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 3, 2026
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 ...
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, those who felt more anxious about aging showed signs ...
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 receptors—key molecules involved in memory and ...
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 experienced meaningful symptom relief comparable to those ...
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 one day help spot risk earlier—by looking at the ...
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 to four years. The protein mirrors the silent ...
Feb. 21, 2026 A common bacterium best known for causing pneumonia and sinus infections may also play a surprising role in Alzheimer’s disease. Researchers found that Chlamydia pneumoniae can invade the retina and brain, where it sparks inflammation, nerve cell ...
Feb. 20, 2026 Exercise may sharpen the mind by repairing the brain’s protective shield. Researchers found that physical activity prompts the liver to release an enzyme that removes a harmful protein causing the blood-brain barrier to become leaky with age. In ...
Feb. 20, 2026 A groundbreaking clinical trial is testing whether specially engineered stem cells can help the brain restore its own dopamine production in people with Parkinson’s disease. Because the condition is driven by the gradual loss of dopamine-producing ...
Feb. 20, 2026 Breathing polluted air may do more than harm your lungs — it could also increase your risk of Alzheimer’s disease. In a sweeping study of nearly 28 million older Americans, researchers found that ...
Feb. 18, 2026 Sugary drinks may be linked to more than just physical health problems in teens. A new review of multiple studies found a consistent association between high consumption of beverages like soda, energy drinks, sweetened juices, and flavored milks and ...
Latest Headlines
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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. 20, 2026 Human language may seem messy and inefficient compared to the ultra-compact strings of ones and zeros used by computers—but our brains actually prefer it that way. New research reveals that while ...
Feb. 19, 2026 That viral claim that your frontal lobe “isn’t fully developed until 25” turns out to be more myth than milestone. Early brain scans showed that gray matter changes dramatically through the ...
Feb. 18, 2026 A major new study has spotlighted three familiar medicines that could take on an unexpected new role in the fight against Alzheimer’s disease — with a shingles vaccine emerging as the ...
Feb. 17, 2026 Researchers have identified two brain receptors that help the brain clear away amyloid beta, a hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease. By stimulating these receptors in mice, scientists increased levels ...
Feb. 16, 2026 A parasite that may already be hiding in your brain has a shocking survival trick: it can infect the very immune cells sent to destroy it. Yet most ...
Feb. 16, 2026 For years, compulsive behaviors have been viewed as bad habits stuck on autopilot. But new research in rats found the opposite: inflammation in a key decision-making brain region actually made ...
Feb. 16, 2026 A sweeping review of global research suggests that exercise—especially aerobic activities like running, swimming, and dancing—can be one of the ...
Feb. 15, 2026 A new Stanford study suggests math struggles may be about more than numbers. Children who had difficulty with math were less likely to adjust their thinking after making mistakes during number ...