Neuroscience2880 articles archived since 1845

Relatives of Those with Autism Show Eye-Movement Deficits

Parents or siblings of people with autism are more likely to have some of the same visual-tracking problems that their affected relatives have

Inception is a clunker, but lucid dreaming is cool

How Can You Control Your Dreams?

The ability to manipulate our dream worlds goes beyond the science fiction plot of the movie Inception. A dream expert from Harvard University explains how it works

Dopamine Determines Impulsive Behavior

Brain scans illuminate the internal connection among the neurotransmitter, impulsiveness and addiction

Evolution of the Neck Gave Brain a Leg up

The evolutionary development of the neck allowed more freely moving forelimbs, which allowed further evolution of the head and hands. Karen Hopkin reports

Speaking in Tones: Music and Language Partner in the Brain

Our sense of song helps us learn to talk, read and even make friends

Social Ties Boost Survival by 50 Percent

A meta-study covering more than 300,000 participants across all ages reveals that adults get a 50 percent boost in longevity if they have a solid social network

Genetics Predisposes for Heavy Drinking After Watching Heavy Drinking

People with a particular variant of a dopamine receptor were more likely to drink more after watching other people drink heavily. Karen Hopkin reports

Illusions: Colors Out of Space [Slide Show]

This is the 11th article in the Mind Matters series on the neuroscience behind visual illusions

Illusions: Colors Out of Space [Slide Show]

This is the 11th article in the Mind Matters series on the neuroscience behind visual illusions

More Education Delays Dementia Signs--But Not Damage

A new study of hundreds of human brains helps to explain why education seems to help stave off dementia

Too Much, Too Young: Brain Overgrowth Correlates with the Severity of Autism Symptoms

Excess brain growth may be the first sign of autism

Urban Air Pollutants Can Damage IQs before Baby's First Breath

A study in Krakow, Poland, corroborates New York City findings that link children's lower IQ scores with mothers' exposure to compounds created by burning fossil fuels

Cortical Call Out: The Brain's Electric Field Creates a Feedback Loop That Synchronizes Neural Activity

In a positive feedback loop the electric fields generated in the brain affect the behavior of the neurons that produce them

The Mechanics of Mind Reading

Recent advances in brain scanning allow unprecedented access to our thoughts and mental states

2 Genes Linked to Embryonic Brain Impairment in Down's Syndrome

Researchers pin down two genes that may be responsible for abnormal neural development in Down's mice embryos. The findings may help identify possible therapeutic strategies to treat cognitive defects in human patients...

Depression Decreases Retina Performance; Accents Increase Listener's Doubts

Two studies of perception: the retinas of depressed people are far worse at responding to contrast; people doubt statements more when the speaker has a foreign accent. Steve Mirsky reports...

Why music is good for you

A survey of the cognitive benefits of music makes a valid case for its educational importance. But that's not the best reason to teach all children music, says Philip Ball.

Snakes in the MRI Machine: A Study of Courage

What courage looks like in the brain--in real time

A Magnetic Remote Control That Can Rewind a Worm's Wriggle

Researchers use heated magnetic nanoparticles to manipulate nerve cells and control simple behavior in nematodes