Researchers have identified three areas of the posterior cerebral cortex that bridge the brain's perception and memory systems.
Apoptosis plays a critical role in brain development as it influences the thickness of layers in the cerebral cortex, variety, and layer cell density. Alterations in how cells perform division and apoptosis lead to the development of abnormal cortical structures as seen in a variety of neurodevelopmental disorders, including autism.
People with depression often experience problems with visual perception. Researchers report issues with visual perception are likely linked to information processing differences in the cerebral cortex.
A large-scale meta-analysis reveals men and women's brains do have slight differences. However, the differences are due to brain size and not sex or gender. Researchers say brain differences between men and women are small and inconsistent once an individual's head size is accounted for.
People who suffer from obesity have stronger connections between brain areas associated with the motivation to eat and the rewarding effect of food consumption. Additionally, researchers found noted differences in the thickness of the cerebral cortex of obese test subjects.
Gray matter damage associated with multiple sclerosis progression may be caused by inflammatory reactions that lead to synaptic loss.
It's not just the cerebral cortex, it is the entire auditory pathway that represents sounds according to prior expectations.
Study links brain structure to color perceptual function. Microscopy revealed 'hue maps,' or color palettes, in the brain that are spectrally organized arrangements of hue responses.
High resolution imaging reveals the human cerebellum is 80% of the area of the cortex. The findings indicate this area of the brain likely grew larger as human behavior and cognition evolved.
Researchers implicate the inferior frontal junction area in controlling behavior and executive function.
Researchers have traced neural pathways that connect the brain to the gut. The findings provide a biological mechanism that explains how stress can cause ulcers.
Brain connections strengthened with treatment from fast-acting antidepressants, such as ketamine, are consolidated during deep sleep. Researchers propose rapid antidepressant treatments share the ability to regulate both synaptic potentiation and homeostatic mechanisms, which may contribute to how the brain reorganizes its activity to defeat depression.
