Persistent activity is problematic as a working memory (WM) mechanism. When WMs are in a persistent active state, they are easy to disrupt by distractions, additional inputs etc. Using modeling, Freedman and crew show that during simple WM maintenance, neural activity is transient, not persistent. This makes sense because the less often memories are in […]
Read & Discuss »Category Archives: Neuroscience
Summary: A new article looks at the developing role artificial intelligence is playing in crime prevention and questions whether we need human intervention for checks and balances. Source: The Conversation. Imagine you live in a smart city that knows your face and follows your every move – the places you go, the people you see, […]
Read & Discuss »Summary: Researchers report intermittent theta burst stimulation can help to alleviate the symptoms of major depressive disorder. 49% of patients who received the treatment reported a significant decrease in symptoms, with 32% reporting remission of depression. Source: CAMH. In the largest study of its kind, a three-minute version of a brain stimulation treatment was shown […]
Read & Discuss »The cerebral neocortex is responsible for higher brain functions, such as conscious thought and language, in humans. In the neocortex, neurons are precisely arranged in an ordered 6-layered structure. This neocortical structure is formed by the sequential generation of billions of neurons and their migration toward the brain surface in the fetal period. “Subplate neurons” […]
Read & Discuss »People with restless legs syndrome may have changes in a portion of the brain that processes sensory information, according to a study published in the April 25, 2018, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. Restless legs syndrome is a disorder that causes uncomfortable sensations in the legs, accompanied […]
Read & Discuss »For older adults, driving can mean living a more independent, satisfying life. Therefore, it’s no surprise that about 86 percent of adults age 65 and older hold active driver’s licenses, and many of us expect to drive for longer as we age. Car crashes can be devastating or even deadly for anyone, including older adults […]
Read & Discuss »A University of Delaware researcher investigated the relationship between midday-napping behaviors and neurocognitive function in early adolescents and found some keys to helping the teens battle fatigue. In a study funded by the National Institutes of Health, School of Nursing assistant professor ‘s Xiaopeng Ji and principal investigator Jianghong Liu (University of Pennsylvania) turned to […]
Read & Discuss »Brief arousals during sleep — sometimes as many as ten to fifteen per night — appear random in time and occur in humans and even in animals. What is the origin of these arousals? Scientists from Bar-Ilan University in Israel, together with colleagues from Boston University, have discovered that brief arousals are probably triggered by […]
Read & Discuss »Summary: Trained pianists have higher levels of brain wave synchronization when improvising pieces of music, a new study reveals. Source: University of Western Ontario. As an undergraduate student at York University, Joel Lopata was studying film production and jazz performance when a discrepancy became apparent. “I noticed students in the jazz program were really developing […]
Read & Discuss »Summary: A new study reveals we quickly process opinions we agree with as facts, even if the opinion is non-factual. Source: BPS. In a post-truth world of alternative facts, there is understandable interest in the psychology behind why people are generally so wedded to their opinions and why it is so difficult to change minds. […]
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