THEPSYCHOLOGYTURKEY

We use the word 'love' in a bewildering range of contexts -- from sexual adoration to parental love or the love of nature. Now, more comprehensive imaging of the brain may shed light on why we use the same word for such a diverse collection of human experiences. http://dlvr.it/TCPx9C

Enhancing prefrontal cortex (PFC) cognitive functions requires identifying suitable exercises that increase cerebral blood flow. A recent study using functional near-infrared spectroscopy found that short-duration, low-intensity physical exercises, except static stretching with monotonous movements, increased oxygenated hemoglobin (oxy-Hb) levels, thereby activating the PFC and enhancing blood flow in children. This study marks a significant step toward improving both the physical and mental health of children. http://dlvr.it/TCPx1Y

A study found that nondeceptive placebos, or placebos given with people fully knowing they are placebos, effectively manage stress -- even when the placebos are administered remotely. http://dlvr.it/TCKBwl

Scientists have found that the protein histone H1.2 and the enzyme PARP1 could be potential therapeutic targets to decrease neurodegeneration in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). http://dlvr.it/TCGH24

A new study finds that mitochondria in our brain cells frequently fling their DNA into the cells' nucleus, where the mitochondrial DNA integrates into chromosomes, possibly causing harm. http://dlvr.it/TCG55F

Research in mice sheds light on how thyroid hormone alters wiring in the brain. Findings reveal that thyroid hormone syncs up the brain and body to drive exploratory behavior. Researchers say their work could illuminate new treatments for certain psychiatric conditions. http://dlvr.it/TCG4xV

One hundred years after the human brain's electrical activity was first recorded, experts are celebrating the legacy of its discovery and sharing their predictions and priorities for its future. A survey saw respondents -- with 6,685 years of collective experience -- presented with possible future developments for EEG, ranging from those deemed 'critical to progress' to the 'highly improbable,' and asked to estimate how long it might be before they were achieved. http://dlvr.it/TCFsVh

Parental bed-sharing is unlikely to impact children's psychological development, new research has found. The study looked at nearly 17,000 British babies and tracked them for 11 years -- finding kids who shared beds were happy and healthy. http://dlvr.it/TCFsLx

Not all pain is the same. Depending on the cause, it requires different therapies. A team has now developed a method that enables physicians to better distinguish between physical and psychosocial pain. http://dlvr.it/TCCjtY

In awake mice, researchers found that even low deep brain stimulation currents in the central thalamus could sometimes still cause electrographic seizures. http://dlvr.it/TCCVTq

Researchers have discovered the neurons responsible for 'item memory,' deepening our understanding of how the brain stores and retrieves the details of 'what' happened and offering a new target for treating Alzheimer's disease. http://dlvr.it/TCCCd1

A study in mice has found that the bacteria Bifidobacterium breve in the mother's gut during pregnancy supports healthy brain development in the fetus. http://dlvr.it/TC9Y3l

Computer science researchers have developed an approach that matches the performance of expert-scored polysomnography using just a single-lead echocardiogram. In addition to simplifying a typically expensive and cumbersome process, this insight highlights a deeper connection between the heart and the brain than previously understood. http://dlvr.it/TC70B8

Hyperactivity, repetitive behavior, and language deficits all appeared in the mice, highlighting an unexpected role the cerebellum seems to play in autism. http://dlvr.it/TC6X4D

A new study reveals that the memory for a specific experience is stored in multiple parallel 'copies'. These are preserved for varying durations, modified to certain degrees, and sometimes deleted over time. http://dlvr.it/TBz0dz

Researchers have developed a new two-photon fluorescence microscope that captures high-speed images of neural activity at cellular resolution. By imaging much faster and with less harm to brain tissue than traditional two-photon microscopy, the new approach could provide a clearer view of how neurons communicate in real time, leading to new insights into brain function and neurological diseases. http://dlvr.it/TByT7Y

Psychotherapy sessions with caregivers may help prevent serious disease later in life for young children who have experienced significant trauma, a new study found. http://dlvr.it/TBwzMC

New research found that brain scans can detect consciousness in some patients with brain injury who are unresponsive. In the study, 241 participants with severe brain injury who do not respond when given a simple instruction were assessed with functional MRI (fMRI), electroencephalography (EEG), or both tests, while hearing instructions, such as 'imagine opening and closing your hand.' Their brain responses showed that 25 percent of participants repeatedly followed this instruction covertly over minutes. http://dlvr.it/TBwnqw

