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Harvard

This shows an older man using a cell phone.

·April 28, 2024·5 min read

Let’s Talk: Web-Based Chats Boost Brain Function in Older Adults

Internet-based conversations can significantly improve cognitive functions in socially isolated older adults. The trial, known as I-CONECT, involved 186 participants aged 75 and older who engaged in structured video chats four times weekly, which helped enhance memory and executive function, particularly among those with mild cognitive impairment.

Brain Cancer Featured Neurology Neuroscience

·April 14, 2024·5 min read

Revolutionizing Glioblastoma Treatment

Researchers demonstrated significant initial success using CAR-T therapy for glioblastoma, a notoriously deadly brain cancer. They detailed the outcomes of the first three patients in a Phase 1 clinical trial who experienced dramatic tumor reductions shortly after treatment.

Featured Neuroscience

·February 24, 2024·5 min read

A Prelude to Speech: How the Brain Forms Words

Researchers made a groundbreaking discovery on how the human brain forms words before speaking. By utilizing Neuropixels probes, they've mapped out how neurons represent speech sounds and assemble them into language.

Featured Neuroscience

·February 21, 2024·6 min read

Neurons Guide Decisions by Suppressing Alternatives

A new study reveals how neurons communicate during decision-making, showing that choices activate neuron groups that suppress the neural pathways of other options. This research combines structural, functional, and behavioral analyses to explore the neural circuitry in decision-making, particularly focusing on the posterior parietal cortex's role as an integrative hub.

Featured Neuroscience

·February 8, 2024·7 min read

Neural Pathways of Navigation Identified

A new study illuminated how fruit flies navigate by revealing the communication between their internal compass and steering brain regions. This study shows that three distinct neuron groups translate directional signals into corrective actions, allowing fruit flies to adjust their course effectively.

Featured Neuroscience

·January 20, 2024·6 min read

New Insights Into Early Childhood Language Learning

A new study explores how infants and toddlers acquire language. The research challenges preconceived notions about language development, particularly in low-income families, by analyzing daylong audio recordings of 1,001 children from diverse backgrounds.

Featured Neurology Neuroscience

·January 5, 2024·5 min read

Soft Robotic Garment Defeats Parkinson’s Freezing

Researchers deploy a soft, wearable robot to combat freezing, a common and debilitating symptom of Parkinson's disease. The robot, worn around the hips and thighs, provides a gentle push during leg swings, helping patients achieve longer strides.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·January 2, 2024·3 min read

Mind Over Matter: Perception of Time Influences Wound Healing

Perceived time significantly impacts the healing of physical wounds. Researchers found wounds healed faster when participants believed more time had passed, challenging conventional beliefs about psychological effects on physical health.

This shows a child, a book, and a globe.

Featured Neuroscience

·December 15, 2023·4 min read

Global Secrets of Early Language Learning

A new study, involving an extensive international sample of 1,001 children across 43 languages, offers groundbreaking insights into how infants and toddlers learn language. The research utilized day-long audio recordings and machine learning analysis.

Featured Neuroscience Visual Neuroscience

·December 14, 2023·8 min read

How Daydreams Shape Our Brain’s Visual Response

Researchers made a breakthrough in understanding how daydreaming affects the brain. By studying mice, they discovered that neurons in the visual cortex fire in patterns similar to when viewing actual images, indicating daydream-like activity.

Featured Neuroscience

·December 8, 2023·5 min read

Did Fermentation Drive Human Brain Evolution?

Recent research proposes that fermentation, rather than cooking, was the crucial dietary change that enabled the significant growth of the human brain. The researchers argue that pre-digested, fermented foods provided more accessible nourishment, bridging the gap between the evolution of larger brains and the later advent of cooking.

Featured Neuroscience

·November 3, 2023·6 min read

Exercise Superpower: Immune T Cells Boost Muscle Endurance

A study offers insights into how exercise may be connected to the immune system. Conducted in mice, it reveals that exertion-induced muscle inflammation triggers the action of inflammation-countering T cells, termed Tregs.