Studies

Deep-brain structures like the basal ganglia or the thalamus wield major influence on our behavior.

A new study provides the first visual evidence showing that brain circuits in living animals can be activated by ultrasound waves projected into specific patterns (holograms).

Let's start with a thought experiment: Close your eyes and imagine what the future might look like in a few hundred years.

Stepping into a virtual forest or waterfall scene through VR could be the future of pain management. A new study shows that immersive virtual nature dramatically reduces pain sensitivity almost as effectively as medication. Researchers at the University of Exeter found that the more present participants felt in these 360-degree nature experiences, the stronger the pain-relieving effects. Brain scans confirmed that immersive VR scenes activated pain-modulating pathways, revealing that our brains can be coaxed into suppressing pain by simply feeling like we re in nature.

Brain dynamics and cognition share genetic roots. Criticality may guide future brain health research. A recent study published on June 24 in PNAS presents strong evidence that brain criticality—the delicate balance between neural excitation and inhibition—is heavily influenced by genetic factors

New neuroscience research highlights how verbal abuse in childhood can alter brain development and increase the risk of mental health issues later in life.

A new study shows that the human brain organizes action-outcome associations in cognitive maps, much like how it maps physical space for navigation.

A new study reveals that dopamine release along a specific brain circuit helps extinguish fear by activating reward-related neurons in the amygdala.

Understanding human intelligence, here we come.

Scientists observe decreased motor function in rodents exposed to microplastics

The latent circuit model identifies low-dimensional mechanisms of task execution from heterogenous neural responses. This approach reveals a latent inhibitory mechanism for context-dependent decisions in neural network models and the prefrontal cortex.

Dementia is a syndrome associated with an ongoing decline of the brain - and there are a number of early signs to look out for, including a peculiar fridge habit

Researchers at Stony Brook University used genetic manipulation in a laboratory brain model to demonstrate that neurosteroids, signals involved in mood regulation and stress, can reduce the sensitivity and preference for sweet tastes when elevated within the gustatory cortex—a region in the brain most involved with taste. Their findings are published in Current Biology.

New research provides direct evidence that the gut microbiome communicates with the brain through the vagus nerve.

A new study shows that the cerebral cortex acts as a "memory machine," constantly detecting novel stimuli to refine its predictions of the future.

A study links life-changing religious experiences, like being “born again,” with atrophy in the hippocampus

A new study reveals that older adults experience the least attention difficulties when home temperatures remain between 68–75 ˚F (20–24 ˚C).

Childhood stress may leave lasting marks on sperm, altering epigenetic profiles and potentially influencing brain development in offspring.

Publication of press release regarding Surgeon General’s Advisory on Alcohol and Cancer Risk

A psychological study has revealed that surveillance increases a person's subconscious awareness of being watched, which affects how the brain processes sensory information. The research demonstrated that participants could detect faces quicker under surveillance without being consciously aware o

A recent study explores how connections across the entire brain predict human intelligence, moving beyond traditional focus on specific brain areas like the prefrontal cortex.

Exercise can have benefits at the level of neurons, through chemical and mechanical effects, MIT researchers find. The discovery could inform exercise-related therapies for repairing damaged and deteriorating nerves.

Gen Z consumes more content than any other generation, according to recent research.

Researchers have developed a promising nasal spray therapy targeting neuroinflammation in Alzheimer’s disease, potentially delaying its progression by over a decade.

Excessive stress during adolescence can cause alterations in the profile of genes expressed in the brain, especially those associated with bioenergy functions. These alterations may affect cell respiration, resulting in behavioral problems and psychiatric disorders in adulthood, according to a study in rats conducted by researchers at the University of São Paulo's Ribeirão Preto Medical School (FMRP-USP) in Brazil.

Using non-invasive techniques to manipulate our emotions, it might be possible to curtail the screaming horrors that plague our sleep. A study conducted on 36 patients diagnosed with a nightmare disorder showed that a combination of two simple therapies reduced the frequency of their bad dreams. Scientists invited the volunteers to rewrite their most frequent nightmares in a positive light and then played sound associated with positive experienc

Diet-related chronic diseases have reached a critical juncture in the U.S. Nearly half the population has prediabetes or diabetes. Over 40% are overweight or obese. One in nine people over the age of 65 has Alzheimer’s disease, the development of which researchers are exploring the potential role of diet. Poor diet is also linked to poor mental health, cardiovascular disease and cancer. It was responsible for nearly 1 in 5 deaths in the U.S. and...

Physical, sexual, or emotional abuse, or neglect, either alone or combined with other types of childhood trauma, increases the risk of chronic pain and related disability in adulthood, according to new research.

Childhood trauma can raise the risk of developing major diseases later in life that vary based on a person's unique experiences and even their sex, new research concludes. Why it matters: Although it's widely understood that trauma early in life has biological and real-world health impacts, the findings shed light on how different life experiences can shape the way the body functions and make a person susceptible to chronic diseases....

Einstein had dyslexia. Hemmingway had it, too. It can affect people their whole lives. New findings may lead to a fresh approach to the learning difficulty.