Brain Blast | From Baseball to Business
The latest news on the brain and beyond.
Everything we make, from our headset to our apps, is driven by ever-evolving research on the mind and the body. Here, we share the studies and stories which have propelled us on the path to innovation this month.
Applying EEG in entrepreneurship
Corporations are using neuroscience to guide their business strategy. Ikea customers were asked to wear an EEG headset while new business models were presented to them. This helped the Ikea team identify whether customers would immediately support, never support, or could grow to support those models.
Story via Harvard Business Review
Training the brain for baseball
Looking to improve his confidence in the 2019 season, Chicago White Sox player Lucas Giolito recently completed multiple neurofeedback training sessions. Giolito believes that neurofeedback training, thought to be widely used in Major League Baseball, will help him maintain his composure under pressure.
Story via Chicago Tribune
Predicting and preventing seizures
Using an EEG device to monitor specific neurons in subjects’ brains, a team was able to predict 98% of seizures at least 4 minutes before they happened. By extending the prediction window from seconds to minutes, this development could allow preventative treatment to be administered before seizures occur.
Story via UT Southwestern
Swinging yourself to sleep
University of Geneva researchers found that participants who slept in a slowly rocking bed fell asleep faster and consolidated memories better than those who slept in traditional beds. They hypothesize that the bed’s motion activates neurons in the inner ear which help regulate brain activity related to sleep.
Story via New York Times
Finding the mechanism for moderation
Scientists identified a mechanism in the brain that helped animal test subjects feel the effects of alcohol, leading them to limit their consumption. When this mechanism was faulty, the subjects had no inclination to stop drinking, even when intoxicated. This may be a contributing factor to alcoholism.
Story via Insider
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