Science, Space and Technology News 2024
Researchers at Columbia have linked curiosity to brain activity in areas that process uncertainty and confidence. This discovery, which explains the neural mechanisms behind curiosity, could also inform treatments for mental health issues like depression.
A research team based at Columbia’s Zuckerman Institute has for the first time witnessed what is happening in the human brain when feelings of curiosity like this arise. In a study published in the Journal of Neuroscience, the scientists revealed brain areas that appear to assess the degree of uncertainty in visually ambiguous situations, giving rise to subjective feelings of curiosity.
Human brain-scan images show regions toward the back and front that are active for a person who is feeling curious. Credit: Gottlieb Lab/Columbia’s Zuckerman Institute The researchers used these patterns to develop a measure, which they dubbed “OTC uncertainty,” of how uncertain this cortical area was about the category of a distorted texform. They showed that, when subjects were less curious about a texform, their OTC activity corresponded to only one barcode, as if it clearly identified whether the image belonged to the animate or the inanimate category.
Importantly, said Dr. Gottlieb, vmPFC activity seemed to provide a neurological bridge between the subjective feeling of curiosity and the OTC certainty measure. It’s as though this region read out the uncertainty encoded by the distributed activity pattern in the OTC and helped a person decide if they needed to be curious about the texform.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Researchers reveal new pathway to improve traumatic brain injury outcomesWorking together to understand the factors which could be used to predict outcome following TBI, researchers examined factors related to social support, health, clinical care, biological markers, acute interventions, and longer-term outcomes.
Read more »
Researchers reveal novel mechanism of enhanced P450 demethylase activity through engineered key gating residuesA crucial step in the degradation and utilization of lignin is the process of O-demethylation of lignin monomers, facilitated by O-demethylases. Current O-demethylases face challenges such as limited substrate specificity, unclear reaction mechanisms, and a lack of reductase chaperones.
Read more »
Researchers reveal influence of cyclic dynamic disturbance on coal-rock evolution and zoningIn coal-rock formations, many micro-fractures exist, and the expansion of these micro-fractures is the internal catalyst for the macroscopic destruction of coal-rock. Moreover, the occurrence state of gas changes with the expansion of micro-fractures.
Read more »
Researchers reveal effects of climate change on above- and belowground biomass distribution on Tibetan plateauGlobal warming has significantly altered plant growth patterns on the Tibetan Plateau (TP) over the past three decades. Plants adjust their growth trajectories in response to climate change, prioritizing leaf and stem growth or root extension to better absorb nutrients from the sun, atmosphere, or soil.
Read more »
Cutting down on seeds: Researchers reveal innovative watermelon breeding techniquesIn an agricultural advancement, scientists have deciphered the genetic underpinnings of watermelon chromosomal translocations, the key to cultivating fruits with fewer seeds.
Read more »
Researchers reveal how myrtle rust pathogen breaks into a host plantA recent study looking at the molecular foundation of myrtle rust reveals how the pathogen breaks into a host plant and how the host plant responds. This insight will inform the design of useful tools to prevent future break-ins and safeguard plant health.
Read more »