#Neuroscience

A recent study in PLOS One shows that nostalgic pop songs spark a stronger impulse to dance than songs that are simply familiar. The research reveals how music and memory together influence our movement, with potential implications for movement therapies and wellbeing.

According to researchers from a leading university, both nostalgia and familiarity increase enjoyment and the desire to tap or move along. Yet only nostalgia consistently predicts the powerful urge to dance. This finding could inform health interventions that use music to encourage movement, especially for people with movement disorders.

A recent study published in PLOS One reveals that nostalgic pop songs provoke a stronger urge to dance than tracks that are merely familiar, shining new light on how music and memory intertwine to move our bodies. Researchers from the University of Western Ontario found that while both nostalgia and familiarity boost enjoyment and the desire to tap or move along, only nostalgia predicted the powerful urge to dance—a discovery with potential implications for therapies targeting movement disorders and well-being.

A groundbreaking study from Aarhus University has revealed that long-term addiction to substances like cocaine and heroin fundamentally shifts how people experience pleasure from music, offering new insights that may transform addiction treatment and rehabilitation practices worldwide, including in Thailand. The research found that individuals with substance use disorders require far more complex rhythms and harmonies in music to experience the same pleasurable urge to move—referred to as “groove”—that most people feel with much simpler beats. This discovery, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences and recently highlighted in a summary at MedicalXpress, uncovers how deeply drug dependency changes the brain’s reward system beyond drug-related cues.

A groundbreaking study from Aarhus University reveals that long-term addiction to substances such as cocaine and heroin reshapes how pleasure from music is experienced. For Thai readers, this offers fresh insight into how recovery therapy can harness musical engagement more effectively. The research, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, indicates that individuals with substance use disorders need more intricate rhythms and harmonies to feel the urge to move, or groove, than people without such histories. The findings also deepen our understanding of how addiction alters the brain’s reward system beyond drug cues.

In a landmark scientific breakthrough, researchers have engineered fruit flies to voluntarily consume cocaine, establishing the world’s first insect model for studying the genetic and neurological roots of cocaine addiction. This innovative approach, announced in the Journal of Neuroscience and led by experts at the University of Utah, promises to accelerate the discovery of effective treatments for one of the most challenging substance use disorders worldwide, opening new horizons for both basic research and therapeutic development (NeuroscienceNews.com).

A team of researchers has created a fruit-fly model to study cocaine addiction, marking the first time insects have been used to explore the genetic and neurological roots of this disorder. The study, led by experts at a major university and published in a prominent neuroscience journal, aims to speed up the search for effective treatments for cocaine use disorder. The work suggests new ways to approach addiction research that could eventually benefit patients in Thailand and around the world.

Handwriting issues among doctors have spurred legislation and raised questions for patients, pharmacists, and policymakers worldwide. Recent interdisciplinary research shows that poor penmanship is not simply carelessness. For Thai readers who rely on handwritten notes for prescriptions or hospital charts, understanding the science behind legibility is crucial for safety and clear communication.

Writing matters in everyday Thai life, from classrooms where students learn to write to patient charts in regional clinics. The common critique of doctors’ “chicken scratch” notes has real consequences, including potential medication errors and miscommunications. Some jurisdictions, including several Brazilian states, now require typed prescriptions or utterly clear handwriting, a policy echoed by Thailand’s Ministry of Public Health as part of ongoing efforts to improve patient safety.

A boy born with hydranencephaly, a condition that leaves most of the cerebral cortex absent, displays clear signs of consciousness and emotion. A Mind Matters News feature published on June 1 highlights the life of a pseudonymously named child, “Joey,” whose behavior challenges long-held beliefs about what makes us aware. The story urges scientists to reexamine central theories of consciousness in light of real-world evidence.

Modern neuroscience largely links consciousness to the cerebral cortex, the brain’s outer layer responsible for memory, perception, and thought. Prominent theories such as Integrated Information Theory (IIT) and Global Workspace Theory (GWT) argue that consciousness emerges from complex cortical activity. Without a cortex, these models contend, consciousness should be impossible.

