http://phys.org/ en-us Phys.org internet news portal provides the latest news on science including: Physics, Nanotechnology, Life Sciences, Space Science, Earth Science, Environment, Health and Medicine. A California sea lion who bobs her head in time with music has given scientists the first empirical evidence of an animal that is not capable of vocal mimicry but can keep the beat, according to new research published by the American Psychological Association. http://phys.org/news284051559.html Biology Mon, 01 Apr 2013 16:13:49 EST news284051559 Sexually naïve male mice respond differently to the chemical signals emitted by newborn pups than males that have mated and lived with pregnant females, according to a study published March 20 in The Journal of Neuroscience. The findings may help scientists to better understand the changes that take place in the brains of some mammals during the transition into parenthood. http://phys.org/news282927106.html Biology Tue, 19 Mar 2013 17:00:01 EST news282927106 The link between deficits of omega-3 poly-unsaturated fatty acids (AGPO-3) and the onset of depressive disorders is not new in the medical field. However, what has not been known until now is the brain mechanism by which diet can condition mental health to a certain extent. Research undertaken by scientists in Bordeaux (France) and at the Faculty of Medicine and Odontology of the University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU, Spain) and published in Nature Neuroscience, provides new clues to understanding this phenomenon. http://phys.org/news216036513.html Medicine & Health Fri, 04 Feb 2011 10:30:02 EST news216036513 New research finds that the brains of infants as young as 7 months old demonstrate a sensitivity to the human voice and to emotions communicated through the voice that is remarkably similar to what is observed in the brains of adults. The study, published by Cell Press in the March 25 issue of the journal Neuron, probes the origins of voice processing in the human brain and may provide important insight into neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism. http://phys.org/news188653242.html Medicine & Health Wed, 24 Mar 2010 13:00:02 EST news188653242 It is well known that the onset of puberty marks the end of the optimal period for learning language and certain spatial skills, such as computer/video game operation. Recent work published in the journal Science by Sheryl Smith, PhD, professor of physiology and pharmacology, and colleagues at SUNY Downstate Medical Center in Brooklyn shows that a novel brain receptor, alpha4-beta-delta, emerges at puberty in the hippocampus, part of the brain that controls learning and memory. http://phys.org/news188138283.html Medicine & Health Thu, 18 Mar 2010 14:00:11 EST news188138283 What determines whether a scene is remembered or forgotten? According to a study published this week in the open access journal PLoS Biology, memory for visual scenes may not depend on attention level or what a scene contains, but when the scene is presented. The study, presented by researchers at the University of Washington, shows how visual scenes are encoded into memory at behaviorally relevant points in time. http://phys.org/news187903741.html Medicine & Health Mon, 15 Mar 2010 20:29:23 EST news187903741 (PhysOrg.com) -- The ability to recognise faces is largely determined by your genes, according to new research at UCL (University College London). http://phys.org/news186072174.html Medicine & Health Mon, 22 Feb 2010 15:00:15 EST news186072174 (PhysOrg.com) -- Ever since the dawn of time, teenage boys have been defined by their sexual urges. Stereotype or not, the same fate has now befallen male mice. In new research that harkens back to those awkward high school moments and uncomfortable coming-of-age memories, scientists now show that male mice genetically selected for high levels of nervous energy act like sex-crazed teenage boys: highly motivated, but awkward and inefficient. http://phys.org/news183842857.html Medicine & Health Wed, 27 Jan 2010 20:10:01 EST news183842857 The vast majority of school-aged children can focus on the voice of a teacher amid the cacophony of the typical classroom thanks to a brain that automatically focuses on relevant, predictable and repeating auditory information, according to new research from Northwestern University. http://phys.org/news177165357.html Medicine & Health Wed, 11 Nov 2009 13:10:01 EST news177165357 New research using animal models is enabling a deeper understanding of the neurobiology of compulsive drug addiction in humans — knowledge that may lead to more effective treatment options to weaken the powerful cravings that cause people to relapse. The findings were released today at Neuroscience 2009, the Society for Neuroscience's annual meeting. http://phys.org/news175337973.html Medicine & Health Wed, 21 Oct 2009 10:20:01 EST news175337973 (PhysOrg.com) -- Princeton University researchers have come up with a new twist on the mysterious visual phenomenon experienced by humans known as the "uncanny valley." The scientists have found that monkeys sense it