Building a Bigger Brain
ARHGAP11B, a gene unique to humans and active in the cerebral cortex, causes enlargement of the ferret neocortex when introduced during development. ... Read More...
neocortex
How the Brain Enables Us to Rapidly Focus Attention
Researchers have identified a mechanism within the cholinergic system that underlies our ability to rapidly focus attention.... Read More...
Neurons Process Information Differently Depending on Their Location
The thickness of the brain's neocortex influences how individual neurons process information, a new study reveals.... Read More...
Neurons that Fire Together, Don’t Always Wire Together
Researchers have identified a new rule of connectivity for neurons in the neocortex, contradicting the popular belief "neurons that fire together, wire together".... Read More...
Decoding How Brain Circuits Control Behavior
Researchers have identified how two types of neurons divide the labor to plan and initiate movements.... Read More...
Surprising Network Activity in the Immature Brain
Spontaneously generated patterns of activity by local neural networks in the developing visual cortex provide the basis for long range connections that are established throughout brain activity over the course of cortical development, researchers report.... Read More...
Getting to the Roots of Pessimism
Researchers shed light on the role the caudate nucleus plays in pessimism. The study reports stimulating this area of the brain generates a negative outlook that clouds decision making. ... Read More...
Electricity Sparks Neural Diversity During Brain Development
Researchers report bioelectrical potential is a driving force for stem cells to generate different neuron types during embryogenesis.... Read More...
Three New Genes That May Have Influenced Human Brain Size
Researchers have identified a set of genes that may have influenced human brain size, which helped us diverge from other apes. The study reveals the genes are unique to humans and help to build the neocortex.... Read More...
Less is More When it Comes to Developing Bigger Brains
A new study from Cardiff University researchers reveals the human brain may require fewer initial cells to grown compared to mice and monkeys.... Read More...
New Clues on How to Improve Memory During Sleep
Using electrical fields to simulate slow wave sleep, researchers enhance memory. ... Read More...
Synaptic Communication Controls Neuronal Migration
Researchers have identified a new mechanism controlling the migration of neurons during brain development.... Read More...