Menu Close

Articles on Brain activity

Displaying 1 - 20 of 21 articles

Electroconvulsive therapy involves inducing a controlled seizure under anesthesia. Inkoly/iStock via Getty Images Plus

How electroconvulsive therapy heals the brain − new insights into ECT, a stigmatized yet highly effective treatment for depression

Electroconvulsive therapy often evokes inaccurate images of seizing bodies and smoking ears. Better understanding of how it reduces depression symptoms can illuminate new ways to treat mental illness.
Deep brain stimulation can alleviate treatment-resistant depression for some patients. PM Images/Digital Vision via Getty Images

Depression recovery can be hard to measure − new research on deep brain stimulation shows how objective biomarkers could help make treatment more precise

Deep brain stimulation can help some people with treatment-resistant depression feel better, but it can be unclear whether a bout of low mood is a relapse or a bad day.
Gliomas can form connections with distant areas of the brain, exploiting them for their own spread and growth. Andriy Onufriyenko/Moment via Getty Images

Brain tumors are cognitive parasites – how brain cancer hijacks neural circuits and causes cognitive decline

Glioblastoma is the most aggressive type of brain cancer, causing significant decline in cognitive function. New research suggests a common anti-seizure drug could help control tumor growth.
A class of inhibitory neurons can make long-distance connections across both hemispheres of the brain. akinbostanci/iStock via Getty Images Plus

Cognitive flexibility is essential to navigating a changing world – new research in mice shows how your brain learns new rules

Learning new rules requires the suppression of old ones. A better understanding of the brain circuits involved in behavioral adaptation could lead to new ways to treat schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.
Even young children are very aware of whether they’re getting their fair share. Jupiterimages/PHOTOS.com via Getty Images Plus

Selfish or selfless? Human nature means you’re both

Cognitive neuroscientists use brain imaging and behavioral economic games to investigate people’s sense of fairness. They find it’s common to take care of yourself before looking out for others.
A subject plays a computer game as part of a neural security experiment at the University of Washington. Patrick Bennett

Helping or hacking? Engineers and ethicists must work together on brain-computer interface technology

BCI devices that read minds and act on intentions can change lives for the better. But they could also be put to nefarious use in the not-too-distant future. Now’s the time to think about risks.
Fibromyalgia can be made more difficult when the pain doesn’t seem to have a visible cause. Silvia Sala/Flickr

Hidden and unexplained: feeling the pain of fibromyalgia

Unexplained, chronic pain known as fibromyalgia affects up to 5% of the population. Yet there are no effective treatment options for the millions for whom each day begins with persistent pain.
Your brain scan told me your mind would wander. Boy image via www.shutterstuck.com

Brain connections predict how well you can pay attention

Particular parts of an individual’s brain tend to work together on certain tasks. Researchers can look at these patterns of “functional connectivity” to predict traits – like the ability to pay attention.

Top contributors

More