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neuroscience

Exercise activates memory neural networks in older adults

How quickly do we experience the benefits of exercise? A new University of Maryland study of healthy older adults shows that just one session of exercise increased activation in the brain circuits associated with memory - including the hippocampus -... Continue Reading →

Scientists monitor brains replaying memories in real time

In a study of epilepsy patients, researchers at the National Institutes of Health monitored the electrical activity of thousands of individual brain cells, called neurons, as patients took memory tests. They found that the firing patterns of the cells that... Continue Reading →

Bilingualism acts as a cognitive reserve factor against dementia

The conclusions of a study carried out by Víctor Costumero, as the first author, Marco Calabria and Albert Costa (died in 2018), members of the Speech Production and Bilingualism (SPB) group at the Cognition and Brain Center (CBC) of the... Continue Reading →

How loneliness affects end-of-life experiences

In a study of Americans over age 50 years who died between 2004 and 2014, individuals who were characterized as lonely based on survey results were burdened by more symptoms and received more intense end-of-life care compared with non-lonely people.... Continue Reading →

Study suggests oxytocin could help treat alcohol addiction

Oxytocin, a brain peptide that is widely known for its role in love and bonding, may hold potential for helping individuals overcome alcohol addiction. In a collaborative study with the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), scientists at Scripps Research... Continue Reading →

New study allows brain and artificial neurons to link up over the web

Brain functions are made possible by circuits of spiking neurons, connected together by microscopic, but highly complex links called synapses. In this new study, published in the scientific journal Nature Scientific Reports, the scientists created a hybrid neural network where biological... Continue Reading →

What is counterfactual thinking?

Counterfactual thinking focus on how the past might have been, or the present could be, different. These thoughts are usually triggered by negative events that block one’s goals and desires. Counterfactual thoughts have a variety of effects on emotions, beliefs,... Continue Reading →

What happens in the bodies of ALS patients?

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is an incurable disease of the central nervous system. In most cases, ALS is fatal within a short period following diagnosis. However, people sometimes live with the disease for decades, as did the astrophysicist Steven Hawking.... Continue Reading →

Want to learn a new skill? Take some short breaks

In a study of healthy volunteers, National Institutes of Health researchers found that our brains may solidify the memories of new skills we just practiced a few seconds earlier by taking a short rest. The results highlight the critically important... Continue Reading →

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