Scientists identify specific brain region and circuits controlling attention
Norepinephrine-producing neurons in the locus coeruleus produce attention focus, impulse control via two distinct connections to prefrontal cortex.
Nov. 3, 2020 • ~8 min
neuroscience anxiety biology optogenetics research behavior school-of-science brain-and-cognitive-sciences picower-institute
Study helps explain why motivation to learn declines with age
Research on mice suggests aging affects a brain circuit critical for learning to make some types of decisions.
Oct. 27, 2020 • ~8 min
neuroscience aging research behavior school-of-science brain-and-cognitive-sciences mcgovern-institute
Study suggests animals think probabilistically to distinguish contexts
New statistical model may help scientists understand how animals infer whether surroundings are novel or haven’t changed enough to be a new context.
Aug. 12, 2020 • ~6 min
biology memory research behavior school-of-science brain-and-cognitive-sciences center-for-brains-minds-and-machines picower-institute
Data systems that learn to be better
Storage tool developed at MIT CSAIL adapts to what its datasets’ users want to search.
Aug. 10, 2020 • ~7 min
machine-learning artificial-intelligence data research behavior school-of-engineering computer-science-and-technology algorithms computer-science-and-artificial-intelligence-laboratory-csail electrical-engineering-and-computer-science-eecs
What can your microwave tell you about your health?
An MIT system uses wireless signals to measure in-home appliance usage to better understand health tendencies.
May 18, 2020 • ~6 min
machine-learning internet-of-things covid-19 research sensors wireless behavior school-of-engineering computer-science-and-technology computer-science-and-artificial-intelligence-laboratory-csail health-sciences-and-technology electrical-engineering-and-computer-science-eecs mit-schwarzman-college-of-computing
“She” goes missing from presidential language
Even when people believed Hillary Clinton would win the 2016 election, they did not use “she” to refer to the next president.
Jan. 8, 2020 • ~10 min
linguistics politics language women research behavior school-of-science brain-and-cognitive-sciences national-institutes-of-health-nih
Controlling attention with brain waves
Study shows that people can boost attention by manipulating their own alpha brain waves.
Dec. 4, 2019 • ~7 min
neuroscience research behavior school-of-science brain-and-cognitive-sciences mcgovern-institute
Predicting people's driving personalities
System from MIT CSAIL sizes up drivers as selfish or selfless. Could this help self-driving cars navigate in traffic?
Nov. 18, 2019 • ~7 min
robotics machine-learning artificial-intelligence robots research autonomous-vehicles transportation automobiles behavior school-of-engineering computer-science-and-artificial-intelligence-laboratory-csail computer-vision electrical-engineering-and-computer-science-eecs
Investigating the power of group think
Political science doctoral student Clara Vandeweerdt studies how identity shapes beliefs on complex political topics such as climate change.
Nov. 7, 2019 • ~7 min
politics media graduate social-sciences research behavior students media-lab school-of-architecture-and-planning school-of-humanities-arts-and-social-sciences political-science science-communications postdoctoral
Study finds hub linking movement and motivation in the brain
Detailed observations in the lateral septum indicate region processes movement and reward information to help direct behavior.
Sept. 19, 2019 • ~6 min
neuroscience biology research behavior school-of-science alumniae brain-and-cognitive-sciences picower-institute
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