Summary: Researchers reveal how the molecular navigation system steers growing axons during brain development. Source: KIT. The human brain contains roughly 100 billion neurons whose connections form an intricate network of nerve fibers. Most of this network is hardwired before birth according to a genetic blueprint, without requiring sensory experience. Scientists at the Karlsruhe Institute … Read more

Hippocampal Replay Strengthens Memory for Highly Rewarded Locations Summary: Hippocampal replay selectively enhances memory for highly rewarded locations in a familiar environment. Source: VIB A team of researchers at NeuroElectronics Research Flanders (NERF), supported by imec, KU Leuven and VIB, found that highly demanding and highly rewarding experiences produce stronger long-term memories. By studying spatial … Read more

Psychotherapy is an established form of treatment used to address a wide range of emotional, behavioral, and mental health concerns. Over decades of clinical practice and research, different therapeutic models and techniques have been developed to help people cope, change unhelpful patterns, and improve wellbeing. This article explains what psychotherapy is, outlines practical techniques and … Read more

Summary: Engineers developed a compact robot that reproduces the mechanics behind the mantis shrimp’s exceptionally powerful and rapid strike. Source: US Army Research Laboratory Researchers, supported by U.S. Army funding, have built a robotic model that reproduces the mantis shrimp’s punch mechanics. This work reveals how small devices can achieve extreme accelerations and could influence … Read more

Summary: Researchers have identified neural and genetic factors linked to romantic love and its maintenance in newlyweds. Sustaining romantic love engages not only subcortical reward regions but also higher-order cortical areas. Genetic variability in systems tied to dopamine, vasopressin, and oxytocin appears to influence the tendency to maintain romantic attachment. Source: UC Santa Barbara If … Read more

Gauges, thermometers, controls, and dials — instruments tell us whether a system is functioning as it should. But how do we monitor and report on an abstract concept like self-leadership? Measurement is the first step that leads to control and eventually to improvement. If you can’t measure something, you can’t understand it. If you can’t … Read more

Summary: New research demonstrates that humans can use a form of “remote touch” to detect objects buried in sand before making direct contact. Volunteers sensed concealed cubes by feeling subtle mechanical reflections transmitted through the granular medium as their fingertips moved across the surface. Participants performed near the theoretical limits predicted by physical models of … Read more

Eli Lilly’s Donanemab: Independent Panel Recommends FDA Approval for Early-Stage Alzheimer’s Treatment Summary: An independent advisory panel has recommended that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approve Eli Lilly’s monoclonal antibody therapy Donanemab for the treatment of early-stage Alzheimer’s disease. The recommendation follows clinical trial data showing the drug slows disease progression, though notable … Read more

How do we motivate ourselves and others to act? The answer lies largely in motivation. People respond to both external incentives—money, status, promotion, or social approval—and internal drivers such as beliefs, values, and personal goals. While external rewards can prompt action, intrinsic motivation is usually more powerful and more sustainable over time. Feeling autonomous—like the … Read more

New research indicates that older women who report memory problems are more likely to receive a diagnosis of memory or thinking impairment years later. The study was published online October 28, 2015, in the journal Neurology. “Subjective memory complaints can be an early sign of a slowly progressing process such as Alzheimer’s disease,” said Allison … Read more