Summary: Researchers developed innovative materials to improve the performance of brain and heart pacemakers by reducing signal interference. These devices often face challenges from external electromagnetic forces, causing discomfort like headaches for patients.The team created nanocomposites using polypropylene, clay, and graphene to absorb and disperse energy effectively. Their findings could...
Summary: A new study has revealed distinct features of the human hippocampus, a brain region critical for memory storage and retrieval, challenging the assumption that it functions like a scaled-up mouse brain. By analyzing living brain tissue from epilepsy patients, researchers found that human hippocampal CA3 neurons exhibit sparse yet...
Summary: Women who are more attuned to internal bodily signals, such as heartbeats and touch, experience orgasms more frequently and with greater satisfaction. This inward focus, known as interoception, is linked to both solo and partnered sexual encounters.Researchers emphasize the importance of understanding normal orgasmic processes, rather than solely focusing...
Summary: A recent study explores how connections across the entire brain predict human intelligence, moving beyond traditional focus on specific brain areas like the prefrontal cortex. Using fMRI data from over 800 individuals, researchers analyzed communication between brain regions to predict fluid, crystallized, and general intelligence scores.Findings reveal that distributed...
Summary: A new study reveals how the brain forms cohesive mental maps of spaces and highlights the critical role of sleep in this process. While “place cells” in the hippocampus mark specific locations, weaker spatial cells stitch these points into a comprehensive cognitive map.Researchers observed that sleep refines these maps,...
Summary: New research suggests that certain nutrients may lower iron buildup in the brain, a factor linked to cognitive decline in aging. Excess non-heme iron, which accumulates over time, contributes to oxidative stress and can impair memory and executive function.Over three years, participants with higher intake of antioxidants, vitamins, and...
Summary: Research reveals that the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) and hippocampus (DH) play distinct roles in resolving ambiguous situations where the meaning of stimuli changes based on context. The OFC helps regulate behavior by using contextual knowledge, while the DH is critical for applying prior knowledge to accelerate learning new relationships.Experiments...
Summary: New research sheds light on how the brain’s prefrontal cortex evaluates whether to persist or quit in uncertain situations. Using tasks mimicking real-life dilemmas, researchers found that different brain regions influence patience and adaptability.Damage to the ventromedial prefrontal cortex reduced persistence, while damage to other areas impaired learning from...
Summary: The dural sinuses and skull bone marrow serve as key communication hubs between the brain’s central immune system and the body’s peripheral immune system. These regions may act as “traffic lights,” allowing immune signals to flow between the brain and body, challenging the traditional view of the blood-brain barrier...
Summary: Dogs trained to use soundboards can combine two-word buttons purposefully to communicate needs and desires, rather than randomly or by imitating their owners. Researchers analyzed over 260,000 button presses from 152 dogs, finding meaningful combinations like “outside + potty” occurring more often than chance.The data suggests dogs use soundboards...
