How the brain keeps its options straight at decision time
Making a decision requires juggling a set of options without getting them confused or losing track of them. A new MIT study shows how ensembles of neurons encode information to maximize clarity throughout the process.
A burst of “pink noise” may lead to more restorative sleep
Delivered at just the right time, this type of auditory stimulus can strengthen the flow of cerebrospinal fluid, which clears debris from the brain and keeps it healthy.
Cognition and consciousness arise from analog computations, says new theory
The brain's ability to generate quick, nimble volitional thought—and a unified awareness of thought and experience—arises from analog computations carried out by electrical waves, MIT neuroscientists argue in a new review
Brain circuit keeps tabs on what just happened to aid judgement of what’s happening now
With the tough job of trying to keep track of what’s going on in front of it, the brain relies not only on what it sees, but also a comparison with what it just saw. A new study in mice pinpoints the circuit that provides that service.
With Mass. Women’s Health Award, team will study how Alzheimer’s risk varies with hormone replacement
Observations conflict about whether hormone replacement therapy increases or decreases Alzheimer’s likelihood for women. With a new award from the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center, MIT researchers will investigate the underlying molecular mechanisms aff
MIT names Emery N. Brown an "Institute Professor," its highest faculty honor
Brown, a renowned neuroscientist, anesthesiologist and statistician, has made numerous seminal contributions to basic science and clinical care alike. He joins two other professors in earning the honor this year