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brain research

Research articles and news stories tagged with brain research

·April 29, 2023·3 min read

Stimulation of the Cerebellum Improves Episodic Memory in Older People

Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) of the right cerebellum improved episodic memory in elderly people, a new study reports. The findings open the door to developing new, non-invasive therapies to treat age-related memory and cognitive problems.

This is a painting of a person taking a selfie

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·April 28, 2023·4 min read

Snap a Selfie for the Memory: Why Third-Person Photos Capture Deeper Meaning of Events

People are more likely to take third-person photos, like selfies, when their goal is to capture the deeper meaning of an event, but opt for first-person photos when they want to document a physical experience, according to new research. The study found that people tend to like their photos more when the perspective matches their goal for taking the photo, and that personal photos have the potential to help people reconnect to their past experiences and build their self-narratives.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·April 28, 2023·5 min read

Sobering Findings: Anxiety and Mood Disorders Linked to More Severe Alcohol Symptoms, Even at Same Levels of Drinking

People with anxiety and major depressive disorders experience more alcohol-related symptoms than those without, even at the same levels of drinking. This finding may explain why those with anxiety or mood disorders are at greater risk of developing an alcohol use disorder. The study highlights internalizing disorders as a previously unidentified marker of a specific alcohol-related harm paradox, indicating the need for modifying "safe" drinking recommendations for people with anxiety or mood disorders. The co-occurrence of these conditions may reflect shared neurobiological mechanisms, which raises the risk of developing the other in the future.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·April 28, 2023·3 min read

Spread Happiness: Sharing Positive Emotions Can Help Combat Loneliness and Negativity

A new study suggests that sharing positive feelings with others may ease loneliness-based negativity, which can contribute to psychological issues and physical health problems. Researchers at the University of Nebraska found that individuals who regularly share positive emotional experiences with friends and family experienced a decreased correlation between loneliness and negative interpretations of ambiguous stimuli, which can lead to poor psychological and physical outcomes.

Brain Cancer Featured Neuroscience

·April 28, 2023·7 min read

Hope for Chemo Brain: Cannabis Could Improve Sleep and Cognitive Function in Cancer Patients

Cancer patients who use cannabis to address their symptoms have less pain, sleep better, and after a few weeks of sustained use, appear to think more clearly. This study is among the first to assess how cannabis bought over the counter at dispensaries affects cancer symptoms or chemotherapy side effects, and sheds light on the wide variety of products cancer patients use now that marijuana is legal in many states. The findings suggest that while some forms and dosages of cannabis for pain relief may impair thinking short-term, the treatment might improve cognition in the long run by reducing pain.

Featured Neurology Neuroscience

·April 28, 2023·5 min read

Dogs with Dementia Suffer Similar Sleep Problems to Humans

A new study found that dogs with dementia suffer similar sleep disruptions as humans with dementia. Using EEGs, the researchers found that dogs with advanced dementia had more sleep disruptions and slept less overall than dogs with normal cognitive function. The findings could help with early diagnosis and intervention for dogs with cognitive decline and could establish them as models for Alzheimer's disease.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·April 28, 2023·4 min read

Children and Adults Process Social Interactions Differently: Study Reveals Key Differences in Brain Activation

A new study found brain differences between adults and children that potentially explain developmental differences in social interaction understanding. The study showed that children and adults might employ different strategies for interaction understanding: Adults rely more on observable, body-based information, while children engage more in effortful reasoning about what others are thinking and feeling during an interaction.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·April 28, 2023·5 min read

Insomnia Drug Belsomra May Help Treat Opioid Addiction

A preclinical study found that suvorexant (Belsomra), an insomnia drug, could be a potential treatment for opioid use disorder (OUD) in rats. If the results are replicated in humans, the drug could offer a promising treatment for the millions of people with OUD and reduce drug intake and block relapse.

This shows a chat screen with a doctor and patient on a chatbot page

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·April 28, 2023·8 min read

ChatGPT Beats Doctors in Compassion and Quality of Advice to Patients

Researchers compared written responses from physicians and ChatGPT to real-world health questions and found that a panel of licensed healthcare professionals preferred ChatGPT's responses 79% of the time, rating ChatGPT's responses as higher quality and more empathetic. While AI assistants like ChatGPT won't replace doctors, the study suggests that physicians working together with such technologies may revolutionize medicine.

Featured Neuroscience

·April 28, 2023·5 min read

Biological Brains Outpace AI in Learning, Thanks to Structured Exploration

When it comes to rapid learning, the biological brain seems to have an edge over current AI technology. Scientists worked with different models of reinforcement learning to understand the algorithms that the brain uses to learn. They found that the directed exploration used by animals makes learning more efficient and requires less experience, unlike artificial agents that explore randomly.

Featured Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles

·April 28, 2023·7 min read

Short-Term Memories Key to Rapid Motor-Skill Learning, Not Long-Term Memory

A new study challenges conventional thinking on the role of short and long-term memories in relearning motor skills. Researchers found that fleeting short-term memories, rather than long-term ones, are responsible for rapid motor learning, indicating the existence of mechanisms for regulating the learning rates for memories that are distinct from the memories themselves.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·April 27, 2023·6 min read

Is Your Emotional Wellbeing Related to Your Gut Health? New Study Reveals Possible Link in Women

Gut bacteria have been linked to positive emotions, such as happiness and hopefulness, and good emotion management skills. Researchers have discovered that people who suppress their emotions have a less diverse gut microbiome, while people who report happier emotions have lower levels of certain bacterium.