How the brain generates rhythmic behavior
MIT neuroscientists have identified an oscillatory circuit that controls the rhythmic movement of mouse whiskers.
These neurons have food on the brain
MIT scientists have discovered a population of neurons that light up whenever we see images of food.
When Alzheimer’s degrades cells that cross hemispheres, visual memory suffers
Research reveals cells that span brain hemispheres to coordinate activity in visual processing centers, shows Alzheimer’s degrades their structure and function.
When a task adds more steps, this brain circuit helps you notice
By tracking feedback during tasks, the anterior cingulate cortex notices when a new step has become necessary and signals the motor cortex to adjust.
Advanced imaging reveals mired migration of neurons in Rett syndrome lab models
Using organoids to model early development, researchers used an emerging microscopy technology to see that new neurons struggled to reach their developmental destination.
Sprint then stop? The brain is wired for the math to make it happen
To ensure a quick halt, brain circuit architecture avoids a slow process of integration in favor of quicker differentiation, study finds.
New findings reveal how neurons build and maintain their capacity to communicate
Nerve cells regulate and routinely refresh the collection of calcium channels that enable them to send messages across circuit connections.
Four researchers with MIT ties earn Schmidt Science Fellowships
International award supports early-career scientists and engineers as they pursue interdisciplinary works.
Whether speaking Turkish or Norwegian, the brain’s language network looks the same
Studying speakers of 45 languages, neuroscientists found similar patterns of brain activation and language selectivity.
Study illuminates trade-off between complex words and complex sentences
A team of cognitive scientists and doctors finds that patients with aphasia use different cognitive tools to compensate for language deficits.
Artificial neural networks model face processing in autism
A new computational model could explain differences in recognizing facial emotions.
Three distinct brain circuits in the thalamus contribute to Parkinson’s symptoms
Targeting these circuits could offer a new way to reverse motor dysfunction and depression in Parkinson’s patients.
How the brain responds to surprising events
Unexpected outcomes trigger release of noradrenaline, which helps the brain focus its attention and learn from the event.
Chemists reveal how tau proteins form tangles
Two types of tau proteins mix together in a nearly random way to generate the tangles seen in the brains of Alzheimer’s patients.
Early sound exposure in the womb shapes the auditory system
Modeling study suggests that the muffled environment in utero primes the brain’s ability to interpret some types of sound.