Against a dark blue background we see two sine waves shifted out of phase with eachother
May 12, 2025
Different anesthetics, same result: unconsciousness by shifting brainwave phase
Neurons glow green against a black background in a section of a mouse brain. A few red specks can be seen. An inset magnifies one of these cells that has red and green staining.
April 28, 2025
Dopamine signals when a fear can be forgotten
A 2 by 2 array of panels that each show a hairpin-like shape of blue stained cells. The left column is laberled "Ambient light/sound." The right column is labeled "40Hz Stimulation." The panels in the 40Hz column show more yellow arrows pointing white blotches than the panels in the ambient column.
April 24, 2025
In Down syndrome mice, 40Hz light and sound improve cognition, neurogenesis, connectivity
Emery Brown sits behind his desk in his MIT office. A teddy bear rests nestled among some books on a shelf behind him, just over his right shoulder.
April 21, 2025
In kids, EEG monitoring of consciousness safely reduces anesthetic use
In a grayscale image a wiggly worm is seen in a vertical orientation above a lumpy background of bacteria
April 8, 2025
A simple animal’s response to sickness highlights the nervous system’s surprising degrees of flexibility

Study suggests new molecular strategy for treating fragile X syndrome

February 20, 2025
Research Findings
Enhancing activity of a specific component of ‘NMDA’ receptors normalized protein synthesis, neural activity and seizure susceptibility in hippocampus of fragile X lab mice

Even after learning the right idea, humans and animals still seem to test other approaches, study suggests

February 18, 2025
Research Findings
New research adds evidence that learning a successful strategy for approaching a task doesn’t prevent further exploration, even if it reduces performance.

MIT method enables ultrafast protein labeling of tens of millions of densely packed cells in organ-scale tissues

January 24, 2025
Research Findings
Tissue processing advance can label proteins at the level of individual cells across whole, intact rodent brains and other large samples just as fast and uniformly as in dissociated single cells.

Emery N. Brown, innovative neuroscientist, statistician and anesthesiologist earns National Medal of Science

January 3, 2025
Picower People
President Biden bestowed the nation’s highest scientific honor on Brown, fellow winners, at a White House ceremony.

From Molecules to Memory

December 20, 2024
Research Feature
On a biological foundation of ions and proteins, the brain forms, stores, and retrieves memories to inform intelligent behavior

Study suggests how the brain, with sleep, learns meaningful maps of spaces

December 10, 2024
Research Findings
Place cells are well known to encode individual locations, but new experiments and analysis indicate that stitching together a “cognitive map” of a whole environment requires a broader ensemble of cells, aided by sleep, to build a richer network over seve

New autism research projects represent a broad range of approaches to achieving a shared goal

November 21, 2024
Recent Events
At a symposium of the Simons Center for the Social Brain, six speakers described a diversity of recently launched studies aimed at improving understanding of the autistic brain.

Open technology platform enables new versatility for neuroscience research with more naturalistic behavior

November 13, 2024
Research Findings
System developed by MIT and Open Ephys team provides a fast, light, standardized means for combining multiple instruments with minimal hindrance of lab mouse mobility.

The way sensory prediction changes under anesthesia tells us how conscious cognition works

October 7, 2024
Research Findings
New study adds evidence that consciousness requires communication between sensory and cognitive regions of the brain’s cortex

Learning the secrets of neural longevity could benefit the aging brain and body alike, research project posits

October 3, 2024
New Research
With a new Glenn Foundation Discovery Award, the Heiman Lab will study the genetic and molecular basis for the exceptional longevity of neurons in hopes of using that insight to help sustain aging cells.

Mixing joy and resolve, event celebrates women in science and addresses persistent inequalities

October 2, 2024
Picower Events
The Kuggie Vallee Distinguished Lectures and Workshops presented inspiring examples of success, even as the event evoked frank discussions of the barriers that still hinder many women scientists.

Research quantifying “nociception” could help improve management of surgical pain

September 23, 2024
Research Findings
New statistical models based on rigorous physiological data from more than 100 surgeries provide objective, accurate measures of “nociception,” the body’s subconscious perception of pain.