Brain And Consciousness Research

Early scents really do get 'etched' in the brain

Sunday, November 08, 2009 00:00 MST

Common experience tells us that particular scents of childhood can leave quite an impression, for better or for worse. Now, researchers reporting the results of a brain imaging study online on Nov. 5 in Current Biology, a Cell Press publication, show that first scents really do enjoy a "privileged" status in the brain.

What is unique in the brain of an Arabic speaker?

Saturday, November 07, 2009 00:00 MST

"The cognitive disparity between the two languages is similar to the difference between a native and a second language. This offers an explanation for the objective and day-to-day difficulties that confront Arabic-speaking students when attempting to learn to read the nonspoken language," the researcher explains. The new study has been published in the Journal of Psychology Research and Behavior Management.

Researchers unlock the 'sound of learning' by linking sensory and motor systems

Friday, November 06, 2009 00:00 MST

Learning to talk also changes the way speech sounds are heard, according to a new study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences by scientists at Haskins Laboratories, a Yale-affiliated research laboratory. The findings could have a major impact on improving speech disorders.

Precuneus region of human and monkey brain is divided into 4 distinct regions

Thursday, November 05, 2009 00:00 MST

A study published this week in PNAS provides a comprehensive comparative functional anatomy study in human and monkey brains which reveals highly similar brain networks preserved across evolution. An international collaboration co-led by scientists at NYU Langone Medical Center in New York City examined patterns of connectivity to show that the precuneus, long thought to be a single structure, is actually divided into four distinct functional regions.

No pain, no gain: Mastering a skill makes us stressed in the moment, happy long term

Wednesday, November 04, 2009 00:00 MST

No pain, no gain applies to happiness, too, according to new research published online this week in the Journal of Happiness Studies. People who work hard at improving a skill or ability, such as mastering a math problem or learning to drive, may experience stress in the moment, but experience greater happiness on a daily basis and longer term, the study suggests.

This is your brain on fatty acids

Tuesday, November 03, 2009 00:00 MST

Saturated fats have a deservedly bad reputation, but Johns Hopkins scientists have discovered that a sticky lipid occurring naturally at high levels in the brain may help us memorize grandma's recipe for cinnamon buns, as well as recall how, decades ago, she served them up steaming from the oven.

Unlocking mysteries of the brain with PET

Tuesday, November 03, 2009 00:00 MST

Inflammatory response of brain cells -- as indicated by a molecular imaging technique -- could tell researchers more about why certain neurologic disorders, such as migraine headaches and psychosis in schizophrenic patients, occur and provide insight into how to best treat them, according to two studies published in the November issue of the Journal of Nuclear Medicine.

Adolescents think school bullying 'will keep on happening' and resign themselves to it

Monday, November 02, 2009 00:00 MST

A research work conducted at the University of Granada reveals that schoolchildren see the victims as "passive persons and socially incompetent," and the abusers as "strong, brave and extrovert individuals." To carry out this work, the authors conducted a survey on 1,237 children aged between 11 and 16 years old from Granada and Braga, who completed a questionnaire in order to get to know their perception about "bullying."

Angry faces: Research suggests link between facial structure and aggression

Monday, November 02, 2009 00:00 MST

Angry words and gestures are not the only way to get a sense of how temperamental a person is. According to new findings in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science, a quick glance at someone's facial structure may be enough for us to predict their tendency towards aggression.

Launching an 'attention movement' in a distracted society

Sunday, November 01, 2009 00:00 MST

What can happen when we lose our ability to sustain focus? In "Distracted," Maggie Jackson ponders our cyber-centric world and fears we're entering a dark age of interruption that will render us unable to think critically, work creatively or cultivate meaningful relationships. She offers insight on how to manage distraction and cultivate a more meaningful life. Inspired, people are "taking back focus" to create an environment conducive to deep connection and thought.

Researchers find brain cell transplants help repair neural damage

Saturday, October 31, 2009 00:00 MST

This study aimed at determining whether autografted cells derived from primate cortical gray matter, cultured for one month and re-implanted in the caudate nucleus of dopamine depleted primates, effectively survived and migrated. When transplanted, autologous cells, derived from the most dopamine depleted region of the caudate nucleus, migrated, re-implanted into the right caudate nucleus, and migrated through the corpus callosum to the contralateral striatum. Re-implanted cells survived at rate of 50 percent four months post-implantation.

Changes in brain chemicals mark shifts in infant learning

Friday, October 30, 2009 00:00 MST

When do you first leave the nest? Early in development infants of many species experience important transitions -- such as learning when to leave the mother's protection to start exploring the world. Neuroscientists have now pinpointed molecular events occurring in the brain during that turning point. The findings, in animals, may help explain the strength of attachments in many species -- including the conundrum of why human children form strong attachments to even abusive caregivers.

The pain of torture can make the innocent seem guilty

Thursday, October 29, 2009 00:00 MST

Psychologists at Harvard University have found that the more a person appears to suffer when tortured, the guiltier they are perceived to be. According to the researchers, those complicit with the torture need to justify the torture, and therefore link the victim's pain to blame.

Faulty 'wiring' in the brain triggers onset of schizophrenia

Wednesday, October 28, 2009 00:00 MST

A new study by researchers at the Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, has discovered abnormalities in the white matter of the brain that seem to be critical for the timing of schizophrenia. The study, led by Professor Phillip McGuire and Dr. Sophia Frangou, has been published in this month's edition of the British Journal of Psychiatry.

Music makes you smarter

Tuesday, October 27, 2009 00:00 MST

Regularly playing a musical instrument changes the anatomy and function of the brain and may be used in therapy to improve cognitive skills.