Neuroscience

A new piece to the autism puzzleNeuroscientists find that two rare autism-related disorders are caused by opposing malfunctions in the brain.

Unraveling how a mutation can lead to psychiatric illnessMIT neuroscientists show that a gene linked with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder impairs early brain development.

Mimicking the brain, in siliconNew computer chip models how neurons communicate with each other at synapses.

Connecting neurons to fix the brainNew technology helps scientists discover drugs to strengthen synapses.

Brain rhythms are key to learningNew study from MIT neuroscientists finds that brain waves shift frequency as a new task becomes routine.

Dyslexia independent of IQBrain-imaging study suggests that reading difficulties are the same regardless of overall intelligence — and that more children could benefit from support in school.

How to reverse general anesthesiaNeuroscientists find that Ritalin could help bring surgical patients out of surgery much more quickly, with less grogginess.

Emery N. Brown receives the 2011 Jerome Sacks Award for Cross-Disciplinary Research

When things go wrong, who’s to blame?New study shows that infants are surprisingly adept at figuring out whether they made a mistake or if something is wrong in the world.

When four is not four, but rather two plus twoMIT neuroscientists redefine the limits of visual working memory.

Moving inventions to the marketplaceMIT/Harvard symposium seeks commercial opportunities for emerging technologies.

What makes an image memorable?Hint: We tend to remember pictures of people much better than wide open spaces.

Of minds and machinesFinal installment of MIT’s 150th anniversary symposia explores intelligence — both human and artificial.

The benefits of meditationMIT and Harvard neuroscientists explain why the practice helps tune out distractions and relieve pain.

Jerome Lettvin, MIT professor emeritus, dies at 91Dynamic cognitive scientist made key contributions to neurophysiology and vision science.

Seeing the lightOptogenetic technology restores visual behavior in mice, holds promise for treating human blindness.

McGovern Institute honors pioneer in understanding brain hormones

Re-creating autism, in miceMice with a particular gene mutation avoid interacting with other mice and show compulsive, repetitive behavior.

Parts of brain can switch functionsIn people born blind, brain regions that usually process vision can tackle language.

What blame can tell us about autismNeuroscientists find evidence that autistic patients have trouble understanding other people’s intentions.

Illuminating the brainNeuroscientists’ new technique can stimulate brain cells, then reveal how those neurons influence the rest of the brain.

Understanding the anesthetized brainNeuroscientist Emery Brown hopes to shed light on a longstanding medical mystery: how general anesthesia works.

A new way to evaluate dyslexiaNeuroscientists show that brain scans can predict whether children’s reading ability will improve.

When gender isn’t written all over one’s faceNeuroscientists find that the same face may look male or female, depending on where it appears in a person’s field of view.

Heading off traumaStudy suggests adding a face shield to military helmets would help more soldiers avoid blast-induced brain injuries.

Brain control

Force of habitNew study shows that costs and rewards of behavior help the brain form optimal habits.