'Big Brain' Gene Led to Human Intelligence
It took millions of years of evolution for us to develop complex language and culture, and now scientists have discovered a "big brain" gene that may have been responsible for our unique human intelligence, according to a new study.
Approved Drug May Preserve Brain Function After Stroke
New research suggests that an already-approved drug may be able to preserve brain function after a stroke, potentially changing the lives of patients with this debilitating disease.
Do Viruses Make Us Smarter?
A new study indicated that inherited viruses that are millions of years old may make us smarter, playing an important part in building the complex networks that characterize the human brain.
Kids' Musical Talents May Be Improving their Brain Power
Around the holidays, your children may be learning to play the "Nutcracker" or "We Wish You a Merry Christmas" just for fun, but new research shows that kids' musical talents may in fact be improving their brain power.
Could a Drug Prevent the Damage of Binge Drinking?!
It's no secret that excessive alcohol drinking, or binge drinking, can have some lasting effects on the human body, even going as far as to inflict notable brain damage. Now a new study has revealed that a compound called thane-beta-sultam can reduce expected damage to the brain.
Heavy Drinking in Teens Leads to Lasting Brain Changes
Heavy drinking during teenage years may lead to lasting brain changes and memory deficits in adulthood, according to a new study.
A Mother's Love: Brain's Response to Child vs Dog
It seems that a mother's love for her child versus her dog has a neurological basis, where important brain structures are activated when women view images of their children and of their own dog, according to a new study.
Depression's 'Dimmer Switch' Discovered
Scientists have discovered a "dimmer switch" in the brain that can not only help them better understand the brain chemistry behind mood disorders like depression, but how to treat them, too, according to new research published in the journal Science.
Ancient Taung Child's Brain Not Human-Like
The Taung Child, a hominin discovered in South Africa 90 years ago, may not be as human-like as scientists previously thought after CT scans of its brain cast doubt on its similarity to modern humans, according to a new study.
520-Million-Year-Old Fossil with Intact Brain Unearthed in China
Finding a fossil is no rare occurrence, but unearthing one with still part of its brain intact is a horse of a different color. That's what researchers in China discovered when they found a preserved brain in the fossil of one of the world's first known marine predators that lived 520 million years ago, as described in the journal Nature.
Experts Boycott Computer Brain Project
Hundreds of experts in the neuroscience field are threatening to have their labs and respective facilities boycott Europe's Human Brain Project (HBP) on the grounds that the 10-year, $1.6 billion initiative is not being properly managed.
Discovered: the 'Switch' to Human Consciousness
Researchers appear to have stumbled upon the key to consciousness, finding how to "turn off and on" the consciousness of the human mind while a patient is awake through direct neural stimulus.
Brain Iron Levels Could Help Identify ADHD
Iron levels in the brain may be an accurate measure to determine the presence and severity of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), a new study suggests.
Learning How We Learn: Brainwave Synchronization
Researchers have determined that brain wave synchronization is critical for the brain to absorb and categorize, according to a recent study.
Fed Funds New Project to Map the Brain
A federal initiative in the works is dedicated to mapping activity of the human brain - pushing for a better scientific understanding of how the brain functions. Now, a federal report is calling for billions in funding over the next 12 years for new research.