too. http://phys.org/news174662015.html Biology Tue, 13 Oct 2009 14:14:34 EST news174662015 (PhysOrg.com) -- We see, hear and feel, and make sense of countless diverse, quickly changing stimuli in our environment seemingly without effort. However, doing what our brains do with ease is often an impossible task for computers. Researchers at the Leipzig Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences and the Wellcome Trust Centre for Neuroimaging in London have now developed a mathematical model which could significantly improve the automatic recognition and processing of spoken language. In the future, this kind of algorithms which imitate brain mechanisms could help machines to perceive the world around them. http://phys.org/news169467778.html Biology Fri, 14 Aug 2009 12:10:01 EST news169467778 Researchers at the Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Sweden, have discovered a new brain mechanism involved in alcohol addiction involving the stomach hormone ghrelin. When ghrelin's actions in the brain are blocked, alcohol's effects on the reward system are reduced. It is an important discovery that could lead to new therapies for addictions such as alcohol dependence. http://phys.org/news165575416.html Medicine & Health Tue, 30 Jun 2009 10:10:48 EST news165575416 (PhysOrg.com) -- Human beings constantly make inferences about other people's state of mind, usually without even realizing they are doing it. Cognitive scientists call this ability "theory of mind," and until recently, not much has been known about the brain mechanisms underlying it. http://phys.org/news165505015.html Medicine & Health Mon, 29 Jun 2009 14:37:23 EST news165505015 Although there is no doubt that hypnosis can impact the mind and behavior, the underlying brain mechanisms are not well understood. Now, new research provides fascinating insight into the specific neural effect of the power of suggestion. The study, published by Cell Press in the June 25 issue of the journal Neuron, uncovers the influence of hypnotic paralysis on brain networks involved in internal representations and self imagery. http://phys.org/news165065163.html Medicine & Health Wed, 24 Jun 2009 12:40:03 EST news165065163 (PhysOrg.com) -- Researchers at McGill University have discovered a series of molecular mechanisms that regulate how our brains call up, restore and even change old memories. http://phys.org/news164909611.html Medicine & Health Mon, 22 Jun 2009 20:20:04 EST news164909611 Researchers at Harvard University have found that humans aren't the only ones who can groove to a beat -- some other species can dance, too. This capability was previously believed to be specific to humans. The research team found that only species that can mimic sound seem to be able to keep a beat, implying an evolutionary link between the two capacities. http://phys.org/news160315376.html Biology Thu, 30 Apr 2009 13:04:38 EST news160315376 A new study provides direct experimental evidence that a brain region important for reading and word recognition contains neurons that are highly selective for individual real words. The research, published by Cell Press in the April 30th issue of the journal Neuron, provides important insight into brain mechanisms associated with reading and may lead to a better understanding of reading disabilities. http://phys.org/news160229278.html Medicine & Health Wed, 29 Apr 2009 13:08:32 EST news160229278 (PhysOrg.com) -- When we emerge from a supermarket laden down with bags and faced with a sea of vehicles, how do we remember where we've parked our car and translate the memory into the correct action to get back there? Scientists have identified the part of the brain responsible for solving this everyday problem — and the results could have implications for understanding the functional significance of a prominent brain abnormality observed in neuropsychiatric diseases such as schizophrenia. http://phys.org/news159116757.html Medicine & Health Thu, 16 Apr 2009 16:07:03 EST news159116757 New research is unraveling the complex brain mechanisms associated with disabling migraine headaches. The study, published by Cell Press in the March 12th issue of the journal Neuron, reveals that perturbation of the delicate balance between excitation and inhibition may make the brain more vulnerable to migraine attacks. http://phys.org/news156007151.html Medicine & Health Wed, 11 Mar 2009 16:20:00 EST news156007151 New research reveals a sophisticated brain mechanism that is critical for filtering out irrelevant signals during demanding cognitive tasks. The study, published by Cell Press in the February 26 issue of the journal Neuron, also provides some insight into how disruption of key inhibitory pathways may contribute to schizophrenia. http://phys.org/news154787315.html Medicine & Health Wed, 25 Feb 2009 12:29:21 EST news154787315 (PhysOrg.com) -- Queen Mary scientists have, for the first time, used computer artificial intelligence to create previously unseen types of pictures to explore the abilities of the human visual system. http://phys.org/news153990584.html Medicine & Health Mon, 16 Feb 2009 07:10:36 EST news153990584