Brain | Page 1003 | Science Codex

Gaming to improve eyesight and 'hearing' colors

Vancouver, B.C. (Wednesday, February 15, 2012) – How we perceive the world tells us a lot about how the brain processes sensory information.

At this week's meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) in Vancouver, McMaster University psychologist Daphne Maurer will report on how vision develops in individuals born with cataracts in both eyes. Although such persons have their vision "corrected" by surgery and contact lenses, Maurer's study shows that they experience specific visual processing deficiencies into adulthood.

Maternal depression and bilingual households can impact infant language development

While babies are born ready to learn any of the world's languages, the crucial developmental period when they attune to their native languages can change due to environmental influences such as maternal depression or a bilingual upbringing, according to new University of British Columbia research.

Brain differences seen at 6 months in infants who develop autism

Researchers have found significant differences in brain development in infants as young as six months old who later develop autism, compared with babies who don't develop the disorder.

The study, by scientists at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and other centers, involved infants considered to be at high risk for autism because they had an older sibling with the diagnosis. The findings are published online in the American Journal of Psychiatry.

No kids in public school? You still benefit

EAST LANSING, Mich. — Quality public schools benefit everyone – including those without school-aged children – and therefore everyone should play a role in maintaining them, according to a study by two Michigan State University scholars.

Senior citizens and others who don't have children in school often argue they should be exempt from paying school taxes because they don't benefit from the schools. But that's not true, argues Zachary Neal, sociologist and lead researcher on the study, which appears in the Journal of Urban Affairs.

When your left hand mimics what your right hand does: It's in the genes

Further work carried out on mice suggests that this gene plays a part in motor network cross-over. Cross-over is a key factor in the transmission of brain signals, because it allows the right side of the brain to control the left side of the body and vice versa. This research has been published in The American Journal of Human Genetics.

'Talking dictionaries' document vanishing languages

WASHINGTON -- Digital technology is coming to the rescue of some of the world's most endangered languages. Linguists from National Geographic's Enduring Voices project who are racing to document and revitalize struggling languages are unveiling an effective new tool: talking dictionaries.

New autism research reveals brain differences at 6 months in infants who develop autism

PHILADELPHIA, PA − A new study from the Infant Brain Imaging Network, which includes researchers at the Center for Autism Research at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), found significant differences in brain development starting at age 6 months in high-risk infants who later develop autism, compared to high-risk infants who did not develop autism.

Griffith's 3-D microscopy a research breakthrough

The understanding of diseases such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's is set to take a step forward following groundbreaking technology at which will enable cell analysis using automated 3D microscopy.

An initiative between the Griffith's School of Information Communication Technology and the Eskitis Institute for Cellular and Molecular Biology, the technology will allow the automated identification, separation and analysis of cells as complex as nerve cells in the brain.

Puzzle play improves math skills

An important context for figuring out problems through reasoning is puzzle play, say researchers at University of Chicago.

Psychologist Susan Levine and colleagues recently conducted a study that found 2-4 year-old children, who play with puzzles, have better spatial skills when assessed at 4 1/2 years of age.

Military service changes personality, makes vets less agreeable

It's no secret that battlefield trauma can leave veterans with deep emotional scars that impact their ability to function in civilian life. But new research led by Washington University in St. Louis suggests that military service, even without combat, has a subtle lingering effect on a man's personality, making it potentially more difficult for veterans to get along with friends, family and co-workers.

Brain-imaging differences evident at 6 months in infants who develop autism

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – A new study led by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill found significant differences in brain development starting at age 6 months in high-risk infants who later develop autism, compared to high-risk infants who did not develop autism.

Researchers see differences in Autism brain development as early as 6 months

New York, N.Y. -- The changes in brain development that underlie autism spectrum disorder (ASD) may be detectable in children as young as 6 months, according to research reported online today in the American Journal of Psychiatry. While core behaviors associated with ASD (impaired social communication and repetitive behaviors) tend to be identified after a baby's first birthday, researchers found clear differences in brain communication pathways as early as 6 months in infants who later received a definitive diagnosis of ASD.

OHSU discovery may someday lead to prevention and treatment of sudden infant death syndrome

Researchers at Oregon Health & Science University have discovered that brain cells commonly thought to play a supporting role actually are critically important for the growth of brainstem neurons responsible for cardiorespiratory control. The discovery has profound implications for the prevention and treatment of SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome), the leading cause of death in children aged one month to one year.

Queen's-led national study identifies mental health as a primary concern for Canada's youth

Canadian girls report higher levels of emotional problems and lower levels of emotional well-being and life satisfaction, while boys tend to experience more behavioural problems and demonstrate less prosocial behavior, a new Queen's University-led national study of youth health behavior shows. The study also emphasizes the importance of home, school, peers and local neighbourhood in the lives of young people. The varying interpersonal relationships that arise in these four different contexts may be critical for adolescent mental health.

Researchers make living model of brain tumor

PROVIDENCE, R.I. [Brown University] — Brown University scientists have created the first three-dimensional living tissue model, complete with surrounding blood vessels, to analyze the effectiveness of therapeutics to combat brain tumors. The 3-D model gives medical researchers more and better information than Petri dish tissue cultures.