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By Mo Costandi of Nature magazine Far from expanding your mind, the hallucinogenic chemical found in magic mushrooms induces widespread decreases in brain activity, researchers report today in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Psilocybin has been revered for centuries for its ability to induce mystical experiences, and has potential therapeutic value for various psychiatric conditions. [More]

Scientists have long hunted for a pattern of brain activity that signals consciousness, but a reliable marker has proved elusive. For many years theorists have argued that the answer lies in the prefrontal cortex, a region of high-level processing located behind the forehead; neural signals that reach this area were thought to emerge from unconscious obscurity into our awareness. Recent research, however, supports the idea that consciousness is a conversation rather than a revelation, with no single brain structure leading the dialogue.

Feelings of hate may be different for those with depression, a new study suggests.

Forget self-driving cars ; Nissan and the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne in Switzerland (EPFL) have teamed up to work on mind-reading vehicle technology. Truly hands-free driving may not be too far off. Thought control via brain machine interface isn't a new idea--EPFL researchers are already working on mind-reading wheelchair systems

Strokes cripple more people in the U.S. than any other disease.