When you’re sleeping, your brain starts sorting. It has the important role of deciding whether the memories you made that day are worth saving or throwing away. If you get hired for a new job, your brain will store that information, but what time you put your left sock on this morning isn’t on the […]
What makes a memory worth keeping? Sleep has the choice Read More »
The immense capability of the human brain quickly disappears after death. A once–thriving organ built of intricate framework becomes pure mush, leaving behind an empty skull. Decomposition, marked by two processes, primarily affects soft tissues, the material from which organs are built. Within hours postmortem, autolysis causes the leakage of cellular enzymes into surrounding tissues,
From ruins to research: How an ancient brain survived to help understand Alzheimer’s Read More »
Square breathing, leaves on a stream, mindfulness, and more. These seemingly random words make up some of the most common meditation techniques and exercises that individuals around the world use in their day to day lives. Whether it be to relieve a momentary stressor, or a part of one’s weekly therapeutic routine, meditation has long
Neuroscience meets namaste: The brainy benefits of meditation Read More »
How does a song get “stuck” in your head? The repetitive, catchy verse from a song that your brain continually replays is known as an earworm. A 2020 study found that 97% of American college students experience earworms for over an hour. While songwriters and advertisers take advantage of earworms to increase engagement and make
Earworms: The musical itch Read More »
How does a song get “stuck” in your head? The repetitive, catchy verse from a song that your brain continually replays is known as an earworm. A 2020 study found that 97% of American college students experience earworms for over an hour. While songwriters and advertisers take advantage of earworms to increase engagement and make
Earworms: The musical itch Read More »
Music has been a powerful vessel for conveying feelings, messages, and stories for hundreds of years. A simple tune can evoke forgotten memories, inspire creativity, or calm the soul. The connection between music and emotions is no secret. The real mystery lies in how the wiring of the brain is able to break down complex
As many parents like to advise, “Do as I say, not as I do.” This seems pretty simple, but the brain actually works directly against this expression — we are all wired to mimic what we observe. Mirror neurons are brain cells that fire in identical patterns when watching a behavior and performing that behavior.
Mirror, mirror, in the brain Read More »
Traumatic experiences leave invisible scars that often require psychological intervention for healing. Patients with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) often report feeling unsafe living in their own bodies due to the numbness and frequent flashbacks. Boston’s Dr. Bessel van der Kolk, author and leading expert on traumatic stress, argues that “trauma changes the way people perceive
The Body Keeps The Score: Immune responses to PTSD Read More »
“It wasn’t logic, it was love,” said Carrie Bradshaw, the main character of “Sex and the City.” after she took back the man who left her at the altar. In the show, Carrie is a columnist who writes about sex, love, and relationships, all while navigating her own and her friends’ experiences dating in the