In the fight against Alzheimer's, researchers have developed a promising, preventative therapeutic approach. They specifically targeted the amyloid beta biomolecule, which triggers the hyperactivity of nerve cells typical of the brain disease in its early stages. They succeeded in developing and using a protein drug that can suppress the effects of the harmful molecule. http://dlvr.it/TBwnfM

The coordinated activity of brain cells, like birds flying in formation, helps us behave intelligently in new situations, according to a new study. The work is the first to illuminate the neurological processes known as abstraction and inference in the human brain. http://dlvr.it/TBwYpt

A new type of degenerative brain disease, limbic-predominant age-related TDP-43 encephalopathy (LATE), was recognized just a decade or so ago, and remains relatively unknown. In the disease, the TDP-43 protein accumulates particularly in the limbic brain regions, which are also affected in the early stages of Alzheimer's disease. Accordingly, symptoms of LATE are similar to those of early Alzheimer's, but typically progress more slowly and are milder. http://dlvr.it/TBtFwp

Scientists explain how the amyloid beta deposits long known to build up in the brains of Alzheimer's patients serve as a kind of scaffold for the accumulation of other proteins. Because many of these proteins have known signaling functions, their presence around the amyloid accumulations, known as plaques, could be the culprit causing brain cell damage rather than the amyloid itself. http://dlvr.it/TBrKwr

Researchers have shed new light on how the brain processes and synthesizes information. Findings help solve a longstanding mystery in neuroscience. http://dlvr.it/TBqx7Q

A new study shows how feeding mice a drug called GSM-15606 provided protection against air pollution-related increases in proteins linked to Alzheimer's disease. http://dlvr.it/TBqgGY

Pain management is a crucial part of the disease's care, but little is understood about how to manage it properly. http://dlvr.it/TBnlqK

Bioengineers have developed a noninvasive tool to measure gene expression and gene therapy delivery in specific brain regions using ultrasound. http://dlvr.it/TBnlg9

Offering patients with concussion a type of brain scan known as diffusion tensor imaging MRI could help identify the one in three people who will experience persistent symptoms that can be life changing, say researchers. http://dlvr.it/TBnYkD

Over the course of life, memory fades with varying degrees, robbing older people of the ability to recollect personal experiences. This progressive, nearly inevitable process has long been hypothesized as a consequence of nature's removal of dendritic spines, a key component of synapses, from brain neurons as they age. Resarchers now provide evidence that the preservation of past life experiences is maintained by the quality -- not the quantity -- of synapses in old age. http://dlvr.it/TBm7Mb

It may be possible to turn anxiety into a superpower in some scenarios, recent research indicates. The study found that if entrepreneurs preparing to make a funding pitch connected their pitch anxiety to their passion for their venture, judges ranked their performance higher. Perhaps even more importantly, the judges were also more likely to recommend them for funding. This emotion reframing involved the entrepreneurs recognizing that they were feeling anxious partly because the project means so much to them. Entrepreneurs who tried other strategies to deal with pre-pitch anxiety, including suppressing or distracting themselves, did less well. http://dlvr.it/TBm7Gb

Cocaine binds to a specific transporter in the brain that is responsible for regulating dopamine levels. Researchers have studied and described the process, producing new knowledge that may bring us a step closer to designing a drug for cocaine abuse. http://dlvr.it/TBlQg4

Researchers have discovered a new way to combat Alzheimer's disease. They found that treatment with dopamine could reduce characteristic harmful beta-amyloid plaques in the brain as well as improve memory. The treatments works because dopamine promotes the production of neprilysin, an enzyme that can break down the harmful plaques. If similar results are found in human clinical trials, it could lead to a fundamentally new way to treat the disease. http://dlvr.it/TBlQX5

Scientists report that gamma frequency light and sound stimulation preserves myelination in mouse models and reveal molecular mechanisms that may underlie the benefit. http://dlvr.it/TBk7Rf

Whether Bach, Beethovan, or Mozart, it's widely recognized that classical music can affect a person's mood. Scientists use brainwave measurements and neural imaging techniques to show how Western classical music elicits its positive effects on the brain. Their goal is to find more effective ways to use music to activate the brain in those who otherwise don't respond, such as people with treatment-resistant depression. http://dlvr.it/TBk7B4

