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brain

This is a pencil drawing of a cardinal singing.

·February 21, 2013·5 min read

How Human Language Could Have Evolved from Birdsong

Linguistics and biology researchers propose a new theory on the deep roots of human speech. A new study suggests human language is a grafting of two communication forms found elsewhere in the animal kingdom: first, the elaborate songs of birds, and second, the more utilitarian, information-bearing types of expression seen in a diversity of other animals.

The image is a drawing of Leonardo da Vinci. named proportions of the head.

Featured Neuroscience

·February 21, 2013·2 min read

Where Does Our Head Come From?

New research has shed light on the evolutionary origin of the head.Researchers showed that in a simple, brainless sea anemone, the same genes that control head development in higher animals regulate the development of the front end of the swimming larvae.

The image is a computerized illustration of a brain in a human head, set to look like an x-ray.

Featured Neuroscience

·February 20, 2013·4 min read

Secrets of Human Speech Uncovered

A new study has uncovered the neurological basis of speech motor control, the complex coordinated activity of tiny brain regions that controls our lips, jaw, tongue and larynx as we speak.

The image shows a computerized image of the brain with the basal ganglia, thalamus and frontal lobe highlighted.

Featured Neuroscience

·February 19, 2013·5 min read

Engineering Control Theory Helps Create Dynamic Brain Models

Models of the human brain, patterned on engineering control theory, could assist researchers control neurological diseases, according researcher who is using mathematical models of neuron networks from which more complex brain models emerge.

The image is a pencil drawing of the hippocampus.

Featured Neuroscience

·February 19, 2013·3 min read

Reading the Minds of Mice

Researchers recently developed a system for observing real-time brain activity in a live mouse. The device could prove useful in studying new treatments for Alzheimer's and other neurodegenerative diseases.

The image shows an obesity table with height and associated weight compared.

Featured Psychology

·February 19, 2013·3 min read

Is There a Link Between Childhood Obesity and ADHD?

New research has established a possible link between high-fat diets and such childhood brain-based conditions as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and memory-dependent learning disabilities.

The image shows a participant sitting in the motorized chair, as described in the article.

Featured Neurology

·February 18, 2013·2 min read

Our Primitive Reflexes May be More Sophisticated Than They Appear

Our "primitive" reflexes could involve more sophisticated brain function that originally thought, according to a new study.

The image is a drawing which outlines what happens to the brain when concussion occurs.

Featured Neurology

·February 18, 2013·3 min read

Evidence Shows Concussions Require Long-Term Follow-up for Players

New research into concussions sustained during sports shows damage to the brain can persist for decades after an original or head trauma. The long-term consequences of concussions include memory loss, attention deficits and motor control problems.

The image shows the MS-OISI images of the cortical surface. The caption best explains the image.

Featured Neurology

·February 18, 2013·5 min read

Shedding New Light on Infant Brain Development

Researchers find the infant brain does not control its blood flow in the same way as the adult brain. The findings could change the way researchers study brain development in infants and children.

The image shows the letter X and O in red and green, as described in the article.

Featured Psychology

·February 14, 2013·2 min read

Study Shows Limits on Brains Ability to Perceive Multifeatured Objects

A new study sheds light on how the brain encodes objects with multiple features, a fundamental task for the perceptual system. Researchers suggest neurons that encode a certain feature, such as shape or color, fire in synchrony with neurons that encode other features of the same object.

Corticogenesis with six cortical layers is shown.

Autism Featured Genetics Neurology

·February 11, 2013·3 min read

Genes for Autism and Schizophrenia Only Active in Developing Brains

Genes linked to autism and schizophrenia are only switched on during the early stages of brain development, according to a study in mice led by researchers at the University of Oxford.

The image shows comparative brain scans of veterans with mild TBI and those without TBI.

Featured Neurology

·February 7, 2013·3 min read

Veterans with Mild Traumatic Brain Injury have White Matter Abnormalities

A new study found soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan with mild TBI have measurable abnormalities in white matter when compared to returning veterans who have not experienced TBI. These abnormalities appear to be related to the severity of the injury and are related to cognitive deficits.