shattered glass.

Featured Neuroscience

·June 27, 2017·5 min read

Reprogramming Brain Region Can Suppress Cocaine Cravings: Mouse Study

Silencing pyramidal neurons in the infralimbic cortex made rats more likely to relapse than those that underwent withdrawal from cocaine. The findings support growing evidence that the infralimbic cortex plays a vital role in suppressing addictive behaviors.

Autism Featured Genetics

·June 27, 2017·6 min read

Mice Provide Insight Into Genetics of Autism Spectrum Disorders

Researchers report that inducing mutation of the CHD8 gene, mice experience cognitive impairments and have increased brain volume. Both conditions are also seen in people with CHD8 mutations. The findings suggest CHD8 plays a role in brain function throughout life and could affect more that early brain development in people on the autism spectrum.