An upright neuroimaging device developed by neuroscientists, physicists and engineers allows patients to move around while undergoing a brain scan. http://dlvr.it/TBg6qH

Currently, the first-choice treatment for PTSD is exposure-based psychotherapy, where therapists help rewire the emotions associated with the traumatic memory in the patient's brain, shifting from fear and arousal to a more neutral response. However, up to 50% of patients fail to respond well to this treatment. In a new study scientists showed for the first time that reactivating therapeutically-altered memories during sleep leads to more brain activity related to memory processing, which is associated with a reduction in PTSD symptoms. http://dlvr.it/TBg6Sw

To help protect drivers and machine operators from the dangers of drifting off, engineers have created prototype earbuds that can detect the signs of drowsiness in the brain. In a new study, the researchers show that their Ear EEG platform is sensitive enough to detect alpha waves, a pattern of brain activity that increases when you close your eyes or start to fall asleep. http://dlvr.it/TBchpq

Grab a drink with friends at happy hour and you're likely to feel chatty, friendly and upbeat. But grab a drink alone and you may experience feelings of depression. Researchers think they now know why this happens. http://dlvr.it/TBbCTg

The brain chemical orexin is crucial when we choose between sport and the tasty temptations that beckon everywhere we turn. This research finding could also help people who find it difficult to motivate themselves to exercise. http://dlvr.it/TBbCMM

A previously unknown defence mechanism in the brain prevents herpesvirus from infecting the brain's nerve cells. http://dlvr.it/TBZf8R

An assistant clinical professor developed a specialized dance and movement therapy (DMT) program to meet the unique needs of youth from diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds to foster a sense of community and connection. http://dlvr.it/TBZdsJ

A new tool to track the neurons and molecules activated in the brain by psychedlic drugs could help scientists unlock the benefits of psychedelic treatments for patients with brain disorders. http://dlvr.it/TBXl7f

Researchers have developed a new approach for describing the shape of the cerebral cortex, and provide evidence that cortices across mammalian species resemble a universal, fractal pattern. http://dlvr.it/TBXVwh

Findings from a study suggest that using a specialized diffusion weighted MRI scan to monitor the spatial pattern of individual cortical microstructural change in the brain may be a promising approach to characterize individuals who may be vulnerable to developing Alzheimer's disease (AD) prior to significant cognitive decline and irreversible neuronal damage. Identifying early markers of AD-related neurodegeneration can fundamentally shift the timeline of risk identification, providing precious time for disease-modifying treatments such as those recently approved by the FDA. http://dlvr.it/TBXVmb

Scientists are focusing on a previously understudied part of the brain and spinal cord -- white matter. Their discoveries could lead to treatments that restore nerve activity through the targeted delivery of electromagnetic stimuli or drugs. http://dlvr.it/TBR3Cx

A new review article outlines the genetic, neurobiological, and environmental foundations for schizophrenia. http://dlvr.it/TBQt6k

When two people interact, their brain activity becomes synchronized, but it was unclear until now to what extent this 'brain-to-brain coupling' is due to linguistic information or other factors, such as body language or tone of voice. Researchers report that brain-to-brain coupling during conversation can be modeled by considering the words used during that conversation, and the context in which they are used. http://dlvr.it/TBQh4p

Researchers have discovered a new correlation between neural signaling in the brain and dopamine signaling in the striatum. The human brain requires fast neural signal processing in a short period of less than a second. Dopamine is known to have the strongest effect on brain neural signals, but the research team's newly developed 'optical neural chip-based multiple brain signal monitoring technology' shows that changes in dopamine signals within the physiological range do not affect brain neural signal processing. http://dlvr.it/TBQgyD

Strokes lead to irreversible damage to the brain and are one of the most common causes of dependency or death. As the cellular reactions to a cerebral infarction are not yet fully understood, there is a lack of possible approaches to promote the regeneration of damaged nerve tissue in the brain. A new study closes crucial gaps in our knowledge and paves the way for research into new, targeted therapeutic strategies. http://dlvr.it/TBPh5k

A clinical trial suggests that a subset of older adults with a genetic predisposition to Alzheimer's disease may benefit from fish oil supplements. http://dlvr.it/TBN07q

Researchers have discovered tumor-neuron interactions that regulate the growth of ependymoma brain tumors. http://dlvr.it/TBMFtf