Neuroscience

Why Space Travel May Be Bad For Your Brain

There is bad news for those planning to go to Mars in the near future: a study in mice has suggested that radiation in space could cause cognitive decline in astronauts. However, we know from past research that mental, social and physical exercise can boo ...

Article - The Conversation - May 2 2015 - 11:00am

Insomnia Linked To Greater Pain Sensitivity

People with insomnia and other sleep problems also report increased sensitivity to pain, reports a new study. The study included more than 10,400 adults from a large, ongoing Norwegian health study. Each subject underwent a standard test of pain sensitivi ...

Article - News Staff - May 9 2015 - 9:00am

The Neuroscience Reason We Fall Over When Drunk

Alcohol is used and sometimes abused by millions of people worldwide, though how it acutely changes brain function, to cause inebriation, and then chronically changes brain function, to cause dependency, remain largely unknown.  Since dependence can destro ...

Article - Michael Forrest - May 4 2015 - 9:52am

'Fuzzy Thinking' In Women With Bipolar Disorder And Depression Is Real, Says Study

People with depression or bipolar disorder often feel their thinking ability has gotten "fuzzy", or less sharp than before their symptoms began, and a new study published in BRAIN finds that the effect is real- and rooted in brain activity diffe ...

Article - News Staff - May 9 2015 - 9:23pm

Late-Night Snacking: Your Brain Blame

If you have ever wondered why you need to snack more at night and many people don't, there may be a neuroscience answer:  areas of the brain that get a satiety "food high" may not get it in the evening.  In a new study, exercise professors ...

Article - News Staff - May 5 2015 - 2:32pm

Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation Brain Stimulation Detrimental To IQ Scores

Transcranial direct current stimulation, using a weak electric current in an attempt to boost brainpower or treat conditions, has become popular among cognitive do-it-yourselfers and the neuroscience equivalent of people selling dietary supplements, but a ...

Article - News Staff - May 5 2015 - 3:07pm

Neuronal Network 3-D Models Reveal Organizational Principles Of Sensory Cortex

Researchers have succeeded in reconstructing the neuronal networks that interconnect the elementary units of sensory cortex, called cortical columns. A key challenge in neuroscience research is identifying organizational principles of how the brain integr ...

Article - News Staff - May 9 2015 - 10:30am

Does Gaming Improve Your Brain Power?

There has been excitement among researchers in recent years that playing certain video and computer games may strengthen core components of cognition, helping us to make quicker decisions, think more fluidly, and avoid harmful distractions. ...

Article - The Conversation - May 7 2015 - 2:00pm

SAD Center In The Brain Located?

During the short, dreary days of winter, some people feel tired and oversleep, they are depressed and irritable and have trouble concentrating.  But once spring arrives, they say they feel fine. 4 percent of the American public say they suffer from this s ...

Article - News Staff - May 12 2015 - 12:18pm

Why Virtual Reality Tends To Make Users Feel Sick

Virtual reality (VR) equipment has tended to be cumbersome and expensive, all heavy headsets and awkward gloves. Until recently it’s been beyond the reach of the home consumer, but with the appearance of Oculus Rift (since bought by Facebook), Microsoft’s ...

Article - The Conversation - May 10 2015 - 8:00am