The placebo effect unlocked: How the brain tricks itself into pain relief

In a fascinating discovery, scientists have pinpointed what happens in our brains when we’re expecting pain relief but are given a placebo, unknowingly, instead. It not only confirms ‘the placebo effect,’ but offers clues into how powerful the mind is … Continue reading The placebo effect unlocked: How the brain tricks itself into pain relief

The placebo effect unlocked: How the brain tricks itself into pain relief

In a fascinating discovery, scientists have pinpointed what happens in our brains when we’re expecting pain relief but are given a placebo, unknowingly, instead. It not only confirms ‘the placebo effect,’ but offers clues into how powerful the mind is … Continue reading The placebo effect unlocked: How the brain tricks itself into pain relief

Time flies: Our brains perceive time more like counters than clocks

Time is relative, and not only in an astrophysical sense – we’re all familiar with that feeling that time drags when we’re bored and flies when we’re busy. New analysis of brain activity patterns shows how our brains track time, and some intriguing ins… Continue reading Time flies: Our brains perceive time more like counters than clocks

Our brains take naps while we’re awake – and wake when we’re asleep

For the first time, scientists have discovered that a small region of our brain shuts down to take microsecond-long naps while we’re awake. What’s more, these same areas ‘flicker’ awake while we’re asleep. These new findings could offer pivotal insight… Continue reading Our brains take naps while we’re awake – and wake when we’re asleep

Our brain matter is stuck at a phase transition, says new study

Based on fractal patterns in neurons, researchers believe our brains exist at or near a state called criticality where they’re extremely close to shifting from one state of matter to another. They also admit they don’t know what either state is.Continu… Continue reading Our brain matter is stuck at a phase transition, says new study

Unprecedented 3D wiring diagram of human brain looks like a tiny world

Harvard and Google Research have released a startlingly deep dive into the human brain, mapping thousands of cells and millions of synapses in a poppy seed-sized sample of brain tissue. The effort produced some stunning images and marks a major step to… Continue reading Unprecedented 3D wiring diagram of human brain looks like a tiny world

Spinal red-light therapy protects and regenerates damaged nerve cells

Directly applying red-light therapy to a damaged spinal cord protects and regenerates nerve cells, leading to a return of motor and sensory function, according to new research. The treatment could expand the currently limited treatments available to pe… Continue reading Spinal red-light therapy protects and regenerates damaged nerve cells

Hybrid brain lets one species’ neurons help out another’s

Adding rat stem cells to a mouse embryo resulted in a ‘hybrid brain’ in which the rat cells stepped in to restore function when the mouse’s sense of smell was removed, new research has shown. It’s the first time one animal’s cells have been used to res… Continue reading Hybrid brain lets one species’ neurons help out another’s

World’s most powerful MRI machine captures first stunning brain scans

An image of a human brain captured with the new Iseult MRI machine at a power of 11.7 Teslas, showing the level of detail possible

The world’s most powerful MRI machine has started proving its worth, by scanning living human brains. The resulting images give an ultra high resolution glimpse into the brain, which will help us better understand the nature of consciousness and treat neurodegenerative diseases.

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Continue reading World’s most powerful MRI machine captures first stunning brain scans