http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/mind_brain/intelligence/ Intelligence - nature or nurture? Researchers find a gene for intelligence and also that a bigger brain matters, yet other recent articles show how motivation affects learning. en-us Thu, 16 Feb 2012 03:05:02 EST Thu, 16 Feb 2012 03:05:02 EST 60 http://www.sciencedaily.com/images/logosmall.gif http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/mind_brain/intelligence/ For more science articles, visit ScienceDaily. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120215185850.htm Simple tests such as walking speed and hand grip strength may help doctors determine how likely it is a middle-aged person will develop dementia or stroke. Wed, 15 Feb 2012 18:58:58 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120215185850.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120215143120.htm Scientists have provided the first evidence of a link between a traumatic brain injury and increased susceptibility to post-traumatic stress disorder. Wed, 15 Feb 2012 14:31:31 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120215143120.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120214215342.htm Cognitive stimulation therapies have beneficial effects on memory and thinking in people with dementia, according to a systematic review. Despite concerns that cognitive improvements may not be matched by improvements in quality of life, the review also found positive effects for well-being. Tue, 14 Feb 2012 21:53:53 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120214215342.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120213185129.htm Only by employing complex machine-learning techniques to decipher repeated advanced brain scans were researchers able to provide evidence that a patient with a severe brain injury could, in her way, communicate accurately. Their study demonstrates how difficult it is to determine whether a patient can communicate using only measured brain activity, even if it is possible for them to generate reliable patterns of brain activation in response to instructed commands. Mon, 13 Feb 2012 18:51:51 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120213185129.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120213185123.htm Scientists have used a brain imaging tool that effectively tracked and predicted cognitive decline over a two-year period. The team had previously developed this tool that can assess the neurological changes associated with mild cognitive impairment and dementia. Mon, 13 Feb 2012 18:51:51 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120213185123.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120213185121.htm A large, prospective study indicates that chronic exposure to particulate air pollution may accelerate cognitive decline in older adults. Mon, 13 Feb 2012 18:51:51 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120213185121.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120213154100.htm Medical researchers have discovered a promising new therapy for Huntington disease that restores lost motor skills and may delay or stop the progression of the disease based on lab model tests, says the lead researcher. Because the new therapy uses a molecule already being used in clinical trials for other diseases, it could be used in a clinical trial for Huntington disease within the next one to two years. Mon, 13 Feb 2012 15:41:41 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120213154100.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120213134137.htm Everyone has moments when they feel more in control of their lives than at other times. New research shows that this sense of control fluctuates more often, and more quickly, than previously thought – and that this sense of control may actively affect cognitive abilities. Mon, 13 Feb 2012 13:41:41 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120213134137.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120213084208.htm Aerobic fitness has a favorable effect on cognitive functions. For example, physically active elderly people are less prone to aging-related cognitive decline than those who lead a sedentary lifestyle. An increase in physical activity raises both aerobic capacity and learning ability in both humans and animals. However, it is not known whether it is the aerobic capacity or the pleasure and enrichment of physical activity that promotes cognitive functions. Mon, 13 Feb 2012 08:42:42 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120213084208.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120211095351.htm Not surprisingly, victims of a natural disaster can experience stress and anxiety, but a new study indicates that it might also cause them to make more errors - some serious - in their daily lives. Researchers have explored how cognitive performance can decline after earthquakes and other natural disasters. Sat, 11 Feb 2012 09:53:53 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120211095351.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120210133245.htm A new study reproduced the same morphological and functional patterns of neuronal connections in a transgenic mouse as seen in people with Down’s syndrome. Regulating the activity of this protein produced very similar neuronal growth to that in a healthy mouse. Fri, 10 Feb 2012 13:32:32 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120210133245.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120209172627.htm Brain surgery is getting much easier for many patients. Neurosurgeons are using catheters rather than open surgery to repair aneurysms and other defects. Patients recover in a few days, with less chance of cognitive deficits. Thu, 09 Feb 2012 17:26:26 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120209172627.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120209131452.htm Researchers have found new evidence for the role of the brain in obesity. Thu, 09 Feb 2012 13:14:14 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120209131452.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120209101839.htm UC Riverside biomedical scientists have identified a new link between a protein (beta-arrestin) and short-term memory that could open new doors for the therapeutic treatment of neurological disorders, particularly Alzheimer's disease. They show that if beta-arrestin is removed from neurons, short-term memory loss is prevented. But beta-arrestin is also required for normal learning/memory. The researchers argue that a fine balance needs to be established, one that could be achieved by pharmaceutical drugs in the future. Thu, 09 Feb 2012 10:18:18 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120209101839.