Revisiting reinforcement learning
A detailed new look at dopamine signaling suggests neuroscientists’ model of reinforcement learning may need to be revised.
Department
Brain and Cognitive Sciences
Study: Browsing negative content online makes mental health struggles worse
Researchers have developed a web plug-in to help those looking to protect their mental health make more informed decisions.
3 Questions: Claire Wang on training the brain for memory sports
The MIT sophomore and award-winning memory champion explains what these competitions are all about and why you might want to build a “memory palace.”
Four from MIT named 2025 Rhodes Scholars
Yiming Chen ’24, Wilhem Hector, Anushka Nair, and David Oluigbo will start postgraduate studies at Oxford next fall.
Neuroscientists create a comprehensive map of the cerebral cortex
Using fMRI, the research team identified 24 networks that perform specific functions within the brain’s cerebral cortex.
MIT Schwarzman College of Computing launches postdoctoral program to advance AI across disciplines
The new Tayebati Postdoctoral Fellowship Program will support leading postdocs to bring cutting-edge AI to bear on research in scientific discovery or music.
Brain pathways that control dopamine release may influence motor control
The newly identified pathways appear to relay emotional information that helps to shape the motivation to take action.
Model reveals why debunking election misinformation often doesn’t work
The new study also identifies factors that can make these efforts more successful.
Tiny magnetic discs offer remote brain stimulation without transgenes
The devices could be a useful tool for biomedical research, and possible clinical use in the future.
A new method makes high-resolution imaging more accessible
Labs that can’t afford expensive super-resolution microscopes could use a new expansion technique to image nanoscale structures inside cells.
The way sensory prediction changes under anesthesia tells us how conscious cognition works
A new study adds evidence that consciousness requires communication between sensory and cognitive regions of the brain’s cortex.
Mixing joy and resolve, event celebrates women in science and addresses persistent inequalities
The Kuggie Vallee Distinguished Lectures and Workshops presented inspiring examples of success, even as the event evoked frank discussions of the barriers that still hinder many women in science.
AI pareidolia: Can machines spot faces in inanimate objects?
New dataset of “illusory” faces reveals differences between human and algorithmic face detection, links to animal face recognition, and a formula predicting where people most often perceive faces.
Startup helps people fall asleep by aligning audio signals with brainwaves
Elemind, founded by researchers from MIT, has developed a headband that uses acoustic stimulation to move people into a sleep state.
Research quantifying “nociception” could help improve management of surgical pain
New statistical models based on physiological data from more than 100 surgeries provide objective, accurate measures of the body’s subconscious perception of pain.