Lifeboat Foundation

The size and surface area of the mammalian brain are thought to be critical determinants of intellectual ability. Recent studies show that development of the gyrated human neocortex involves a lineage of neural stem and transit-amplifying cells that forms the outer subventricular zone (OSVZ), a proliferative region outside the ventricular epithelium. We discuss how proliferation of cells within the OSVZ expands the neocortex by increasing neuron number and modifying the trajectory of migrating neurons.

When a magnet is heated up, it reaches a critical point where it loses magnetization.

New finding appears to be universal across insects, mammals and humans.

A 3D reconstruction of select neurons within a small region of the human cortex. Credit: Harvard/Google.

Continue reading “Brain’s structure hangs in ‘a delicate balance’” »

The study offers promising evidence that exercise can counteract age-related changes in the brain, particularly by rejuvenating microglia. The findings contribute to our understanding of how physical activity can benefit cognitive health and open up new avenues for developing interventions to prevent or slow cognitive decline during aging.

“One of the goals is it to encourage elderly to exercise as we have demonstrated that it is possible to reverse some of the negative aspect of ageing on the brain and thereby improve cognitive performance,” Vukovic said. “The other long-term goals is to find ways and treatments to help elicit the beneficial aspect of exercise on the brain in those individual that are unable to exercise or bed-bound.”

The study, “Exercise rejuvenates microglia and reverses T cell accumulation in the aged female mouse brain,” was authored by Solal Chauquet, Emily F. Willis, Laura Grice, Samuel B. R. Harley, Joseph E. Powell, Naomi R. Wray, Quan Nguyen, Marc J. Ruitenberg, Sonia Shah, and Jana Vukovic.

A map of the entire human brain could help us understand where diseases come from, to how we store memories. But mapping the brain with today’s technology would take billions of dollars and hundreds of years. Learn what GR has already revealed about the brain, and how it’s making it easier for scientists to—someday—reach this goal.

#GoogleResearch

Embark on a captivating journey through the intricate pathways of the brain. This video delves into the fascinating realm where neuroscience and the philosophy of knowledge converge. Explore how brain structures facilitate learning, the dynamic interplay between cognition and perception, and the profound mysteries of consciousness and self-awareness. Discover the roles of language, emotion, and sensory integration in shaping our reality. Delve into the ethical considerations of brain manipulation and the revolutionary potential of educational neuroscience and brain-computer interfaces. Join us as we push the boundaries of knowledge, uncovering the secrets of the mind and envisioning the future of human cognition.

#Neuroepistemology #BrainScience #Cognition #Neuroplasticity #BrainComputerInterface.

Continue reading “The Brain’s Pathways to Knowledge: Neuroepistemology” »

Stanford researchers have developed a speech brain-computer interface (BCI) they say can translate thoughts into text at a record-breaking speed — putting us closer to a future in which people who can’t talk can still easily communicate.

The challenge: “Anarthria” is a devastating condition in which a person can’t speak, despite being able to understand speech and knowing what they want to say. It’s usually caused by a brain injury, such as a stroke, or a neurological disorder, such as Parkinson’s disease or ALS.

Some people with anarthria write or use eye-tracking tech to communicate, but this “speech” is far slower than the average talking speed. People with anarthria due to total paralysis or locked-in syndrome can’t even move their eyes, though, leaving them with no way to communicate.

If trillions of tiny bits of consciousness are floating around inside you, it could change how we think about life.

While researchers have long studied brain dynamics using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and electroencephalograms (EEG), advances in neuroscience have only recently provided massive datasets for the brain’s cellular structure. These data opened possibilities for Kovács and his team to apply statistical physics techniques to measure the physical structure of neurons.

For the new study, Kovács and Ansell analyzed publicly available data of 3D brain reconstructions from humans, fruit flies and mice. By examining the brain at nanoscale resolution, the researchers found the samples showcased hallmarks of physical properties associated with criticality.

One such property is the well-known, fractal-like structure of neurons. This nontrivial fractal-dimension is an example of a set of observables, called “critical exponents,” that emerge when a system is close to a phase transition.

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Only about consciousness can we be 100 percent sure. That consciousness exists almost everyone agrees. What consciousness means—that’s where arguments and disputations arise. Must consciousness have ‘meaning’? Or can consciousness be a random accident, selected by evolution, the ‘foam on the waves’ of brain activity. But consciousness seems so radically vital.

Continue reading “Ned Block — What’s the Meaning of Consciousness?” »