Monthly Brain News

June 2016 Edition

Curious about the latest news about the brain? Here are a few stories from this month that you might find interesting.

QUARTZ

Even as an Adult, Learning a Second Language Changes Your Brain

A new study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences "suggest[s] that our genes and brain structure could be linked to how successfully we pick up a second language as adults." Comparing DNA samples to brain scans of participants enrolled in an English-language course, the researchers found that two specific forms of a particular gene, COMT, were linked to greater activity in the white matter structure," particularly in an area known to be key to language processing.

SCIENCE DAILY

Empathy for Others' Pain Rooted in Cognition Rather Than Sensation

New research from neuroscientists at CU-Boulder found that "the ability to understand and empathize with others' pain is grounded in cognitive neural processes rather than sensory ones." The researchers compared brain activity in study participants as they experienced moderate pain directly or viewed images of others experiencing moderate pain while trying "to imagine that the injuries were happening to their own bodies." The patterns of brain activity when "empathizing" were consistent with "mentalizing, which involves imagining another person's thoughts and intentions."

SCIENCE OF US

How Imaginary Friends Help Kids Grow Up

Did you have an imaginary friend? Although imaginary friends "were once considered a sign of something unhealthy, or even sinister," the author explains that research from the past few decades has found that "living in an imaginary world might even help kids develop valuable skills for the real one."