Reference Terms
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Thought
Thought or thinking is a mental process which allows beings to model the world, and so to deal with it effectively according to their goals, plans, ends and desires.
Thinking involves manipulation of information, as when we form concepts, engage in problem solving, reason and make decisions. Thinking is a higher cognitive function and the analysis of thinking processes is part of cognitive psychology.
The basic mechanics of the human brain reflect a process of pattern matching or rather recognition. In a "moment of reflection", new situations and new experiences are judged against recalled ones and judgments are made. In order to make these judgments, the intellect maintains present experience and sorts relevant past experience. It does this while keeping present and past experience distinct and separate. The intellect can mix, match, merge, sift, and sort concepts, perceptions, and experience. This process is called reasoning. Logic is the science of reasoning.
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Mind & Brain News
March 10, 2026
Mar. 8, 2026 A new brain-imaging study has revealed how ketamine produces its fast antidepressant effects in people with treatment-resistant depression. Researchers tracked changes in a critical brain receptor that helps neurons communicate and found that ...
Mar. 8, 2026 A massive UK study of more than 165,000 dementia patients has uncovered troubling new evidence about risperidone, a commonly used drug for severe agitation. Researchers found the antipsychotic increases stroke risk in dementia patients across the ...
Mar. 8, 2026 Scientists are exploring a new way to harness the medical promise of psychedelic compounds without the mind-bending side effects. Researchers created modified versions of psilocin — the active form ...
Mar. 8, 2026 Scientists have uncovered a surprising new role for little-known brain cells called tanycytes that may influence the development of Alzheimer’s disease. These specialized cells appear to help ...
Mar. 7, 2026 Researchers have uncovered a surprising molecular chain reaction in the brain that may play a role in some forms of autism. The study suggests that nitric oxide, a tiny signaling molecule normally ...
Mar. 7, 2026 Scientists studying 1,300 golden retrievers have uncovered genetic clues explaining why some dogs are more anxious, energetic, or aggressive than others. Remarkably, several of the same genes linked ...
Mar. 6, 2026 Researchers have discovered a new way to increase a key brain protein damaged in Rett syndrome, a rare genetic disorder that affects thousands of children worldwide. Early studies in mice and patient-derived cells show the approach can restore ...
Mar. 6, 2026 Cocaine addiction isn’t simply a failure of willpower — it’s the result of lasting biological changes in the brain. Researchers at Michigan State University discovered that repeated cocaine use rewires communication between the brain’s ...
Mar. 4, 2026 A new experimental drug is showing remarkable promise for children with Dravet syndrome, a severe genetic form of epilepsy. In clinical trials, the treatment zorevunersen cut seizures by as much as 91% while also improving quality of life for many ...
Mar. 3, 2026 A new study has uncovered why some brain cells are more resistant to Alzheimer’s damage than others. Researchers found a natural cleanup system that helps remove toxic tau protein before it can form harmful clumps. The study also shows that ...
Mar. 2, 2026 As millions turn to ChatGPT and other AI chatbots for therapy-style advice, new research from Brown University raises a serious red flag: even when instructed to act like trained therapists, these systems routinely break core ethical standards of ...
Mar. 1, 2026 Scientists at Rice University have produced the first full, dye-free molecular atlas of an Alzheimer’s brain. By combining laser-based imaging with machine learning, they uncovered chemical changes ...
Latest Headlines
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Mar. 6, 2026 Most of our daily actions may happen without much thought. Researchers found that around 65% of everyday behaviors are triggered automatically by habit rather than conscious decisions. Many of these ...
Mar. 6, 2026 Advanced 3D reconstructions of the comb jelly’s aboral organ reveal a sensory system far more complex than scientists expected. The organ contains a wide variety of specialized cells and is closely ...
Mar. 5, 2026 Growing neurons rely on chemical cues to find their targets, but new research shows that the brain’s physical properties help shape those signals. Scientists discovered that tissue stiffness can ...
Mar. 3, 2026 For decades, scientists have mapped attention, memory, language, and reasoning to separate brain networks — yet one big mystery remained: why does the mind feel like a single, unified system? ...
Mar. 2, 2026 Why do we tip—even when we know we’ll never see the server again? New research suggests it’s not just about rewarding good service, but about social pressure. Some people tip out of genuine ...
Feb. 26, 2026 Worrying about getting older—especially fearing future health problems—may actually speed up aging at the cellular level, according to new research from NYU. In a study of more than 700 women, ...
Feb. 25, 2026 Scientists have zeroed in on a critical weak spot behind a rare but devastating brain autoimmune disorder often known as “Brain on Fire.” The disease strikes when the immune system attacks NMDA ...
Feb. 25, 2026 A weeklong, high-intensity version of TMS may work nearly as well as the standard six-week treatment for depression. In a UCLA study, patients who received five sessions a day for five days ...
Feb. 24, 2026 Subtle changes in brain blood flow and oxygen use are closely linked to hallmark signs of Alzheimer’s, including amyloid plaques and memory-related brain shrinkage. Simple, noninvasive scans may ...
Feb. 23, 2026 Scientists have created a blood test that can estimate when Alzheimer’s symptoms are likely to begin. By measuring a protein called p-tau217, the model predicts symptom onset within roughly three ...