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Cognitive bias
A cognitive bias is any of a wide range of observer effects identified in cognitive science and social psychology including very basic statistical, social attribution, and memory errors that are common to all human beings. Biases drastically skew the reliability of anecdotal and legal evidence. Social biases, usually called attributional biases, affect our everyday social interactions. And biases related to probability and decision making significantly affect the scientific method which is deliberately designed to minimize such bias from any one observer.
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Mind & Brain News
November 13, 2025
Nov. 13, 2025 — Researchers have uncovered surprising evidence that anxiety may be controlled not by neurons but by two dueling groups of immune cells inside the brain. These microglia act like biological pedals—one pushing anxiety forward and the other holding ...
Nov. 11, 2025 — Japanese researchers found that lecanemab, an amyloid-clearing drug for Alzheimer’s, does not improve the brain’s waste clearance system in the short term. This implies that nerve damage and impaired clearance occur early and are difficult to ...
Nov. 10, 2025 — Researchers identified SGK1 as a key chemical connecting childhood trauma to depression and suicidal behavior. High SGK1 levels were found in the brains of suicide victims and in people with genetic variants linked to early adversity. Drugs that ...
Nov. 9, 2025 — Millions struggle with depression and anxiety, often enduring long waits for effective treatment. Scientists in Sweden, Denmark, and Germany are developing a genetic test to predict which medications will actually work. Using polygenic risk scores, ...
Nov. 8, 2025 — Sertraline (Zoloft) may relieve emotional symptoms of depression and anxiety within two weeks, while physical side effects stabilize later. The research highlights how antidepressants can act on specific symptom networks rather than uniformly across ...
Nov. 8, 2025 — Researchers have identified special immune cells in the brain that help slow Alzheimer’s. These microglia work to reduce inflammation and block the spread of harmful proteins. They appear to protect memory and brain health, offering a promising ...
Nov. 7, 2025 — Prenatal exposure to the insecticide chlorpyrifos causes widespread brain abnormalities and poorer motor skills in children. Even after a residential ban, ongoing agricultural use continues to endanger developing ...
Nov. 6, 2025 — Miniature antibodies from camels and llamas can slip into the brain more easily than conventional drugs, offering a new way to treat disorders like Alzheimer’s and schizophrenia. Researchers say these “nanobodies” could reshape the future of ...
Nov. 6, 2025 — Scientists have discovered a surprising benefit of the acne drug doxycycline: it may lower the risk of schizophrenia. Teens prescribed the antibiotic were about one-third less likely to develop the condition as adults. The effect could stem from the ...
Nov. 6, 2025 — Weill Cornell researchers uncovered how free radicals from astrocyte mitochondria can fuel dementia. Using new compounds that target these radicals at their source, they slowed brain inflammation and neuronal damage in mice. The findings reveal a ...
Nov. 5, 2025 — Virginia Tech researchers have shown that memory loss in aging may be reversible. Using CRISPR tools, they corrected molecular disruptions in the hippocampus and amygdala, restoring memory in older rats. Another experiment revived a silenced memory ...
Nov. 5, 2025 — Meditation is widely praised for its mental health benefits, but new research shows that it can also produce unexpected side effects for some people—from anxiety and dissociation to functional impairment. Psychologist Nicholas Van Dam and his team ...
Latest Headlines
updated 12:56 pm ET
Nov. 11, 2025 — Researchers scanning soccer fans’ brains found that wins trigger bursts of reward activity while losses dampen control signals. The results show how loyalty and rivalry can override logic, turning ...
Nov. 8, 2025 — New research shows that the superior colliculus, a primitive brain region, can independently interpret visual information. This challenges long-held beliefs that only the cortex handles such complex ...
Nov. 5, 2025 — Scientists have shown that brain connectivity patterns can predict mental functions across the entire brain. Each region has a unique “connectivity fingerprint” tied to its role in cognition, ...
Nov. 4, 2025 — Walking a few thousand steps daily may help hold off Alzheimer’s for years, a Mass General Brigham study found. Even moderate physical activity slowed both cognitive decline and the buildup of ...
Nov. 4, 2025 — Researchers at MIT’s Picower Institute found that rotating waves of brain activity help restore focus after distractions. In animal tests, these rotations predicted performance: full rotations ...
Nov. 4, 2025 — Researchers have discovered a specific set of neurons in the amygdala that can trigger anxiety and social deficits when overactive. By restoring the excitability balance in this brain region, they ...
Nov. 4, 2025 — Using powerful 7-Tesla brain imaging, researchers mapped how the brainstem manages pain differently across the body. They discovered that distinct regions activate for facial versus limb pain, ...
Nov. 3, 2025 — Researchers found that embodying a digital, childlike version of one’s own face helps unlock vivid childhood memories. This illusion strengthens the connection between bodily self-perception and ...
Nov. 3, 2025 — Duke-NUS scientists unveiled BrainSTEM, a revolutionary single-cell map that captures the full cellular diversity of the developing human brain. The project’s focus on dopamine neurons provides ...
Nov. 3, 2025 — A team of scientists has developed a highly accurate blood test for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. The test reads tiny DNA patterns that reveal the biological signature of the illness. For millions ...