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
Your brain responds differently to love for a child, a partner, or a pet
A Finnish team used fMRI while 55 adults in relationships with children heard short stories about love toward a partner, a child, friends, strangers, pets, or nature, then held each feeling during a brief imagery period. Interpersonal love engaged social-cognition regions more than pet-only or nature love; during imagery, parental love showed striatum and thalamus activation not reported for the other love types; pet owners differed from non-owners on pet trials. Results reflect one cohort, culture, and task design.
Neuroplasticity and aging: your brain can still change
Neuroplasticity and aging show the brain can still change in adult life. Practice, challenge, and attention help, but plasticity is not magic.
Being open to new things helps creativity and learning, and may keep the brain healthier with age
Openness is a personality trait that means seeking and enjoying new and unfamiliar things. Research in psychology and neuroscience links…
Ultra-processed foods trigger addiction-like behavior in one in seven adults
A broad review of 281 studies from 36 countries concludes that some ultra-processed foods (UPFs), such as soft drinks, ice-cream…
The best way to quiet your mind: reduce multitasking
Multitasking creates cognitive fatigue and reduces focus. Research shows task switching incurs measurable costs, and phone interruptions fragment attention. Reducing multitasking and creating distance from devices helps quiet the mind and improve concentration.
Exploring more new places is linked to higher happiness
Most people cycle through a small set of familiar places. Research in human mobility suggests that, at any given time,…
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…