"I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work," said Thomas Edison. He was certainly successful in making that statement; a new MRI study has found that when the brain is able to learn from its mistakes, failure is actually a rewarding experience. The study, by researchers from the University of Southern [...]
How do you sleep? Most people have a fairly consistent sleeping location, schedule and position. And, according to new MRI research, the position you favour may have something to do with long-term brain health. Researchers from Stony Brook University in New York state have learned, through MRI scanning, that sleeping on one's side opens the [...]
New research has proven what perhaps many Vancouverites already know: time spent in nature is therapeutic for mental health. A study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Science has shown that a mere 90 minutes on a hiking trail (or even just setting up camp in wild surroundings) decreases activity in the regions of [...]
A troubling new MRI study has uncovered that there are differences in brain development between wealthy and impoverished children. The study, called Family income, parental education and brain structure in children and adolescents was published in Nature Neuroscience spring 2015. It is the largest socioeconomic MRI brain study to date; its researchers spent 3 years studying [...]
While researchers can't claim to know the source of creativity, they are indeed getting closer to understanding where it occurs in the brain. A new MRI study from Stanford University has linked the cerebellum, the region of the brain responsible with coordinating movement, to creative output. The study, entitled Pictionary-based fMRI paradigm to study the [...]
Tomatoes, olive oil, whole grain breads and pastas, feta cheese, hummus, roasted red peppers, fresh fish--are you hungry yet? The above foods (and more!) are staples of the Mediterranean diet, an ancient lifestyle that regularly gets good press for its heart-healthy benefits. Now, thanks to a new MRI study, we can add enhanced brain volume [...]
Why do some people have such a hard time quitting smoking? The benefits of smoking are nonexistent, yet the risks are high: smoking is the number one cause of preventable death in the U.S. Knowing this, many smokers are able to successfully kick the habit, but what of the ones who can't? A new MRI study [...]
A good education begins at home, long before kindergarten, according to a new MRI study. While anecdotal evidence is in agreement (many parents have made this claim!) there has never before been a scientific study correlating early childhood reading sessions with future literary success, until now. The findings of the study, entitled Parent-Child Reading Increases [...]
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), found in large quantities in cities, are toxic particulates in the air caused by smoke, vehicle emissions, fossil fuels and other pollutants. Previous studies have linked exposure to PAHs to increased risk of suicide, and now a new study's findings may link prenatal exposure to PAHs to slower cognitive processing and [...]
Have you ever driven an unfamiliar, winding highway as a tourist? Spotting locals is easy--they're the ones passing and speeding on the treacherous roads! People tend to get reckless as they grow increasingly familiar with their surroundings. Similarly, humans tend to ignore online security warnings once they've habituated to them, a new MRI study reports. [...]