Doctors’ notoriously difficult-to-read handwriting has triggered a wave of legislative action worldwide and raised enduring questions for patients, pharmacists, and even policymakers. But why do so many healthcare professionals—and people in general—struggle to write clearly? Recent interdisciplinary research offers nuanced answers drawn from anthropology, neuroscience, and psychology, revealing that poor penmanship is far more than a simple lack of care or discipline. For Thais who depend on handwritten medical notes for prescriptions or hospital charts, understanding the roots of this phenomenon is crucial for both safety and effective communication.

A new scientific breakthrough could accelerate global efforts to treat cocaine use disorder. Researchers at a major university have created the world’s first fruit fly model of cocaine addiction. By disabling the flies’ bitter-sensing nerves, the team caused them to self-administer cocaine-laced sugar water, a behavior never before seen in fruit flies. The study, published in a leading neuroscience journal and summarized by science outlets, signals a fast, cost-effective path to uncover genetic factors behind addiction.

A remarkable case of a boy born without the cerebral hemispheres traditionally thought necessary for self-awareness is forcing scientists to reconsider longstanding beliefs about the nature of human consciousness, according to a provocative new account published on June 1 by Mind Matters News (mindmatters.ai). The report details the life and case notes of a child pseudonymously called “Joey,” who, despite being born with hydranencephaly—a devastating condition that obliterates most of the cerebral cortex—demonstrated clear signs of consciousness and a rich range of emotions, fundamentally challenging many of neuroscience’s most prominent theories.

A new study suggests that experienced meditators may have brain ages nearly six years younger than their actual ages. The finding has sparked interest in mindful practices among health-conscious Thai readers, highlighting meditation as a potential-friendly option for healthy aging.

In Thailand, meditation sits at the intersection of culture and daily life. With an aging population—authorities project a substantial rise in citizens aged 60 and older by 2040—low-cost, accessible brain-health strategies are increasingly valued. The idea that meditation could support cognitive vitality resonates with Thai communities who already view mind-body balance as integral to well-being.

In a scientific advance with potential global impact, researchers have engineered the world’s first fruit fly model of cocaine addiction—an innovation that promises to accelerate our understanding of cocaine use disorder and speed the development of effective treatments. By genetically modifying fruit flies to disable their bitter-sensing receptors, a research team led by a psychiatry specialist at the University of Utah has successfully encouraged addictive, voluntary cocaine self-administration in the insects, an outcome described in their recent Journal of Neuroscience publication and highlighted by Neuroscience News.

A groundbreaking international study has unveiled a novel way our brains reconfigure themselves while listening to rhythmic sounds, challenging long-held beliefs about brainwave activity and offering profound implications for music cognition, mental health, and brain diagnostics. The research, published this week in Advanced Science and led by teams at Aarhus University and the University of Oxford, introduces a method that captures the intricate dance of brainwaves as they respond to rhythm moment by moment—a discovery that could help redefine how scientists understand perception and consciousness (Neuroscience News).

A new international study reveals that the brain continuously reconfigures its networks as we listen to rhythm. Using a cutting-edge method, researchers show real-time shifts in brainwaves rather than fixed patterns, with important implications for music cognition, mental health, and brain diagnostics. The findings appear in Advanced Science and come from collaborations between Aarhus University’s Center for Music in the Brain and the University of Oxford. The work introduces FREQ-NESS, a tool that tracks how brain networks reorganize their dominant frequencies during rhythmic listening.

A recent study making waves in the scientific and wellness communities suggests that the brains of dedicated meditators can appear nearly six years younger than their chronological age, raising fresh interest in the ancient practice among health-conscious Thais. According to an article from Psychology Today, people who regularly meditate may have brain ages that are on average 5.9 years younger than their calendar years would suggest, a finding that could reshape how both individuals and public health institutions address brain aging.

A recent analysis challenges the growing emphasis on “brain-based learning” in education, arguing that observable student behavior remains the definitive sign of learning – not neural imaging or neuroscience theories. As Thai schools increasingly adopt neuroscience language and training, the research offers a timely reminder that practical, classroom-based observation is the foundation of good teaching and sound assessment. This perspective, recently articulated in Psychology Today by an experienced cognitive science educator, reinforces a classic principle: it is performance, not pathology, that shows whether students are truly learning (Psychology Today).

