MIT cognitive scientists reveal why some sentences stand out from others
Sentences that are highly dissimilar from anything we’ve seen before are more likely to be remembered accurately.
Department
Brain and Cognitive Sciences
Study finds key role for non-neural brain cells in processing vision
MIT researchers employed a novel application of tools and analysis to show that astrocytes ensure neural information processing by maintaining ambient levels of the neurotransmitter chemical GABA.
How the brain splits up vision without you even noticing
As an object moves across your field of view, the brain seamlessly hands off visual processing from one hemisphere to the other like cell phone towers or relay racers do, a new MIT study shows.
Study explains how a rare gene variant contributes to Alzheimer’s disease
Lipid metabolism and cell membrane function can be disrupted in the neurons of people who carry rare variants of ABCA7.
Alzheimer’s erodes brain cells’ control of gene expression, undermining function, cognition
Study of 3.5 million cells from more than 100 human brains finds Alzheimer’s progression — and resilience to disease — depends on preserving epigenomic stability.
A comprehensive cellular-resolution map of brain activity
An international collaboration of neuroscientists, including MIT Professor Ila Fiete, developed a brain-wide map of decision-making at cellular resolution in mice.
New gift expands mental illness studies at Poitras Center for Psychiatric Disorders Research
A commitment from longtime supporters Patricia and James Poitras ’63 initiates multidisciplinary efforts to understand and treat complex psychiatric disorders.
Imaging tech promises deepest looks yet into living brain tissue at single-cell resolution
By combining several cutting-edge imaging technologies, a new microscope system could enable unprecedentedly deep and precise visualization of metabolic and neuronal activity, potentially even in humans.
Learning from punishment
A new computational model makes sense of the cognitive processes humans use to evaluate punishment.
How the brain distinguishes oozing fluids from solid objects
A new study finds parts of the brain’s visual cortex are specialized to analyze either solid objects or flowing materials like water or sand.
Connect or reject: Extensive rewiring builds binocular vision in the brain
A first-of-its-kind study in mice shows neurons add and shed synapses at a frenzied pace during development to integrate visual signals from the two eyes.
How an MIT professor introduced hundreds of thousands of students to neuroscience
With an emphasis on approachability, Professor Mark Bear’s “Neuroscience: Exploring the Brain” enters its fourth decade as the text of undergraduate neuroscience classes worldwide.
Gift from Dick Larson establishes Distinguished Professorship in Data, Systems, and Society
Sasha Rakhlin, a professor in IDSS and brain and cognitive sciences, has been named the inaugural holder of the new professorship.
Study: Babies’ poor vision may help organize visual brain pathways
MIT researchers found that low-quality visual input early in life may contribute to the development of key pathways in the brain’s visual system.
Accelerating scientific discovery with AI
FutureHouse, co-founded by Sam Rodriques PhD ’19, has developed AI agents to automate key steps on the path toward scientific progress.