Read more brain stories on Newserhttp://www.newser.com/taggrid/4072/brain.html2009 - Newseren-usNewser Feed GeneratorTue, 24 Nov 2009 6:33:38 CSThttp://www.newser.com/story/74197/music-prompts-memory-in-alzheimers-patients.html?utm_source=syn&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=tagTherapists and doctors who treat Alzheimer's are now using music not only to soothe and entertain their patients but to restore some cognitive function. For decades it's been recognized that Alzheimer's patients can still remember and sing songs long after they've stopped recognizing names and faces. Now it's thought that...http://www.newser.com/story/74197/music-prompts-memory-in-alzheimers-patients.html?utm_source=syn&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=tagTue, 17 Nov 2009 13:26:05 CSThttp://www.newser.com/story/73959/new-brain-cells-bump-old-memories.html?utm_source=syn&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=tagThe birth of new brain cells bumps old memories into long-term storage, according to new research which upends earlier theories. Researchers working with rodents found that the creation of new neurons destabilized existing connections in the hippocampus instead of strengthening them as they had expected, effectively "clearing the inbox" and...http://www.newser.com/story/73959/new-brain-cells-bump-old-memories.html?utm_source=syn&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=tagFri, 13 Nov 2009 5:03:00 CSThttp://www.newser.com/story/72866/bad-driving-is-in-the-genes.html?utm_source=syn&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=tagCertain people—perhaps up to 30% of the population—may be fated by their genetic makeup to be bad drivers, a new study suggests. Researchers tested a small group of people on a driving simulator and found that subjects with a particular gene variant weren't so hot at keeping up...http://www.newser.com/story/72866/bad-driving-is-in-the-genes.html?utm_source=syn&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=tagThu, 29 Oct 2009 16:37:56 CDThttp://www.newser.com/story/72585/multitasking-causes-serious-brain-drain.html?utm_source=syn&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=tagMultitasking isn’t helping you do anything faster, and constant exposure to multiple electronic media makes people really bad at—multitasking. “When you’re pushing yourself to perform two or more tasks, especially complicated tasks, it’s not beneficial,” a researcher tells the Boston Globe . “It’s extremely inefficient.” That's because no matter how...http://www.newser.com/story/72585/multitasking-causes-serious-brain-drain.html?utm_source=syn&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=tagMon, 26 Oct 2009 14:44:31 CDThttp://www.newser.com/story/71321/your-brain-has-a-neuron-just-for-tom-cruise.html?utm_source=syn&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=tagYou have a neuron in your brain devoted entirely to recognizing Tom Cruise. Another specializes in Barack Obama, yet another LeBron James, and, yes, Jon and Kate are taking up two. By studying a decade worth of brain activity, researchers have discovered a series of cells that act like celebrity...http://www.newser.com/story/71321/your-brain-has-a-neuron-just-for-tom-cruise.html?utm_source=syn&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=tagFri, 09 Oct 2009 11:47:29 CDThttp://www.newser.com/story/69943/cia-interrogations-caused-brain-damage-scientist.html?utm_source=syn&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=tagThe CIA's harsh interrogations are likely to have damaged the brains of terrorist suspects, diminishing their ability to recall and provide the detailed information the spy agency sought, according to a new scientific paper. The paper scrutinizes the techniques used by the CIA under the Bush administration through the lens...http://www.newser.com/story/69943/cia-interrogations-caused-brain-damage-scientist.html?utm_source=syn&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=tagMon, 21 Sep 2009 15:26:37 CDThttp://www.newser.com/story/69412/nfl-stars-donate-brains-to-science.html?utm_source=syn&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=tagThree NFL players have agreed to donate their brains after they die to help scientists better understand sports brain injuries, HealthDay reports. Matt Birk of the Baltimore Ravens, Lofa Tatupu of the Seattle Seahawks and the Arizona Cardinals' Sean Morey are the first active NFL players to join the brain...http://www.newser.com/story/69412/nfl-stars-donate-brains-to-science.html?utm_source=syn&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=tagTue, 15 Sep 2009 2:27:56 CDThttp://www.newser.com/story/69126/blueberry-smoothies-boost-brain-power.html?utm_source=syn&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=tagA blueberry smoothie in the morning is good for your brain in the afternoon—and in the long run, according to new research. Scientists at a British university found that one blueberry smoothie increased powers of concentration by as much as 20% in a single day. Consumption of blueberries can...http://www.newser.com/story/69126/blueberry-smoothies-boost-brain-power.html?utm_source=syn&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=tagFri, 11 Sep 2009 3:41:54 CDThttp://www.newser.com/story/68427/reckless-teens-have-more-mature-brains.html?utm_source=syn&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=tagConventional wisdom says that teens who experiment with drugs, sex, and other risky behaviors do so because their brains—specifically the frontal-lobe areas responsible for decision making—are immature. But a new study turns that notion upside down, suggesting that risky teens have more mature brains than teens who play...http://www.newser.com/story/68427/reckless-teens-have-more-mature-brains.html?utm_source=syn&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=tagWed, 02 Sep 2009 12:22:51 CDT