Brain And Consciousness Research - February 2008 Archives

Does Gingko Biloba Affect Memory? (2/29/2008)

Taking the supplement ginkgo biloba had no clear-cut benefit on the risk of developing memory problems, according to a study published in the February 27, 2008, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. ...> Full Article

Brain activity linked to parental instinct (2/29/2008)

A possible basis for parental instinct has been found in the brain, according to a team led by Oxford University scientists. ...> Full Article

Genetic Tags Reveal Secrets of Memories' Staying Power in Mice (2/25/2008)

A better understanding of how memory works is emerging from a newfound ability to link a learning experience in a mouse to consequent changes in the inner workings of its neurons. Researchers, supported in part by the National Institutes of Health"s National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), have developed a way to pinpoint the specific cellular components that sustain a specific memory in genetically-engineered mice. ...> Full Article

Empty Nest Syndrome May Not Be Bad After All, Study Finds (2/24/2008)

Parents Reported Similar Positive Changes in Parent-Child Relationship ...> Full Article

Bioethicist says mental illness is subject to biological and sociocultural factors (2/24/2008)

Biology is crucial to understanding psychosis, "but there is more to psychosis than mere biology," says Jason Robert, an Arizona State University bioethicist and philosopher of science. ...> Full Article

Study Identifies New Patterns of Brain Activation Used in Forming Long-Term Memories (2/23/2008)

Researchers at New York University and Israel's Weizmann Institute of Science have identified patterns of brain activation linked to the formation of long-term memories. The study, which appeared in the journal Neuron, also offered an innovative and more comprehensive method for gauging memories. It asked subjects to recall the content of a television sit-com, which more accurately simulated real-life experiences because it required retrieving material that occurs in more complex settings than typically exist in a laboratory environment. ...> Full Article

Scientists Shed Light on Long-Distance Signaling in Developing Neurons (2/23/2008)

For the First Time, Functional Transcription Factor mRNA Is Found Outside the Nucleus, at the Tip of Growing Axons, Weill Cornell Team Reports ...> Full Article

What Is The Cognitive Rift Between Humans And Other Animals? (2/22/2008)

Shedding new light on the great cognitive rift between humans and animals, a Harvard University scientist has synthesized four key differences in human and animal cognition into a hypothesis on what exactly differentiates human and animal thought. ...> Full Article

Tomorrow's Antidepressants: Skip the Serotonin Boost? (2/22/2008)

New research adds to evidence of potentially better molecular targets in the brain to treat depression and other mental disorders ...> Full Article

Hypnosis helped physicians pinpoint cause of children's seizures (2/22/2008)

It was no way for an 11-year-old to live. For a month the boy had endured daily episodes of uncontrollable jerking and foaming at the mouth, and his physicians at Lucile Packard Children's Hospital were concerned that the boy had epilepsy. Before starting the boy on a lifetime of anti-seizure medications, though, they turned to an unconventional diagnostic tool: hypnosis. ...> Full Article

'Hotties' not so hot when you're in love, study (2/22/2008)

As if inspiring countless songs and poems and an international holiday weren't enough, love now is being credited with a truly amazing power: the ability to resist temptation. ...> Full Article

Total, Genetically-Based Recall: Psychologists explore possibility of sex differences in memory, findings favor females (2/21/2008)

There are several human characteristics considered to be genetically predetermined and evolutionarily innate, such as immune system strength, physical adaptations and even sex differences. These qualities drive the nature versus nurture debate and ask of our species, who is more successful and why? ...> Full Article

Cold, Unfeeling Traits Linked to Distinctive Brain Patterns in Kids with Severe Conduct Problems (2/21/2008)

Brain's Amygdala Region Less Responsive to Other People's Distress Signals ...> Full Article

Is Your Partner Happy? It May Be Hard to Know (2/20/2008)

High self-monitors -- people who are highly attuned to social situations and who most prone to moderate their behavior and the image they present to others accordingly -- are less satisfied in their romantic relationships than low self-monitors, a Northwestern University study finds. ...> Full Article

Rethinking What We Want in a Partner (2/20/2008)

When it comes to romantic attraction men primarily are motivated by good looks and women by earning power. At least that's what men and women have been saying for a long time. Based on research that dates back several decades, the widely accepted notion permeates popular culture today. ...> Full Article

Advertisers, neuroscientists trace source of emotions in brain (2/20/2008)

First came direct marketing, then focus groups. Now, advertisers, with the help of neuroscientists, are closing in on the holy grail: mind reading. ...> Full Article

Linguist tunes in to pitch processing in brain (2/19/2008)

More of the brain is busy processing pitch from language and other sounds than previously thought, according to a researcher in neurophonetics at Purdue University. ...> Full Article

Scientists Explore Consciousness (2/19/2008)

An international team of scientists led by a University of Leicester researcher has carried out a scientific study into the realm of consciousness. The scientists have made a significant step into the understanding of conscious perception, by showing how single neurons in the human brain reacted to perceived and nonperceived images. ...> Full Article

Sex Differences In The Brain's Serotonin System (2/19/2008)

