BY: AMY MATTSON | 2014.06.17 | 04:03 PMA new study at the University of Iowa reports a potential link between stress hormones and short-term memory loss in older adults.The study, published in the Journal of Neuroscience, reveals that having high levels of cortisol—a natural hormone in our body whose levels surge when we are stressed—can lead to memory lapses as we age.Short-term increases in...

UI study pinpoints brain region associated with auditory memory By: John Riehl | 2014.05.28 | 10:39 AM Ever had one of those moments? You’re joyfully humming along to a song, but you can't remember its name. Why is the title slipping your mind?A University of Iowa study suggests that it could be more than simple forgetfulness. It could be due to damage to the brain’s left temporal pole. Damage to...

UI study shows hippocampus is involved in language processing, may help treat Alzheimer's By: John Riehl | 2014.05.27 | 10:17 AM The hippocampus is no longer just for memory.University of Iowa researchers show that this brain region is involved in language processing as well, possibly providing additional insight into the accompanying deficits in memory and language in patients with Alzheimer’s...

Aging brains on the jobUI neuroscientist Steven Anderson offers perspective on Iowa’s aging workforceBy: Mary Geraghty Kenyon | 2014.04.18 | 07:00 AMTwo demographic trends in Iowa—an aging population and workers staying on the job later in life—will have a significant impact for employers and employees in the years ahead. University of Iowa neuroscientist Steven Anderson will offer his perspective...

Protecting new neurons reduces depression caused by stressNew class of neuroprotective molecules may lead to improved treatments for depression.By: Jennifer Brown | 2014.04.22 | 11:54 AMScientists probing the link between depression and a hormone that controls hunger have found that the hormone's antidepressant activity is due to its ability to protect newborn neurons in a part of the brain that...

Study finds pigeons and other animals, like humans, can place everyday things in categoriesBy: Amy Mattson | 2014.04.02 | 12:00 AMPinecone or pine nut? Friend or foe? Distinguishing between the two requires that we pay special attention to the telltale characteristics of each. And as it turns out, us humans aren’t the only ones up to the task.According to researchers at the University of Iowa...

Arrested development: How brain damage impairs moral judgmentUI study suggests that the ventromedial prefrontal cortex is critical for moral competencyBy: John Riehl | 2014.03.28 | 07:00 AMWould you lie on your income tax return to save money for your struggling family? Moral judgment calls like this one help weave the fabric of a civilized society.Everyone knows you shouldn’t cheat on your taxes...

Study shows how changes in the organized cell membrane network of heart muscle leads to heart failureBy: Jennifer Brown | 2014.03.06 | 07:00 AMThe green areas in the images show the orderly nature of JP2 protein's distribution in normal human heart muscle (left panel) compared to the disorganized localization of the protein in unhealthy heart muscle (center and right panel). Images courtesy of...

Social networking helps UI graduate student raise money for researchBy: Jennifer Brown | 2013.10.02 | 10:43 AMMusic has been part of Amy Belfi's life for as long as she can remember. Now, she's using her other passion—for science—to explore the neurological basis of humans' deep connection with music. And, she's hoping that enough people will share her excitement to actually help finance her...

Matthew Rizzo, UI professor of neurology and mechanical and industrial engineering, is the 2013 recipient of the Bartimaeus Award from the Detroit Institute of Ophthalmology. The award, presented at the 6th biennial World Congress on the Eye, the Brain, and the Auto 2013, recognizes research excellence in the area of vision and driving.Rizzo, an expert in the the role of vision and cognition in...