Through
4/26
Neuroscience
The psychology of binge-watching
The psychology of binge-watching
Though binge-watching—and even the way we crave television at all—is a relatively recent phenomenon, the psychology behind why we become consumed in stories is actually a tale as old as time.
To reduce concussions in football, change kickoffs
To reduce concussions in football, change kickoffs
Research findings support an experimental rule in football that reduced concussions by moving the kickoff line from the 35- to 40-yard line and the touchback line from the 25- to 20-yard line.
What happens to the brain after a traumatic injury?
What happens to the brain after a traumatic injury?
Two undergrads interning with Penn Medicine’s Ramon Diaz-Arrastia spent the summer looking for biomarkers in the blood of TBI patients, and studying whether the generic form of Viagra might help promote recovery after such an injury.
New center will study the complex genomics within individual cells
New center will study the complex genomics within individual cells
Junhyong Kim and James Eberwine are leading a multi-disciplinary team in developing cutting-edge technologies that can assess the genetic material inside individual compartments of single cells. The new Center for Sub-Cellular Genomics aims to revolutionize therapies for diseases such as bipolar disorder, autism, and Alzheimer’s disease.
Finding patterns in a class of neurological disorders
Finding patterns in a class of neurological disorders
Research from Penn Engineering and the Perelman School of Medicine has found that the shared pattern is misfolded in Fragile X Syndrome, a member of the class of disorders that also includes ALS and Huntington’s disease
People who don’t read the news foresee which articles will go viral
People who don’t read the news foresee which articles will go viral
In an upcoming article in the journal Cerebral Cortex, researchers tracked activity in the brain's prefrontal cortex, and found that avid readers of the news had little change in brain activity from story to story, making them less accurate predictors of viral content.
Brain stimulation decreases intent to commit assault
Brain stimulation decreases intent to commit assault
Research from Penn Medicine and the Criminology department shows that using minimally invasive electrical currents on the prefrontal cortex can reduce the desire to carry out such violence and increase the perception that it’s morally wrong.
Uncovering the biological basis of aesthetics
Uncovering the biological basis of aesthetics
The new Penn Center for Neuroaesthetics, led by Anjan Chatterjee, will investigate the neural activity that dictates aesthetic experiences and choices
Sharing space to support ‘better science’
Sharing space to support ‘better science’
Across disciplines, Penn researchers in the Computational Neuroscience Initiative put their heads together to better understand the brain.
Hormones flatten social hierarchy and synchronize behaviors
Hormones flatten social hierarchy and synchronize behaviors
Findings from a study of male rhesus macaques from PIK professor Michael Platt and postdoc Yaoguang Jiang could lead to treatment options for social impairments in disorders like autism and schizophrenia.
In the News
Newsweek
Man does DNA test, not prepared for what comes back ‘unusually high’
César de la Fuente of the School of Engineering and Applied Science and Perelman School of Medicine says that Neanderthal DNA provides insights into human evolution, population dynamics, and genetic adaptations, including correlations with traits such as immunity and susceptibility to diseases.
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Associated Press
A new strategy to attack aggressive brain cancer shrank tumors in two early tests
A clinical trial led by Stephen Bagley of the Perelman School of Medicine suggests that targeting two associated proteins with CAR T cell therapy could be a viable strategy for shrinking brain tumors.
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Daily Mail (U.K.)
ADHD may have evolved more than 12,000 years ago as an advantage for foragers, study claims
A study led by David Barack of the Perelman School of Medicine suggests that ADHD may have played a major role in foraging and survival for ancient hunter-gatherers.
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The Wall Street Journal
How to stay mentally sharp into your 80s and beyond
According to David Wolk of the Perelman School of Medicine, a healthier body can help the brain respond better to the aging process.
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NPR
Blood tests can help diagnose Alzheimer’s—if they’re accurate enough. Not all are
Virginia Man-Yee Lee of the Perelman School of Medicine says it’s likely in the future that anyone older than 60 will get an Alzheimer’s test.
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The Economist
Some scientists think newborn neurons could reverse Alzheimer’s
Research co-authored by Hongjun Song of the Perelman School of Medicine strengthens the case for human neurogenesis, the development of new neurons from neural progenitor cells.
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