
Do Brain Training Games Work?
Despite the hype, when science meets commerce, objectivity is often the loser
Simon Makin is a freelance science journalist based in the U.K. His work has appeared in New Scientist, the Economist, Scientific American and Nature, among others. He covers the life sciences and specializes in neuroscience, psychology and mental health. Follow Makin on Twitter @SimonMakin Credit: Nick Higgins
Despite the hype, when science meets commerce, objectivity is often the loser
Goal-direction cells add to Nobel Prize–winning discoveries to reveal our internal navigation system
Committing information to your computer’s memory frees up your mental space to learn something new
Scientists combined a brain–computer interface with an optogenetic switch to create the first-ever brain–gene interface
An unusual chemical balancing act helps explain why people with depression attend more closely to negative information
The largest-ever genetic study of mental illness reveals a complex set of factors
Kids with autism may learn valuable social skills in drama-based therapies
Pharmaceutical pollutants in water seem to improve survival among hatchlings of at least one species
Exercise combined with visual stimulation helps to quickly restore vision in unused eyes
Music lessons may help close the socioeconomic gap in reading ability
Antidepressants may work by providing a rosier lens through which to see the world
THE CLAIM: Mental illness can be diagnosed with brain scans.
THE FACTS: Currently the technique might be able to diagnose people with a single, unambiguous, chronic illness but not tougher clinical cases...
Delaying gratification is not always the rational choice
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