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developmental neuroscience

Featured Neuroscience Neuroscience Videos Psychology

·May 20, 2019·5 min read

Young children willing to punish misbehavior, even at personal cost

Children as young as three enact costly punishments. Additionally, findings reveal a sense of authority can foster group regulatory behavior amongst children of various different age groups.

The vmPFC is highlighted in these brain scans

Autism Featured Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles

·May 20, 2019·4 min read

Scientists succeed in testing potential brain-based method to diagnose autism

Neuroimaging reveals a significantly diminished response in the ventromedial prefrontal cortex in children on the autism spectrum. The findings could be used as a biomarker for diagnosing ASD.

Featured Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles Psychology

·May 19, 2019·5 min read

Children describe technology that gives them a sense of ambiguity as ‘creepy’

Children consider technologies that pose an ambiguous threat as 'creepy'. Researchers pinpoint five aspects of technology that contribute to the feeling of ambiguity, examples of which are lack of control, ominous physical appearance and mimicry.

This shows a swing with a pink rose on it

Featured Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles Psychology

·May 17, 2019·5 min read

Disproportionate increase in suicide rates for females aged 10-14

Study reports a disproportionate increase in suicide rates for females relative to males, especially in those aged between 10-14.

Autism Featured Genetics Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles

·May 16, 2019·6 min read

Brain changes in autism traced to specific cell types

Studying brain tissue samples from people with ASD revealed a common set of alterations in genes associated with synaptic communication between neurons. The changes were identified mainly in neurons in the uppermost layers of the neocortex.

Image shows how the head shape changes during delivery

Featured Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles

·May 15, 2019·3 min read

3D images reveal how infants’ heads change shape during birth

3D images show how a baby's brain and skull change shape during labor and delivery.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·May 14, 2019·4 min read

Preschoolers who watch TV sleep less

Preschoolers who watch more TV, and have TV's in their bedrooms have significantly shorter sleep duration, lower quality of sleep and tend to nap for longer during the daytime.

Featured Genetics Neuroscience

·May 9, 2019·4 min read

Neurodevelopmental disorders may be rooted in genetics and mitochondrial deficits: Mouse study

Mouse models of DiGeorge/22q1 Deletion Syndrome reveal a connection between mitochondrial dysfunction, deficits in cortical connectivity and cognitive impairments. Function was restored through antioxidant therapy.

Autism Featured Neurology Neuroscience

·May 8, 2019·4 min read

A step toward better understanding brain anatomy of autism spectrum disorder

Cortical anatomy is not represented by fixed differences between those with ASD and peers not on the autism spectrum. However, differences in symptom profiles and severity, age and cognitive ability are related to brain differences specific to ASD alone.

These are fmri scans of the female mice brains lacking shank3

Autism Featured Genetics Neuroscience

·May 7, 2019·2 min read

Autism gene linked to brain and behavior deficits in mice

A deficiency of the SHANK3 gene, a gene associated with ASD, results in structural and functional deficits in the prefrontal cortex. The functional and structural alterations in the PFC were linked to an impairment in social interaction in male mice.

This shows a depressed looking little girl.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·May 6, 2019·5 min read

AI can detect depression in a child’s speech

An auditory-based machine learning algorithm was able to identify children diagnosed with depression and anxiety with 80% accuracy after analyzing recordings of their speech. The algorithm identified eight audio features that signify a higher risk of depression. Of these, a lower pitch of voice, repeatable speech inflections and a higher pitch response to surprise stimuli, were more indicative of depression. Researchers hope to develop a smartphone app that records and analyzes speech immediately, helping to better detect children at risk of internalizing disorders.

Featured Neuroscience Visual Neuroscience

·May 6, 2019·6 min read

A brain region for Pokémon characters?

Adults who played Pokemon video games as children had preferential activation in the visual system for Pokemon character, researchers report. The finding shed light on the development of the visual system and categorization in the brain.