http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/mind_brain/neuroscience/ Neuroscience research. Learn how the brain's physical, chemical and electrical structure can affect everything from motivation and sensory perception to disease recovery. en-us Thu, 24 Jul 2008 07:05:01 EDT Thu, 24 Jul 2008 07:05:01 EDT 60 http://www.sciencedaily.com/images/logosmall.gif http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/mind_brain/neuroscience/ For more science articles, visit ScienceDaily. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080723102335.htm Picking up on innuendo and social cues is a central component of engaging in conversation, but people with autism often struggle to determine another person's intentions in a social interaction. New research sheds light on the neural mechanisms that are responsible for such social difficulties in autism, and on the workings of these social brain mechanisms in all of us. Thu, 24 Jul 2008 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080723102335.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080722090555.htm Scientists have shown using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) that the hormone oxytocin can inhibit feelings of anxiety in specific individuals. Their discovery might lead to a better understanding and the improved treatment of psychiatric affections in which people feel distressed when meeting others, such as in cases of autism and social phobia. Wed, 23 Jul 2008 11:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080722090555.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080718180729.htm Prenatal alcohol exposure may be particularly destructive for neurotrophins, a family of peptides that influence the growth, development and functional plasticity of the fetal brain. A new rodent study of alcohol's effects on three key neurotrophins has found that, even though environmental enrichment may be able to improve some fetal-alcohol effects, those benefits do not appear to be mediated by neurotrophins. Wed, 23 Jul 2008 02:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080718180729.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080723190514.htm Sports-related concussions in young athletes frequently go unrecognized, and often do not receive proper respect for the potential seriousness that even a mild injury may have, according to a pediatric sports medicine specialist. With more high-profile athletes describing their postconcussive symptoms, awareness is at an all-time high. An explosion in research about concussions in the past five years has increased understanding of how serious concussions may be. Wed, 23 Jul 2008 00:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080723190514.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080723143551.htm Researchers are using a new laboratory model of the membrane surrounding neurons in the brain to study how a protein long suspected of a role in early-stage Alzheimer's disease actually impairs a neuron's structure and function. Wed, 23 Jul 2008 00:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080723143551.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080721173752.htm What does the genetics of blood cells have to do with brain cells related to Parkinson's disease? From an unusual collaboration of neurologists and a pharmacologist comes the surprising answer: genetic mechanisms at play in blood cells also control a gene and protein that cause Parkinson's disease. Tue, 22 Jul 2008 17:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080721173752.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080718180726.htm Children with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder often have structural brain damage. Recent findings show that several specific white matter regions, as well as deep gray matter areas, of the brain are particularly sensitive to prenatal alcohol exposure. These abnormalities likely underlie the cognitive, motor, behavioral and emotional difficulties that are associated with FASD. Tue, 22 Jul 2008 17:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080718180726.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080715152316.htm Personalized computer interfaces that adapt to each user's vision and motor abilities significantly speeds up computer tasks, especially in disabled users. A mathematical approach to design offers the first instantly customizable computer interface. Tue, 22 Jul 2008 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080715152316.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080717201854.htm Researchers have for the first time been able to show exactly how, when a baby suckles at a mother's breast, it starts a chain of events that leads to surges of the "trust" hormone oxytocin being released in their mothers brains. Tue, 22 Jul 2008 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080717201854.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080722192350.htm Coronary heart disease is associated with a worse performance in mental processes such as reasoning, vocabulary and verbal fluency, according to a study of 5,837 middle-aged Whitehall civil servants published in the European Heart Journal. The study also found that the longer ago the heart disease had been diagnosed, the worse was the person's cognitive performance and this effect was particularly marked in men. Tue, 22 Jul 2008 00:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080722192350.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080717134609.htm Anyone who has seen an optical illusion can recall the quirky moment when you realize that the image being perceived is different from objective reality. Now, scientists have designed a new illusion involving the sense of touch, which is helping to glean new insights into perception and how different senses -- such as touch and sight -- work together. Mon, 21 Jul 2008 23:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080717134609.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080718081054.htm Scientists have learned important details illustrating how neuronal cells in the brain communicate at a microcellular level. Such knowledge may help in the development of drug compounds used to treat disorders caused by malfunctions in communication between brain cells, such as schizophrenia, epilepsy, Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease. Mon, 21 Jul 2008 23:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080718081054.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080717220948.htm Researchers have shown that mutations in two proteins associated with familial Alzheimer's disease disrupt the flow of calcium ions within neurons. The two proteins, called PS1 and PS2 (presenilin 1 and 2), interact with a calcium release channel in an intracellular cell compartment. Mon, 21 Jul 2008 20:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080717220948.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080720212354.htm Alzheimer's patients showed rapid improvement in language within minutes of a novel immune-based treatment. A new article provides preliminary evidence that the disrupted neural communication seen in Alzheimer's disease may be reversible. Mon, 21 Jul 2008 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080720212354.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080721102400.htm New data from a study of patients with treatment-resistant depression who underwent deep brain stimulation in the subcallosal cingulate region of the brain shows that this intervention is generally safe and provides significant improvement in patients as early as one month after treatment. The patients also experienced continued and sustained improvement over time. Mon, 21 Jul 2008 00:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080721102400.