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consciousness

This shows an EEG readout from the study

Featured Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles

·November 19, 2019·4 min read

Ayahuasca DMT compound changes brainwaves to vivid ‘waking-dream’ state

DMT alters electrical activity in the brain. The compound significantly decreases alpha wave activity, the dominant rhythm associated with wakefulness, and increases theta waves, associated with dreaming. Overall brain activity becomes more chaotic and less predictable. The findings advance the understanding of the neurobiological underpinnings of immersive states of consciousness.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·October 29, 2019·4 min read

Faith, truth and forgiveness: How your brain processes abstract thoughts

The human brain acts like an indexing system to help compose the meaning of abstract concepts.

This shows a butterfly against a neuron swirly background

Featured Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles

·October 27, 2019·5 min read

A new theory of brain organization takes aim at the mystery of consciousness

Entropy during consciousness is higher than during unconscious states.

This shows the L5p neurons in the thalamocortical circuit

Featured Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles

·September 30, 2019·4 min read

Finding the root of consciousness: Is this brain cell your ‘mind’s eye’?

Researchers believe they have identified specific neurons that are responsible for conscious awareness. Previous studies have implicated both thalamocortical circuits and cortico-cortico circuits in consciousness. The new study reports these networks intersect via L5p neurons. Directly activating L5p neurons made mice react to weaker sensory stimuli. The researchers say if consciousness requires L5p neurons, all brain activity without them must be unconscious.

this shows a brain scan with the hippocampus highlighted

Featured Neuroscience

·August 15, 2019·6 min read

Firework Memories: Neural Mechanism Central to Human Free Recall Identified

Hippocampal short-wave ripples trigger spontaneous recollections and reinstate cortical representation during free recall of episodic memories.

Featured Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles

·July 31, 2019·3 min read

Neurocognitive basis for free will set out for the first time

A new theory bridges the gap between philosophical arguments for free will and neurocognitive reality.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology Visual Neuroscience

·July 27, 2019·3 min read

The case against reality

A new theory argues consciousness creates neural activity, and humans have evolved to see what is needed for survival. Perception, it is argued, is a user interface which may not necessarily be real.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·July 8, 2019·6 min read

How can you tell if another person, animal or thing is conscious? Try these 3 tests

From artificial intelligence to animals and people in comas, researchers evaluate different methods to test the presence of consciousness.

This shows someone holding a plant sprout

Featured Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles

·July 3, 2019·3 min read

Plants don’t think, they grow: The case against plant consciousness

Despite much debate that plants may have the same 'mental features' as animals, such as consciousness, cognition, and emotions, a new study reveals this is unlikely to be the case. Researchers report plants, which lack any anatomical structures remotely comparable to the complex brain, are highly unlikely to possess consciousness.

This shows a light shining through trees and a man looking at it

Featured Neurology Neuroscience Psychology

·June 29, 2019·5 min read

One in 10 people have ‘near-death’ experiences

Near-death experiences (NDEs) including hallucinations, out-of-body sensations and time distortions, affect around 10% of people, a new study reports. 72% of people overall who experienced NDEs say their experience was unpleasant. Researchers found an association between NDEs and REM sleep intrusion into wakefulness, resulting in sleep paralysis and hallucinations.

Featured Neuroscience

·June 27, 2019·4 min read

Could prosthetic limbs one day be controlled by human thought?

Having identified a new, simpler way to study neural activity, researchers believe they are on track to creating a compact, low power and potentially wireless brain sensor that could make thought-controlled prosthetic limbs ubiquitous.

This shows two brains connected by waves

Featured Neurology Neuroscience

·June 27, 2019·7 min read

Hidden Consciousness Detectable with EEG Just Days after Brain Injury

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.

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consciousness

Ayahuasca DMT compound changes brainwaves to vivid ‘waking-dream’ state

Faith, truth and forgiveness: How your brain processes abstract thoughts

A new theory of brain organization takes aim at the mystery of consciousness

Finding the root of consciousness: Is this brain cell your ‘mind’s eye’?

Firework Memories: Neural Mechanism Central to Human Free Recall Identified

Neurocognitive basis for free will set out for the first time

The case against reality

How can you tell if another person, animal or thing is conscious? Try these 3 tests

Plants don’t think, they grow: The case against plant consciousness

One in 10 people have ‘near-death’ experiences

Could prosthetic limbs one day be controlled by human thought?

Hidden Consciousness Detectable with EEG Just Days after Brain Injury

Reducing Visceral Fat Protects the Brain for Decades

Brain-First Hypothesis: Rethinking the Cambrian Explosion

Beyond the Gym: Why Your Brain Craves Creatine

Brain Switch for Action and Stress Identified

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