Neuroscience News

BBC Radio 4, The Truth and Nothing but the Truth

23 May 2013 - Dr Geoff Bunn discovers that Dick Tracy and Wonder Woman both have starring roles in the history of lie detection. The culture of the comic book influenced the cultural perception of science then, and now colourful brain images from fMRI scans direct the public's view of what science can achieve. But does seeing parts of the brain light up when a subject lies provide any more concrete proof of what is true and what is not than did measuring heart and sweat rate in the traditional polygraph? Read More

Scientists unite to solve mystery of mental illness and neurological conditions

23 May 2013 - Some of the UK’s leading neuroscientists, stem cell biologists, psychologists and psychiatrists are uniting to break down scientific barriers in a bid to solve the mystery of mental illness and neurological conditions. Read More

Stem-cell treatment restores sight to blind man

22 May 2013 - An experimental stem-cell treatment has restored the sight of a man blinded by the degeneration of his retinal cells. The man, who is taking part in a trial examining the safety of using human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) to reverse two common causes of blindness, can now see well enough to be allowed to drive. Read More

Does Prozac help artists be creative?

21 May 2013 - More than 40 million people globally take an SSRI antidepressant, among them many writers and musicians. But do they hamper the creative process, extinguishing the spark that produces great art, or do they enhance artistic endeavour? Read More

Human cloning developments raise hopes for new treatments

20 May 2013 - People with conditions such as heart disease or Parkinson's could benefit from tissue grown with their own DNA Read More