Category Archives: Attention

August 22

The Science of Sensitivity

Insights from the Neuroscience of Highly Sensitive People I am driving home as the sun beams through the windshield and straight into my face. It’s beautiful: the orange glow of the golden hour sky, the demanding brightness seen through squinted eyes. But it also adds to my dread about the half-an-hour of incoming stop-and-go traffic. […]

August 01

Glued to Your Bed

As we know, sleep is essential for the proper functioning of our brain. Although sleep deprivation has never been found to be fatal in humans, a lack of sleep has been linked to neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s, as well as delirium and hallucinations (1). This is why a lot of research delves into how […]

July 18

Operation PTSD

The full-scale invasion of Ukraine that started in 2021 has had devastating impacts on the daily lives of those in Ukraine, and this includes a dramatic increase in those suffering from PTSD in this war-torn country. Although 2021 was not the beginning of the tensions between Russia and Ukraine (1), as the war rages on, […]

June 29

Headbang It Out

Learn how your favorite rock and roll music could help you process emotions by understanding your brain’s basic responses

April 13

Your Brain on Stories

The brain is wired for stories, but what exactly happens to it when we hear and tell stories?

February 09

Boredom and the Brain

Given how overstimulating our world has become (or perhaps because of it), we spend a surprising amount of time absolutely bored to tears. Maybe your wireless headphones died during a long flight and you are simply left to sit in silence, or perhaps your work meeting has just crept into its third hour with no […]

April 02

Working With Distractions

Many of us are working from home to practice social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic. Home contains distractions, including family members, chores, social media, and many other possible activities. All of us want to be the best worker/parent/person we can be, but managing different tasks and switching seamlessly between them is difficult. The ability you’re […]

August 02

Snake Eyes: The Fear That Built Your Brain

Indiana Jones is a quintessential American hero, his fedora, satchel, and whip instantly recognizable around the world. He lives a double life, a scholarly professor of anthropology in public and a globetrotting treasure hunter in private. He defeats the Nazis and always gets the girl, displaying daring and fearlessness, with one notable exception. He has […]

January 29

time keeps on slippin’

A few nights ago I made the mistake of baking lasagna while extremely hungry. Each tick of the timer reverberated inside my skull for what seemed like hours, and the cheese just refused to melt. Later that same night I accidentally stayed up until 2 in the morning absentmindedly watching hours of YouTube videos that […]

April 21

Peas or carrots: Evidence-based education programs targeting stress and attention

I’m always keen to hear how scientists are able to reach out to their communities, whether it is by talking to young students about research opportunities, by tutoring or teaching, or by taking steps outside the lab to make direct links between research and the community. At this year’s meeting of the Cognitive Neuroscience Society (CNS), one of […]