During the opening ceremony of the 2014 football World Cup in Brazil, Juliano Pinto stepped onto the field of the Corinthians Arena. The man was about to make history. Flanked by two opposing teams, Mr Pinto stepped up to take the opening kick-off of the tournament. His left foot struck out to meet the ball and he raised…
Tag: neuroscience
First Person Shooters May Be Effective As A Brain Rehabilitation Treatment
One wouldn’t immediately think to use First Person Shooters as a brain rehabilitation technique, unless of course you are Alexandra Vakili from Macquarie University in Australia. He is the lead researcher on a remarkable study which investigated whether video games such as Halo, Call of Duty and Doom could improve the functioning of cognitive processes damaged…
Remarkable Study Shows Immune System’s Effect On Social Interactions
Researchers from the University of Virginia’s Centre for Brain Immunology and Glia have made a remarkable discovery; the immune system has a direct and measurable impact on our social interactions. For decades scientists have believed that the brain is “immune privileged”, meaning that there is no direct connection from the brain to the immune system. In…
Brain Vital Sign Tests May Become A Routine Assessment for All
Imagine going to your GP and having your heart-rate or blood pressure tested. Completely normal, right? Now imagine how you’d react if your doctor pulled out an electrode cap and tried to measure your brain function. At best, most people might be a little concerned. Researchers at Simon Fraser University are hoping that future generations will…
A Salty Brain May Stop You From Sleeping
Many of us know what it’s like to suffer through a bad night’s sleep. We toss and turn, our thoughts doing likewise, and no matter how we lie we just can’t get comfortable. Our body is screaming at us to go to sleep but our brains are resolutely refusing to do so. Many believe this restlessness to…
Anorexia May Be Caused by Bacterial Infection
Anorexia Nervosa is a notoriously difficult condition both to characterise and treat. It is generally known as an eating disorder but has strong links to anxiety disorders such as Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, attachment disorders, depression and even other eating disorders. There are a surprisingly small number of studies which have investigated how best to treat…
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