Brain Function Insights

Your brain on AI: One of the first studies measuring what ChatGPT use does to our brain MIT researchers tracked 54 people writing essays using ChatGPT, web search, or just their brains—while monitoring neural activity with EEG. The findings are striking: 🧠 Brain connectivity weakened with more AI support. ChatGPT users showed the least neural engagement. 🔍 Memory collapsed. 83% of ChatGPT users couldn't quote their own essays minutes later, vs. near-perfect recall without AI. ⚡ "Cognitive debt" accumulated. When ChatGPT users later wrote without AI, their brains showed weakened connectivity compared to those who practiced unassisted writing. 🎨 Creativity declined. AI-assisted essays were statistically more uniform and less original. The twist: Strategic timing matters. Using AI after initial self-driven effort preserved better cognitive engagement than consistent AI use from the start. This isn't anti-AI—it's about understanding the trade-offs. While AI-generated essays scored well initially, participants showed signs of cognitive atrophy: diminished critical thinking, reduced memory encoding, and less ownership of their work. The takeaway: We need to enhance, not replace, human thinking as we integrate these powerful tools. Full study here: https://lnkd.in/e-6urMD8 Note: This is a pre-print study awaiting peer review.

Collaborative innovation combining AI with neuropsychology is proving to be transformative. Six research clusters show specific value and potential: 🌱 Neuroscience and Mental Health: Understanding mental health through neuroimaging and machine learning enables earlier, more precise interventions for conditions like ADHD and depression. By examining correlations in brain function, this research helps identify key markers for cognitive impairments, aiding in early diagnosis and personalized treatment plans. 🔍 Computational Modeling: Computational models simulate decision-making and cognitive markers, which are crucial for neurological conditions like epilepsy. Machine learning applied to seizure detection, for instance, offers a potential breakthrough in predicting and managing epilepsy, helping patients gain better control and care. 🧠 Cognitive Neuroscience: Studies of cognitive decline and neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s, benefit from reinforcement learning models that reveal patterns in brain degeneration. These insights are essential for developing strategies to slow disease progression, offering hope for more effective interventions. 💡 Cognitive Neurology and Neuropsychology: Examining cognitive functions through neuroimaging and machine learning provides deeper insights into disorders like aphasia and neurocognitive deficits. By mapping brain functions and assessing structural changes, these studies advance our understanding of how specific neurological impairments affect behavior and cognition. 💗 Neuropsychological Features: Machine learning models predict mental health outcomes and cognitive declines by analyzing attention and processing speed. This focus on prediction and prevention, especially for conditions like cardiovascular disease impacting cognition, enables proactive care and lifestyle adjustments to mitigate risks. ⚙️ Neurodegenerative Conditions: AI-based predictive models for neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson’s allow for early, more accurate diagnoses. By analyzing markers in social cognition and emotional processing, this cluster supports personalized interventions, helping to maintain patient quality of life and reduce care burdens. This is only the beginning. This field is absolutely ripe for rapid advance and massive real-world value.

Jonathan Boymal: "In a new paper, British philosopher Andy Clark (author of the 2003 book Natural Born Cyborgs, see comment below) offers a rebuttal to the pervasive anxiety surrounding new technologies, particularly generative AI, by reframing the nature of human cognition. He begins by acknowledging familiar concerns: that GPS erodes our spatial memory, search engines inflate our sense of knowledge, and tools like ChatGPT might diminish creativity or encourage intellectual laziness. These fears, Clark observes, mirror ancient worries, like Plato’s warning that writing would weaken memory, and stem from a deeply ingrained but flawed assumption: the idea that the mind is confined to the biological brain. Clark challenges this perspective with his extended mind thesis, arguing that humans have always been cognitive hybrids, seamlessly integrating external tools into our thinking processes. From the gestures we use to offload mental effort to the scribbled notes that help us untangle complex problems, our cognition has never been limited to what happens inside our skulls. This perspective transforms the debate about AI from a zero-sum game, where technology is seen as replacing human abilities, into a discussion about how we distribute cognitive labour across a network of biological and technological resources. Recent advances in neuroscience lend weight to this view. Theories like predictive processing suggest that the brain is fundamentally geared toward minimising uncertainty by engaging with the world around it. Whether probing a river’s depth with a stick or querying ChatGPT to clarify an idea, the brain doesn’t distinguish between internal and external problem-solving—it simply seeks the most efficient path to resolution. This fluid interplay between mind and tool has shaped human history, from the invention of stone tools to the design of modern cities, each innovation redistributing cognitive tasks and expanding what we can achieve. Generative AI, in Clark’s view, is the latest chapter in this story. While critics warn that it might stifle originality or turn us into passive curators of machine-generated content, evidence suggests a more nuanced reality. The key, Clark argues, lies in how we integrate these technologies into our cognitive ecosystems."