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120208180057.htm Ever gone to the movies and forgotten where you parked the car? New research may one day help you improve your memory. Neuroscientists have demonstrated that they can strengthen memory in human patients by stimulating a critical junction in the brain. Wed, 08 Feb 2012 18:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120208180057.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120207202624.htm In low- and middle-income countries, mild cognitive impairment -- an intermediate state between normal signs of cognitive aging, such as becoming increasingly forgetful, and dementia, which may or may not progress -- is consistently associated with higher disability and with neuropsychiatric symptoms but not with most socio-demographic factors, according to a large study. Tue, 07 Feb 2012 20:26:26 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120207202624.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120206143948.htm Researchers have found a way to study how our brains assess the behavior -- and likely future actions -- of others during competitive social interactions. Their study is the first to use a computational approach to tease out differing patterns of brain activity during these interactions, the researchers report. Mon, 06 Feb 2012 14:39:39 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120206143948.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120206143817.htm A new study may explain why people can hold visual information in great detail in their working memory. Mon, 06 Feb 2012 14:38:38 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120206143817.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120206092628.htm A researcher believes studying people's ability to find their way around may help explain why loss of mental capacity occurs with age. Mon, 06 Feb 2012 09:26:26 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120206092628.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120203141503.htm Placebos reduce pain by creating an expectation of relief. Distraction -- say, doing a puzzle -- relieves it by keeping the brain busy. But do they use the same brain processes? Neuromaging suggests they do. When applying a placebo, scientists see activity in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. That's the part of the brain that controls high-level cognitive functions like working memory and attention -- which is what you use to do that distracting puzzle. Fri, 03 Feb 2012 14:15:15 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120203141503.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120203101153.htm Understanding the human mind is the key to social robotics, and researchers describe what we can expect from this field in the future. Fri, 03 Feb 2012 10:11:11 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120203101153.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120202201600.htm It can be difficult to distinguish between people with normal age-associated memory loss and those with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI). However people with aMCI are at a greater risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease (AD), and identification of these people would mean that they could begin treatment as early as possible. New research shows that specific questions, included as part of a questionnaire designed to help diagnose AD, are also able to discriminate between normal memory loss and aMCI. Thu, 02 Feb 2012 20:16:16 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120202201600.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120202164823.htm A two-year study of high school football players suggests that concussions are likely caused by many hits over time and not from a single blow to the head, as commonly believed. Thu, 02 Feb 2012 16:48:48 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120202164823.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120201120736.htm There is definitely more than meets the eye where faces are concerned. Researchers are investigating the process of facial recognition, seeking to understand the complexity of what is actually taking place in the brain when one person looks at another. The studies target people who display an inability to recognize faces, a condition long known as prosopagnosia. The research is aimed at trying to understand the neural basis of the condition while also make inferences about what is going wrong in terms of information processing -- where in the stages that our brains go through to recognize a face is the system breaking down. A new paper details the most recent experimental results. Wed, 01 Feb 2012 12:07:07 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120201120736.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120201105124.htm New findings reveal a novel mechanism through which the brain may become more reluctant to function as we grow older. Wed, 01 Feb 2012 10:51:51 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120201105124.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120201092316.htm In an animal study, researchers found that decaffeinated coffee may improve glucose utilization in the brain, reducing the risk for Type 2 diabetes and the brain dysfunction associated with some neurological disorders. Wed, 01 Feb 2012 09:23:23 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120201092316.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120131121421.htm Holding information within one's memory for a short while is a seemingly simple and everyday task. We use our short-term memory when remembering a new telephone number if there is nothing to write at hand, or to find the beautiful dress inside the store that we were just admiring in the shopping window. Yet, despite the apparent simplicity of these actions, short-term memory is a complex cognitive act that entails the participation of multiple brain regions. However, whether and how different brain regions cooperate during memory has remained elusive. Researchers in Germany have now come closer to answering this question. They discovered that oscillations between different brain regions are crucial in visually remembering things over a short period of time. Tue, 31 Jan 2012 12:14:14 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120131121421.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120130171905.htm Scientists have long believed that human speech is processed towards the back of the brain's cerebral cortex, behind auditory cortex where all sounds are received -- a place famously known as Wernicke's area. But, now, research that analyzed more than 100 imaging studies concludes that Wernicke's area is in the wrong location. The site newly identified is miles away in terms of brain architecture and function. Mon, 30 Jan 2012 17:19:19 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120130171905.