No-one knows what connects awareness — the state of consciousness — with its contents, i.e. thoughts and experiences. Now researchers propose an elegant solution: a literal, structural connection via 'L5p neurons'. The group offers evidence – and caveats. Their challenge to experimentalists: if consciousness requires L5p neurons, all brain activity without them must be unconscious.
Read moreMany new parents are familiar with terms like 'baby brain' or 'mommy brain' that hint at an unavoidable decline in cognitive function associated with the hormonal changes of pregnancy, childbirth, and maternal caregiving. A new study of parental care in stickleback fish is a reminder that such parenting-induced changes in the brain and associated shifts in cognition and behavior are not just for females — and they're not just for mammals either.
Read moreAnti-epileptic medicine can curb the dangerous communication and possibly be part of future treatment.
Read moreScientists have developed a soft artificial skin that provides haptic feedback and — thanks to a sophisticated self-sensing mechanism — has the potential to instantaneously adapt to a wearer's movements. Applications for the new technology range from medical rehabilitation to virtual reality.
Read moreIn a study of 115,803 individuals, the authors have identified 233 sites or loci in the human genome that contribute to the onset of MS. This is the largest study to date in MS.
Read moreYou'd expect excessive athletic training to make the body tired, but can it make the brain tired too? A new study suggests that the answer is 'yes.'
Read moreA new imaging method follows young neurons in a developing embryo as they progress from a messy jumble of cells into a coordinated control center. The approach lets scientists track development and emerging cell function simultaneously across entire circuits.
Read moreSuccess is no accident: To reach your goal you need perseverance. But where does the motivation come from? Scientists have now identified the neural circuit in the brain of fruit flies which makes them perform at their best when searching for food.
Read moreThe brains of young children get thinner as they grow. At least that's what scientists used to believe. For decades, the debate has been about how and why that happens. Now neuroscientists suggest that it may be partly an illusion.
Read moreTwo studies provide evidence for the impact of biology by using artificial intelligence to identify patterns of brain activity that make people less responsive to certain antidepressants. Put simply, scientists showed they can use imaging of a patient's brain to decide whether a medication is likely to be effective.
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