Better Memory through Electrical Brain Ripples
A study in mice shows improved cognitive performance when these bursting signals move around memory circuits
Stories by Simon Makin
Mole Rat Pain Resistance Could Point the Way to New Analgesics
A novel mechanism has been discovered in the bucktoothed rodents’ ability to withstand hurt
Thwarting a Protein Reverses Brain Decline in Aged Mice
Blocking an immune-related molecule lodged in blood vessels stops memory loss
Brain Activity Decoded to Produce Intelligible, Synthesized Speech
New device is a step toward translating thoughts into machine-spoken words
Brain Restoration System Explores Hazy Territory between Being Dead or Alive
An experiment that restored cellular function to pigs’ brains hours after death holds the potential for advancing neuroscience research
Behind the Buzz: How Ketamine Changes the Depressed Patient's Brain
The anesthetic-cum-party drug restores the ability to make connections among brain cells
A Repurposed Drug Could Offer Hope after Many Alzheimer's Trial Failures
An experimental drug for hepatitis D triggers a cellular waste disposal system to rid mice brains of the tau protein, a major culprit in neurodegenerative disease
A Genetic Basis for Insomnia Emerges from the Twilight
Gargantuan studies show links between sleep difficulties and cardiovascular and psychiatric illnesses
Mania May Be a Mental Illness in Its Own Right
Hundreds of thousands of people experience mania without ever getting depressed. Why does psychiatry insist on calling them bipolar?
Ultrasound Beams and Nanoparticle Cages: Toward More Targeted Brain Treatments
A new technique lets scientists accurately direct drugs to specific regions of the brain
Artificial "Dumbness" May Be a Solution for Engineering Smart Machines
Design principles derived from observing fruit flies may lead to better self-driving cars and improved Parkinson’s treatment
A Blood Test for the Body's Clock
A new way to measure internal time could yield insight into sleep deprivation and disease
New Atlas Used to ID Brain Parts for Plans and Actions
A detailed picture of cell types in some areas of the mouse cortex is put to the test
"Bar Codes" Could Trace Errant Brain Wiring in Autism and Schizophrenia
A new, speedy technique affords scientists the ability to visualize the brain’s myriad connections at an unprecedented level of complexity
"Bar Codes" Could Trace Errant Brain Wiring in Autism and Schizophrenia
A new, speedy technique affords scientists the ability to visualize the brain’s myriad connections at an unprecedented level of complexity
Prosthetic Limb Restores a Sense of Body Position
New device gives an amputee the ability to feel the location of his foot
Oh Say Can You See Subtle Details?
Different people have differing aptitudes for observing small changes and particular features.
Light Beam Lets the Deaf (Gerbil) Hear
A next-generation cochlear implant might allow the hearing-impaired to listen to music and cope with noise
"Traveling" Brain Waves May Be Critical for Cognition
Physical motion of neural signals may play a more important role in brain function than previously thought
A Matter of Taste: Can a Sweet Tooth Be Switched Off in the Brain?
A study describes the complex brain circuitry that lets us identify, savor (or recoil from) a taste
