Knowing Neurons
Knowing Neurons

Dopamine

Mental Health 

Workout your worries – how exercise can protect your mental health

Johanna Popp , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
by Johanna Popp Stressed lately? Low in energy? Too exhausted to meet up with friends after a long workday? These feelings could indicate early signs of declining mental health. According… Read more
An artistic take on the "monkey-to-man" cartoon, depicting the final result as a larger human near fast food with a red warning sign around it. Illustrated by McCall Sarrett.
Multilingual Spanish 

El Cerebro, las grasas saludables y la importancia de encajar en nuestros genes

Marco Travaglio , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Artículo original: Brain, Healthy Fats, and the Importance of Fitting Into Your Genes, Marco Travaglio Traducido por Jenna Hartstein ~~~ Nuestros cerebros son muy ricos en grasa. De hecho, cerca… Read more
An artistic take on the "monkey-to-man" cartoon, depicting the final result as a larger human near fast food with a red warning sign around it. Illustrated by McCall Sarrett.
Big Ideas Brain Basics Brain Development Culture 

Brain, Healthy Fats, and the Importance of Fitting Into Your Genes

Marco Travaglio , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Our brains are extremely rich in fat. Indeed, about two thirds of the human brain is composed of fat, 35% of which consists of essential polyunsaturated fatty acids. What are… Read more
Image of synaptic cleft in the background with a large cupcake on the right, topped with sprinkles in the shape of pills. Illustrated by McCall Sarrett.
Big Ideas Culture Neurological and Psychiatric Disorders Sensation and Perception 

Are Foods Addictive or Just Delicious?

Shaun Khoo , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
We are surrounded by an abundance of delicious food. Throughout the developed world, cooking shows saturate our televisions and streaming video feeds advertise greasy burgers and decadent chocolates. Our addiction… Read more
Neuro News Neurological and Psychiatric Disorders 

Main Bout: New Hopes in the Fight Against Parkinson’s Disease

Marco Travaglio , , , , , , , , ,
Following his Olympic victory in 1960, Muhammad Ali earned the World-Heavyweight-Champion title in 1964 in one of the most celebrated upsets in boxing history. The much-anticipated fight opened with the… Read more
Brain Basics Did You Know? Sensation and Perception 

Neuronal Communication: Electricity and Neurotransmitters

Jenn Tribble , , , , , , , , , , ,
[dropcap]W[/dropcap]ith approximately 86 billion neurons in the human brain, it is a complex piece of machinery in charge of movement, sensation, decision-making, and more. Behaviors cannot arise from the work… Read more
Did You Know? Movement Neurological and Psychiatric Disorders 

Bite-size science: Cell replacement therapy for Parkinson’s Disease

Kayleen Schreiber , , , , , , , , ,
In Parkinson’s Disease, specific cells in the brain die. Over time, this makes basic movements like walking and reaching for a cup impossible. Researchers are racing to find effective treatments.… Read more
Brain Basics Brain Development Neurological and Psychiatric Disorders Sensation and Perception 

Schizophrenia in a Vial? The Story of Ketamine

Joel Frohlich , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Note: Ketamine is a controlled substance in the US and many other countries. Do not use ketamine illicitly. [dropcap]I[/dropcap]magine an injection that briefly gives you schizophrenia. Now imagine that this… Read more
Neurological and Psychiatric Disorders Neuroscience Technologies 

The Past and Promise of Deep Brain Stimulation

Brainfacts.org , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
In the early 1980s, a few batches of contaminated synthetic heroin triggered severe Parkinson’s disease symptoms among the drug addicts who used it. The tragedy would lead to a new… Read more
Brain Development Learning and Memory 

How Humans Speak and Mice Learn: The Widespread Effects of FOXP2

Jacob Umans , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
[dropcap]F[/dropcap]rom bird songs to frog ribbits, animals engage in countless forms of vocalization. However, no other species in the animal kingdom matches humans in complexity of language. The versatility of… Read more
Cuteness Knowing Neurons
Did You Know? Neuro News 

The Mighty and the Weak: How Science Explains Cuteness

Joel Frohlich , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Cute things are usually vulnerable, fragile and weak.  But cuteness itself is mighty indeed. Morten L. Kringelbach and his colleagues at the University of Oxford recently described cuteness as ‘one… Read more
Did You Know? Neuroscience Technologies Sensation and Perception 

Hacking your Brain with Smart Drugs

Kate Fehlhaber , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
What if you could take a pill to enhance your cognitive abilities?  What if this pill could help you ace a test, get more work done efficiently, and truly multitask? … Read more
Big Ideas Brain Basics Interviews Philosophy 

Does Free Will Exist?

Joel Frohlich , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
It’s a lazy Sunday afternoon. Professor Freeman is enjoying the Southern California weather on Professor Domino’s patio. Domino: Will it be Coke or Pepsi, Dr. Freeman? Freeman: That’s an easy… Read more
Brain Cigarette Knowing Neurons
Movement Neuro News 

The Strange Relationship between Nicotine and Parkinson’s Disease

knowingneurons , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
According to the World Health Organization, smoking is responsible for approximately 6 million deaths in the world every year or one fatality every six seconds.  71% of all lung cancers… Read more
Did You Know? Sensation and Perception 

A Tale of Monogamy and Dopamine

Jenn Tribble , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
In a recent hack, private information from nearly 30 million users was leaked from Ashley Madison, a “dating” website intended to facilitate extramarital affairs.  The sheer number of Ashley Madison… Read more
Aging Movement Neuro News Neurological and Psychiatric Disorders 

Treating the diseased brain with artificial stimulation

Anita , , , , , , , , , , ,
We often fail to appreciate the small and precise functions of our motor system. How effortless and smooth our movements are when getting up from a chair! How quick and… Read more
Movement Neurological and Psychiatric Disorders 

Unusual Suspects

Jillian L. Shaw , , , , , , , , , , , ,
More than a decade has passed since President Clinton first announced that the human genome project was successfully completed: We are here to celebrate the completion of the first survey… Read more