Adverse early experiences, such as parental neglect, abuse, the death of a loved one, or other traumatic events, are known to influence how humans will behave as adults. For instance, studies have found that victims of childhood abuse are at a higher risk of...
When humans are completing a specific task, their minds can shift from what they are doing to their own internal thoughts. This shift of attention from a task to internal events, known as off-task thinking or mind-wandering, is well-documented and has been studied...
Past studies have consistently linked the spontaneous behaviors of mammals to variations in the activity of neurons within the cerebral cortex, the outer layer of the mammalian brain. However, the complex relationships between patterns of cortical activity and...
The brains of infants and young children are in continuous and rapid development. These changes are known to go hand in hand with early life learning and the fine-tuning of mental abilities over time.
Humans and other mammals can produce a wide range of sounds, while also modulating their volume and pitch. These sounds, also known as mammalian vocalizations, play a central role in communication between both animals of the same and of different species.
The orbitofrontal cortex (OFC), a subsection of the brain's frontal lobe, is known to play a part in value-based decision-making, the process of mentally weighing the outcome of different decisions and then selecting one. Value-based decisions include, for instance,...
Animals and humans follow specific daily patterns known as circadian rhythms, which naturally prompt their bodies to sleep, wake up, eat and have other physiological responses at specific times. The disruption of these rhythms can have adverse effects on both their...
Mammals can engage in a wide range of cooperative and aggressive social behaviors. These behaviors are known to be influenced by different neural circuits, yet the molecular underpinnings of these circuits and their development over time remain poorly understood.
Mindfulness practices are meditative exercises that encourage people to bring their awareness to what they are experiencing in the present moment, while trying not to interpret or judge these experiences. Studies have found that these practices can have numerous...
Recent technological advancements have opened invaluable opportunities for assisting people who are experiencing impairments or disabilities. For instance, they have enabled the creation of tools to support physical rehabilitation, to practice social skills, and to...