Language skills stay strong in older adults, even while other cognitive abilities decline
MIT researchers find that activity in the brain’s language network is nearly identical in young and old people.
McGovern Institute
Tackling rare genetic disorders with patient-focused science
Shannon Knight, a brain and cognitive sciences PhD candidate and McGovern Institute researcher, focuses on developing a novel gene therapy.
DNA shaper steers nervous system development
A study of worms finds a protein that helps shape the structure of the genome is critical for establishing the identity of some neurons.
High-speed microscopy reveals electrical activity across the brain
The new technique could help scientists learn how the entire brain works to generate decisions and emotions.
MIT honors employees with 2026 Excellence Awards, Collier Medal, and Staff Award for Distinction in Service
The MIT community celebrated the talent, dedication, and impact of its staff.
How visual learning happens in the brain
Scientists find that learning to identify a new object subtly reshapes visual processing in the brain.
Separating logic and language
Neuroscientists find logical reasoning does not involve language-processing parts of the brain.
The brain’s internal ruler
A simple brain circuit measures objects’ distance from the body using touch signals from a rodent’s whiskers, MIT scientists find.
The brain’s language network is more extensive than previously thought
A new study reveals that parts of the brain located far from the canonical language-processing centers are also involved in language comprehension.
Would you return a favor? Scientists say it depends on the relationship
A new study shows people expect reciprocal generosity only in interactions with friends or others of equal social status.
Brighter MRI signals
New MRI sensors developed at MIT sensitively detect target molecules in the brain and body.
MIT affiliates elected to National Academy of Sciences for 2026
Six MIT faculty, along with 10 additional alumni, are recognized by their peers for their outstanding contributions to research in the natural and social sciences.
Four from MIT named 2026 Searle Scholars
Computational neuroscientist Sven Dorkenwald and cell biologist Whitney Henry, along with two MIT alumni, are recognized for their exceptional early-career research contributions.
Language development in the brain
The brain’s language network is still evolving in adolescence. But by age 4, language processing is already handled by the left side of the brain, new research finds.
Powerful shrinking technique could enable devices that compute with light
MIT researchers created tiny 3D photonic devices with features small enough to channel visible light.