Don't go to sleep! Feeling down? Perhaps experiencing some winter blues? Sleep deprivation might be the answer. Neuroscientists at Tufts University have revealed an interesting mechanism behind this puzzling solution, by investigating the role of astrocytes. Claudia Pama • November 11, 2013
Learning is a series of sprints, not a marathon Many students (and people in general) like to mass their efforts to boost short-term performance when an important exam or deadline is approaching. Scientific research points to a more functional and efficient long-term strategy to raise performance. Edward Spruit • October 28, 2013
Eating to trust The administration of the amino acid tryptophan (TRP), contained in food such as fish, soy, eggs, and spinach, promotes interpersonal trust. This is the outcome of a study that we published in Psychological Science. Lorenza Colzato • October 21, 2013
Why aren’t robots doing my laundry yet? We are still waiting for robots that make our everyday life easier by doing the dishes and cleaning our homes. Of course, we have machines such as Roombas that can vacuum, sort of, but why do we still have to bother doing all those boring things ourselves? Roy de Kleijn • July 16, 2013
Decision making in the game of life Recent research has revealed a causal link between serotonin levels and people’s ‘sense of fairness’. A fascinating discovery because serotonin levels are in part dependent on what we eat. So, can you eat yourself toward a fairer world? Jonathan Barnhoorn • July 08, 2013 • 1 comment
The compensatory effects of food The economic crisis has resulted in many budget cuts in health care and general care programs. The population as a whole is aging, and yet we desire to stay independent as long as possible. How can we retain the cognitive abilities supporting independence? Laura Steenbergen • June 10, 2013
Can you ‘pose’ your way to success? Have you ever wondered why is it that sometimes you perform extremely well at presentations or job interviews while at other times your brain seems to freeze? Your performance in such tasks depends on the levels of two hormones: testosterone and cortisol. Tina van Dam • June 03, 2013 • 3 comments
Illuminate your mind: neuromodulation at the speed of light Optogenetics has been chosen as 'Method of the year 2010' by the journal Nature Methods. But what exactly is optogenetics? And how can we use this neuromodulation technique to better understand behaviour? Claudia Pama • May 27, 2013 • 1 comment
Running for happiness Why do some people run marathons? And why do they often appear to be so happy, even exhilarated after hours of running? There must be something wrong with them, or do they know something that we don't? Hans Revers • May 22, 2013 • 1 comment
