Astrocytes or astroglia, the largest glial cell population in the central nervous system (CNS), perform numerous vital functions. Among other things, these glial cells (i.e., cells supporting functions of the nervous system) are involved in regulating the flow of...
Humans and animals can exhibit a wide variety of behaviors when interacting with their peers. These include both prosocial behaviors, voluntary actions aimed at supporting or helping others, and selfish or opportunistic behaviors, which prioritize one's own needs or...
In recent years, many roboticists and psychologists have been assessing the value of social robots as companions and assistants for older adults. Although some findings suggest that they could be useful, so far, they have only been implemented in a few elderly care...
Past neuroscience studies have consistently demonstrated that the aging of the mammalian nervous system is liked with a decline in the volume and functioning of white matter, nerve fibers found in deep brain tissues. Although this is now a well-established finding,...
The dentate gyrus (DG) is a region of the mammalian brain known to support the encoding of new memories. This brain region is part of the hippocampal formation, a set of brain regions involved in vital memory functions.
The abuse of alcoholic beverages can increase the risk of numerous serious mental and physical health problems, including addiction, liver diseases, heart disease, strokes, and cancer. Identifying cues and contexts that promote alcohol consumption, as well as the...
When humans and other mammals perform voluntary movements, a series of neural processes take place. The cerebral cortex, the outer region of the brain, sends signals to motor units (i.e., neurons) in the spinal cord, which in turn activate individual muscles.
When humans and animals face a specific situation or problem, they typically have an overall idea of how to approach it. For instance, when walking into a shop, humans will know that they should tell a shop assistant what they are looking for or simply browse the...
Past neuroscience and psychology studies have found that having power over others can have profound effects on humans, sometimes changing the way they think, their behaviors, and how they perceive themselves, other humans, and social relationships. For instance, some...
People often need to adapt to unexpected and sudden events, such as a road construction or a road accident while driving, a broken automatic payment or ATM machine, and changes in weather. To effectively deal with these events, they must possess what is known as...