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120127135710.htm The concept of the subliminal message is now familiar. A subconscious suggestion can help a person bring about positive change, such as smoking cessation, or otherwise influence one’s actions. The science behind reaching this suggestive state and how to successfully present a message of change has its own journey. Fri, 27 Jan 2012 13:57:57 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120127135710.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120126134001.htm A key feature of human and animal brains is that they are adaptive; they are able to change their structure and function based on input from the environment and on the potential associations, or consequences, of that input. To learn more about such neural adaptability, researchers have explored the brains of insects and identified a mechanism by which the connections in their brain change to form new and specific memories of smells. Thu, 26 Jan 2012 13:40:40 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120126134001.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120126123703.htm Measuring brain activity in infants as young as six months may help to predict the future development of autism symptoms. In their first year of life, babies who will go on to develop autism already show different brain responses when someone looks at or away from them. The findings suggest that direct brain measures might help to predict the future development of autism symptoms in infants as young as six months. Thu, 26 Jan 2012 12:37:37 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120126123703.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120125151839.htm Everyone knows a high-school high achiever who has floundered in university. Now researchers may have an explanation for the problem. They say it is likely that some of these students may have undetected reading comprehension difficulties. Wed, 25 Jan 2012 15:18:18 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120125151839.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120125112621.htm A protein recently discovered in the brain could play a key role in the development of Alzheimer’s disease. Wed, 25 Jan 2012 11:26:26 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120125112621.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120123163348.htm People who have made mental engagement a lifelong habit have lower levels of a key protein linked to Alzheimer's disease, according to a new study by neuroscientists. The findings could provide support for cognitive therapies to help prevent the onset of a debilitating disease. Mon, 23 Jan 2012 16:33:33 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120123163348.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120123152510.htm Children at risk for dyslexia show differences in brain activity on MRI scans even before they begin learning to read, finds a new study. Since developmental dyslexia responds to early intervention, diagnosing children at risk before or during kindergarten could head off difficulties and frustration in school, the researchers say. Mon, 23 Jan 2012 15:25:25 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120123152510.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120122201215.htm Research has found that small-group dynamics -- such as jury deliberations, collective bargaining sessions, and cocktail parties -- can alter the expression of IQ in some susceptible people. Sun, 22 Jan 2012 20:12:12 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120122201215.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120122104803.htm Scientists have uncovered mechanisms that help our brain to focus by efficiently routing only relevant information to perceptual brain regions. Sun, 22 Jan 2012 10:48:48 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120122104803.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120118173651.htm Treating brain tumors with whole brain radiation therapy can damage healthy brain tissue, but a new study in mice reveals that limiting the oxygen supply, or hypoxia, can alleviate some of the cognitive impairment caused by the radiation. Wed, 18 Jan 2012 17:36:36 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120118173651.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120118101528.htm A program designed to boost cognition in older adults also increased their openness to new experiences, researchers report, demonstrating for the first time that a non-drug intervention in older adults can change a personality trait once thought to be fixed throughout the lifespan. Wed, 18 Jan 2012 10:15:15 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120118101528.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120117145059.htm Scientists have documented increased cerebral activation in patients with multiple sclerosis following memory retraining using modified Story Memory Technique. This study is the first to demonstrate that behavioral interventions can have a positive effect on brain function in MS, an important step in validating the clinical utility of cognitive rehabilitation. Tue, 17 Jan 2012 14:50:50 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120117145059.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120116200604.htm Using a sling or cast after injuring an arm may cause your brain to shift quickly to adjust, according to a new study. The study found increases in the size of brain areas that were compensating for the injured side, and decreases in areas that were not being used due to the cast or sling. Mon, 16 Jan 2012 20:06:06 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120116200604.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120115140046.htm Hundreds of times during a baseball game, the home plate umpire must instantaneously categorize a fast-moving pitch as a ball or a strike. Scientists have now pinpointed an area in the brain where these kinds of visual categories are encoded. Sun, 15 Jan 2012 14:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120115140046.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120112095859.htm Researchers have found that a lack of iron in the diet during the teenage years can have a negative impact on the brain years later, making the brain more susceptible to such disorders as Alzheimer's. Further, the researchers have identified a common set of genes that influence both iron and brain structure. Thu, 12 Jan 2012 09:58:58 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120112095859.