Sparse, small, but diverse neural connections help make perception reliable, efficient
First detailed mapping and modeling of thalamus inputs onto visual cortex neurons show brain leverages “wisdom of the crowd” to process sensory information.
Portable cap can measure cognition with pulsed laser light
The cap will help researchers gain new insight into how the brain functions.
How Huntington’s disease affects different neurons
A new study identifies cells that are the most vulnerable within a brain structure involved in mood and movement.
New technologies reveal cross-cutting breakdowns in Alzheimer’s disease
“Single-cell profiling” is helping neuroscientists see how disease affects major brain cell types and identify common, potentially targetable pathways.
Holding information in mind may mean storing it among synapses
Comparing models of working memory with real-world data, MIT researchers find information resides not in persistent neural activity, but in the pattern of its connections.
Portraiture at the intersection of art, science, and society
Exhibit at MIT's Koch Institute attempts to make visible the luminary personalities behind major scientific and engineering advances.
Self-assembling proteins can store cellular “memories”
Using these engineered proteins, researchers can record histories that reveal when certain genes are activated or how cells respond to a drug.
Professor Emeritus Richard Wurtman, influential figure in translational research, dies at 86
Longtime MIT professor of neuroscience led research behind 200 patents, laying the groundwork for numerous medical products.
Cognitive scientists develop new model explaining difficulty in language comprehension
Built on recent advances in machine learning, the model predicts how well individuals will produce and comprehend sentences.
New sensor uses MRI to detect light deep in the brain
Using this approach, researchers can map how light spreads in opaque environments.
This is your brain. This is your brain on code
MIT researchers are discovering which parts of the brain are engaged when a person evaluates a computer program.
Featured video: Fernanda De La Torre’s long journey to MIT
The MIT PhD student grew up in Mexico and crossed into the US on foot at age 12. Today she’s working in two different labs in the Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences.
Five from MIT named 2023 Quad Fellows
The new fellowship from the governments of Australia, India, Japan, and the United States, administered by Schmidt Futures, supports graduate education in STEM fields.
Small studies of 40-hertz sensory stimulation confirm safety, suggest Alzheimer’s benefits
MIT researchers report early-stage clinical study results of tests with noninvasive 40-hertz light and sound treatment.
Three MIT seniors win 2024 Schwarzman Scholarships
Sara V. Fernandez, Amanda Hu, and Brigette Wang will spend the 2023-24 academic year at Tsinghua University in China studying global affairs.