What do Albert Einstein, Paul McCartney, and Virgina Woolf have in common – besides being highly influential figures in their respective fields? All three revealed that some of their most creative ideas came to them whilst they were walking or sleeping. Ok, so what’s the brain up to this time? Why should disengaging help #creativity? In 2014, a group of researchers at Stanford measured the positive effects of mild physical activity on creativity – and found that walking boosted creativity by between 50-80%. 👉 When students took a brisk walk around the college campus or walked at a relaxed pace on an indoor treadmill facing a blank wall – their performance on a test of creativity called the “Alternate Uses Task” improved by a whopping 81%! The AUT tests “divergent thinking,” which is the ability to explore many possible solutions, including blue sky or out of the box thinking. 👉 Walking outdoors produced the most novel and highest quality analogies, indicating that walking had a very specific benefit in improving creativity. 👉 Furthermore, walking made people more talkative, resulting in roughly 50% more total ideas being produced compared to when sitting. In other words, just going for a short walk led to a massive increase in creativity. Or, in the words of the philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche, "All truly great thoughts are conceived by walking.” Sleeping on it seems to have a similar creativity-enhancing effect as physical exercise. How many times have you come back to tackle a seemingly insurmountable problem after a sleep – or even a nap – and the pieces seemed to fall right into place? Studies have found that during the phase of sleep known as Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep, the #brain is able to make new and novel connections between unrelated ideas, which is a key aspect of creativity. This state of sleep allows for the free association of ideas, which can lead to creative problem-solving and the generation of innovative ideas upon waking. REM sleep is thought to contribute to "incubating" creative ideas, as the brain reorganizes and consolidates memories, potentially leading to creative insights. Both physical exercise and sleep are mood-enhancers, which may contribute to enhancing creativity. Research suggests that positive moods can enhance creative thinking, making it easier for individuals to think flexibly and come up with innovative solutions. Positive emotional states often increase cognitive flexibility, broaden attention, and allow for more associations between ideas, which are key elements of creativity. Turns out, there are practical ways to spark more ‘Aha!’ moments in our lives. The next time you’re struggling to think of a solution to a problem, try taking a walk or sleeping on it – the evidence-backed cheat-codes for unlocking creativity!

"All truly great thoughts are conceived while walking," said Nietzsche. But is this just a romantic idea, or does it actually work? Does a short walk objectively upgrade your brainpower? Well, we might have an answer. 🔬 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗮𝗰𝗵 Research from the University of Illinois looked inside the brains of 20 preadolescent children to see what actually happens when they move. They compared two scenarios using a within-subjects design: 1. Resting 2. Walking for 20 minutes on a treadmill at a moderate pace. They then used electroencephalograms (EEGs) to measure neuroelectric activity and administered standardized academic tests to see if the movement changed their ability to learn. 📖 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘀 - Walking wakes up the brain. After just 20 minutes of walking, the children's brains were allocating more attentional resources and processing information better. - Better grades. Kids scored significantly higher on reading comprehension tests after walking compared to sitting. - It only takes 20 minutes. A single, short bout of moderate walking was enough to trigger these benefits. 💡 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 If we design places where people are forced to drive everywhere, we are suppressing our cognitive potential. But if we create walkable environments, we are building a free mental boost into our daily routine. -- Paper: The Effect of Acute Treadmill Walking on Cognitive Control and Academic Achievement in Preadolescent Children (2009). Link in the comments.

What if you could fly through someone’s brain — and actually watch it think in real time? 🧠 This stunning 3D visualization makes that possible. It shows live brain activity mapped from EEG (electroencephalography) signals onto a realistic 3D model of the human brain. Each color represents a different brainwave frequency — from calm alpha and focused beta, to fast, high-energy gamma rhythms. The golden lines trace the brain’s white matter pathways, and the moving light pulses represent information flowing between regions — the brain communicating with itself in real time. How it’s built The process begins with MRI scans to create a high-resolution 3D model of the brain, skull, and scalp. Then, DTI (Diffusion Tensor Imaging) maps the brain’s wiring — the white matter tracts that connect its regions. Next comes EEG recording, captured using a 64-channel mobile EEG cap. Advanced software pipelines like BCILAB and SIFT clean the data, remove noise, and use mathematical modeling to “source-localize” brain activity — estimating where in the brain each signal originates. They also analyze information flow using a technique called Granger causality, revealing which brain regions are influencing others at any given moment. From Data to Experience All of this is brought to life in Unity, a 3D engine usually used for games. Here, the brain becomes a fully navigable world — you can literally fly through it using a controller and watch live signals flicker and flow. It’s data turned into experience — a fusion of neuroscience, art, and technology that lets us see the living mind at work. Why it matters By merging EEG, MRI, and DTI, researchers can study how the brain’s networks communicate, and how this connectivity changes in conditions like epilepsy, depression, or neurodegenerative diseases. This work also pushes forward brain-computer interface research — paving the way for future technologies that help restore movement, communication, or sensation through brain signals alone. Every flicker of light here represents a thought, a signal, a decision — the brain in motion. 🎥 Video Credits: Dr. Gary Hatlen

