A human failure, seen at face value

Humans excel at recognising faces, but how we do this has been an abiding mystery in neuroscience and psychology. In an effort to explain our success in this area, researchers are taking a closer look at how and why we fail. A new study from MIT looks at a particularly striking instance of failure: our impaired ability to recognize faces in photographic negatives. The study, which appears in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences this week, suggests that a large part of the answer might lie in the brain's reliance on a certain kind of image feature. The work could potentially lead to computer vision systems, for settings as diverse as industrial quality control or object and face detection. On a different front, the results and methodologies could help researchers probe face-perception skills in children with autism, who are often reported to experience difficulties analysing facial information.

Click to read more ...

Plasticity of the brain - an interview

This interview is very interesting - particularly if you have kids, If you like it, check out the next post...

Neuroscience: What is Brain Plasticity?

Neuroscience has changed considerably in the past 20 years. An example of change over period is the concept of brain plasticity. Brain plasticity refers to the brain’s ability to rewire itself, relocating information processing functions to different brain areas and/or neural networks. Two decades ago, it was believed that brain networks were static after its initial formation period. Now that belief has changed. The study of brain plasticity has profound implications in human learning and behaviour, and as such, for mental health. To better understand this concept, let’s take a quick tour of the human brain, neural networks, and the plastic potential therein.

Click to read more ...

The Right Brain vs Left Brain test

The Right Brain vs Left Brain test ... do you see the dancer turning clockwise or anti-clockwise? If clockwise, then you use more of the left side of the brain and vice versa. Most of us would see the dancer turning anti-clockwise though you can try to focus and change the direction; see if you can do it.

Brain neurons can remodel connections

An associate professor of neurobiology at the Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, and colleagues are finding that neurons in the adult brain can remodel their connections. This could lead to creating growth in cells and regions normally unable to repair themselves.

Click to read more ...