A new thesis from he Swedish medical university Karolinska Institutet shows that the brain's serotonin system differs between men and women. The scientists who conducted the study think that they have found one of the reasons why depression and chronic anxiety are more common in women than in men. ...> Full Article

How believing can be seeing: study shows how context dictates what we believe we see (2/18/2008)

Scientists have found the link between what we expect to see, and what our brain tells us we actually saw. The study, published in this week's PLoS Journal of Computational Biology, reveals that the context surrounding what we see is all important - sometimes overriding the evidence gathered by our eyes and even causing us to imagine things which aren't really there. ...> Full Article

When People Feel Powerful, They Ignore New Opinions, Study Finds (2/18/2008)

Don't bother trying to persuade your boss of a new idea while he's feeling the power of his position - new research suggests he's not listening to you. ...> Full Article

The Beauty Bias: Can people love the one they are compatible with? (2/17/2008)

Physical attractiveness is important in choosing whom to date. Good looking people are not only popular targets for romantic pursuits, they themselves also tend to flock together with more attractive others. Does this mean then that more attractive versus less attractive people wear a different pair of lens when evaluating others' attractiveness? ...> Full Article

Pupil Dilation Marks Decision Making (2/17/2008)

The eyes may be the windows to the soul, but the simple pupil--the circular opening at the center of the eye that contracts and dilates to regulate the amount of light the eye receives--offers a remarkable portal to the inner workings of the brain. Such is the conclusion of neurobiologist Christof Koch of the California Institute of Technology and his colleagues, who have found that changes in pupil diameter correspond to the moment when a simple decision is made. ...> Full Article

Practicing information retrieval is key to memory retention, study finds (2/16/2008)

Learning something once, like the fact that "berg" means "mountain" in German, and studying it over and over again may do little to help you remember it in the future. The key to future recall, suggests a new study from Washington University in St. Louis, is how often over time you actively practice retrieving that information from memory. ...> Full Article

Yes, dear: Romantic relationships can make you defensive, 'avoidant' (2/16/2008)

Some people in relationships tend to be defensive and avoid prickly discussions and even words like "divorce"-something that can lead to anxiety later, a University of Michigan researcher says. ...> Full Article

A Sense of Scarcity: Why it seems like all the good ones are taken (2/15/2008)

Singles' bars, classified personals and dating websites are a reflection, not only of the common human desire to find a mate, but of the sense of scarcity that seems to surround the hunt. Many people participate in dating activities in the hopes of finding that special someone, yet feel as though it is an impossible task. However, thanks to an international team of psychologists, the solution may be closer than we think -- within ourselves, to be exact. ...> Full Article

New York, New York: Study determines difference between abstract and concrete jungle (2/15/2008)

The Big Apple, a densely populated metropolis of more than 8.2 million people in the 332 square miles of blocks, boroughs and buildings, could have been named metaphorically by outsiders as a fertile land of opportunity. New York City, in other words, can be considered concretely as a geographical location with a large population, but it also can be viewed symbolically as the gateway to America. ...> Full Article

Sheep in human clothing - scientists reveal our flock mentality (2/15/2008)

Have you ever arrived somewhere and wondered how you got there? Scientists at the University of Leeds believe they may have found the answer, with research that shows that humans flock like sheep and birds, subconsciously following a minority of individuals. ...> Full Article

Gene research may help explain autistic savants (2/14/2008)

Mice lacking a certain brain protein learn some tasks better but also forget faster, according to new research from MIT that may explain the phenomenon of autistic savants in humans. The work could also result in future treatments for autism and other brain development disorders. ...> Full Article

Research Scientists Find Protein May Protect Against Alzheimer's Disease (2/14/2008)

What Can Destroy a Heart Might Safeguard the Brain ...> Full Article

What do we mean when we talk of love? (2/14/2008)

Just in time for Valentine's Day, psychologist Dacher Keltner demystifies the biological manifestations of everyone's favorite heartfelt emotion ...> Full Article

Melatonin well-tolerated sleep aid in children with autism (2/13/2008)

Researchers are reporting that melatonin, an over-the-counter and relatively inexpensive dietary supplement taken for insomnia and jet lag, shows promise in treating children with autism who have difficulty falling asleep. ...> Full Article

Misery is not Miserly: New Study Finds Why Even Momentary Sadness Increases Spending (2/13/2008)

How you are feeling has an impact on your routine economic transactions, whether you’re aware of this effect or not. ...> Full Article

'Love Hormone' Promotes Bonding (2/12/2008)

Gazing into your lover's eyes isn't only romantic; it may also mimic early attachments that forever alter your brain and body. ...> Full Article

Scientists research delivering drugs direct to the brain (2/12/2008)

Scientists at the University of Portsmouth have won nearly half a million pounds to try and develop a way of allowing drugs to be delivered straight to the brain. ...> Full Article

Brain Imaging Technology Not Ready for Forensic Use, Says Prof (2/11/2008)

Technology that can monitor brain activity is moving into the world of forensic investigation faster than it should, according to new research by a University of Guelph psychology professor. ...> Full Article

Neural Basis Of 'Number Sense' In Young Infants (2/11/2008)

Behavioral experiments indicate that infants aged 4½ months or older possess an early "number sense" that allows them to detect changes in the number of objects. ...> Full Article