🧠 What if the breakthrough you're looking for is just a 20-minute walk away? After 20 minutes of sitting, brain activity tends to narrow. Blood flow slows, neural networks become less dynamically connected, and the regions responsible for creativity and complex problem-solving operate at lower efficiency. Now compare that to just 20 minutes of walking 🚶♂️ Walking increases cerebral blood flow, delivering more oxygen and glucose to neurons. It also boosts brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) — a protein that supports neuron growth, learning, and memory formation. At the same time, different brain networks begin working together more efficiently — which is why ideas often suddenly “click” 💡 while walking. This is why many great thinkers built walking into their daily routine. A walk doesn’t just move your body. It changes how your brain operates. So the next time you feel stuck, overwhelmed, or creatively blocked: ❌ Don’t force it ❌ Don’t stare at the screen longer ✅ Go for a walk. Your brain might be waiting for it. 🌿

My PhD will focus on something we still only partially understand: the molecular mechanisms linking the oral microbiome, the gut, and neurodegeneration. For years, the scientific and clinical conversation has been centred on the gut–brain axis, often overlooking a critical upstream component. The oral microbiome has largely remained at the margins of this discussion, despite growing evidence that it plays a far more central role than previously assumed. This recent review brings this into sharper focus by showing that oral dysbiosis is not confined to the oral cavity but can actively contribute to systemic and neural processes. Several periodontal pathogens are able to disseminate beyond their local environment, influencing immune regulation and promoting inflammatory cascades that extend to the brain. What is particularly striking is that these mechanisms converge on pathways we already recognise as central to neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric disorders, including microglial activation, cytokine release, and protein misfolding processes associated with Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. This shifts the perspective from isolated associations to a more integrated biological framework. The oral microbiome is not simply an additional variable, but part of a continuous system that interacts with the gut, the immune system, and neuroendocrine pathways such as the HPA axis. These interactions form a network in which microbial ecosystems across different body sites contribute to a shared inflammatory and metabolic landscape. What becomes increasingly difficult to justify is the way we continue to approach these domains separately. Oral health, gut health, and brain health are still often treated as distinct areas, both in research and in clinical practice. Yet the biology suggests otherwise. These systems are interconnected, and their interactions may be key to understanding not only disease progression but also potential points of intervention. This is precisely where my work is directed: moving beyond descriptive associations to identify the molecular signals that link these microbial ecosystems to neuroinflammatory processes. The goal is not simply to confirm that a connection exists, but to understand how it operates, and whether it can be meaningfully targeted. If these mechanisms are clarified, oral dysbiosis may no longer be seen as a secondary feature or a coincidental finding, but as a modifiable contributor to neurodegeneration. That shift has significant implications, both for how we conceptualise these conditions and for how we approach prevention and intervention. We are still at an early stage in connecting these layers, but one conclusion is becoming increasingly clear. Brain health cannot be fully understood without considering the broader microbial systems that influence it. #parkinsondisease #oralmicrobiome #gutmicrobiome #neurodegeneration https://lnkd.in/echFjvad

A 65 year old just became the first person to control an iPad using brain signals alone. Mark Jackson was diagnosed with ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) in 2021. Over time, he developed complete paralysis in both arms and weakness in his neck. No way to swipe a phone. No way to send a text. No way to do things for himself without asking someone else. Until a brain-computer interface by Synchron changed that. Here's how it works: ▶ 1. Device sits inside a brain vein ↳ A small sensor is implanted into one of the veins within Mark's brain through a minimally invasive procedure - not brain surgery. ↳ It reads brain signals from the motor cortex and translates them into digital actions on screen. ↳ Mark now watches Netflix, listens to audiobooks, browses Instagram and Facebook, and texts his kids. All by thinking about the action he wants to take. ▶ 2. Two-way communication creates real-time feedback ↳ Synchron just launched a new version using something called a BCI HID profile - Human Interface Device. ↳ The computer detects the strength and fidelity of Mark's brain signal in real time and presents feedback about where he's looking, what he's thinking about clicking, where he wants to move. For someone who can't move their arms, losing the ability to do things independently is one of the hardest parts of the disease. This technology gives that back. However, the tech is still early. Synchron has completed early feasibility trials and is preparing for pivotal trials before seeking FDA approval - a process that will take several years. But would you trust a brain implant if it gave you back your independence? #entrepreneurship #healthtech #innovation

3D BRAIN MODELS UNLOCK NEW INSIGHTS INTO MEMORY & CONNECTIVITY Researchers have developed the most detailed 3D computational models of key brain regions, including the hippocampus and sensory cortices, to better understand their roles in memory formation and connectivity. These models integrate anatomical and physiological data, capturing synaptic plasticity and long-range interactions. By simulating brain activity, the models enable predictions about cortical processing and provide tools for future experimental validation. They are openly accessible to the scientific community for further research and refinement. Insights from the models reveal how connectivity shapes complex brain networks and how learning occurs through synaptic plasticity in realistic conditions. This work paves the way for studying phenomena ranging from neural coding to the impacts of specific neurotransmitters. Key Facts: 1. Researchers created 3D models integrating data on anatomy, connectivity, and physiology of the hippocampus and sensory cortices. 2. The models reveal how connectivity patterns form structured brain networks and enable learning through synaptic plasticity. 3. Accessible on a public platform, the models support global research and experimental validation. Source: https://lnkd.in/gfsKe94d