a closeup of a baby with beautiful blue eyes that seem a bit cross-eyed
July 1, 2025
Connect or reject: Extensive rewiring builds binocular vision in the brain
Six portraits across two rows: Joe Coughlin, Giovanni Traverso, Pattie Maes across the top and Bin Zhang, Laura Kiessling and Ed Boyden along the bottom.
June 9, 2025
Aging Brain Initiative seed grants fund five new projects to address neurodegenerative disease
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

Neural networks need more than neurons, new project posits

March 4, 2021
New Research
With a new grant from the U.S. Army, a team of scientists will seek to enhance artificial intelligence by integrating brain cells called astrocytes

Study offers an explanation for why the APOE4 gene enhances Alzheimer’s risk

March 3, 2021
Research Findings
The gene variant disrupts lipid metabolism, but in cell experiments the effects were reversed by choline supplements

Basic cell health systems wear down in Huntington’s disease, novel analysis shows

February 23, 2021
Research Findings
A new computational approach for analyzing complex datasets shows that as disease progresses, neurons and astrocytes lose the ability to maintain homeostasis

Steven Flavell earns Sloan Research Fellowship

February 16, 2021
Picower People
Award supports fundamental research on how the brain generates internal states that guide animal behavior

As you look around, mental images bounce between right and left brain

February 8, 2021
Research Findings
New study explains how the brain helps us remember what we’ve seen, even as it shifts around in our visual system

Picower Institute joins international declaration on equity and inclusion in brain science

January 12, 2021
Picower People
The ALBA Declaration outlines steps to overcome two sets of factors that contribute to a lack of equity: implicit bias and workplace culture

Neuroscientists identify brain circuit that encodes timing of events

January 11, 2021
Research Findings
Findings suggest this hippocampal circuit helps us to maintain our timeline of memories.

Scientists seek insight into Parkinson’s, addiction by tracking gene expression in the brain

January 4, 2021
New Research
Two MIT Brain and Cognitive Sciences faculty members earn funding from the G. Harold and Leila Y. Mathers Foundation

Playing chess, not checkers: Neurons dynamically control their myelin patterns

December 18, 2020
Research Findings
Researchers identify a new level of complexity in how the brain responds to stimuli

Genes & Disease

December 14, 2020
Research Feature
Picower scientists are making the dauntingly long but highly motivating climb between associating a gene with disease and developing potential treatments.

‘SCOUT’ helps researchers find, quantify significant differences among organoids

December 8, 2020
Research Findings
Unbiased, high-throughput analysis pipeline improves utility of ‘minibrains’ for understanding development and diseases such as Zika infection

Cortex over reflex: Study traces circuits where executive control overcomes instinct

November 30, 2020
Research Findings
Anterior cingulate cortex overrides reflexive inclination of the superior colliculus when rules reqiure