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Basic neuroscience

Gut-brain axis I: Gut bacteria and brain health

Gut-brain axis I: Gut bacteria and brain health

It IS true - the human brain and gut are intimately connected through a complex system called the gut-brain axis. This connection allows the gut microbiome — the huge community of bacteria and other microorganisms in our guts — to influence brain function. Ways our microbiome and brain talk The gut and

The science of loneliness

The science of loneliness

Loneliness is an issue that has received significant attention from both media and public health campaigns. Recent research suggests that well-meaning efforts to raise awareness about loneliness may worsen the problem. Specifically, these campaigns might shape how people think about being alone in ways that fuel loneliness rather than ease

Does size matter? Comparing big and small brains.

Does size matter? Comparing big and small brains.

My husband has this really big head, and inside, probably a really big brain. But does that mean he is smarter than me - as he claims? One of the longest-standing debates in neuroscience is whether larger brains equate to higher intelligence - as early theories assumed that absolute brain

The shape of the brain - why does it look that strange?

The shape of the brain - why does it look that strange?

Last week, I decided to ask one of our (four) daughters," Which one question about the brain would you wanna ask?". "Well, why does it have that weird shape?" was her reply. This blog is my answer. The brain has folds to maximize its surface area.

Forgetting part II: Error in our brain's ability to forget stuff impact mental health

Forgetting part II: Error in our brain's ability to forget stuff impact mental health

The human brain is an astonishing machine, storing and managing a vast number of memories every day. This process is driven by a complex network of billions of brain cells, which work together to preserve, and retrieve information. When we learn something new, specific neurons undergo physiological changes, creating a

Forgetting part I: Remember to forget - how our brain deletes memories

Forgetting part I: Remember to forget - how our brain deletes memories

The human brain is a system designed to store and recall huge amounts of information throughout a lifetime. At the heart of this process are our brain cells, called neurons, the brain’s fundamental units. When we acquire new information, specialized memory neurons that store the specific memory change. They

Robots achieve consciousness through simulations of evolution

Robots achieve consciousness through simulations of evolution

Can machines attain consciousness — perceiving, feeling, and being conscious of their surroundings? A path toward machine intelligence could be using Darwinian evolution to create artificial brains for mobile, potentially sentient robots. Creating artificial evolution In recent studies, scientists have explored using evolution within computer models to understand intelligence and cognition.