Identifying Brain Patterns of Consciousness
Researchers shed light on the neural networks that appear to govern human consciousness.... Read More...
precuneus
Ritalin Drives Greater Connection Between Brain Areas Key to Memory and Attention
A new neuroimaging study reveals methylphenidate, better known as Ritalin, increases the level of dopamine available in the caudate. Along with increased dopamine levels, researchers also notice greater functional connectivity between the prefrontal cortex, hippocampus and precuneus, three areas of the brain associated with memory and attention.... Read More...
Differences Between Combined and Isolated Cannabis and Nicotine Use on Brain Networks
Researchers say those who use both cannabis and nicotine have greater brain connectivity that those who take one or the other. The networks of those who used both substances closely resembled those who people who took neither drug.... Read More...
Neural Link Between Depression and Bad Sleep Identified
Researchers have identified a neural link between depression and sleep problems. The study reports brain regions associated with short term memory, self and negative emotions are strongly connected in those with depression, and this may lead to bad sleep quality.... Read More...
Where the Brain Detects Changes in Natural Sounds
A new study sheds light on how the brain tunes into relevant changes in natural sound to optimize behavior.... Read More...
Air Pollution Linked to Brain Alterations and Cognitive Impairment in Children
Researchers report a link between exposure to air pollution during pregnancy and abnormal brain development in the offspring, which can lead to cognitive problems throughout life. ... Read More...
Movie Memento Uncovers How the Brain Remembers and Interprets Events From Clues
Using the movie Memento, researchers discover how the brain creates memories to piece together complex story lines.... Read More...
Gamers Have an Advantage in Learning
People who play video games for more than 15 hours per week performed better in learning tasks and showed increased activity in brain areas associated with memory than non-gamers, a new study reports.... Read More...
After 15 Years in a Vegetative State, Nerve Stimulation Restores Consciousness
Researchers have been able to restore consciousness to a patient who has been in a vegetative state for 15 years. The groundbreaking study utilized vagus nerve stimulation to help restore consciousness to the patient.... Read More...
Ringing in Ears Keeps Brain More at Attention and Less at Rest
Researchers reveal the precuneus is more connected to the dorsal attention network and less connected to the default mode network in people with chronic tinnitus.... Read More...
Bulimic Brains Respond Differently to Food Cues Following Stressful Events
According to a new study published in the Journal of Abnormal Psychology, the brains of women with the eating disorder Bulimia Nervosa respond differently to images of sugary and high-fat foods following a stressful situation than those without the disorder. Brain scans reveal bulimic women have decreased blood flow to the precuneus, an area of the brain associated with self-criticism, when presented with images of food following a stressful math test. The findings provide support to current theories that binge eating may provide an alternative focus to negative self-reflections.... Read More...
The Brain’s Fight and Flight Response to Social Threat
In a study exploring the neural correlates of the fight or flight response, people who choose to flee perceive a greater threat, leading them to behaviorally and mentally disengage from a situation, researchers report.... Read More...