Blogs filter by Brain

Greg Marischen opened his Brain Balance Achievement Center franchise after physical and occupational therapy changed his life. When Greg Marischen woke up in a hospital bed in 1991, the first question he asked was, "Will I play basketball again?" The doctors said no. The University of Minnesota law student had been run over by a boat; his skull was fractured, which caused a traumatic brain injury that left him unable...

Most neuroscientists accept that the brain computes by modifying its synapses, the links between neurons. On this view, the brain learns because experience molds it, rather than because experience implants facts. But experience does implant facts. We all know this, because we retrieve and make use of them throughout the day. Most neuroscientists believe that the brain learns by rewiring itself—by changing the strength of connections between brain cells, or...

New research with mice offers insight into the complexities of motivation and reward. Inside the brain, a group of cells known as nociceptin neurons get very active before mice give up on reaching hard-to-get rewards, researchers report.These cells emit nociceptin, a complex molecule that suppresses dopamine, a chemical largely associated with motivation.The findings, which appear in Cell, offer new insight into the complex world of motivation and reward.The nociceptin neurons...