Finding some stability in adaptable brains
New research suggests neurons protect and preserve certain information through a dedicated zone of stable synapses.
Department
Brain and Cognitive Sciences
Harnessing the power of placebo for pain relief
MIT researchers investigate the neural circuits that underlie placebos’ ability to relieve chronic and acute pain.
Study assesses seizure risk from stimulating the thalamus
In animal models, even low stimulation currents can sometimes still cause electrographic seizures, researchers found.
Scientists find neurons that process language on different timescales
In language-processing areas of the brain, some cell populations respond to one word, while others respond to strings of words.
MIT study explains why laws are written in an incomprehensible style
The convoluted “legalese” used in legal documents conveys a special sense of authority, and even non-lawyers have learned to wield it.
Study reveals ways in which 40Hz sensory stimulation may preserve brain’s “white matter”
Gamma frequency light and sound stimulation preserves myelination in mouse models and reveals molecular mechanisms that may underlie the benefit.
New method enables fast, accurate estimates of cardiovascular state to inform blood pressure management
A mathematical method, validated with experimental data, provides a fast, reliable, and minimally invasive way of determining how to treat critical blood pressure changes during surgery or intensive care.
Three MIT professors named 2024 Vannevar Bush Fellows
Domitilla Del Vecchio and Themis Sapsis of MechE and Mehrdad Jazayeri of BCS will each receive up to $3 million for blue-sky research.
Study across multiple brain regions discerns Alzheimer’s vulnerability and resilience factors
Genomics and lab studies reveal numerous findings, including a key role for Reelin amid neuronal vulnerability, and for choline and antioxidants in sustaining cognition.
MIT affiliates named 2024 HHMI Investigators
Four faculty members and four others with MIT ties are recognized for pushing the boundaries of science and for creating highly inclusive and collaborative research environments.
Study reveals how an anesthesia drug induces unconsciousness
Propofol, a drug commonly used for general anesthesia, derails the brain’s normal balance between stability and excitability.
Empowering future innovators through a social impact lens
The IDEAS Social Innovation Challenge helps students hone their entrepreneurship skills to create viable ventures for public good.
A new strategy to cope with emotional stress
A study by MIT scientists supports “social good” as a cognitive approach to dealing with highly stressful events.
MIT researchers introduce generative AI for databases
This new tool offers an easier way for people to analyze complex tabular data.
What is language for?
Drawing on evidence from neurobiology, cognitive science, and corpus linguistics, MIT researchers make the case that language is a tool for communication, not for thought.