You’re in the middle of a conversation and suddenly turn away because you heard your name. While this ‘cocktail party effect’ of turning our attention toward self-related stimulation is well-known, scientist don’t know if something similar happens inside our heads. By testing for ‘self-referential bias’ in working memory, researchers are starting to understand how our […]

A team of scientists reports finding the first evidence that the human hippocampus is necessary for future planning. The findings link its long-established role in memory with our ability to use our knowledge to map out the future effects of our actions. Read Full Article (External Site) Dr. David LowemannDr. David Lowemann, M.Sc, Ph.D., is […]

If functionality of the brain’s amygdala is impaired, illusory perceptions arise much faster and more pronounced. This was discovered by a team of researchers, who studied identical twins in whom both amygdalae are damaged. Further experiments with volunteers showed that this brain structure, which is widely known for its eminent role in fear processing, apparently […]