Monkeys
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‘What Is Intelligence?’: An excerpt
In his new book, published today, Blaise Agüera y Arcas examines the fundamental aspects of intelligence in biological and artificial systems. In this excerpt from Chapter 4, he examines temporal difference, a reinforcement learning algorithm.

‘What Is Intelligence?’: An excerpt
In his new book, published today, Blaise Agüera y Arcas examines the fundamental aspects of intelligence in biological and artificial systems. In this excerpt from Chapter 4, he examines temporal difference, a reinforcement learning algorithm.
Vasopressin boosts sociability in solitary monkeys
Inhaling the hormone did not increase aggression in unsociable rhesus macaques and appears to help the animals remember faces and reciprocate friendly behaviors.

Vasopressin boosts sociability in solitary monkeys
Inhaling the hormone did not increase aggression in unsociable rhesus macaques and appears to help the animals remember faces and reciprocate friendly behaviors.
Expanding set of viral tools targets almost any brain cell type
Harmless viruses that encase short noncoding DNA elements called enhancers enable cell-type-specific gene delivery across the central nervous system in rodents and primates.
Expanding set of viral tools targets almost any brain cell type
Harmless viruses that encase short noncoding DNA elements called enhancers enable cell-type-specific gene delivery across the central nervous system in rodents and primates.
Monkeys’ amygdala cells adapt to social status
The cells’ activity reflects social hierarchies and may enable flexible behavior.

Monkeys’ amygdala cells adapt to social status
The cells’ activity reflects social hierarchies and may enable flexible behavior.
Brain patterning in utero may be implicated in autism, other conditions
Genes tied to several conditions are expressed in regions that control neural stem cell fate within the first few months post-conception.

Brain patterning in utero may be implicated in autism, other conditions
Genes tied to several conditions are expressed in regions that control neural stem cell fate within the first few months post-conception.
Monkeys build mental maps to navigate new tasks
Cognitive maps, also known as world models, allow animals to imagine novel scenarios based on past experiences.

Monkeys build mental maps to navigate new tasks
Cognitive maps, also known as world models, allow animals to imagine novel scenarios based on past experiences.
Newly found circuit through visual cortex powers first look at faces
The superior colliculus, an evolutionarily ancient brain area responsible for eye movements, responds to faces before the canonical face areas do, a study of macaque monkeys suggests.

Newly found circuit through visual cortex powers first look at faces
The superior colliculus, an evolutionarily ancient brain area responsible for eye movements, responds to faces before the canonical face areas do, a study of macaque monkeys suggests.
2024 Kavli Prize awarded for research on face-selective brain areas
Studies by Nancy Kanwisher, Winrich Freiwald and Doris Tsao revealed how the brains of humans and other primates identify faces and helped establish an understanding of brain specialization.

2024 Kavli Prize awarded for research on face-selective brain areas
Studies by Nancy Kanwisher, Winrich Freiwald and Doris Tsao revealed how the brains of humans and other primates identify faces and helped establish an understanding of brain specialization.
Monkey studies throw wrench into decade-old idea about movement’s effect on visual cortex
Movements that boost activity in the visual cortex of mice have the opposite or no effect in marmosets and macaques, prompting questions about whether mice are a suitable model for the primate visual system.

Monkey studies throw wrench into decade-old idea about movement’s effect on visual cortex
Movements that boost activity in the visual cortex of mice have the opposite or no effect in marmosets and macaques, prompting questions about whether mice are a suitable model for the primate visual system.
Remembering Peter Schiller, principled pioneer of vision research
Schiller, best known for his research on how the superior colliculus controls eye movements, died last month at the age of 92.

Remembering Peter Schiller, principled pioneer of vision research
Schiller, best known for his research on how the superior colliculus controls eye movements, died last month at the age of 92.
Explore more from The Transmitter
Protein tug-of-war controls pace of synaptic development, sets human brains apart
Human-specific duplicates of SRGAP2 prolong cortical development by manipulating SYNGAP, an autism-linked protein that slows synaptic growth.

Protein tug-of-war controls pace of synaptic development, sets human brains apart
Human-specific duplicates of SRGAP2 prolong cortical development by manipulating SYNGAP, an autism-linked protein that slows synaptic growth.
Neurons tune electron transport chain to survive onslaught of noxious stimuli
Nociceptors tamp down the production of reactive oxygen species in response to heat, chemical irritants or toxins.

Neurons tune electron transport chain to survive onslaught of noxious stimuli
Nociceptors tamp down the production of reactive oxygen species in response to heat, chemical irritants or toxins.
Vicente Raja brings ecological psychology concepts to neuroscience
He suggests neuroscientists should pay more attention to the principles of Gibsonian ecological psychology, such as affordances, ecological information and resonance, to better explain perception and action.
Vicente Raja brings ecological psychology concepts to neuroscience
He suggests neuroscientists should pay more attention to the principles of Gibsonian ecological psychology, such as affordances, ecological information and resonance, to better explain perception and action.