Biology lessons teach us that the brain is divided into separate areas, each of which processes a specific sense. But findings to be published in eLife show we can supercharge it to be more flexible.
Mar 15, 2016
0
411
Like a thick velvety headband, the somatosensory cortex arcs across the top of brain from just above one ear to the other.
Jun 16, 2022
0
116
It's an age-old quandary: Are we born "noble savages" whose best intentions are corrupted by civilization, as the 18th century Swiss philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau contended? Or are we fundamentally selfish brutes who ...
Mar 18, 2016
1
226
When we press our temples to soothe an aching head or rub an elbow after an unexpected blow, it often brings some relief. It is believed that pain-responsive cells in the brain quiet down when these neurons also receive touch ...
Dec 1, 2022
0
1146
Our hands and fingertips are amazingly sensitive to texture. We can easily distinguish coarse sandpaper from smooth glass, but we also pick up more subtle differences across a wide range of textures, like the slick sheen ...
Feb 8, 2019
0
118
Touch is the first of the five senses to develop, yet scientists know far less about the baby's brain response to touch than to, say, the sight of mom's face, or the sound of her voice.
Jan 16, 2018
0
111
More than ten percent of the cerebral cortex is involved in processing information about our sense of touch—a larger area than previously thought. This is the result of a joint study by researchers from the Max Planck Institute ...
Nov 25, 2019
0
61
Contrary to previous research, a new study by Neeraj Kumar and David Ostry at McGill University shows that somatosensory cortex is involved in retaining new motor skills. Published in the open-access journal PLOS Biology ...
Oct 15, 2019
0
210
Humans perceive tactile information, including pressure, pain, itch, temperature, vibration and movements, thanks to an intricate network of neurons situated in the brain and spinal cord. This network, referred to as the ...
It's long been known that meditative mindful breathing helps with various health conditions, including pain.
Oct 12, 2021
0
118
