MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences UnitA new study has revealed that focal hippocampal lesions disrupt structural and functional connectivity even between distal brain regions potentially contributing to the amnesia experienced by these individuals. The lead researcher, Rik Henson, said “These individuals are rare and their involvement illustrates the value of collaborations between the MRC CBU and the Neuropsychology Department […]
Transcranial Random Noise Stimulation Does Not Enhance the Effects of Working Memory Training
A study has shown that brain stimulation does not enhance any training gains from working memory training. Working memory (WM) is the cognitive ability that enables us to remember information for short periods of time. It also allows us to juggle multiple thoughts and focus on what we are doing. Individuals with poor WM struggle […]
Chaucer Club Programme Michaelmas 2016
The Michaelmas Term programme of Chaucer Club talks is now published. All talks are free and open to all, we do however have limited space and entry is first come first served. You can find the programme here http://www.mrc-cbu.cam.ac.uk/seminar-information/chaucer-club/ There is limited parking at the CBU Please find details of how to get to the […]
When One Is More Than Two: Increasing Our Memory
Roni Tibon and Elisa Cooper publish an article, aimed at children, about increasing memory. In the article published in Frontiers for Young Minds, Roni Tibon and Elisa Cooper explain how to increase our ability to remember, either for a few seconds or for many years. They explain that memory is a way of thinking that ties together several pieces […]
Different types of memory change at different rates
New study shows age related differences in memory depend on age related grey matter integrity and the integrity of white matter connections. Many of us experience memory problems as we grow older, but different types of memory change at different rates. A recent study from the Cambridge Centre for Ageing and Neuroscience (CamCAN; www.cam-can.org), […]
Strength of connections in the brain support mental speed and agility
New study using MRI assesses which mental and neural differences affect fluid intelligence. The ability to solve abstract reasoning problems, sometimes known as ‘fluid intelligence’, plays a central role in many day to day activities across the lifespan. Cam-CAN researchers have studied which mental and neural differences play a role in supporting fluid intelligence. They […]
Evidence of changes to children’s brain rhythms following ‘brain training’
A new study found evidence that ‘brain training’ changed brain signalling but no indication of other benefits. The research team tested whether it is possible to improve memory skills in childhood with training. The study published by Dr Duncan Astle in the Journal of Neuroscience had children playing games that taxed their short-term memory. For half the […]
Exciting new multivariate measure of functional connectivity
Functional connectivity is a popular technique used to study the brain’s functional architecture. The method that is typically used to study connectivity in fMRI data involves averaging signals (voxels) from regions of interest and computing Pearson correlations to determine the connectivity between different regions. In a recent study in Neuroimage, Linda Geerligs and Richard […]
