THEPSYCHOLOGYTURKEY

Scientists may have discovered a new way to test for autism by measuring how children's eyes move when they turn their heads. http://dlvr.it/T3RpMY

When people lack visual imagination, this is known as aphantasia. Researchers investigated how the lack of mental imagery affects long-term memory. They were able to show that changes in two important brain regions, the hippocampus and the occipital lobe, as well as their interaction, have an influence on the impaired recall of personal memories in aphantasia. http://dlvr.it/T3RWr8

The human brain's adaptability to internal and external changes, known as neural plasticity, forms the foundation for understanding cognitive functions like memory and learning, as well as various neurological disorders. Scientists have now unveiled a novel technique that could transform the treatment landscape for brain disorders. The team developed a non-invasive brain stimulation method called Patterned Low-Intensity Low-Frequency Ultrasound (LILFUS), which holds tremendous potential for inducing long-lasting changes in brain function. http://dlvr.it/T3PNWy

How does listening to live music affect the emotional center of our brain? A study has found that live performances trigger a stronger emotional response than listening to music from a device. Concerts connect performers with their audience, which may also have to with evolutionary factors. http://dlvr.it/T3P8ly

In a new perspective article, researchers underscore the importance of integrating environmental effects into genetic research. The authors discuss how failure to do so can perpetuate deterministic thinking in genetics, as historically observed in the justification of eugenics movements and, more recently, in cases of racially motivated violence. http://dlvr.it/T3N6KY

Researchers have unraveled how mutations in a gene can lead to an incurable neurodevelopmental disorder that causes abnormal brain development in newborns and infants. http://dlvr.it/T3Lj6B

A new study demonstrated the use of deep brain stimulation (DBS) to map a 'human dysfunctome' -- a collection of dysfunctional brain circuits associated with different disorders. http://dlvr.it/T3LTPn

The idea that people make decisions based on social context is not a new one in neural economic games. But now, for the first time, researchers show the impact of the social context may spring from the dynamic interactions of dopamine and serotonin. Researchers built carbon-fiber electrodes that were implanted in patients receiving Deep Brain Stimulation surgery. The method allows researchers to measure more than one neurotransmitter at a time, revealing a dance that has never been seen before. http://dlvr.it/T3J2jQ

Scientists have identified a new therapeutic approach for combating neurodegenerative diseases, offering hope of improved treatments for Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, Vanishing White Matter disease and multiple sclerosis, among others. http://dlvr.it/T3GSHD

Researchers have investigated whether the body is truly disconnected from the external world during sleep. To do so, they focused on how heartbeat changes when we hear different words during sleep. They found that relaxing words slowed down cardiac activity as a reflection of deeper sleep and in comparison to neutral words that did not have such a slowing effect. This discovery sheds new light on brain-heart interactions during sleep. http://dlvr.it/T3FW2z

Researchers have mapped out the proteins implicated in the early stages of motor neurone disease (MND). They have developed a longitudinal map of the proteins involved in MND across the trajectory of the disease, identifying potential therapeutic pathways for further investigation. http://dlvr.it/T39HdG

A team of researchers has found a potential way to treat conditions like depression and anxiety with fewer side effects. http://dlvr.it/T39HQh

Mouse study provides insights into communication between neurons during decision-making. http://dlvr.it/T38x4k

New research used brain scanning technology to understand the effect of advertisements that try to sell products with talking versions of themselves. The work suggests that that anthromorphic displays lead to different cognition, and that buyers are likely to spend up to 20 percent more on more complex products promoted in advertisements that anthropomorphizes the product. http://dlvr.it/T38Wm6

People with higher exposure to traffic-related air pollution were more likely to have high amounts of amyloid plaques in their brains associated with Alzheimer's disease after death, according to a new study. Researchers looked at fine particulate matter, PM2.5, which consists of pollutant particles of less than 2.5 microns in diameter suspended in air. http://dlvr.it/T360b4

Fear and addiction exert significant influence within society. Managing them is often challenging, as they are driven by intricate neuronal circuits in our brains. Understanding the underlying molecular mechanisms is crucial to intervene when these processes malfunction. The novel 'Flash and Freeze-fracture' technique provides a unique glimpse into the respective brain region. http://dlvr.it/T33PSh

Smiling for just a split second makes people more likely to see happiness in expressionless faces, new research has revealed. The study shows that even a brief weak grin makes faces appear more joyful. The pioneering experiment used electrical stimulation to spark smiles and was inspired by photographs made famous by Charles Darwin. http://dlvr.it/T321Dk