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080717211651.htm Neuroscientists have found that a previously unsuspected set of genes links nature and nurture during a crucial period of brain development. The findings could lead to treatments for autism and other disorders thought to be tied to brain changes that occur when the developing brain is very susceptible to inputs from the outside world. Nature -- in the form of genes -- and nurture -- in the form of environmental influences -- are fundamentally intertwined during this period. Sun, 20 Jul 2008 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080717211651.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080720214453.htm Again and again, experiments confirmed it. Without glia, neurons die. So scientists who wanted to study in living animals what glia -- the most abundant brain cells -- do for neurons besides keep them alive were out of luck. But now, a breakthrough. Sun, 20 Jul 2008 00:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080720214453.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080717110303.htm Both schizophrenia and bipolar disorder can be disabling conditions, and both present clinically with significant mood and psychotic symptoms. These two illnesses also share genetic variants that might be involved in the predisposition to both disorders. Fri, 18 Jul 2008 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080717110303.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080717140456.htm Researchers have discovered that people with OCD and their close family members show under-activation of brain areas responsible for stopping habitual behavior. This is the first time that scientists have associated functional changes in the brain with familial risk for the disorder. Fri, 18 Jul 2008 11:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080717140456.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080715165523.htm Some parents of children with autism evaluate facial expressions differently than the rest of us -- and in a way that is strikingly similar to autistic patients themselves, according to new research by neuroscientist. Thu, 17 Jul 2008 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080715165523.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080717091826.htm A person's heart rate can reveal a lot about how they make decisions when feeling stressed. Stress in the workplace isn't necessarily a bad thing, because it is, in fact, a natural reaction that has been given a negative connotation, according to one of the researchers. Thu, 17 Jul 2008 00:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080717091826.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080715152328.htm Neuroscientists have succeeded in demonstrating that overexpression of an enzyme in the brain can reduce telltale deposits causally linked with Alzheimer's disease. Wed, 16 Jul 2008 23:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080715152328.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080714171155.htm The causes of schizophrenia are not yet clear. But now, researchers have discovered that a disturbed cleavage of the Nrg-1 protein lies at the basis of the development of the disease. Greater understanding of this molecular process is a first step toward improved diagnosis and more effective treatment of schizophrenia and other related disorders. Wed, 16 Jul 2008 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080714171155.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080714141300.htm The damage to brain tissue seen in Huntington's disease may be caused by an overactive immune response in the bloodstream and the brain. Working separately, two teams found evidence in both brain cells and the bloodstream suggesting an important link between the immune system's response and Huntington's disease. Wed, 16 Jul 2008 05:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080714141300.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080714162606.htm A different cutoff point on an existing mental function assessment may more effectively assess the risk of dementia in highly educated older adults, according to a new article. Wed, 16 Jul 2008 02:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080714162606.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080714162632.htm Mild Alzheimer's disease patients with higher physical fitness had larger brains compared to mild Alzheimer's patients with lower physical fitness, according to a study published in the journal Neurology. Tue, 15 Jul 2008 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080714162632.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080714111940.htm An Amazonian language with only 300 speakers has no word to express the concept of "one" or any other specific number, according to a new study from an MIT-led team. Tue, 15 Jul 2008 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080714111940.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080714151525.htm Closing coal-fired power plants can have a direct, positive impact on children's cognitive development and health according to a new study. The study allowed researchers to compare the development of two groups of children born in Tongliang, China -- one in utero while a coal-fired power plant was operating in the city and one in utero after the Chinese government had closed the plant. Tue, 15 Jul 2008 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080714151525.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080714111425.htm It's conventional wisdom that practice makes perfect. But if practicing only consists of watching, rather than doing, does that advance proficiency? Yes, according to a new study. Tue, 15 Jul 2008 05:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080714111425.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080709180722.htm Neurons in brains of one songbird species equipped with a built-in suicide program that kicks in at the end of the breeding season have been kept alive for seven days in live birds by researchers trying to understand the role that steroid hormones play in the growth and maintenance of the neural song system. Mon, 14 Jul 2008 20:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080709180722.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080710180013.htm One of the characteristics of type 2 diabetes is insulin resistance, which refers to the inability of cells in the body to respond appropriately to the hormone insulin. Among the cells in the body that normally respond to insulin are nerves in a region of the brain known as the hypothalamus. Now, new research provides insight into a molecular pathway in the hypothalamus that contributes to the development of insulin resistance. Mon, 14 Jul 2008 17:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080710180013.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080711090048.htm A typical symptom of Parkinson's disease is tremor in patients. Scientists have succeeded in demonstrating the mechanisms which cause the so-called tremor: neuron clusters in the depths of the brain drive the tremor. This discovery supports Tass' research activities aiming at developing a therapy for Parkinson's disease. A new deep brain pacemaker has been developed with the aim of bringing cells out of the diseased mode for good. Mon, 14 Jul 2008 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080711090048.