Science

The “Tortured” Artist: Examining Creativity and Mental Illness

February 28, 2019

The image of the “tortured artist” is one that is easily recognized and has been around for thousands of years, solidifying in the minds of many that in order to be truly creative one must be touched by mental affliction. The idea is so persistent that numerous books and films have been made

Light At The End of the Tunnel: Searching for the Cause and Cure of MS

February 26, 2019

In Terry Mapes’ article “Searching for the Cause and Cure of MS” focused on the Tisch MS Research Center of New York and its annual free patient symposium. Several months later, the institution was granted what is very likely North America’s first FDA-approved stem-cell trial. It is considered

Stuttering: A Neurobiological Breakdown of Speech Fluidity

February 26, 2019

Imagine if a seemingly innocuous thought — such as the notion of speaking — triggered a response that left you in fear of all social situations. Now imagine it initiating a chain reaction which caused tension in the jaw, involuntary muscle movement, and increased heart rate, and brought on bouts of anxiety that exacerbated your inability

The Chicken or the Egg: Language or Thought?

February 25, 2019

Is English turning into Newspeak? In George Orwell’s dystopian novel “Nineteen Eighty-Four,” Newspeak was Oceania’s obtuse language that conveyed a meaning opposite of its words and promised to eradicate freedom and independent thought in the future. “How could you have a slogan …”

Know Your Brain: The Hippocampus — Your Brain’s GPS

February 23, 2019

It’s long been known that the hippocampus, a structure of the brain located in the medial temporal lobe, is responsible for spacial navigation and memory. In the past, some researchers have thought that it encodes the distance to the goal as the crow flies, the Euclidean straight line while others have thought that it maps

Basic Chemistry: Unraveling the Mysteries of Love, Sex, and Commitment

February 23, 2019

We spend most of our lives pining for it, analyzing it, regretting it, and falling in and out of it. But do we ever really understand love and our complex behaviors surrounding it? In their book, “The Chemistry Between Us: Love, Sex, and the Science of Attraction,” neuroscientist Larry Young, Ph.D., and journalist Brian Alexander tackle the topic

Learning to Love Again

February 21, 2019

It was once thought that most of what we will ever learn in life happens over the first seven years, and that childhood trauma can leave permanent scars, but now we know that is not always the case. Although negativity bias, as psychologists call it, can persist, deliberate effort and the support of loving relationships can positively rewire the brain.

Unlocking The Secrets Of Alzheimer’s

February 20, 2019

Like many in his field, Alzheimer’s expert Frank LaFerla harbored significant doubts. To LaFerla, a professor of neurobiology and behavior at the University of California, Irvine, stem cells just didn’t seem like good candidates to treat Alzheimer’s, the cruel disease that robs people of their memory and ultimately leads to death. Like many

Words Can Change Your Brain

February 17, 2019

Language is one of the most important tools we have. In fact, our newest research show that it’s essential for actually building the framework of consciousness itself. But compared to other species, it turns out that we’re very poor communicators, and we don’t even know it!

Gunner Goggles Neurology: Brain World Review

February 15, 2019

Cramming the night before seems to be the inevitable culmination of reviewing for any kind of exam — regardless of how old you are, its significance, or the complexity of the material. Some swear that it’s an acquired skill that can be picked up by making notecards of important terms, or spacing out reading sessions with a small reward.

Sex, Love, and Attachment: An Interview with Dr. Helen Fisher

February 14, 2019

Biological anthropologist Dr. Helen Fisher is a leading expert and the most referenced scholar on the science of love and attraction. She is a senior research fellow at the Kinsey Institute and a member of the Center for Human Evolutionary Studies in the department of anthropology at Rutgers University. In her

This Is Your Brain … On Love

February 14, 2019

Faith in love is a little like faith in God: extremely important to our lives, yet rarely examined. Perhaps we don’t really want something that we cherish to be dissected on a lab table. Love is one of those things that seem enhanced by a little mystery. But scientists know better than anyone that behind every mystery lies another, deeper mystery.

CBD For Anxiety: Hope Or Hoax?

February 11, 2019

If you haven’t been living under a rock, you’ve probably heard of CBD. The natural remedy du jour, CBD is being touted as a miracle drug — a cure-all for everything from cancer to epileptic seizures. But what about anxiety? The science is in the early stages, but scientists are (cautiously) enthused.

Love At First Swipe: How the Science Behind Tinder Has Changed Dating Today

February 10, 2019

Here’s something to think about: If Tinder — the increasingly popular online dating app — had been around in another era, would Romeo have found Juliet, or would she have swiped left? Would Snow White and Prince Charming have been a match given their proximity? Would Elizabeth Bennett have been interested in Mr. Darcy

Finding A Medicine For Memory Loss in the Fight Against Alzheimer’s

February 5, 2019

Every year, far too many people will see their parents and grandparents reduced to a shadow of who they once were — frightened, confused, and forgetful. Alzheimer’s disease (AD) currently affects 5.7 million Americans, making it the sixth leading cause of death in the United States, and the fifth leading cause of death worldwide.

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A magazine dedicated to the brain.

We believe that neuroscience is the next great scientific frontier, and that advances in understanding the nature of the brain, consciousness, behavior, and health will transform human life in this century.

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