PAINLESS brain stimulation has successfully reversed memory loss in OAPs, a study shows. The groundbreaking technique could one day help halt the effects of dementia, researchers hope. Fixing faulty circuits It uses mild electrical current to reconnect “faulty circuits” in the brain. In early trials, scientists from Boston University managed to boost working memory in older participants to match those of people in their 20s. Working memory is needed for problem-solving, reasoning, and decision making. The effect lasted at least 50 minutes after treatment, but scientists suspect the improvement continues for hours. Paving the way for new treatments Lead researcher Robert Reinhart said brain power loss is a normal part of ageing. And claims it may be due to specific brain circuits becoming disconnected – something the new technique helps tackle. Prof Reinhart said: “These findings are important – because they not only give us new insights…but they also … [Read more...] about Electric current to the brain ‘REVERSES memory loss – and could tackle dementia’
Humans use how much of their brain
Maura Healey is not a fan of Martha Coakley’s new employer
Martha Coakley has a new job, and it’s at a company her successor is investigating. The former Massachusetts attorney general is joining the government affairs team at the e-cigarette giant Juul, the company confirmed Tuesday — just hours before the state’s current attorney general, Maura Healey, gave a speech about the dangers of their product. “Juul accounts for two-thirds of the $2 billion e-cigarette market in the United States — they’re so popular that vaping is also known as ‘Juuling’ — and way too much of their product winds up in our schools,” Healey said at a forum Tuesday night in Newton about the vaping “health epidemic.” “It’s a highly addictive product that shouldn’t be anywhere near the lungs or brains of a 12, 14, or 16-year-old child,” she said. “Worst of all, many of them have no idea that they’re taking any health risk at all — up to two-thirds think they … [Read more...] about Maura Healey is not a fan of Martha Coakley’s new employer
A mind-boggling trip into the human brain
Erin Blakemore, The Washington Post Published 7:25 am PDT, Monday, March 25, 2019 All about your brain www.BrainFacts.org - - - What weighs three pounds and is much more than a slimy, spongy mass? The human brain, of course. It's the most complex organ in the body - home to 86 billion neurons that act like a miraculous supercomputer, allowing our bodies to function and our minds to roam freely. But how much do you really know about your own brain? If you're brain-curious, a visit to BrainFacts.org may be in order. The site - a public initiative of the Kavli Foundation, the Gatsby Charitable Foundation and the Society for Neuroscience - is a database of all things brain. It's edited by neuroscientists who present a wealth of information about the human organ, from its anatomy to its place in society. The site has articles, videos and interactive features designed to make brain learning fun. It's appropriate for educators and students, but you don't have to be in school … [Read more...] about A mind-boggling trip into the human brain
How one of Silicon Valley’s hottest startups of the last 5 years blew a deal with Apple — twice
Kif Leswing, provided by Published 6:52 am PDT, Wednesday, October 31, 2018 San Francisco startup Leap Motion has developed a small Kinect-like device to replace the mouse, so that pointing, dragging, dropping, and shaping forms on a screen will be something you do with your hands in the space before your monitor. Apple offered to buy the augmented-reality startup Leap Motion multiple times, most recently in the spring of 2018. But insiders said the figure discussed was between $30 million and $50 million, a fraction of the company's Series B valuation of $306 million, and negotiations fell through just days before the deal was to be closed, according to people familiar with the matter. less San Francisco startup Leap Motion has developed a small Kinect-like device to replace the mouse, so that pointing, dragging, dropping, and shaping forms on a screen will be something you do with your hands in ... more Photo: … [Read more...] about How one of Silicon Valley’s hottest startups of the last 5 years blew a deal with Apple — twice
3 questions for the Celtics after their first 2 preseason games
COMMENTARY The human imagination is capable of some incredible things. We can step into a theoretical playground and perform amazing mental gymnastics that take us to places where reality isn’t a problem. Reality and theory have a complicated relationship, though. There are things we want to be true. There are things we think are, or can be, true. And there are things we hope to be true. The only way to know the actual truth is to experience reality, and then we can see how much of what we imagined holds up. For Celtics fans, this weekend was that initial exposure. Finally, Kyrie Irving’s knee and Gordon Hayward’s ankle and Jayson Tatum’s progression got to take their first steps out of our brains and onto a basketball court against NBA competition. We got our first side by side comparison of expectations versus reality to see if there’s any validity to those things we have been thinking for the past four months. The two games against Charlotte were the … [Read more...] about 3 questions for the Celtics after their first 2 preseason games