learning

Genes activated in new environments include those used during development.

This year, neuroscience researchers made important discoveries related to how neurodegeneration attacks the human brain, hooked cultured neurons up to machinery to teach them to play a video game, and more.

While guppies with larger optic lobes were champions at learning visual discrimination tasks, guppies with larger telencephalons fared better when researchers switched things up.

The relative sizes of specific parts of the guppy brain may explain why some fish are better at learning certain tasks than others. 

The DishBrain system can send and receive electrophysiological signals to and from living neurons, training the cells to accomplish a task.

Macaques continued to search for answers to an unsolvable laboratory task, seemingly refusing to believe that the correct answers were random and inconsistent.

Low-intensity electrical stimulation allows older adults to better recall a list of words for at least a month following the treatment, a study finds, providing further evidence for the debated idea that electrical stimulation can enhance cognitive performance.

When unexpected events occur, norepinephrine signals mouse brains to pay attention to key details.

Researchers observe that dolphins in a pod in the Red Sea regularly rub against certain corals and sponges, perhaps to sooth their skin by prompting the invertebrates to release mucus that contains antimicrobial compounds.

Like in humans, the neurotransmitter appears to play a role in generating wanting-like behavior and, perhaps, happy memories in honeybees.

People who had cognitive functions depleted by noninvasive brain stimulation or a mentally demanding task could subconsciously recognize individual words in a made-up language more easily than controls, researchers find.

A look back at some of the articles we most enjoyed reading, writing, and editing this year

Beyond The Scientist’s coverage of COVID-19’s molecular underpinnings were many other stories highlighting the advances made in scientists’ understanding of the biology of cells.

His work bridged the gap between psychology and neurobiology.

A controversial idea from the mid-20th century is attracting renewed attention from researchers developing theories for how cognition arises with or without a brain.

Historical and modern experiments have hinted that unicelluar organisms can learn from their experiences, but the idea still has its critics.

Mice and flies given the polyamine in their diet have increased brain cell metabolism and cognitive function, and epidemiological data hints at a similar benefit in humans.

Graduate student advocacy groups were central to designing the program, which provides a semester of funding if a trainee needs time to find a new mentor.

Honeybees can remember reward-associated odors three days after a single learning experience.