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Researchers in Finland can now scan two people together, showing that touching synchronizes couple’s brains, making them mirror each other’s movements.

A group of researchers has demonstrated that treatment with NMN, a precursor of NAD+, restores neurovascular coupling (NVC) in aged mice [1]. Since NVC deficiency seems to be a major factor in the age-related decline of cognitive and motor functions, this discovery presents exciting new possibilities for longevity research.

Neurovascular coupling

While the human brain is the evolutionary advantage that brought us to where we are today, operating this machine requires considerable resources. Our cerebral blood flow (CBF) accounts for 15% of cardiac output and 20% of resting total oxygen consumption, even though the brain itself comprises just 2% of body mass. CBF has to be constantly redirected to the regions of the brain that are currently active, and NVC is the mechanism in charge of this complex operation. Importantly, the CBF/cardiac output ratio decreases with age [2].

Can we study AI the same way we study lab rats? Researchers at DeepMind and Harvard University seem to think so. They built an AI-powered virtual rat that can carry out multiple complex tasks. Then, they used neuroscience techniques to understand how its artificial “brain” controls its movements.

Today’s most advanced AI is powered by artificial neural networks —machine learning algorithms made up of layers of interconnected components called “neurons” that are loosely inspired by the structure of the brain. While they operate in very different ways, a growing number of researchers believe drawing parallels between the two could both improve our understanding of neuroscience and make smarter AI.

Continue reading “AI-Powered Rat Could Be a Valuable New Tool for Neuroscience” »

Some women with severe anorexia have returned to a healthy weight and feel less anxious and depressed after having electrical devices implanted into their brains, according to a small study. But more research is needed before the treatment can be recommended for wider use.

Patent describes system that rewards users with digital currency every time they view an advertisement or use a certain internet service.

The key appears to be lateralization, meaning the specialization of different sides of the brain for different functions.

Paralysis used to mean a life sentence of immobility with no way out—until now.

Back in 2010, Ian Burkhart suffered a devastating injury that would leave him mostly paralyzed. Even though he was still able to move his shoulders and elbows, he had lost sensation in his hands. That was until Patrick Ganzer at Battelle Memorial Institute fast-forwarded biotech into the future by developing a brain implant that would turn Burkhart’s life around. When the implant connects to a specialized brain-computer interface, it does something that has never been done before and has restored both movement and touch in his right hand.

Children with autism were able to improve their social skills by using a smartphone app paired with Google Glass to help them understand the emotions conveyed in people’s facial expressions, according to a pilot study by researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine.

Prior to participating in the study, Alex, 9, found it overwhelming to look people in the eye. Gentle encouragement from his mother, Donji Cullenbine, hadn’t helped. “I would smile and say things like, ‘You looked at me three times today!’ But it didn’t really move the bar,” she said. Using Google Glass transformed how Alex felt about looking at faces, Cullenbine said. “It was a game environment in which he wanted to win — he wanted to guess right.”

The therapy, described in findings published online Aug. 2 in npj Digital Medicine, uses a Stanford-designed app that provides real-time cues about other people’s facial expressions to a child wearing Google Glass. The device, which was linked with a smartphone through a local wireless network, consists of a glasses-like frame equipped with a camera to record the wearer’s field of view, as well as a small screen and a speaker to give the wearer visual and audio information. As the child interacts with others, the app identifies and names their emotions through the Google Glass speaker or screen. After one to three months of regular use, parents reported that children with autism made more eye contact and related better to others.