Cortex News and Research

RSS

Altered calcium signaling is linked to early-stage Alzheimer's pathology

Alzheimer's disease is known for its slow attack on neurons crucial to memory and cognition. But why are these particular neurons in aging brains so susceptible to the disease's ravages, while others remain resilient?

9 Apr 2021

Pig brain atlas gives a more precise view of human brain

When scientists need to understand the effects of new infant formula ingredients on brain development, it's rarely possible for them to carry out initial safety studies with human subjects.

8 Apr 2021

Study links chronic sinus inflammation with alterations in brain activity

The millions of people who have chronic sinusitis deal not only with stuffy noses and headaches, they also commonly struggle to focus, and experience depression and other symptoms that implicate the brain's involvement in their illness.

8 Apr 2021

Study shows how signal propagation circuit is modulated by attention

To effectively perform any daily task, the human brain needs to process information from the outside world using various cognitive functions. This cognitive processing passes through a dense interconnected network of cells whose physiology is specialized.

8 Apr 2021

Finding ways to reverse a genetic cause of poor stress responses in mice

Everyone faces stress occasionally, whether in school, at work, or during a global pandemic. However, some cannot cope as well as others.

7 Apr 2021

UCL scientists use AI to identify three new multiple sclerosis subtypes

Scientists at UCL have used artificial intelligence (AI) to identify three new multiple sclerosis (MS) subtypes. Researchers say the groundbreaking findings will help identify those people more likely to have disease progression and help target treatments more effectively.

6 Apr 2021

New mini-microscope enables imaging of complex brain functions in freely moving mice

Researchers from the University of Minnesota Twin Cities College of Science and Engineering and Medical School have developed a unique head-mounted mini-microscope device that allows them to image complex brain functions of freely moving mice in real time over a period of more than 300 days.

5 Apr 2021

Internal states can also have an impact on learning, shows study

We've all heard the adage, "If at first you don't succeed, try, try again," but new research from Carnegie Mellon University and the University of Pittsburgh finds that it isn't all about repetition. Rather, internal states like engagement can also have an impact on learning.

2 Apr 2021

New wireless system can restore communication and mobility in people with paralysis

Brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) are an emerging assistive technology, enabling people with paralysis to type on computer screens or manipulate robotic prostheses just by thinking about moving their own bodies.

2 Apr 2021

Disrupted biochemical pathway can lead to the brain changes characteristic of bipolar disorder

Bipolar disorder affects millions of Americans, causing dramatic swings in mood and, in some people, additional effects such as memory problems.

1 Apr 2021

Study shows that attention and working memory share the same neural mechanisms

In 1890, psychologist William James described attention as the spotlight we shine not only on the world around us, but also on the contents of our minds.

1 Apr 2021

Researchers provide experimental evidence for synaptic plasticity in the human brain

Neuroscientists agree that a person's brain is constantly changing, rewiring itself and adapting to environmental stimuli.

31 Mar 2021

Study shows how early life sugar consumption may lead to impaired memory in adulthood

New research shows how drinking sugary beverages early in life may lead to impaired memory in adulthood. The study, published today in Translational Psychiatry, also is the first to show how a specific change to the gut microbiome -- the bacteria and other microorganisms growing in the stomach and intestines -- can alter the function of a particular region of the brain.

31 Mar 2021

Study investigates the effects of depression on visual perception

Researchers specialized in psychiatry and psychology at the University of Helsinki investigated the effects of depression on visual perception.

29 Mar 2021

Video gamers can significantly improve their esport skills by training for just 10 minutes a day

Researchers at Lero, the Science Foundation Ireland Research Centre for Software and University of Limerick (UL), have found video gamers can significantly improve their esport skills by training for just 10 minutes a day.

27 Mar 2021

Size is the only difference between male and female brains, shows study

How different are men and women's brains? The question has been explored for decades, but a new study led by Rosalind Franklin University neuroscientist Lise Eliot is the first to coalesce this wide-ranging research into a single mega-synthesis. And the answer is: hardly at all.

26 Mar 2021

Alzheimer’s symptoms linked to COVID-induced brain injury

New research shows further evidence between COVID-19 infection and the development of long-term neurological symptoms. The findings found COVID-induced neuroinflammation and microvascular injury contributed to dementia-like symptoms. However, they also found evidence indicating a low possibility of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) directly invading the brain.

24 Mar 2021

Artificial neural network for automatically decoding and interpreting cortical signals

Russian scientists have proposed a new algorithm for automatic decoding and interpreting the decoder weights, which can be used both in brain-computer interfaces and in fundamental research. The results of the study were published in the Journal of Neural Engineering.

23 Mar 2021

Star-shaped brain cells impact the length and depth of sleep in mice

For something we spend one-third of our lives doing, we still understand remarkably little about how sleep works -- for example, why can some people sleep deeply through any disturbance, while others regularly toss and turn for hours each night? And why do we all seem to need a different amount of sleep to feel rested?

22 Mar 2021

Children at high risk of dyslexia face difficulty in learning nonsensical words

Researchers at Aalto University and the Niilo Mäki Institute have used neuroimaging to pinpoint where the brain activates - or doesn't activate - among children identified as having a high risk of dyslexia. Magnetoencephalography (MEG) has rarely been used to study the reading disorder in children.

19 Mar 2021