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120109211815.htm Using a nicotine patch may help improve mild memory loss in older adults, according to a new study. Mon, 09 Jan 2012 21:18:18 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120109211815.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120109132705.htm Objects that resemble faces are everywhere. Whether it’s New Hampshire’s erstwhile granite “Old Man of the Mountain,” or Jesus’ face on a tortilla, our brains are adept at locating images that look like faces. However, the normal human brain is almost never fooled into thinking such objects actually are human faces. New research by neuroscientists helps explain how the brain recognizes faces. Mon, 09 Jan 2012 13:27:27 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120109132705.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120109102302.htm Could heading the ball in soccer lead to degenerative brain disease, like that seen in athletes in other sports? Mon, 09 Jan 2012 10:23:23 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120109102302.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120106164919.htm One gene appears to regulate the brain's ability to form new memories. Fri, 06 Jan 2012 16:49:49 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120106164919.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120106164917.htm Neuroscientists have identified face-recognition areas based on what parts of the brain they link to. Fri, 06 Jan 2012 16:49:49 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120106164917.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120106135950.htm Older people tend to be happier. But why? Some psychologists believe that cognitive processes are responsible -- in particular, focusing on and remembering positive events and leaving behind negative ones; those processes, they think, help older people regulate their emotions, letting them view life in a sunnier light. Fri, 06 Jan 2012 13:59:59 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120106135950.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120106135848.htm Pioneering vision study in mice will help revolutionize the study of brain function and mental disease. Fri, 06 Jan 2012 13:58:58 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120106135848.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120105161750.htm Distraction is an effective pain reliever, and a new study concludes that listening to music can be effective for reducing pain in high-anxiety persons who can easily become absorbed in cognitive activities. Thu, 05 Jan 2012 16:17:17 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120105161750.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111229131354.htm New research indicates that glia cells are "the brain's supervisors." By regulating the synapses, they control the transfer of information between neurons, affecting how the brain processes information. This new finding could be critical for technologies based on brain networks, as well as provide a new avenue for research into disorders such as Alzheimer's disease and epilepsy. Thu, 29 Dec 2011 13:13:13 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111229131354.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111229092038.htm New research links 'silent strokes,' or small spots of dead brain cells, found in about one out of four older adults to memory loss in the elderly. Thu, 29 Dec 2011 09:20:20 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111229092038.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111229092036.htm People with diets high in several vitamins or in omega 3 fatty acids are less likely to have the brain shrinkage associated with Alzheimer's disease than people whose diets are not high in those nutrients, according to a new study. Thu, 29 Dec 2011 09:20:20 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111229092036.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111227142535.htm Both children and the elderly have slower response times when they have to make quick decisions in some settings. But recent research suggests that much of that slower response is a conscious choice to emphasize accuracy over speed. In fact, healthy older people can be trained to respond faster in some decision-making tasks without hurting their accuracy -- meaning their cognitive skills in this area aren't so different from younger adults. Tue, 27 Dec 2011 14:25:25 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111227142535.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111227093103.htm Efforts to help people with learning impairments are being aided by a species of sea snail. The mollusk, which is used by researchers to study the brain, has much in common with other species including humans. Neuroscientists have used this animal model to test an innovative learning strategy designed to help improve the brain's memory and the results were encouraging. Tue, 27 Dec 2011 09:31:31 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111227093103.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111222195019.htm Radiology researchers have found evidence that multiple sclerosis affects an area of the brain that controls cognitive, sensory and motor functioning apart from the disabling damage caused by the disease's visible lesions. Thu, 22 Dec 2011 19:50:50 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111222195019.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111221211220.htm New research suggests that, in people who don't currently have memory problems, those with smaller regions of the brain's cortex may be more likely to develop symptoms consistent with very early Alzheimer's disease. Wed, 21 Dec 2011 21:12:12 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111221211220.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111221140706.htm A new study demonstrates several crucial advances in "brain reading" or "brain decoding" using computerized machine learning methods. Researchers classified data taken from people being scanned while watching videos meant to induce nicotine cravings and detected whether people were watching and resisting cravings, indulging in them, or watching videos that were unrelated to smoking or cravings. Wed, 21 Dec 2011 14:07:07 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111221140706.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111221140633.htm We know a lot about the links between a pregnant mother's health, behavior, and moods and her baby's cognitive and psychological development once it is born. But how does pregnancy change a mother's brain? Wed, 21 Dec 2011 14:06:06 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111221140633.htm