All posts tagged: neural

Your brain for sale? The new frontier of neural data

Your brain for sale? The new frontier of neural data

Published by skeptic

Your browsing history, your location, your political preferences. For years, tech companies have found ways to turn personal data into profit. Now, a new and far more intimate frontier is opening: the electrical signals produced by your brain. This is not science fiction. Nor is it about brain implants for paralysed patients or experimental medical procedures. A fast-growing consumer market of non-invasive neurotechnology – wearable headsets, brain activity-reading headbands, focus-enhancing devices – is already here, already being sold and already collecting neural data from ordinary users. But the legal and ethical frameworks to govern it are struggling to keep up. A landmark case from Chile shows why this matters. In August 2023, Chile’s Supreme Court issued the world’s first ruling on commercial neurodata. The case involved Senator Guido Girardi and Emotiv Inc, a San Francisco company selling the Insight wireless headset – a consumer device marketed for focus, meditation and cognitive performance. When Girardi began using it, he discovered that accepting the terms of service meant granting Emotiv a worldwide, irrevocable and perpetual licence over …

Brain scans shed light on how short videos impair memory and alter neural pathways

Brain scans shed light on how short videos impair memory and alter neural pathways

Published by José Betancourt

Watching fragmented short videos rather than a single continuous video leads to poorer memory recall and alters how the brain retrieves information. A recent experiment revealed that fast-paced episodic media formats disrupt the neural systems responsible for integrating details and maintaining cognitive control. These results were published in the journal npj Science of Learning. Media consumption has shifted dramatically toward bite-sized content on platforms such as TikTok and Instagram. This explosion of fast-paced entertainment has inspired intense public debate about its effects on the human mind. The term “brain rot” became a widely recognized phrase recently to describe the mental fatigue associated with scrolling through endless disconnected clips. The phenomenon has prompted parents and policymakers to question whether modern internet platforms are structurally altering human cognition. Psychologists and educators are particularly interested in how this type of media affects memory retention and focused learning. Many schools and training programs have recently adopted short instructional videos to boost student engagement. Despite the popularity of these micro-learning tools, research displays a conflicting picture of their mental benefits. …

Brain scans reveal the neural fingerprints of dark personality traits

Brain scans reveal the neural fingerprints of dark personality traits

Published by José Betancourt

People with personality traits associated with narcissism, Machiavellianism, and psychopathy exhibit distinct patterns of brain activity even while resting. A recent analysis of brain scans shows these individuals have heightened baseline activity in areas linked to strategic planning and reduced activity in regions responsible for empathy and self-reflection. The research was published in Cognitive, Affective, & Behavioral Neuroscience. Psychologists group three overlapping personality types under a single umbrella known as the dark triad. Narcissism involves a blend of grandiosity, a sense of deep entitlement, and underlying emotional vulnerability. Machiavellianism is characterized by cold, calculating manipulation and a general lack of empathy toward others. Psychopathy is defined by emotional callousness combined with highly impulsive or antisocial behavior. While these traits are often studied in people with clinical diagnoses or criminal histories, they exist on a continuum across the general population. Elevated levels of these characteristics often correlate with antisocial actions, prejudice, and aggression in everyday settings. Researchers have heavily concentrated on the psychological and behavioral outcomes of these antagonistic personalities. The biological foundations of this triarchic …

Brain scans reveal Democrats and Republicans use different neural pathways to buy groceries

Brain scans reveal Democrats and Republicans use different neural pathways to buy groceries

Published by José Betancourt

The way Republicans and Democrats think about everyday food purchases looks distinctly different on a brain scan, even when they end up buying the exact same groceries. This insight comes from a neuroimaging study published in the journal Politics and the Life Sciences, which revealed that people with different political affiliations rely on different neural pathways to make identical decisions. The researchers found they could accurately predict a person’s political party just by looking at their brain activity during a routine shopping task. The study sits at the intersection of neuroscience and political behavior. Researchers in this field look at how political ideology corresponds to brain structure and internal processing. Past experiments have shown that liberals and conservatives exhibit different neural activity when faced with situations involving physical threats, risky financial bets, or disgusting images. Those previous experiments generally used highly emotional or provocative triggers. The research team behind the new study wanted to see if political affiliation corresponds to different brain activity during ordinary decisions that lack obvious emotional weight. Choosing what to make …

Inside the neural implant letting paralyzed patients type at 110 characters per minute

Inside the neural implant letting paralyzed patients type at 110 characters per minute

Published by Jenni Sidey

Before his disease took his voice, he could type a message as fast as anyone. Now, with electrodes no larger than a grain of rice embedded near the surface of his brain, he can do it again, at 110 characters per minute, with an error rate that would make most smartphone users envious. That’s the core of what researchers from Mass General Brigham Neuroscience Institute and Brown University are reporting in Nature Neuroscience: a brain-computer interface that lets people with paralysis type using a standard QWERTY keyboard, not by moving their hands, but by simply attempting to. The system interprets the brain’s intention to move specific fingers and translates those signals into letters, in real time, with no physical movement required. Two participants tested the device as part of the BrainGate2 clinical trial. One has amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, a progressive disease that attacks the nerve cells controlling movement and speech. The other has a cervical spinal cord injury. Both used the system from their homes, not a research lab, a detail the team considers significant. …

