Cognition and Motivation

Picower Institute scientists study behaviors and cognitive processes including learning, memory, emotion, reasoning and consciousness. To learn more about these or other areas of inquiry, select them under Research Topics and you'll find relevant Picower people, discoveries and events.

November 23, 2020

Research Findings

The brain uses different frequency rhythms and cortical layers to suppress expected stimulation and increase activity for what’s novel

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

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

October 26, 2020

Picower People

Award cites major contributions to statistical analysis of brain activity and advancing the neuroscience of anesthesia

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

October 5, 2020

Research Findings

Modifications to chromosomes in “engram” neurons control the encoding and retrieval of memories

September 21, 2020

Picower People

Sur Lab postdoc Vincent Breton-Provencher will use award to study neurobiology underlying attention

September 8, 2020

Research Findings

Study also finds specific frequency bands associated with encoding, or inhibiting encoding, of sensory information across the cortex

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

August 3, 2020

Research Findings

A new statistical model may help scientists understand how animals make inferences about whether their surroundings are novel or haven’t changed enough to be a new context