Each part of the body has its own nerve cell area in the brain — we therefore have a map of our bodies in our heads. The functional significance of these maps is largely unclear. What effects they can have is now shown by Ruhr-University Bochum (Germany) neuroscientists through reaction time measurements combined with learning experiments and “computational modeling.” They have been able to demonstrate that inhibitory influences of neighboring “finger nerve cells” affect the reaction time of a finger.
memory
It’s not solitaire: Brain activity differs when one plays against others
Researchers have found a way to study how our brains assess the behavior and likely future actions of others during competitive social interactions. Their study, described in a paper in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, is the first to use a computational approach to tease out differing patterns of brain activity during these interactions, the researchers report.
Research team takes new approach to studying differences between human and monkey brains
(Medical Xpress) — In order to provide more insight into how human and monkey brains are similar and how they’re different, a research team has taken a different approach to studying both to find out which parts of the brains of each respond in similar ways, and which, if any, differ, when exposed to a shared experience. In this case, the team, as they describe in their paper published in Nature Methods, describe how they exposed groups of humans and monkeys to the same section of a Hollywood movie, while monitoring them via fMRI and found some brain areas responded in both groups as expected, while others were a complete surprise.
Brains of addicts are inherently abnormal: study (Update)
(Medical Xpress) — Researchers funded by the Medical Research Council (MRC) at the University of Cambridge have identified a brain abnormality which is found in drug-dependent individuals as well as their siblings who have had no history of drug addiction. The brain abnormality identified by the researchers makes it more difficult for individuals to exercise self-control.
Could brain size determine whether you are good at maintaining friendships?
(Medical Xpress) — Researchers are suggesting that there is a link between the number of friends you have and the size of the region of the brain known as the orbital prefrontal cortex that is found just above the eyes.