MRI neuroimaging can distinguish between memory loss caused by Alzheimer's disease and traumatic brain injury. Using new image analysis software, researchers discovered TBI causes the most amount of damage to the ventral diencephalon, a brain area associated with memory and learning, and the least amount of atrophy to the hippocampus, a brain region most impacted by Alzheimer's.
Researchers identified 48 common genetic variants that appear to play a role in the size of the brainstem and other subcortical structures. Forty of the variants were novel. The findings also revealed 199 genes related to the variants which regulate brain development and susceptibility to neurological disorders.
Compared to peers who do not use cannabis, teens and young adults with significant marijuana use history have reduced activation in brain areas that support cognitive control and conflict resolution.
Researchers have shown that complex divisions in the vertebrate brain first appeared before the evolution of jaws, more than 500 million years ago.
A new study reports researchers have identified structural abnormalities in the brains of people with schizophrenia. The findings provide insights into how the condition could develop.