A cerebral marker specific to autism that can be detected by MRI has been identified by scientists at CNRS, Aix-Marseille Université and AP-HM. The marker is present from the age of two years. The abnormality discovered consists in a less deep fold in Broca’s area, a region of the brain specialized in language and communication,…
Author: D.C.Demetre
Predictive Neuron Orchestra Behind Looking And Reaching
Different groups of neurons “predict” the body’s subsequent looking and reaching movements, suggesting an orchestration among distinct parts of the brain, a team of neuroscientists has found. The study enhances our understanding of the decision-making process, potentially offering insights into different forms of mental illness, afflictions in which this dynamic is typically impaired. “Identifying which…
Rbfox1 Regulates Synaptic and Autism-Related Gene Expression
An overlooked region in brain cells houses a motherlode of mutated genes previously tied to autism, UCLA scientists have discovered. The finding could provide fresh drug targets and lead to new therapies for the disorder, which affects one in 68 children in the United States. Said principal investigator Dr. Kelsey Martin, interim dean and a…
How Reading To Babies Turns Babble Into Language
Reading to babies does more for language development than playing with toys or puppets. More back-and-forth interaction could be the reason why, a new study finds. Researchers looked at how mothers responded to their 12-month-olds during book reading, puppet play, and toy play. They found that the babies made more speech-like sounds during reading than…
The Way Your Voice Sounds Can Affect Your Mood
Researchers have created a digital audio platform that can modify the emotional tone of people’s voices while they are talking, to make them sound happier, sadder or more fearful. New results show that while listening to their altered voices, participants’ emotional states change in accordance with the new emotion. Says lead author Jean-Julien Aucouturier from…
Inflammation Markers Could Guide Glutamate Depression Treatments
Psychiatrists investigating depression have been energized in recent years by reports of rapid, successful treatment with drugs that interfere with the brain chemical glutamate, such as the anesthetic ketamine. New research from Emory University School of Medicine is providing hints as to which forms of depression may respond best to drugs that target glutamate. Depressed…
Long-term Use Of Chromium Supplements Raises Cancer Concerns
Concerns have been raised over the long-term use of nutritional supplements containing chromium, after an Australian research team found the supplement is partially converted into a carcinogenic form when it enters cells. Chromium is a trace mineral found primarily in two forms. Trivalent chromium(III) picolinate and a range of other chromium(III) forms are sold as…
Why Some People Have More Trouble After Romantic Rejection
People carry a heavier burden from rejection when they view it as revealing something about “who they really are” as a person, new research from Stanford University shows. The study examines the link between rejection and a person’s sense of self. Carol Dweck, a professor of psychology, co-authored the paper along with psychology doctoral student…
Neural Correlates of Stories About Deeply Held Values
Everyone has at least a few non-negotiable values. These are the things that, no matter what the circumstance, you’d never compromise for any reason – such as “I’d never hurt a child,” or “I’m against the death penalty.” Real-time brain scans show that when people read stories that deal with these core, protected values, the…