Brain and Cognitive Sciences

MIT neuroscientists discovered that the protein CPG2 connects the cytoskeleton (represented by the scaffold of the bridge) and the endocytic machinery (represented by the cars) during the reabsorption of glutamate receptors. Each "car" on the “bridge" carries a vesicle containing glutamate receptors.

How neurons lose their connections

Scientists identify protein that allows brain cells to dampen their sensitivity.

January 14, 2016

School of Science honors research staff with 2016 Infinite Kilometer Awards

January 4, 2016

MIT researchers fed their physics prediction system videos of collisions, shown as screenshots in (a) and (b), which were then converted into simulations generated by the 3-D physics engine, shown in (c) and (d).

Computer model matches humans at predicting how objects move

“3-D physics engine” from the Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory simulates the human brain to infer physical properties.

January 4, 2016

Clockwise from top left: B. Gloria Choi, Christopher Cummins, James DiCarlo, Mehrdad Jazayeri, Jonathan Kelner, and Jared Speck

The School of Science appoints six faculty to named professorships

December 28, 2015

Researchers have developed a computational model of visual representation intended to reflect the way the brain works.

Machines that learn like people

Algorithms could learn to recognize objects from a few examples, not millions; may better model human cognition.

December 23, 2015

(Left to right) Caroline Robertson and Nancy Kanwisher.

Study finds altered brain chemistry in people with autism

Neuroscientists link autism to reduced activity of key neurotransmitter in human brain.

December 17, 2015

“One of the core debates surrounding music is to what extent it has dedicated mechanisms in the brain and to what extent it piggybacks off of mechanisms that primarily serve other functions,” Josh McDermott says.

Music in the brain

For the first time, scientists identify a neural population highly selective for music.

December 16, 2015

Susan Hockfield chosen to serve as AAAS president-elect

Former MIT president to begin three-year term on AAAS Board of Directors in February.

December 16, 2015

The Four Undergrads team was first-place winner of the MIT Energy Hackathon.

Reducing waste and inefficiency, while increasing access and profits, propels MIT Energy Hackathon

Eight real-world industry challenges fuel teams’ competitive spirit and impressive results.

December 11, 2015

Humans and machines were given an image of a novel character (top) and asked to produce new versions. A machine generated the nine-character grid on the left.

Computer system passes “visual Turing test”

Character-drawing machines can fool human judges.

December 10, 2015

The gene Shank3 has been linked to both autism and schizophrenia. Researchers found that two different mutations of the Shank3 gene produce some distinct molecular and behavioral effects in mice.

How one gene contributes to two diseases

Neuroscientists unravel Shank3 gene’s role in autism and schizophrenia.

December 10, 2015

The researchers used structural knowledge of Cas9 to guide engineering of a highly specific genome-editing tool.

MIT, Broad scientists overcome key CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing hurdle

Team re-engineers system to dramatically cut down on editing errors; improvements advance future human applications.

December 1, 2015

Sean Perry, technical associate at the Picower Institute, dies at age 39

December 1, 2015

When zebra finches first begin to sing, they produce only nonsense syllables similar to the babble of human babies. Now researchers at MIT have uncovered the brain activity that supports the birds’ song-learning process.

Singing in the brain

Neuroscientists identify neural patterns birds use to learn their songs.

November 30, 2015

Motor neurons (green) form synapses (highlighted in magenta) on muscle fibers in a fruit fly. MIT neuroscientists have discovered a pathway that contributes to strengthening these synapses.

Neuroscientists reveal how the brain can enhance connections

Newly identified mechanism allows the brain to strengthen links between neurons.

November 18, 2015

MIT News | Massachusetts Institute of Technology

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