NVIDIA DLSS 5 Real-Time Neural Rendering Explained

NVIDIA DLSS 5 Real-Time Neural Rendering Explained

Published by skeptic

Nvidia’s DLSS 5 represents a significant advancement in gaming graphics, combining real-time neural rendering with artificial intelligence to enhance visual quality. According to Daniel Owen, the system processes motion vectors and color data to generate realistic textures, dynamic lighting and lifelike materials. However, these improvements come with challenges, such as high hardware requirements and concerns over AI-driven enhancements potentially overshadowing artistic intent. Owen notes that developers can address some of these issues through features like adjustable intensity settings and masking options, though these solutions may disproportionately benefit larger studios with more resources. Explore how DLSS 5 balances realism with artistic stylization, including its implications for creative control in game design. Gain insight into the widening divide between AAA and indie developers as a result of resource-intensive technologies. Additionally, understand the technical challenges posed by latency and hardware demands and how these factors influence both development workflows and player experiences. NVIDIA DLSS 5 Key Features TL;DR Key Takeaways : DLSS 5 introduces real-time neural rendering, using AI to achieve near-photorealistic visuals with lifelike lighting, textures and …

Grandiose narcissists tend to show reduced neural sensitivity to errors

Grandiose narcissists tend to show reduced neural sensitivity to errors

Published by José Betancourt

Two studies of students in the U.K. revealed that individuals with pronounced grandiose narcissism traits tended to show blunted neural activity in response to errors. It is possible that this is the mechanism through which narcissists resist correcting themselves, bolstering their positive self-views. The paper was published in the Journal of Personality. Narcissism is a personality trait characterized by grandiosity, a strong need for admiration, and a tendency toward self-centeredness. Two major forms of narcissism are grandiose and vulnerable narcissism. Grandiose narcissism is marked by confidence, extraversion, and exhibitionism, whereas vulnerable narcissism involves defensiveness, insecurity, and hypersensitivity to criticism. Individuals high in narcissism tend to be very interested in seeking status and recognition. They often appear charismatic and competent to others. However, they tend to struggle with empathy and prioritize personal gain over collective welfare. Because of this internal contrast, narcissism is linked to both short-term social success and long-term relational instability. In leadership contexts, narcissistic individuals may make bold, visionary decisions but also take excessive risks. Theoretical models suggest that narcissists either mask underlying …

Neural signatures of impulsivity and neuroticism are largely distinct in youth

Neural signatures of impulsivity and neuroticism are largely distinct in youth

Published by José Betancourt

New research published in Molecular Psychiatry suggests that two major personality traits associated with alcohol use—impulsivity and neuroticism—stem from largely distinct brain networks. While both traits heighten the risk for problematic drinking in adolescents, the biological pathways driving that risk appear to be different. This finding supports the concept that there are multiple neurological routes that can lead to similar risky behaviors in youth. Impulsivity and neuroticism are well-known psychological risk factors for substance abuse, yet it remains unclear how these traits manifest in the brain’s complex wiring. Previous studies often focused on isolated brain regions rather than the broad communication patterns across the entire brain. The research team aimed to determine whether these two personality traits share a common neural foundation or if they operate through separate mechanisms. By mapping these connections, the scientists hoped to clarify how different vulnerabilities contribute to the onset of alcohol use during the critical developmental period of adolescence. “We are interested in understanding how risk factors in adolescence contribute to substance use problems later in life,” explained study …

Brain scans reveal neural connectivity deficits in Long COVID and ME/CFS

Brain scans reveal neural connectivity deficits in Long COVID and ME/CFS

Published by José Betancourt

New research suggests that the brains of people with Long COVID and Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) struggle to communicate effectively during mentally tiring tasks. While healthy brains appear to tighten their neural connections when fatigued, these patients show disrupted or weakened signals between key brain areas. This study was published in the Journal of Translational Medicine. ME/CFS and Long COVID are chronic conditions that severely impact the quality of life for millions of people. Patients often experience extreme exhaustion and “brain fog,” which refers to persistent difficulties with memory and concentration. A defining feature of these illnesses is post-exertional malaise. This describes a crash in energy and a worsening of symptoms that follows even minor physical or mental effort. Doctors currently lack a definitive biological test to diagnose these conditions. This makes it difficult to distinguish them from one another or from other disorders with similar symptoms. The research team sought to identify objective biological markers of these illnesses. Maira Inderyas, a PhD candidate at the National Centre for Neuroimmunology and Emerging Diseases at …

The neural path from genes to intelligence looks different depending on your age

The neural path from genes to intelligence looks different depending on your age

Published by José Betancourt

New research published in Scientific Reports provides evidence that the path from genetic predisposition to general intelligence travels through specific, frequency-dependent networks in the brain. The findings indicate that these neural pathways are not static but appear to shift significantly between early adulthood and older age. Intelligence is a trait with a strong biological basis. Previous scientific inquiries have established that genetic factors account for approximately 50% of the differences in intelligence between individuals. Genome-wide association studies have identified hundreds of specific variations in the genetic code that correlate with cognitive ability. These variations are often aggregated into a metric known as a polygenic score, which estimates an individual’s genetic propensity for a certain trait. Despite this knowledge, the specific biological mechanisms that translate a genetic sequence into the ability to reason, plan, and solve problems remain unclear. Scientists have hypothesized that the brain’s functional connectivity acts as the intermediary between genes and behavior. Functional connectivity refers to how well different regions of the brain communicate with one another. While past studies using functional magnetic …