Have you ever found it difficult to focus on a task due to background noise? Scientists are studying just how these sounds impact our brain activity — and what that impact means for designing neurotechnology.
Read moreAdolescents who play contact sports, including football, are no more likely to experience cognitive impairment, depression or suicidal thoughts in early adulthood than their peers, suggests a new study of nearly 11,000 youth followed for 14 years.
Read moreResearchers have developed ultrasensitive nanoscale optical probes to monitor the bioelectric activity of neurons and other excitable cells. This novel readout technology could enable scientists to study how neural circuits function at an unprecedented scale by monitoring large numbers of individual neurons simultaneously. It could also lead to high-bandwidth brain-machine interfaces with dramatically enhanced precision and functionality.
Read moreScientists are developing powerful new devices and technologies to monitor and regulate brain activity. To ensure NIH keeps pace with rapid technological development and help clinicians and researchers ethically fit these new tools into practice, a new article highlights potential issues around and offers recommendations about clinical research with both invasive and noninvasive neural devices.
Read moreNew research could help explain why memory in old age is much less flexible than in young adulthood. Through experiments in mice the researchers discovered that there were dramatic differences in how memories were stored in old age, compared to young adulthood.
Read moreNew research shows that a specific mind-body therapy, Mindfulness-Oriented Recovery Enhancement (MORE), increases the brain's response to natural, healthy rewards while also decreasing the brain's response to opioid-related cues.
Read moreProlonged exposure to blue light, such as that which emanates from your phone, computer and household fixtures, could be affecting your longevity, even if it's not shining in your eyes. New research suggests that the blue wavelengths produced by light-emitting diodes damage cells in the brain as well as retinas, according to a new study in a model organism.
Read moreResearchers discover that the activity of the nervous system might influence human longevity. Neural excitation linked to shorter life, while suppression of overactivity appears to extend life span. Protein REST, previously shown to protect aging brains from dementia and other diseases, emerges as a key player in molecular cascade related to aging. Findings suggest future avenues for intervention in diseases ranging from Alzheimer's to bipolar disorder.
Read moreEstrogen has a significant role in overall brain health and cognitive function. That's why so many studies focused on the prevention of cognitive decline consider the effect of reduced estrogen levels during the menopause transition. A new study suggests a cognitive benefit from a longer reproductive window complemented with hormone therapy.
Read moreStudents who take part in physical exercises like star jumps or running on the spot during school lessons do better in tests than peers who stick to sedentary learning, according to a new study.
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