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…
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
The five-second pause: A simple strategy to prevent relationship conflicts
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…
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…
Sleeping before a decision helps people avoid first impression bias
A series of Duke University experiments shows that quick choices lean heavily on first impressions, while choices made after a…
videoEnhance brain health: strategies to slow brain aging and boost cognitive health
the molecular and lifestyle interventions to slow cognitive decline and diseases like Alzheimer’s. Key points include the importance of longevity…
Level 3
Daily blueberries may improve memory, but results are mixed
Several clinical studies suggest that eating blueberries can support brain function. One randomized trial in middle-aged adults at higher risk…
videoNew rat study suggests consciousness comes from quantum vibrations in microtubules
A Wellesley College study finds that stabilizing microtubules in rats delays anesthesia, supporting the theory that consciousness arises from quantum processes.
videoBrain connectivity influences optimal sleep duration
New neuroscience research reveals that individual variations in brain connectivity impact the amount of sleep needed for optimal functioning. People…
Cannabis use linked to epigenetic changes that may affect gene expression
Epigenetic study reveals DNA methylation changes linked to marijuana use A genome-wide study in middle-aged adults found significant DNA methylation…
Enlarged brain network linked to depression risk, study finds
A new study has identified that the frontostriatal salience network, a brain region tied to reward processing and external stimuli…
Scientists find brain network twice as large in depressed people
Scientists have discovered that the salience network, a set of brain regions that decides what you focus on and how…