As research involving the transplantation of human 'mini-brains' — known as brain organoids — into animals to study disease continues to expand, so do the ethical debates around the practice. A new article seeks to clarify the abilities of brain organoids and suggests an ethical framework that better defines and contextualizes these organoids and establishes thresholds for their use.
Read moreScientists argue for a new model of language, involving the interaction of multiple brain networks. This model is much more complex than the classical neurobiological model of language, which was largely based on single-word processing.
Read moreDistinct patterns of electrical activity in the sleeping brain may influence whether we remember or forget what we learned the previous day, according to a new study. The scientists were able to influence how well rats learned a new skill by tweaking these brainwaves while animals slept, suggesting potential future applications in boosting human memory or forgetting traumatic experiences, the researchers say.
Read moreThe behavior of immune cells in the blood is so different in patients with Parkinson's disease that it advocate for a new type of supplementary medicine, which can regulate the immune system and thus inhibit the deterioration of the brain.
Read moreYoung adults who experience annual income drops of 25% or more may be more at risk of having thinking problems and reduced brain health in middle age, according to a new study.
Read moreWhether we're searching for Waldo or our keys in a room of clutter, we tap into a part of the frontal region of the brain when performing visual, goal-related tasks. Some of us do it well, whereas for others it's a bit challenging. One researcher set out to investigate why, and what specifically this part of the brain, called the pre-supplementary motor area, does during searching.
Read moreStriking a power pose before an important meeting or interview is not going to boost your confidence or make you feel more powerful, says a researcher. A psychology professor reviewed nearly 40 studies on the topic and found not a single one supports the claims that power posing works.
Read moreLanguage involves many different regions of the brain. Researchers have discovered previously hidden connections between brain layers during reading, in a neuroimaging study. The team used laminar Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (lfMRI) to investigate what happens when people read Dutch words like ''zalm'' (salmon) compared to pseudowords (''rorf''), revealing top-down influences on deep brain layers for the first time.
Read moreIn some forms of epilepsy, the function of certain ''brake cells'' in the brain is presumed to be disrupted. This may be one of the reasons why the electrical malfunction is able to spread from the point of origin across large parts of the brain. A current study points in this direction.
Read moreScientists have come a step closer to understanding how we're able to understand spoken language so rapidly, and it involves a huge and complex set of computations in the brain.
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