Neuroscience
What Neuroscience Says about Free Will
We're convinced that it exists, but new research suggests it might be nothing more than a trick the brain plays on itself
Neuroscience2879 articles archived since 1845
Slumber Party: Reptiles, like Us, Have REM Sleep and May Dream
Until now, only mammals and birds were known to experience rapid eye movement
Neuroscience
Miley Cyrus and Macaroni Combo Enables Brain-Based ID
An individual's unique brain response to images of a celebrity and a food could be used to create an ID procedure at high-security sites.
The Brain Dictionary
Scientists have created an interactive brain map showing which areas respond to different words. Nature Video explores how our brains organise the thousands of words in our heads. This video was reproduced with permission and was first published on April 27, 2016...
The Battle over Pain in the Brain
A new study adds to a heated debate about where pain signals are processed
Neuroscience
Training the Brain's Motivation Center
What biofeedback was to the 1970's, neurofeedback could be to the 2020's
Why We Itch
How it arises is only now becoming clear
Readers Respond to “Young and Transgender” and More
Letters about Scientific American MIND’s Jan/Feb 2016 issue
Uncovering New Players in the Fight Against Alzheimer's
Research on a key brain immune cell suggests it is a tantalizing but slippery target for new therapies
How Magicians Trick Your Brain
They hijack its limited ability to deal with perceptual ambiguity
Medicine
Scientists Want the Smoke to Clear on Medical Marijuana Research
As U.S. policy lurches along, researchers say easing DEA rules could lead to big advances
LSD May Chip Away at the Brain's "Sense of Self" Network
Brain imaging suggests LSD’s consciousness-altering traits may work by hindering some brain networks and boosting overall connectivity
Paralyzed Man Bypasses Arm Nerves to Move Hands with His Brain
After a broken neck left him quadraplegic Ian Burkhart was told he would never be able to use his hands. Now he can grasp a bottle and pick up a credit card by using a computer plugged directly into his brain...
New Evidence Points to Personal Brain Signatures
Brain scans of a person doing nothing at all can predict how neural circuits will light up when that same individual is gambling or reading a book
How Does a Mathematician's Brain Differ from That of a Mere Mortal?
Processing high-level math concepts uses the same neural networks as the basic math skills a child is born with
Study Finds Evidence of Brain Injury in Living NFL Veterans
More than 40 percent of retired NFL players showed signs of traumatic brain injury
Debate Grows over How to Meet the Needs of Transgender Kids
What does it take to help them thrive?
Brain Differences in Boys and Girls: How Much Is Inborn?
The preference for playing hockey, or house, is far from fixed. Sex differences in the brain are small—until experiences and expectations magnify them
We Are All Perverts, Book Says
A provocative book surveys the wide world of passionate proclivities
Neurology
A Safe Drug to Boost Brainpower
Rigorous analysis finds that the drug modafinil significantly enhances cognition during complex tasks
