Neuroscience

Neuroscience

Excess activity shrinks blood vessels in baby mouse brains

Newborn mouse pups experience permanent brain changes when repeatedly overstimulated.

Neuroscience

Fear can be inherited

Parents’ and even grandparents’ experiences echo in offspring, a study of mice finds.

Neuroscience

Global neuro lab

With more than 50 million users, the brain-training website Lumosity is giving scientists access to an enormous collection of cognitive performance data. Mining the dataset could be the first step toward a new kind of neuroscience.

Neuroscience

The memory benefits of distraction

We usually think of distraction as a bad thing for memory. But under certain conditions, distraction may help rather than hurt.

Neuroscience

Gene that boosts Alzheimer’s risk might protect against it too

Carrying certain genetic versions of apolipoprotein E is a major risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease. A new study looks at the effects of different types of APOE on the major markers of Alzheimer’s in mice and shows that all forms are not equal.

Neuroscience

The Inconstant Gardener

Microglia, the same immune cells that help sculpt the developing brain, may do damage later in life .

Health & Medicine

Nicotine withdrawal linked to specific brain cells in mice

A group of cells within one brain region may control the physical symptoms that plague people trying to kick their cigarette addiction.

Neuroscience

Brain reconstruction hints at dinosaur communication

T. rex and other dinos might have understood complex vocal calls.

Neuroscience

Teenagers act impulsively when facing danger

Brain activity may help explain why crime peaks during the teenage years.

Neuroscience

Another look at paralysis

Robotic suits help paralyzed people move, but simple behavior changes may prevent the accidents that cause the injuries.

Neuroscience

Bacteria may transfer mom’s stress to fetus

Expecting mice under psychological pressure passed different mix of microbes to their pups, affecting the babies’ brains.

Neuroscience

Mold chemical linked to movement disorder

Fruit flies’ brains and human cells show Parkinson’s-like changes when exposed to fungi toxin.