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
Oxytocin social bonding: vole study shows how love and loss change the brain
A review of oxytocin social bonding in prairie voles shows the hormone helps form pair bonds and that social loss disrupts oxytocin, causing depression.
Building muscle strength to boost brain health
Building muscle strength enhances cognitive function in older adults A study published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society…
Heart rate dynamics reveal strong interaction between sleep stages and autonomic nervous system in sleep apnea patients
A study published in Neuropsychopharmacology reveals how heart rate variability changes across sleep stages and how sleep apnea disrupts this balance. Evidence suggests distinct brain systems control sleep and wakefulness.
Level 3
Brain adapts activity patterns to balance efficiency and informativeness during complex cognitive tasks
A PNAS study suggests that during coherent story listening, brain activity patterns can become easier to decode and easier to compress than during temporally scrambled story audio or rest. This is not mind-reading, but it may help explain how the brain balances detail with robustness to noise.
Consciousness could be connected with the whole universe
Recent research explores the possibility that human consciousness could be linked to quantum processes in the brain’s microtubules. This theory…
AI extracts mental images from human brain activity
Researchers have successfully used AI to extract and reconstruct mental images directly from human brain activity. This groundbreaking achievement, the…
Positive memory reactivation during sleep reduces negative memory recall
Reactivating positive memories during non-REM sleep can weaken the recall of associated negative memories. This sleep-based technique, known as targeted…
Scientists identify the “glue” protein KIBRA that keeps long-term memories from fading away
Scientists identify KIBRA, a protein acting as memory glue to stabilize synapses. This breakthrough explains how long-term memories survive for decades.
Hypnagogic imagery: flashing-light devices guide the brain into dream-like states without drugs
The idea is simple: when a rhythmic burst of white light reaches your closed eyes, the neurons in your visual…