Columbia University Research Articles

Brain differences detected in children with depressed parents

Neuroscience NewsDecember 5, 2019

The right putamen, a brain area linked to reward, motivation, and feelings of pleasure, is smaller in children with a genetic risk factor for depression. Previous studies implicated reduced putamen volume with anhedonia, which is often associated with depression, suicidal behaviors, and psychosis.... Read More...

FeaturedGeneticsNeurosciencePsychology5 min read

Link between hearing and cognition begins earlier than once thought

Neuroscience NewsNovember 14, 2019

Lower levels of cognitive function were observed in people whose hearing was slightly impaired by aging but was still considered to be normal. The findings suggest cognitive impairment starts as soon as hearing becomes imperfect.... Read More...

FeaturedNeurologyNeuroscience6 min read

Specific neurons that map memories now identified in the human brain

Neuroscience NewsNovember 12, 2019

Neural activity in the entorhinal cortex is correlated with place-based memories. The findings shed new light on how the brain processes spatial memory.... Read More...

FeaturedNeuroscienceNeuroscience Videos6 min read

Stress during pregnancy may affect baby’s sex and risk of preterm birth

Neuroscience NewsOctober 15, 2019

Stress and depression during pregnancy can affect the fetus' sex and increase the risk of preterm birth. Mothers who experienced physical and psychological stress during pregnancy were less likely to have a baby boy. During pregnancy, the fetuses of stressed mothers had reduced heart rate movement coupling, indicating slower central nervous system development.... Read More...

Neuroscience6 min read

This shows a person holding out empty pockets

Drops in income may not only hurt the wallet, they may harm the brain

Neuroscience NewsOctober 9, 2019

Experiencing an income drop of 25% or more impacts brain health and cognitive ability during middle age.... Read More...

FeaturedNeuroscience5 min read

Bad to the bone or just bad behavior?

Neuroscience NewsSeptember 6, 2019

How we perceive moral goodness or moral badness, as either biological and innate traits or potentially changeable, can guide whether we are willing to be lenient over other peoples' transgressions.... Read More...

FeaturedNeurosciencePsychology6 min read

This shows two brains connected by waves

Hidden Consciousness Detectable with EEG Just Days after Brain Injury

Neuroscience NewsJune 27, 2019

Researchers detected brain waves indicative of 'hidden' consciousness in 15% of patients with TBI four days after the injury occurred. Among those patients, 50% improved and were able to follow verbal commands before being discharged from hospital compared to just 26% who did not show signs of hidden consciousness. ... Read More...

FeaturedNeurologyNeuroscience8 min read

Ultrasound method restores dopaminergic pathway in brain at Parkinson’s early stages

Neuroscience NewsJune 6, 2019

Using transcranial focused ultrasound in combination with injectable microbubbles, researchers open a pathway through the blood-brain barrier. The technique allows drugs to penetrate the brain and trigger therapeutic effects for those with neurodegenerative diseases.... Read More...

FeaturedNeurologyNeuroscience6 min read

Infants with autism risk may be less likely to distinguish between familiar and unfamiliar speech patterns

Neuroscience NewsMay 25, 2019

Children at higher risk of ASD are less able to distinguish between differences in speech patterns. The findings suggest the biological mechanism of language development is less acquisitive in high-risk infants who are diagnosed with autism during toddlerhood.... Read More...

AutismFeaturedNeuroscience5 min read

This shows a person holding his tummy as if in pain

Study explains why a moody gut often accompanies depression

Neuroscience NewsMay 7, 2019

Mice with a genetic mutation linked to severe depression had impaired ability for neurons in the gut and brain to create serotonin. The reduction of serotonin in the gut led to a deterioration in the gut's lining, slowing the movement of contents through the GI tract and resulting in constipation. However, treatment with 5-HTP increased neurogenesis in the gut, restoring normal function.... Read More...

FeaturedGeneticsNeurosciencePsychology9 min read

This shows a sad looking child in a garden

Gastrointestinal complaints in children could signal future mental health problem

Neuroscience NewsMarch 31, 2019

A correlation between gastrointestinal symptoms, adversity and childhood anxiety has been identified by researchers at Columbia University. Studying fMRI data and fecal samples, researchers noted adversity was associated with microbial diversity changes and differences prefrontal cortex activation in response to emotional faces.... Read More...

FeaturedNeurosciencePsychology6 min read

High Speed 3D Microscope Captures Stunning Videos of Fruit Fly Nerve Cells in Action

Neuroscience NewsMarch 9, 2019

Columbia team harnesses powerful technology to uncover never-before-seen details of the nervous system, demonstrating SCAPE's broad potential to decipher the brain.... Read More...

FeaturedNeuroscienceNeuroscience VideosOpen Neuroscience Articles8 min read

News

Your genes aren’t the only factor dictating Alzheimer’s risk

Skipping one night of sleep may leave insomniacs twice as impaired

Rave new world: Scientists pry apart party drug’s therapeutic, addictive qualities

Neuroscience

Your genes aren’t the only factor dictating Alzheimer’s risk

Skipping one night of sleep may leave insomniacs twice as impaired

Rave new world: Scientists pry apart party drug’s therapeutic, addictive qualities

Neurology

Your genes aren’t the only factor dictating Alzheimer’s risk

Can eating ice cream make you scream?

Alzheimer’s drug candidates reverse broader aging

AI

Through the eyes of animals

Neuroscientists develop models to identify internal states of the brain

How artificial intelligence can transform psychiatry

Robotics

Trash talk hurts, even when it comes from a robot

Deep3DFly: the deep-learning way to design fly-like robots

Electronic glove offers ‘humanlike’ features for prosthetic hand users

Psychology

Skipping one night of sleep may leave insomniacs twice as impaired

Rave new world: Scientists pry apart party drug’s therapeutic, addictive qualities

The songwriter is creative — the singer, not so much

Columbia University

Brain differences detected in children with depressed parents

Specific neurons that map memories now identified in the human brain

Stress during pregnancy may affect baby’s sex and risk of preterm birth

Drops in income may not only hurt the wallet, they may harm the brain

Bad to the bone or just bad behavior?

Hidden Consciousness Detectable with EEG Just Days after Brain Injury

Ultrasound method restores dopaminergic pathway in brain at Parkinson’s early stages

Infants with autism risk may be less likely to distinguish between familiar and unfamiliar speech patterns

Study explains why a moody gut often accompanies depression

Gastrointestinal complaints in children could signal future mental health problem

High Speed 3D Microscope Captures Stunning Videos of Fruit Fly Nerve Cells in Action