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Neuroscience
Study explores neurocognitive basis of bias against people who look different
Research from Penn Medicine shows brain responses and attitudes reinforce the “anomalous is bad” stereotype.
How to foster supported decision making for adults with cognitive impairment
Supported decision making helps medical professionals identify what people living with dementia can do, not what they can’t.
Risk-taking behavior has a signature in the brain, big data shows
While there is no such thing as a single “risk area” of the brain, a study of 12,000 people led by the Wharton School’s Gideon Nave found a connection between genes, lower levels of gray matter, and risky behavior.
Parkinson's disease pathology is tied to the activity of cell's 'recycling centers'
Genetic variations associated with both increases and reductions in risk of the neurodegenerative disease alter the action of ion channels within cellular organelles called lysosomes, a new Penn study finds.
Wharton School Press launches new virtual Meet the Authors series
Wharton School Press launches new virtual Meet the Authors series. The LinkedIn Live event series will feature leading Wharton faculty and other Wharton School Press authors in lively, fast-moving conversations about their books.
Self-awareness can drive behavior change, reprogram the brain’s reward system
Most people break New Year’s resolutions within a few weeks. Neuroscientist Vera Ludwig offers six tips to move mindfully through this process, leading to a greater chance for success.
Organoids to rebuild the brain
Penn neuroscientists are developing innovative ways to treat neurological diseases, including implanting neural tissue like a brain organoid to rebuild brain circuitry.
Scientists identify brain cells that drive wakefulness and resist general anesthetics
A new study that identifies the neurons that promote wakefulness supports a long-debated hypothesis that the brain’s sleep regulation mechanism also regulates its response to general anesthetics.
A modified game of ‘chicken’ reveals what happens in the brain during decision-making
Research from the Platt Labs found that in rhesus macaques, two regions of the brain mirror those of similar regions in humans, broadening the understanding of what unfolds, neurologically, when people interact and cooperate.
One step closer to a clinical fix for the side effects of monovision
Monovision counters the deterioration of the ability to see up close but also causes dramatic visual distortions. New research confirms that a solution that successfully works with trial lenses—the special lenses used by eye doctors—also succeeds with contact lenses.
In the News
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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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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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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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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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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The brain may interpret smells from each nostril differently
A study by postdoc Gulce Nazli Dikecligil in the Perelman School of Medicine suggests that the smells flowing through each nostril are processed as two separate signals in the part of the brain that receives smell inputs.
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