Neuroscience
Insights into the biological foundations of consciousness and the human experience.
Level 1
Virtual avatars rewire body perception and ease trauma through brain plasticity
When people use virtual reality (VR) to embody avatars, such as taller, younger, or more muscular versions of themselves, their…
We create a false self in early life to meet external expectations and cope with childhood experiences – James Hollis
James Hollis explores the psychological and spiritual upheaval of midlife as a necessary and meaningful rite of passage. Drawing from…
Learning a second language early strengthens brain connections and efficiency
Learning a second language is linked to a more efficient brain network. A research team reports that people who speak…
Psychological abuse leaves real trauma effects
Psychological abuse and coercive control are linked to PTSD, depression, and measurable trauma-related brain changes. The evidence is strong, but it does not show identical or permanent damage in every survivor.
Learning multiple new skills can produce test scores comparable to adults 30 years younger
Older adults who learn multiple new skills simultaneously can achieve cognitive performance similar to adults 30 years younger. A UC Riverside study found that 3 months of intensive learning improved memory, attention, and cognitive control, with gains maintained up to one year later.
Level 2
Five simple brain habits can help leaders unlearn bias and lower conflict
Leaders often carry unconscious bias, meaning fast, automatic judgments about people that operate outside awareness. The Inc. piece distills five…
Pausing five seconds before reacting can prevent most relationship fights
Recent psychological research demonstrates that taking just a five-second pause during tense moments in a relationship can significantly reduce aggression…
Our sense of now is a best guess the brain builds from the recent past
Our experience of the present is not a direct readout of the world. Signals from the eyes and other senses…
Bilingual brains show structural changes, and multilingual teams may innovate more
Research in brain imaging links bilingual experience to changes in brain structure. Studies using MRI report denser grey matter in…
Chronic stress alters the brain, but recovery is possible
Chronic stress can alter memory, fear, mood, and sleep circuits in the brain. That matters because these changes can raise anxiety and cognitive strain, but the evidence does not show permanent damage in everyone.
AI unveils how the brain predicts thoughts and processes information
Researchers at FAU have used AI to analyze brain activity, uncovering that spontaneous brain signals (local field potentials) help predict…
Level 3
Scientists reprogram astroglia into neurons to potentially treat epilepsy and repair brain circuits
Scientists successfully reprogrammed astroglia into fast-spiking neurons using a modified protein. This could help treat epilepsy by repairing brain circuits. Suggested slug: reprogramming-astroglia-into-neurons-epilepsy
Astrocytes act as essential partners to neurons for storing and recalling memories
Astrocytes, star-shaped brain cells, work with neurons to store and recall memories via the NFIA gene, a study finds, changing how we view memory loss.
Researcher maps the full spectrum of consciousness theories
Neurophysiologist Robert Lawrence Kuhn, best known as the creator of the PBS series Closer to Truth, has published a book-length…
Clearing a protein buildup in the brain extended fly lifespan by 30%
A UCLA study found that preventing F-actin accumulation in the brain restores autophagy and extends fruit fly lifespan by 30%, offering new anti-aging hope.
Startup says two people sent a word to each other while dreaming
A California startup reports that two lucid dreamers exchanged a simple message while asleep. According to the announcement, sensors confirmed…
Scientists map every neuron and connection in an adult fly brain
Researchers have produced the first complete wiring diagram of an adult animal brain, a female fruit fly brain, showing how…