Features
The Biological Roots of Intelligence
Shawna Williams | Nov 1, 2018
Imaging, behavioral, and genetic data yield clues to what’s behind effective thinking.
How Exercise Reprograms the Brain
Ashley Yeager | Nov 1, 2018
As researchers unravel the molecular machinery that links exercise and cognition, working out is emerging as a promising neurotherapy.
When Should Service Dogs Be Admitted into the Lab?
Jef Akst | Nov 1, 2018
Becoming a neuroscientist with a service dog by your side presents numerous challenges. Joey Ramp, who went back to college to study her own post-traumatic stress disorder, is learning this the hard way.
Contributors
Contributors
Contributors
Meet some of the people featured in the November 2018 issue of The Scientist.
Editorial
Smarts and Hearts
Smarts and Hearts
IQ can’t capture the breadth, depth, or variety of human intelligence.
Speaking of Science
Ten-Minute Sabbatical
Ten-Minute Sabbatical
Take a break from the bench to puzzle and peruse.
Notebook
Genetic Sequencing Uncovers New Options for Multiple Myeloma Patients
Genetic Sequencing Uncovers New Options for Multiple Myeloma Patients
A small pilot study suggests the approach can identify effective treatments already approved for other cancers.
Noninvasive Brain Stimulation Modulates Memory Networks
Noninvasive Brain Stimulation Modulates Memory Networks
Studies have demonstrated that magnetic and electrical currents can enhance memory in human subjects, but the technology is not yet ready for prime time.
After a Lobectomy, a Boy Still Recognizes Words and Faces
After a Lobectomy, a Boy Still Recognizes Words and Faces
A longitudinal study tracking the progress of an epilepsy patient after surgery shows the brain’s ability to reorganize itself to function nearly normally.
Dialogue Improves Children’s Learning Abilities
Dialogue Improves Children’s Learning Abilities
Regardless of parental income and education, children who engage in more two-way conversation with their parents learn better.
Freeze Frame
Caught on Camera
Caught on Camera
Selected Images of the Day from the-scientist.com
Modus Operandi
Retina Recordings Reinvented
Retina Recordings Reinvented
Ultraflexible mesh electrodes monitor the intact, functioning eyes of awake animals.
The Literature
Faulty Cell Transport System Implicated in Alzheimer’s Disease
Faulty Cell Transport System Implicated in Alzheimer’s Disease
Tau proteins disrupt the movement of molecules into and out of neuronal cells’ nuclei.
Winter Brain Blues
Winter Brain Blues
Researchers identify neurological pathways through which light affects mood and learning in mice.
Defeating Fear Depends on Amygdala Suppression
Defeating Fear Depends on Amygdala Suppression
Researchers determine the neurological mechanics underpinning a technique to extinguish fearful memories using goal-directed eye movements.
Profile
Genetic Neurologist: A Profile of Huda Zoghbi
Genetic Neurologist: A Profile of Huda Zoghbi
Turning to molecular genetics, the Baylor pediatric neurologist and geneticist works to discover the biological basis for the rare neurological diseases she sees in her patients.
Scientist to Watch
Robb Rutledge Pinpoints the Factors That Make Us Happy—Or Not
Robb Rutledge Pinpoints the Factors That Make Us Happy—Or Not
The University College London researcher is a pioneer in the use of smartphone apps for psychology research.
Lab Tools
Using Temperature-Sensitive Channels to Study Neural Circuitry
Using Temperature-Sensitive Channels to Study Neural Circuitry
Meet the researchers building a thermogenetic toolbox.
Careers
Examining Grad Student Mental Health
Examining Grad Student Mental Health
Some academic institutions are beginning to complement the work of student organizations in addressing mental health problems in graduate school.
Reading Frames
Vaccines Did Not Cause My Daughter’s Autism
Vaccines Did Not Cause My Daughter’s Autism
In a new book, a vaccine researcher describes the scientific facts and personal anecdotes behind his family’s experience with autism and its comorbid disabilities.
Foundations
Cranial Craters, 1000-1250
Cranial Craters, 1000-1250
Prehistoric Andeans seemed especially fond of trepanation—holes drilled in the skull as a treatment for various ills.
Infographics
Infographic: Behind Mouse Eyes
Infographic: Behind Mouse Eyes
A mesh records retinal cells’ firings in live animals.
Infographic: Leaky Gates
Infographic: Leaky Gates
A study explores how nuclear pore complexes are disrupted in Alzheimer’s disease.
Infographic: Exercise’s Effects on the Brain
Infographic: Exercise’s Effects on the Brain
Identifying the molecular interactions that occur all over the body during exercise could reveal how it affects learning and memory.
Infographic: What Makes a Brain Smart?
Infographic: What Makes a Brain Smart?
Scientists have proposed a variety of features that influence one’s ability to remember things and solve problems.
Infographic: Welcoming Service Dogs into the Lab
Infographic: Welcoming Service Dogs into the Lab
Tips for accommodating students with animal helpers in laboratory courses.