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The neural cartography of smell

Rendering the invisible visible is among scientists’ favorite challenges. In their efforts to uncover how the olfactory system makes sense of thousands of otherwise invisible odors, scientists now have uncovered more of the cellular and molecular steps…

Study IDs what brings our senses and thoughts together

Our ability to think, decide, remember recent events and more, comes from our brain’s neocortex. Now neuroscientists have discovered key aspects of the mechanisms behind these functions. Their findings could ultimately help improve treatments for certa…

Anxiety during pregnancy can lead to earlier births, study finds

Women who experience anxiety about their pregnancies give birth earlier on average than those who don’t, according to new research.

Findings explain exceptional auditory abilities in Williams-Beuren Syndrome

Scientists have identified the mechanism by which Williams-Beuren Syndrome enhances the ability to discriminate between sounds as interneuron hyperexcitability in the auditory cortex.

Study findings suggest association between exposure to air pollution — particularly in the first 5 years of life — and alterations in brain structure

A study has found an association, in children aged 9-12, between exposure to air pollutants in the womb and during the first 8.5 years of life and alterations in white matter structural connectivity in the brain. The greater the child’s exposure before…

A new understanding of the neurobiology of impulsivity

While not all impulsive behavior speaks of mental illness, a wide range of mental health disorders which often emerge in adolescence, including depression and substance abuse, have been linked to impulsivity. So, finding a way to identify and treat tho…

Why whales don’t get brain damage when they swim

Special blood vessels in whale brains may protect them from pulses, caused by swimming, in their blood that would damage the brain, new research has suggested.

Shedding light on the happy hormone

Researchers developed a novel fluorescent sensor to detect and monitor levels of the neuropeptide oxytocin, also known as the ‘happy hormone.’ The OT sensor facilitated the successful measurement of OT dynamics in the brains of living animals and may s…

COVID-19 infections increase risk of long-term brain problems

A comprehensive analysis of federal data shows people who have had COVID-19 are at an elevated risk of developing neurological conditions within the first year after infection. Movement disorders, memory problems, strokes and seizures are among the com…

Exploring the mechanisms underlying disorders of consciousness

Scientists have explored new techniques that may help distinguish between two different neurological conditions in patients with severe brain damage and or in a coma.