Josh Tenenbaum receives 2019 MacArthur Fellowship
Brain and cognitive sciences professor studies how the human mind is able to learn so rapidly.
Department
Brain and Cognitive Sciences
Study finds hub linking movement and motivation in the brain
Detailed observations in the lateral septum indicate region processes movement and reward information to help direct behavior.
Perception of musical pitch varies across cultures
How people interpret musical notes depends on the types of music they have listened to, researchers find.
Mehrdad Jazayeri and Hazel Sive awarded 2019 School of Science teaching prizes
Nominated by peers and students, professors in brain and cognitive sciences and biology are recognized for excellence in graduate and undergraduate education.
Hearing through the clatter
Study reveals brain regions that respond differently to the presence of background noise, suggesting the brain progressively hones in on and isolates sounds.
Robotic thread is designed to slip through the brain’s blood vessels
Magnetically controlled device could deliver clot-reducing therapies in response to stroke or other brain blockages.
IBM gives artificial intelligence computing at MIT a lift
Nearly $12 million machine will let MIT researchers run more ambitious AI models.
Two studies reveal benefits of mindfulness for middle school students
Focusing awareness on the present moment can enhance academic performance and lower stress levels.
New method classifies brain cells based on electrical signals
Making electrophysiology more informative, team shows how to distinguish four classes of cells by spike waveform.
A new way to deliver drugs with pinpoint targeting
Magnetic particles allow drugs to be released at precise times and in specific areas.
Finding the brain’s compass
A powerful method has allowed McGovern researchers to discover how the brain represents the complex world in simple shapes.
Study measures how fast humans react to road hazards
In “semiautonomous” cars, older drivers may need more time to take the wheel when responding to the unexpected.
How brain cells pick which connections to keep
Novel study shows protein CPG15 acts as a molecular proxy of experience to mark synapses for stabilization.
Speeding up drug discovery for brain diseases
Whitehead Institute team finds drugs that activate a key brain gene; initial tests in cells and mice show promise for rare, untreatable neurodevelopmental disorder.
Neuroscientists identify brain region linked to altered social interactions in autism model
In a mouse model, restoring activity of a specific forebrain region reverses social traits associated with autism.