How do brains tune in to one neural signal out of billions?
Two activities support the brain's ability to establish reliable connections in the presence of significant biological background noise. ... Read More...
EEG
How our brain filters sounds
The brain adjusts the attention it gives to identical sounds the moment they are perceived in the brainstem.... Read More...
Serotonin may be a biomarker for breathing interruptions following seizures
Researchers say serotonin, a chemical commonly associated with mood regulation, may play in breathing problems associated with epileptic seizures. Those who had higher levels of serotonin following a seizure than before the event were less likely to experience interrupted breathing. ... Read More...
Diverse linguistic environment boosts brain sensitivity to new learning
Living in a linguistically diverse environment helps promote more effective learning of new languages for monolingual people.... Read More...
Parenting stress may affect mother’s and child’s ability to tune in to each other
Mothers who reported higher levels of parental stress had less synchrony in brain activity with their young children than moms who were more stress-free. The findings shed new light on how parental stress can impact the mother-child relationship on a day-to-day basis.... Read More...
Machine learning algorithm can’t distinguish these lab mini-brains from preemie babies
Machine learning is unable to tell the difference in brain activity between a lab-grown mini-brain and that of a preterm infant who has reached full-term.... Read More...
Neurological brain markers might detect risk for psychotic disorders
Researchers have identified a new biomarker for psychosis in the striatal dopamine neurons. Those at risk for psychosis showed increased activation in the striatum for positive feedback and decreased activation when faced with negative feedback.... Read More...
Engaging educational videos elicit similar brain activity in students
Higher similarity in brain activity was noted while students watched educational clips they ranked as most appealing. The findings could help content creators to use neuroscience data in the creation of strong educational materials.... Read More...
Autism can be measured through a non-verbal marker
A visual test may be a new tool in the diagnosis of autism. Individuals on the autism spectrum are slower to dampen neural activity in response to visual stimuli in the brain. Using EEG data collected from the visual region, researchers could predict with 87% accuracy whether or not a person had ASD.... Read More...
So cute you could crush it? The neuroscience of “cute aggression”
Some people feel an overwhelming sense of wanting to commit an act of aggression when they see a cute baby animal. Researchers say cute aggression may be a neural mechanism that mediates feelings of being overwhelmed. ... Read More...
Looking to the body to better understand the brain
From researching the microbiome and immune system to nociception, scientists are looking beyond the nervous system to gain a better understanding of neurological and mental health disorders.... Read More...
Autonomic nervous system appears to function well regardless of mode of childbirth
The autonomic nervous system and cortical systems function similarly in low-risk newborns whether they experienced labor and natural birth or were born via elective cesarean section. However, those who were delivered via C-Section following long periods of labor had increased accelerations in heart rate and lower gamma frequency EEG a day after birth than the other two groups.... Read More...