the nerve blog |
“Touching me, touching you”
“Always give a firm handshake,” my father says, “that way they know you mean business.” Seems he was onto something. Recent research published in the June issue of Science supports his maxim. Subtle tactile experiences have a significant impact upon our social judgments and decisions reports a team of scientists hailing from Yale, Harvard, and […]
THIS BLOG POST WILL MAKE YOU RICH.
Casinos everywhere are packed- with gamblers ranging from newly legal young adults to middle aged women out for a ladies’ night to senior citizens with eyes reflecting the lights of the penny slots. Amongst a sea of others. What could they possibly have in common? Dopamine (DA) receptors, of course! A recent study by Tremblay […]
Cognitive Literature?
As the academic fields, particularly if not exclusively, those in the sciences appear to multiply and narrow, many people strain for a return to the interdisciplinary. The mind and brain sciences move into categories formerly considered only by literature, philosophy, or more generally, the liberal arts. Consequently the crossover of science into the mysteries […]
Is Athletic Consistency a Possibility?
Regardless of the outcome of the NBA finals this year, one team had to go home empty handed. It’s difficult to fathom how athletes immediately get back on their feet and start training for the next round of emotionally tortuous ups and downs. Even though they’re getting paid an absurd amount of money to play […]
Use Your Brain: Lower Your Cholesterol
This month in Nature Neuroscience an article was published by the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine (Perez-Tilve et al.) detailing the effects of the neuroendocrine system on cholesterol levels. According to the article, hypercholesterolemia (high cholesterol) is difficult to treat as a whole because there isn’t much known about the molecular origin of the […]
On "Daring to Discuss Women in Science"
New York Times columnist John Tierney recently dared to discuss women in science (the occasion being the passing of a law called “Fulfilling the potential of women in academic science and engineering” in the House). The problem is well known: there are fewer women than men in the top scientific positions at universities. Speculations about […]
One Giant Leap for Mankind…in the Wrong Direction
On June 3rd, six volunteers were locked inside a mock space capsule to endure a 17 month simulation of a mission to Mars, called the Mars500. This will be the longest of these types of trials; during the simulation, an all-male crew is expected to perform operations required to complete a round-trip Mars mission. In […]
Howard Hughes Medical Institute Awards BU Neuroscience $1.5 million!
Story here.
Alzheimer's Therapy: A Bus Stop to Nowhere
Research has yet to definitively establish the cause (or, more likely, causes) of Alzheimer’s Disease, an ailment plaguing roughly 5.3 million people in America alone. In its later stages, Alzheimer’s does not only disturb patients’ lives, but also weighs heavily on caregivers. Whether a family member; friend; or often, retirement home employee; a caregiver will […]
When an alarm isn't enough, try a dopamine agonist instead?
After a serious accident, victims can sustain grave injuries, such as severe traumatic brain injury (TBI), resulting in focal lesions and/or diffuse axonal injury. This can result in a coma that can develop into a Vegetative State (VS) or Minimally Conscious State (MCS), wherein the victim regains arousal, but with low awareness. Studies of these […]