Brain and cognitive sciences

A new “REPAIR” system edits RNA, rather than DNA.

Researchers engineer CRISPR to edit single RNA letters in human cells

“REPAIR” system edits RNA, rather than DNA; has potential to treat diseases without permanently affecting the genome.

October 25, 2017

The 2017 MassJAS biological and environmental sciences presenters practiced communication skills and vied for the opportunity to become delegates at the AJAS annual meeting.

Department of Biology hosts 2017 Massachusetts Junior Academy of Science Symposium

High school students present research projects to build communication skills while earning membership to the American Junior Academy of Science.

October 24, 2017

The green staining shows hippocampal CA1 engram cells, which store a long-term fear memory and have the light sensitive optogenetic protein channelrhodopsin-2. The blue staining shows all cells in the dorsal hippocampus brain region, including non-engram cells (blue color staining only).

MIT neuroscientists build case for new theory of memory formation

Existence of “silent engrams” suggests that existing models of memory formation should be revised.

October 23, 2017

“What’s really cool about eye tracking is it lets you see things that you’re not consciously aware of,” Professor Josh Tenenbaum says. “When psychologists and philosophers have proposed the idea of counterfactual simulation, they haven’t necessarily meant that you do this consciously. It’s something going on behind the surface, and eye tracking is able to reveal that.”

How we determine who’s to blame

Before assigning responsibility, our minds simulate alternative outcomes, study shows.

October 17, 2017

Microglia, the brain's immune cells, scavenge the brain for repairs and to remove potential infectious agents.

Cellular reprograming implicated in model of Alzheimer's disease

Neuroscientists identify genetic changes in microglia in a mouse model of neurodegeneration and Alzheimer's disease.

October 12, 2017

Brain waves reflect different types of learning

For the first time, researchers have identified neural signatures of explicit and implicit learning.

October 11, 2017

Ten from MIT and the Broad Institute recently received NIH Director's Awards. Top row (l-r): Feng Zhang, Kay Tye, Kevin Esvelt, Fei Chen; Bottom row (l-r): Gabriela Schlau-Cohen, Ahmed Badran, Hilary Finucane, Ed Boyden. Not pictured: Paul Blainey and Evan Macosko.

Ten researchers from MIT and Broad receive NIH Director’s Awards

Awards support high-risk, high-impact biomedical research.

October 5, 2017

Researchers found that babies who watched an adult struggle to complete tasks before succeeding tried harder at their own difficult task, compared to babies who saw an adult succeed without effort.

Babies can learn that hard work pays off

Study finds infants try harder after seeing adults struggle to achieve a goal.

September 21, 2017

2017 $500,000 Lemelson-MIT Prize winner Feng Zhang

Gene-editing technology developer Feng Zhang awarded $500,000 Lemelson-MIT Prize

MIT associate professor and member of the Broad Institute and McGovern Institute recognized for commitment to invention, collaboration, and mentorship.

September 19, 2017

MIT researchers have found that languages tend to divide the "warm" part of the color spectrum into more color words than the "cooler" regions, which makes communication of warmer colors more consistent. From left to right, this chart shows the order of most to least efficiently communicated colors, in English, Spanish, and Tsimane' languages.

Analyzing the language of color

Cognitive scientists find that people can more easily communicate warmer colors than cool ones.

September 18, 2017

Studies have shown that mothers who experience an infection severe enough to require hospitalization during pregnancy are at higher risk of having a child with autism.

Studies help explain link between autism, severe infection during pregnancy

Bacterial populations in mother’s GI tract may play a central role.

September 13, 2017

Anantha Chandrakasan, dean of MIT’s School of Engineering, who negotiated the collaboration on behalf of MIT, speaks during the signing of the agreement with representatives of IBM.

3Q: Anantha Chandrakasan on new MIT–IBM Watson AI Lab

Lab seeks to expand the boundaries of research on artificial intelligence.

September 7, 2017

MIT President L. Rafael Reif, left, and John Kelly III, IBM senior vice president, Cognitive Solutions and Research, shake hands at the conclusion of a signing ceremony establishing the new MIT–IBM Watson AI Lab.

IBM and MIT to pursue joint research in artificial intelligence, establish new MIT-IBM Watson AI Lab

IBM plans to make a 10-year, $240 million investment in new lab with MIT to advance AI hardware, software, and algorithms.

September 7, 2017

MIT engineers have devised a way to automate the process of monitoring neurons in a living brain using a computer algorithm that analyzes microscope images and guides a robotic arm to the target cell. In this image, a pipette guided by a robotic arm approaches a neuron identified with a fluorescent stain.

Robotic system monitors specific neurons

Success rate is comparable to that of highly trained scientists performing the process manually.

August 30, 2017

MIT neuroscientists have shown, for the first time, that recalling a memory requires a “detour” circuit that branches off from the original memory circuit. This low-magnification image shows that hippocampal CA1 neurons (red) and dorsal subiculum neurons (green) can be genetically identified using two different protein markers.

How we recall the past

Neuroscientists discover a brain circuit dedicated to retrieving memories.

August 17, 2017

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