Cognitive neuroscience
Recent articles
Keith Hengen and Woodrow Shew explore criticality and cognition
The two discuss their evolving views of brain criticality as a central organizing principle of cognition, development and learning.
Keith Hengen and Woodrow Shew explore criticality and cognition
The two discuss their evolving views of brain criticality as a central organizing principle of cognition, development and learning.
What do neuroscientists mean when they use the term ‘representation’?
A group of neuroscientists and philosophers discuss the use and misuse of the term "representation" across the cognitive sciences and how it influences the way we interpret the connection between neural, behavioral and mental activity.
What do neuroscientists mean when they use the term ‘representation’?
A group of neuroscientists and philosophers discuss the use and misuse of the term "representation" across the cognitive sciences and how it influences the way we interpret the connection between neural, behavioral and mental activity.
Learning in living mice defies classic synaptic plasticity rule
Donald Hebb’s theory—memorably summarized as “cells that fire together, wire together”—does not explain the shifting hippocampal connections in mice learning to navigate a virtual environment, according to a new study.

Learning in living mice defies classic synaptic plasticity rule
Donald Hebb’s theory—memorably summarized as “cells that fire together, wire together”—does not explain the shifting hippocampal connections in mice learning to navigate a virtual environment, according to a new study.
‘Natural Neuroscience: Toward a Systems Neuroscience of Natural Behaviors,’ an excerpt
In his new book, published today, Nachum Ulanovsky calls on the field to embrace naturalistic conditions and move away from overcontrolled experiments.

‘Natural Neuroscience: Toward a Systems Neuroscience of Natural Behaviors,’ an excerpt
In his new book, published today, Nachum Ulanovsky calls on the field to embrace naturalistic conditions and move away from overcontrolled experiments.
What infant fMRI is revealing about the developing mind
Cognitive neuroscientists have finally clocked how to perform task-based functional MRI experiments in awake babies—long known for their inability to lie still or take direction. Next, they aim to watch cognition take shape and settle a debate about our earliest memories—with one group publishing a big clue today.

What infant fMRI is revealing about the developing mind
Cognitive neuroscientists have finally clocked how to perform task-based functional MRI experiments in awake babies—long known for their inability to lie still or take direction. Next, they aim to watch cognition take shape and settle a debate about our earliest memories—with one group publishing a big clue today.
Single-neuron recordings are helping to unravel complexities of human cognition
As this work begins to bear fruit, researchers “are becoming less afraid to ask very difficult questions that you can uniquely ask in people.”

Single-neuron recordings are helping to unravel complexities of human cognition
As this work begins to bear fruit, researchers “are becoming less afraid to ask very difficult questions that you can uniquely ask in people.”
Alison Preston explains how our brains form mental frameworks for interpreting the world
Preston discusses her research examining differences in how children, teenagers and adults integrate new information into their memories.
Alison Preston explains how our brains form mental frameworks for interpreting the world
Preston discusses her research examining differences in how children, teenagers and adults integrate new information into their memories.
This paper changed my life: Bill Newsome reflects on a quadrilogy of classic visual perception studies
The 1970s papers from Goldberg and Wurtz made ambitious mechanistic studies of higher brain functions seem feasible.

This paper changed my life: Bill Newsome reflects on a quadrilogy of classic visual perception studies
The 1970s papers from Goldberg and Wurtz made ambitious mechanistic studies of higher brain functions seem feasible.
‘Bioethics and Brains: A Disciplined and Principled Neuroethics,’ an excerpt
In their new book, published earlier this week, Giordano and Shook examine how ethics can guide neuroscience research and its real-world applications.

‘Bioethics and Brains: A Disciplined and Principled Neuroethics,’ an excerpt
In their new book, published earlier this week, Giordano and Shook examine how ethics can guide neuroscience research and its real-world applications.
‘Digital humans’ in a virtual world
By combining large language models with modular cognitive control architecture, Robert Yang and his collaborators have built agents that are capable of grounded reasoning at a linguistic level. Striking collective behaviors have emerged.
‘Digital humans’ in a virtual world
By combining large language models with modular cognitive control architecture, Robert Yang and his collaborators have built agents that are capable of grounded reasoning at a linguistic level. Striking collective behaviors have emerged.
Explore more from The Transmitter
This paper changed my life: Victoria Abraira on a tasty link between circuits and behavior
The findings from Charles Zuker’s lab put the taste system on the map, revealing that some fundamental principles of behavior are hardwired.

This paper changed my life: Victoria Abraira on a tasty link between circuits and behavior
The findings from Charles Zuker’s lab put the taste system on the map, revealing that some fundamental principles of behavior are hardwired.
Neurophysiologic distinction between autism and schizophrenia; and more
Here is a roundup of autism-related news and research spotted around the web for the week of 21 July.

Neurophysiologic distinction between autism and schizophrenia; and more
Here is a roundup of autism-related news and research spotted around the web for the week of 21 July.
Breaking the jar: Why NeuroAI needs embodiment
Brain function is inexorably shaped by the body. Embracing this fact will benefit computational models of real brain function, as well as the design of artificial neural networks.

Breaking the jar: Why NeuroAI needs embodiment
Brain function is inexorably shaped by the body. Embracing this fact will benefit computational models of real brain function, as well as the design of artificial neural networks.