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Stimulating the brain with mild electric current can improve vision

Stimulating the visual cortex of the brain for 20 minutes with a mild electrical current can improve vision for about two hours, and those with worse vision see the most improvement, according to a Vanderbilt University study published this week in Current Biology.

1 Jul 2016

Scientists explore why some kids respond better to cochlear implants than others

Four-year-old William Wootton was born profoundly deaf, but thanks to cochlear implants fitted when he was about 18 months old, the Granite Bay preschooler plays with a keyboard synthesizer and reacts to the sounds of airplanes and trains, while still learning American Sign Language.

1 Jul 2016

Study uses patterns of resting-state brain waves to identify quick language learners

Ever wonder why some people seem to learn new languages faster? The secret might lie in the brain activity they generate while relaxing.

1 Jul 2016

Researchers uncover how dysfunction of brain circuit may contribute to memory loss

Two interconnected brain areas - the hippocampus and the entorhinal cortex - help us to know where we are and to remember it later.

30 Jun 2016

Study reveals surprising diversity in single neuronal transcriptomes of the brain

A team of scientists at The Scripps Research Institute, University of California, San Diego and Illumina, Inc., has completed the first large-scale assessment of single neuronal "transcriptomes."

24 Jun 2016

Long-term suppression of neurotransmitter acetylcholine may lead to dementia-like changes in the brain

A new study from Western University is helping to explain why the long-term use of common anticholinergic drugs used to treat conditions like allergies and overactive bladder lead to an increased risk of developing dementia later in life.

23 Jun 2016

Prenatal cannabis exposure could have important effects on brain development in infants

Compared with unexposed children, those who were prenatally exposed to cannabis had a thicker prefrontal cortex, a region of the brain involved in complex cognition, decision-making, and working memory.

20 Jun 2016

Music instruction improves cognitive, socio-emotional development in young children

Music instruction appears to accelerate brain development in young children, particularly in the areas of the brain that are responsible for processing sound, language development, speech perception and reading skills, according to initial results of a five-year study by USC neuroscientists.

16 Jun 2016

Research highlights significance of ultra-rapid brain responses to threat-related visual stimuli

An international team lead by researchers from CTB-UPM shows that the amygdala in the human brain is able to detect possible threats in the visual environment at ultra-fast time scales.

15 Jun 2016

New imaging study links tau proteins to neurodegenerative pathology of Alzheimer's disease

Alzheimer's is a devastating and incurable disease marked by beta-amyloid and tau protein aggregations in the brain, yet the direct relationship between these proteins and neurodegeneration has remained a mystery.

14 Jun 2016

PET/CT imaging technique may provide way to break perpetual cycle of alcohol abuse

Alcoholism is a devastating disorder that too often leads to a perpetual cycle of abuse. An emerging molecular imaging technique may provide a way to break that cycle.

14 Jun 2016

Blue wavelength light exposure leads to subsequent increases in brain activity in prefrontal cortex

A new study found that blue wavelength light exposure led to subsequent increases in brain activity in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) and the ventrolateral prefrontal cortex (VLPFC) when participants were engaging in a cognitive task after cessation of light exposure.

13 Jun 2016

OTC remains best option to preserve fertility of prepubertal girls treated with gonadotoxic chemotherapy

Ovarian tissue cryopreservation (OTC), harvesting and freezing ovarian tissue, is the most promising complication-free strategy to preserve potential fertility in pre-pubescent girls undergoing sterilising chemotherapy, according to a 13 year study by Fanny Chambon et al. in the journal, Human Fertility.

10 Jun 2016

Study sheds new light on the brain’s decision-making processes

Netflix binge-watching versus a hike in the woods. A cheeseburger versus kale salad. Fentanyl versus Tylenol. New UC research from the University California, Berkeley, suggests our brain activity could be influenced to make the healthier choice.

10 Jun 2016

Chronic marijuana use can interrupt the brain's natural reward processes

Chronic marijuana use disrupts the brain's natural reward processes, according to researchers at the Center for BrainHealth at The University of Texas at Dallas.

8 Jun 2016

Human stem cells restore motor function in chronic stroke patients

Injecting modified, human, adult stem cells directly into the brains of chronic stroke patients proved not only safe but effective in restoring motor function, according to the findings of a small clinical trial led by Stanford University School of Medicine investigators.

7 Jun 2016

Higher blood levels of methotrexate impair executive functioning in long-term pediatric ALL survivors

Research from St. Jude Children's Research Hospital suggests that pediatric leukemia patients exposed to higher concentrations of the chemotherapy drug methotrexate are more likely to struggle with mental flexibility, organization and related skills as long-term survivors.

7 Jun 2016

New research pinpoints specific lncRNA that regulates neural development

Compared to other mammals, humans have the largest cerebral cortex. A sheet of brain cells that folds in on itself multiple times in order to fit inside the skull, the cortex is the seat of higher functions. It is what enables us to process everything we see and hear and think.

4 Jun 2016

Mice study provides new insights into links between sensory stimuli and behavior

Many types of sensory information enter the brain at a structure called the primary sensory cortex, where they are processed by different layers of cells in ways that ultimately influence an animal's perception and behavioral response.

4 Jun 2016

Understanding how opiates affect brain pathways to drive addiction cycle

New research by Steven Laviolette's research team at Western University is contributing to a better understanding of the ways opiate-class drugs modify brain circuits to drive the addiction cycle.

1 Jun 2016

Cortex News and Research

Stimulating the brain with mild electric current can improve vision

Scientists explore why some kids respond better to cochlear implants than others

Study uses patterns of resting-state brain waves to identify quick language learners

Researchers uncover how dysfunction of brain circuit may contribute to memory loss

Study reveals surprising diversity in single neuronal transcriptomes of the brain

Long-term suppression of neurotransmitter acetylcholine may lead to dementia-like changes in the brain

Prenatal cannabis exposure could have important effects on brain development in infants

Music instruction improves cognitive, socio-emotional development in young children

Research highlights significance of ultra-rapid brain responses to threat-related visual stimuli

New imaging study links tau proteins to neurodegenerative pathology of Alzheimer's disease

PET/CT imaging technique may provide way to break perpetual cycle of alcohol abuse

Blue wavelength light exposure leads to subsequent increases in brain activity in prefrontal cortex

OTC remains best option to preserve fertility of prepubertal girls treated with gonadotoxic chemotherapy

Study sheds new light on the brain’s decision-making processes

Chronic marijuana use can interrupt the brain's natural reward processes

Human stem cells restore motor function in chronic stroke patients

Higher blood levels of methotrexate impair executive functioning in long-term pediatric ALL survivors

New research pinpoints specific lncRNA that regulates neural development

Mice study provides new insights into links between sensory stimuli and behavior

Understanding how opiates affect brain pathways to drive addiction cycle

Improving healthcare sustainability through carbon data

Managing vibration in IVF laboratories

A New Approach to Preventing Bladder Cancer Recurrence

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