An illustration depicts a head in profile with a speak bubble containing a check symbol next to an x symbol. The background is pink
September 9, 2026
How the brain keeps its options straight at decision time
September 1, 2026
Atlas of the brain’s striatum could guide researchers to new drug treatments
Three brain-shaped speak bubbles are black but full of white concentric lines that appear as ripples or waves in complex patterns
August 19, 2026
Cognition and consciousness arise from analog computations, says new theory
a cartoon of a brain with cogs and gears
August 17, 2026
Flexible brain circuits can switch between different tasks
Over a tangle of dark blue neurons, bright orange spots appear along the lengths of some of the axons, highlighting their paths through the tangle
August 13, 2026
Brain circuit keeps tabs on what just happened to aid judgement of what’s happening now

Down syndrome symposium highlights clinical, fundamental progress

November 20, 2020
Recent Events
Speakers describe studies to address Alzheimer’s disease, sleep apnea and to advance fundamental discoveries in cell and chromosome biology

Scientists identify specific brain region and circuits controlling attention

November 2, 2020
Research Findings
Study shows that norepinephrine producing neurons in the locus coeruleus produce attention focus, impulse control via two distinct connections to prefrontal cortex

Brown wins SfN’s Swartz Prize for Theoretical and Computational Neuroscience

October 26, 2020
Picower People
Award cites major contributions to statistical analysis of brain activity and advancing the neuroscience of anesthesia

Alzheimer’s risk gene disrupts endocytosis, but another disease-linked gene could help

October 6, 2020
Research Findings
Astrocytes with the APOE4 variant show deficits of key cellular function, but overexpressing PICALM overcame the defect

Statistical model improves analysis of skin conductance

October 5, 2020
Research Findings
By accounting for sweat physiology, method can make better use of electrodermal activity for tracking subconscious changes in physical or emotional state

Neuroscientists discover a molecular mechanism that allows memories to form

October 5, 2020
Research Findings
Modifications to chromosomes in “engram” neurons control the encoding and retrieval of memories

Symposium highlights numerous leads to combat neurodegeneration

September 24, 2020
Recent Events
In 10 talks, leading neuroscientists shared potential advances against Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, Huntington’s and other diseases

Picower researcher earns BBRF Young Investigator grant

September 21, 2020
Picower People
Sur Lab postdoc Vincent Breton-Provencher will use award to study neurobiology underlying attention

Live imaging method brings structural information to mapping of brain function

September 17, 2020
Research Findings
Scientists distinguish brain regions based on what they do, but now have a new way to overlay information about how they are built

From Biological Intelligence to Artificial Intelligence

September 17, 2020
Research Feature
How basic neuroscience research by Picower faculty has mattered to AI

As information flows through brain’s heirarchy, higher regions use higher frequency waves

September 8, 2020
Research Findings
Study also finds specific frequency bands associated with encoding, or inhibiting encoding, of sensory information across the cortex

New trial to test brain wave stimulation as Alzheimer’s preventative

August 25, 2020
New Research
MIT, MGH join forces to test whether ‘GENUS’ stimulation of 40Hz rhythms can reduce disease pathology before onset of symptoms