Brain | Page 319 | Science Codex

I want her to want me: Where men, sex and personality meet

A man walks into a bar. He thinks the attractive woman smiling at him from across the room wants to have sex with him. True? Or is it all in his head?

Research has shown that in general, men have a tendency to misjudge a woman's sexual intent, often based on individual or situational factors such as alcohol intoxication.

But a new study goes further, suggesting that a man's attachment style - a personality trait reflecting his romantic relationship tendencies - may actually influence his perceptions of whether a woman is interested in him sexually.

New computer vision algorithm predicts orientation of objects

Seen from any angle, a horse looks like a horse. But it doesn't look the same from every angle. Scientists at Disney Research have developed a method to help computer vision systems avoid the confusion associated with changes in perspective, such as the marked difference in a horse's appearance from the side and from the front.

New NTU smart chip makes low-powered, wireless neural implants a possibility

Scientists at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) have developed a small smart chip that can be paired with neural implants for efficient wireless transmission of brain signals.

Neural implants when embedded in the brain can alleviate the debilitating symptoms of Parkinson's disease or give paraplegic people the ability to move their prosthetic limbs.

Penn researchers offer new approach to treating cocaine addiction

In the ongoing fight against drug addiction, researchers from the University of Pennsylvania's School of Nursing and Perelman School of Medicine have discovered a unique application for an FDA-approved drug currently used for obese patients and type 2 diabetics: treatment for cocaine dependence.

The Mindlessly slim

You know that one friend that never worries about weight and seems to stay effortlessly slim? That friend, and others like them might unknowingly possess secrets to helping those who struggle with their weight.

Couch potatoes may have smaller brains later in life

MINNEAPOLIS - Poor physical fitness in middle age may be linked to a smaller brain size 20 years later, according to a study published in the February 10, 2016, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

"We found a direct correlation in our study between poor fitness and brain volume decades later, which indicates accelerated brain aging," said study author Nicole Spartano, PhD, with Boston University School of Medicine in Boston.

Fish fins can sense touch

The human fingertip is a finely tuned sensory machine, and even slight touches convey a great deal of information about our physical environment. It turns out, some fish use their pectoral fins in pretty much the same way. And do so through a surprisingly similar biological mechanism to mammals -- humans included.

Integrating Neuroscience and Mathematics to Elucidate Mental Activities

Neuroscience research has identified chemicals, proteins, and hormones that can lead to a range of behavior -- from peaceful to aggressive states of mind -- and current neuroscience methodologies even identify a substance that works as a messenger in the brain responsible for financial decisions. Still missing, however, are guiding rules that govern how individual actors in the brain perform in response to the natural and social environment.

Research into critical national issues at forefront of NSF's FY2017 budget request

National Science Foundation (NSF) Director France A. Córdova today outlined how President Obama's fiscal year (FY) 2017 request for NSF supports research into critical national issues, including clean energy technologies, food sustainability, disaster response and education. The FY2017 budget requests $8 billion, an increase of about 6.7 percent, or about $500 million, over the enacted FY2016 budget.

Blocking stress protein relieves chronic pain in mice

A group of drugs being developed to treat mood disorders could also relieve chronic pain, finds new UCL (University College London) research funded by the Medical Research Council.

The study, published in Science Translational Medicine, reveals how a protein that shapes the body's response to stress also drives chronic pain and so offers new targets for future pain treatments.

Ability to navigate between cultures is good for Mexican-American youth

COLUMBIA, Mo. - Approximately 40 million foreign-born persons, representing about 13 percent of the population live in the United States. Many Latino immigrants find it best to maintain their cultures and identities while acclimating to mainstream American culture, thereby becoming bicultural. New research from the University of Missouri points to biculturalism as an indicator of positive self-evaluation and prosocial tendencies, such as empathy towards others, for Mexican-American youth.

Lipid-based diets effectively combat Alzheimer's disease in mouse model

Alzheimer´s disease (AD) is the most common disease underlying memory problems and dementia in the elderly. One of the invariable pathologies in AD is degeneration of cholinergic synapses in brain cortex and hippocampus. Despite enormous effort to find out an efficient treatment, current pharmacological interventions are limited to a few drugs that alleviate symptoms but do not slow down the underlying disease processes. These drugs include inhibitors of cholinesterases, enzymes that degrade the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, or memantine, a modulator of glutamate neurotransmission.

Anger, contempt and disgust fuel hostility, new research from SF State shows

Individuals experiencing anger, contempt and disgust are more likely to act and behave in a hostile manner toward those they disagree with, new research from San Francisco State University shows.

Past research had demonstrated an association between these emotions, collectively known in the field as ANCODI, and hostility, but the new study published today in the Journal of Applied Social Psychology is the first to prove the connection. The findings have important implications for a variety of fields, including politics and law enforcement.

Study sheds light on source of drug addicts risk-taking behavior

A study out today provides new insight into how the brains of drug addicts may be wired differently. The findings, which appear in the journal Psychopharmacology, show that while drug users have very strong motivation to seek out "rewards," they exhibit an impaired ability to adjust their behavior and are less fulfilled once they have achieved what they desire. Addressing this disconnect between the craving for a drug and the ability to regulate behavior may be one of the keys to breaking the cycle of addiction.

Starting age of marijuana use may have long-term effects on brain development

The age at which an adolescent begins using marijuana may affect typical brain development, according to researchers at the Center for BrainHealth at The University of Texas at Dallas. In a paper recently published in Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience, scientists describe how marijuana use, and the age at which use is initiated, may adversely alter brain structures that underlie higher order thinking.