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080711135447.htm When we notice a mosquito alight on our forearm, we direct our gaze in order to find its exact position and quickly try to swat it or brush it away to prevent it bite us. This apparently simple, instantaneous reaction is the result of a mental process that is much more complex than it may seem. Mon, 14 Jul 2008 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080711135447.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080710125433.htm Psychologists have shown that to see objects better, you should take the matter into your own hands. The new study demonstrates that humans more thoroughly inspect objects when their hands are near the object rather than farther away from it. Mon, 14 Jul 2008 02:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080710125433.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080708200639.htm New research has shown that the evolutionary pressures arising from the older, faster, but less accurate, part of the brain may have shaped the more recent development of the slower-acting but more precise cortex, found in humans and higher animals. Sun, 13 Jul 2008 20:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080708200639.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080710120503.htm Neuroscientists have solved a mystery that lies at the heart of human learning, and they say the solution may help explain some forms of mental retardation as well as provide clues to overall brain functioning. Sat, 12 Jul 2008 20:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080710120503.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080711080957.htm Children between the ages of seven and 12 appear to be naturally inclined to feel empathy for others in pain, according to researchers who used functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) scans to study responses in children. Researchers found that children, like adults, show responses to pain in the same areas of their brains. The research also found additional aspects of the brain activated in children, when youngsters saw another person intentionally hurt by another individual. Sat, 12 Jul 2008 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080711080957.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080709161922.htm In addition to helping protect us from heart disease and cancer, a balanced diet and regular exercise can also protect the brain, and ward off mental disorders. Changes in diet are a viable strategy for enhancing cognitive abilities, protecting the brain from damage, and counteracting the effects of aging, according to a professor of neurosurgery and physiological science, who has spent years studying the effects of food and exercise on the brain. Fri, 11 Jul 2008 20:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080709161922.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080710173007.htm Potentially paving the way for more effective treatments of anxiety disorders, a recent Nature report has identified a critical component of the amygdala's neural network normally involved in the extinction, or elimination, of fear memories. Fri, 11 Jul 2008 17:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080710173007.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080709121425.htm Good things may come to those who wait, but research has proven that humans and animals actually prefer an immediate rather than a delayed reward. Now, a study in the journal Neuron reveals how a decision-making region of the brain encodes information associated with the magnitude and delay of rewards. Fri, 11 Jul 2008 11:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080709121425.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080710094023.htm Plastic surgeons and specialists in diabetes, neurology, pain management and rehabilitation are launching a cutting-edge study of peripheral nerve surgery to alleviate long-standing pain and numbness in patients with diabetic neuropathy. Thu, 10 Jul 2008 20:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080710094023.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080710070827.htm Female soccer players and soccer players who have had a previous concussion recuperate differently from males or players without a history of concussion, new research shows. The study found that prior history of concussion and gender account for significant differences in test results following the injury. Because of these differences, the authors urge physicians and coaches to take an individualized approach to treating concussion patients. Thu, 10 Jul 2008 20:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080710070827.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080709120537.htm Scientists report a remarkable improvement in Alzheimer's transgenic mice following treatment with a new drug. The study provides the first demonstration that an ionophore, a compound that transports metal ions across cell membranes, can elicit rapid and pronounced improvement in neuropathology and cognitive function in mouse models of Alzheimer's Disease. Thu, 10 Jul 2008 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080709120537.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080708200645.htm Music can soothe the savage breast much better if played by musicians rather than clever computers, according to a new study. Neuroscientists looked at the brain's response to piano sonatas played either by a computer or a musician and found that, while the computerized music elicited an emotional response -- particularly to unexpected chord changes - it was not as strong as listening to the same piece played by a professional pianist. Thu, 10 Jul 2008 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080708200645.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080709110053.htm Current interactive systems enable users to communicate with computers in many ways, but not taking into account emotional communication. A Ph.D. thesis puts forward the use of avatars or virtual Internet personages as an efficient form of non-verbal communication, principally focusing on emotional aspects. Thu, 10 Jul 2008 05:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080709110053.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080708171545.htm A genetic change in the dopamine transporter, discovered in two brothers with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, makes it behave as if amphetamine is present and "run backward," Vanderbilt Medical Center investigators report. The researchers propose that because the altered transporter pushes dopamine out into the synapse, it alters dopamine signaling and contributes to the symptoms of ADHD. They further find that both Ritalin and Adderall, two ADHD medications, block the backward-running transporter. Wed, 09 Jul 2008 23:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080708171545.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080708200658.htm When our PC goes on strike again we tend to curse it as if it was a human. The question is why and under what circumstances do we attribute human-like properties to machines and how are such processes manifest on a cortical level. Wed, 09 Jul 2008 20:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080708200658.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080708173226.htm The chemical dopamine induces both desire and dread, according to new animal research in the Journal of Neuroscience. Although dopamine is well known to motivate animals and people to seek positive rewards, the study indicates that it also can promote negative feelings like fear. The finding may help explain why dopamine dysfunction is implicated not only in drug addiction, which involves excessive desire, but in schizophrenia and some phobias, which involve excessive fear. Wed, 09 Jul 2008 20:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080708173226.htm