All articles tagged with #neural connectivity
A UCSF and Imperial College London study found that a single 25 mg dose of psilocybin increases brain entropy during the experience and is followed by lasting changes in brain connectivity for about a month, alongside reported boosts in psychological insight and well-being. The results suggest the psychedelic experience itself may drive durable mental health benefits and could inform optimized psilocybin-based therapies.
A Minnesota-led study with 107 adults found that alcohol at a driving-penalty level increases local brain connectivity and clustering while reducing global connectivity, making brain regions more insular. These network changes measured by MRI after rest predict subjective intoxication and may explain common alcohol effects like visual and motor impairment; effects vary by individual and health status, with broader implications for understanding alcohol's impact on brain communication.
Lifelong musical training helps older adults maintain youthful brain patterns, particularly in processing speech in noisy environments, potentially protecting against age-related cognitive decline by building cognitive reserve.
A study published in PLOS Biology suggests that long-term musical training can help mitigate age-related decline in speech perception by enhancing cognitive reserve and maintaining youthful neural connectivity patterns, supporting the idea that engaging in music can promote brain health as we age.
A groundbreaking study using brain scans of 140 individuals has revealed a significant surge in neural connectivity in newborns, marking a transformative stage distinct from prenatal brain growth. Conducted by researchers at New York University, the study highlights how birth triggers the formation of billions of new neural connections as the brain processes new sensory information. This growth is particularly notable in subcortical regions and parts of the frontal lobe, supporting the idea that the brain's local networks in the womb expand to global communication post-birth. The findings, published in PLOS Biology, lay the groundwork for future research on brain development during the perinatal period.
Complex sugar molecules called glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) with sulfate groups have been found to affect brain plasticity in mice, potentially influencing memory and learning. GAGs, particularly chondroitin sulfate, play a role in stabilizing synaptic connections in the brain. Altering the sulfation patterns of GAGs could have implications for repairing neural connectivity after injuries and understanding neurodegenerative diseases. Researchers are also investigating how GAGs and their sulfation patterns impact axon regeneration, which could lead to potential treatments for promoting recovery from neurodegenerative diseases or strokes.
A new study using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) has revealed that serial entrepreneurs have increased neuronal connectivity in their brains compared to managers, indicating superior cognitive flexibility. The research suggests that this enhanced connectivity allows entrepreneurs to effectively alternate between exploration and exploitation, a crucial balance for their success. The findings offer insights for improving entrepreneurial cognition and training within organizations, highlighting the importance of cultivating an entrepreneurial mindset and fostering cognitive flexibility in teams.
A groundbreaking study led by researchers at Monash University's Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health has challenged the century-old belief that complex neural connectivity is the primary determinant of brain function. Using MRI scans and the principle of eigenmodes, the study found that the overall shape of an individual's brain has a more significant impact on cognitive processes, emotions, and behavior than previously thought. The findings offer new avenues for understanding brain function and disease, simplifying the study of how the brain functions, develops, and ages. The research team discovered a previously unappreciated relationship between brain shape and activity, highlighting the potential to predict brain function directly from its shape and explore individual differences in behavior and risk for psychiatric and neurological diseases.