Brain and cognitive sciences

Rebecca Saxe named Young Global Leader by World Economic Forum

Reversing Alzheimer’s gene ‘blockade’ can restore memory, other cognitive functionsNeuroscientists show that HDAC2 enzyme could be a good target for new drugs.

Neuroscientists link brain-wave pattern to energy consumptionNew model of neuro-electric activity could help scientists better understand quiescent brain states such as coma.

My connectome, myselfNeuroscientist Sebastian Seung is on a quest to map brain connections that reveal how our memories and personalities take root.

James DiCarlo to head Department of Brain and Cognitive SciencesNew department head succeeds Mriganka Sur, who will lead the new Simons Center for the Social Brain at MIT.

MIT faculty speak at the World Economic Forum in DavosTalks explore the mind/machine interface and the science of predicting the economy, among other topics.

Seeking the neurological roots of conflictMIT neuroscientists explore how longstanding conflict influences empathy for others.

The advantage of ambiguityCognitive scientists develop a new take on an old problem: why human language has so many words with multiple meanings.

How does our brain know what is a face and what’s not?New research from MIT neuroscientists helps explain how the brain makes this decision.

Patterns of connections reveal brain functionsNeuroscientists identify face-recognition areas based on what parts of the brain they link to.

Neuroscientists identify a master controller of memoryOne gene appears to regulate the brain’s ability to form new memories.

$26.5 million Simons gift to catalyze autism research at MITCreates the Simons Center for the Social Brain

A new piece to the autism puzzleNeuroscientists find that two rare autism-related disorders are caused by opposing malfunctions in the brain.

Unraveling how a mutation can lead to psychiatric illnessMIT neuroscientists show that a gene linked with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder impairs early brain development.

Mimicking the brain, in siliconNew computer chip models how neurons communicate with each other at synapses.

Oliva explores new ground in computational perception at CSAILNeuroscientist looks forward to collaborative studies of visual perception in the brain and its computational applications.

Charging toward better neural implantsResearchers improve the efficiency of devices that stimulate damaged nerves, reducing potential side effects.

Connecting neurons to fix the brainNew technology helps scientists discover drugs to strengthen synapses.

Brain rhythms are key to learningNew study from MIT neuroscientists finds that brain waves shift frequency as a new task becomes routine.

Dyslexia independent of IQBrain-imaging study suggests that reading difficulties are the same regardless of overall intelligence — and that more children could benefit from support in school.

How to reverse general anesthesiaNeuroscientists find that Ritalin could help bring surgical patients out of surgery much more quickly, with less grogginess.

‘I speak MISTI’MIT program sends students abroad for experiences tailor-made for their academic and professional interests.

3 Questions: John Gabrieli on studying traumatic memoriesSept. 11, 2001, is a day that lives in infamy. But how accurately do we remember it?

Localizing language in the brainNew study pinpoints areas of the brain used exclusively for language, providing a partial answer to a longstanding debate in cognitive science.

Ready to learn? Brain scans can tell youNeuroscientists identify brain activity that predicts how well you will remember images.

Scene perception versus action in the brainCognitive neuroscientists shed light on how the brain responds to scenes and their mirror-image reversals.