Echoes can make speech harder to understand, and tuning out echoes in an audio recording is a notoriously difficulty engineering problem. The human brain, however, appears to solve the problem successfully by separating the sound into direct speech and its echo, according to a new study. http://dlvr.it/T2sGqW

Scientists have developed a new machine learning method that reveals surprisingly consistent intrinsic brain patterns across different subjects by disentangling these patterns from the effect of visual inputs. http://dlvr.it/T2mGTv

Gender, culture, and age all appear to play a role in how emojis are interpreted, according to a new study. http://dlvr.it/T2m357

Researchers have found that adolescents being bullied by their peers are at greater risk of the early stages of psychotic episodes and in turn experience lower levels of a key neurotransmitter in a part of the brain involved in regulating emotions. The finding suggests that this neurotransmitter may be a potential target for pharmaceutical interventions aimed at reducing the risk of psychotic disorders. http://dlvr.it/T2lmh8

A team of scientists have demonstrated the first successful use of a neural prosthetic device to recall specific memories. http://dlvr.it/T2kzpF

Smelling a familiar scent can help depressed individuals recall specific autobiographical memories and potentially assist in their recovery. http://dlvr.it/T2jSQ8

A new study has found the immune system in the blood of Alzheimer's patients is epigenetically altered. That means the patients' behavior or environment has caused changes that affect the way their genes work. Many of these altered immune genes are the same ones that increase an individual's risk for Alzheimer's. Scientists now theorize the cause could be a previous viral infection, environmental pollutants or other lifestyle factors and behaviors. http://dlvr.it/T2Y4Pn

A new scanning study of 390 babies has shown distinct patterns between term and pre-term babies in the moment-to-moment activity and connectivity of brain networks. http://dlvr.it/T2Xbb9

People with aphasia have more trouble coming up with words they want to use when they're prompted by images and words that carry negative emotional meaning, new research suggests. http://dlvr.it/T2WrKl

Scientists have found a new treatment target for CDKL5 deficiency disorder (CDD), one of the most common types of genetic epilepsy. http://dlvr.it/T2VtNK

A new pharmacological inhibitor can intervene in a central cell death mechanism that is responsible for the death of motor neurons and hence important for the progression of the motor neuron disease amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Neurobiologists examined a neuroprotective molecule that belongs to a novel drug class. It is able to inhibit the interactions of certain proteins and has been successfully tested in a mouse model of ALS and in brain organoids of ALS patients. http://dlvr.it/T2VtGX

Researchers used genetic material from human blood and lab-grown brain cells say they have made progress in developing a blood test to identify disease-associated changes in the brain specifically linked to postpartum depression and other psychiatric and neurological disorders. http://dlvr.it/T2TS45

Chronic stress affects the immune system and the brain. Researchers now show that a particular enzyme found in cells of the immune system enters the brain under stress. In mice, it causes them to withdraw and avoid social contact. This newly discovered connection between body and mind in stress-related mental illnesses could lead to new treatments for depression. http://dlvr.it/T2TRgX

A new study finds there are simple activities that can help people improve their mood and emotional well-being on a day-to-day basis after the traumatic loss of a loved one. http://dlvr.it/T2SStz

Scientists have found the strongest evidence yet that our brains can compensate for age-related deterioration by recruiting other areas to help with brain function and maintain cognitive performance. http://dlvr.it/T2PZDt

The world's largest brain study of childhood trauma has revealed how it affects development and rewires vital pathways. The study uncovered a disruption in neural networks involved in self-focus and problem-solving. This means under-18s who experienced abuse may struggle with emotions, empathy and understanding their bodies. http://dlvr.it/T2NW06

Scientists have found soundwaves from low-intensity focused ultrasound aimed at a place deep in the brain called the insula can reduce both the perception of pain and other effects of pain, such as heart rate changes. http://dlvr.it/T2M2ZP

By using advanced brain recording techniques, a new study demonstrates how neurons in the human brain work together to allow people to think about what words they want to say and then produce them aloud through speech. http://dlvr.it/T2L2hg

People with polycystic ovary syndrome may be more likely to have memory and thinking problems in middle age, according to new research. The study does not prove that polycystic ovary syndrome causes cognitive decline. It only shows an association. http://dlvr.it/T2DLsg

To rapidly transmit electrical signals in the brain, the long nerve fibers are insulated by specialized cells called oligodendrocytes. These cells also respond to the electrical signals of active nerve fibers and provide them with energy on demand, as researchers have discovered. If this process, regulated by potassium, is disabled in mice, the nerve fibers are severely damaged as the animals age -- resembling the defects of neurodegenerative diseases. http://dlvr.it/T29ZYr