Painless migraines still pack a punch (2/10/2008)

Most migraine sufferers just want the aching to go away, but Baylor College of Medicine ophthalmologists say even "painless" migraines can still pack a punch. ...> Full Article

Chronic Pain Harms the Brain (2/10/2008)

People with unrelenting pain don't only suffer from the nonstop sensation of throbbing pain. They also have trouble sleeping, are often depressed, anxious and even have difficulty making simple decisions. ...> Full Article

Biologists link locust comas with human migraine (2/10/2008)

Studying the lowly locust could lead to improved migraine drugs for people. ...> Full Article

Severe Stressful Events Early In Pregnancy May Be Associated With Schizophrenia Among Offspring (2/9/2008)

Children of women who undergo an extremely stressful event-such as the death of a close relative-during the first trimester of pregnancy appear more likely to develop schizophrenia ...> Full Article

Breaking New Ground in Relationship of Language to Thought (2/9/2008)

New study to examine efficiency of spacial language in Mesoamerica ...> Full Article

Poor recognition of 'self' found in high functioning people with autism (2/9/2008)

Contrary to popular notions, people at the high end of the autism spectrum disorder continuum suffer most from an inability to model "self" rather than impaired ability to respond to others, said Baylor College of Medicine researchers in a report that appear in the journal Neuron. ...> Full Article

Brain Circuitry That Drives Drug-seeking Compulsion Identified (2/8/2008)

In experiments with rats, researchers have identified the change in brain circuitry that drives development of a compulsion to seek drugs, even when that compulsion is self-destructive. The researchers demonstrated the function of the circuitry by selectively switching off drug-seeking in the animals. They said their findings show the key role of the brain region, known as the striatum, which is a region activated by reward. ...> Full Article

Very Young Found To Process Fear Memories In Unique Way (2/8/2008)

Very young brains process memories of fear differently than more mature ones, new research indicates. The findings appear in the Feb. 6 issue of The Journal of Neuroscience. The work significantly advances scientific understanding of when and how fear is stored and unlearned, and introduces new thinking on the implications of fear experience early in life. ...> Full Article

More brain research suggests 'use it or lose it' (2/8/2008)

Scientists have found another important clue to why nerve cells die in neurodegenerative diseases, based on studies of the developing brain. ...> Full Article

Structure Of Important Neurotransmitter Regulator Determined (2/7/2008)

Researchers from Virginia Tech and the Brookhaven National Laboratory have solved the structure of an enzyme that is critical in the regulation of the neurotransmitter system in the human brain. ...> Full Article

Languages Evolve In Rapid Bursts, Rather Than Following A Steady Pattern (2/7/2008)

Scientists at the University of Reading have discovered that languages change and evolve in rapid bursts rather than in a steady pattern. The research investigates thousands of years of language evolution, and looks at the way in which languages split and evolve. It has long been accepted that the desire for a distinct social identity may cause languages to change quickly, but it has not previously been known whether such rapid bursts of change are a regular feature of the evolution of human language. ...> Full Article

Newly launched study to probe women's response to male odor (2/6/2008)

A single gene determines whether a whiff of androstadienone smells pleasant or foul, or like nothing at all ...> Full Article

Chemical signature of manic depression discovered by scientists (2/6/2008)

People with manic depression have a distinct chemical signature in their brains ...> Full Article

Video games activate reward regions of brain in men more than women (2/5/2008)

Allan Reiss, MD, and his colleagues have a pretty good idea why your husband or boyfriend can't put down the Halo 3. In a first-of-its-kind imaging study, the Stanford University School of Medicine researchers have shown that the part of the brain that generates rewarding feelings is more activated in men than women during video-game play. ...> Full Article

Seeing our spouses more negatively might be a positive (2/5/2008)

While our relationships with children and best friends tend to become less negative as we age, we're more likely to see our spouses as irritating and demanding. ...> Full Article

Research Suggests Experience, Not Genetics, Affects Musicians' Brain Responses (2/3/2008)

By looking at brains listening to Bach, Elizabeth Margulis, a music cognition researcher, has found evidence to support one side in a long-running debate among musicians. Practice, training and experience, it appears, are what develop a musician's ear, not genetic predisposition. ...> Full Article

Depressed Mice Reveal Critical Chemical Pathway for Treatment (2/3/2008)

Blocking production of a single enzyme alleviates symptoms of depression and anxiety in mice that have low serotonin levels, Duke University Medical Center researchers have found. ...> Full Article

Research Suggests Why Scratching is So Relieving (2/2/2008)

In the first study to use imaging technology to see what goes on in the brain when we scratch, researchers at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center have uncovered new clues about why scratching may be so relieving - and why it can be hard to stop. The work is reported online in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology and will appear in a future print issue. ...> Full Article

Newborn brain cells modulate learning and memory (2/1/2008)

Boosted by physical and mental exercise, neural stem cells continue to sprout new neurons throughout life, but the exact function of these newcomers has been the topic of much debate. Removing a genetic master switch that maintains neural stem cells in their proliferative state finally gave researchers at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies some definitive answers. ...> Full Article