A new analysis argues that observing what students do in the classroom remains the best evidence of learning, not brain scans or neuroscience theories. As Thai schools increasingly adopt neuroscience language in professional development, this reminder highlights the enduring value of practical, classroom-based observation for effective teaching and fair assessment. The message, circulating in education discussions, reinforces a simple truth: performance shows learning, not pathology.

The piece appears amid a global rise in neuro-education programs and workshops. In Thailand, many professional development courses reference neuroscience, prompting teachers to consider concepts like prefrontal cortex activity or mirror neurons. Yet the analysis warns that neuroscience benefits teaching only when it translates into observable student outcomes—such as explaining a concept, completing assignments, or contributing to class discussions.

A groundbreaking study recently published in the journal Science is shedding new light on the brain’s enigmatic emotional machinery, offering potent insights into why some emotions seem to fade quickly while others stubbornly linger—a question with profound implications for mental health diagnoses and treatment in Thailand and worldwide. The research, led by a team at Stanford Medicine, provides compelling evidence that a particular phase of neural activity sustains emotional states in the brain, a finding that may help explain challenges ranging from mood disorders to difficulties in autism spectrum disorder.

The puzzle of consciousness—the sensation of being aware—remains unsolved after a high-profile test of leading theories published in Nature. International teams under the Cogitate Consortium conducted rigorous experiments, but neither GNWT nor IIT claimed victory. The study reinforces how challenging it is to connect brain activity with subjective experience.

Thai readers may recall Buddhist concepts of mind (จิตใจ) and awareness (สติ), which echo science’s long quest to bridge biology and personal experience. The recent results underscore a global truth: even with advanced brain science, the origins of conscious perception stay elusive.

A groundbreaking study reveals the brain pathways that make some individuals adapt to fearful situations more quickly. The findings could inform better treatments for anxiety-related conditions in Thailand and beyond. Research used advanced brain-recording technologies and behavioral analysis in animal models to identify two distinct circuits that drive fear adaptation: one linked to persistent escape and another to rapid habituation.

This matters for Thai readers because anxiety disorders, phobias, and PTSD are global challenges that affect families and communities, especially amid social change, the pandemic, and urban stress. Understanding the biology behind how people respond to repeated threats can shape how Thai clinicians diagnose and tailor treatments. As mental health awareness grows in Thailand, scientific insights like this strengthen public health policy, clinical practice, and conversations about resilience within families and communities.

A groundbreaking new study has shed light on the neural pathways in the brain that determine why certain individuals adapt to fearful situations more rapidly than others—findings that could pave the way for improved treatments of anxiety-related disorders in Thailand and beyond (Neuroscience News). By utilizing advanced brain-recording technologies and behavioral analysis in animal models, researchers identified two distinct brain circuits that drive differences in fear adaptation: one associated with persistent escape behavior, and another facilitating swift habituation to threats.

The scientific quest to unravel consciousness—the fundamental mystery of how our brains generate the feeling of subjective experience—remains as enigmatic as ever, following a much-anticipated head-to-head study of leading theories recently published in the journal Nature. Despite marshalling the efforts of global neuroscientists under the Cogitate Consortium and conducting rigorous experiments, neither of the two dominant theories of consciousness could claim victory, leaving the origins of conscious perception as one of science’s most perplexing puzzles (PsyPost).

Researchers at MIT have revealed a surprising role for astrocytes, star-shaped support cells in the brain, in storing memories. This challenges the neuron-centric view of memory and could influence both neuroscience and the future of artificial intelligence. The study, highlighted by multiple outlets, points to a collaborative network at synapses where astrocytes actively participate in memory processes.

For Thai audiences, the findings have broad relevance. Thailand faces aging demographics, rising dementia rates, and a growing interest in AI. A deeper grasp of how memory works could inform education, elder care, and technology development that benefits local communities and healthcare systems.