News & Comment

The rates of ADHD diagnosis have increased sharply in most countries around the world. This Perspective examines the current state of scientific research into ADHD and the key social and ethical concerns that are emerging from the use of stimulant drug treatments in children.

Magic tricks require the manipulation of the audience's attention and awareness. Macknik, Martinez-Conde and their magician co-authors describe the visual and cognitive illusions that underlie many magic tricks, and the techniques that magicians use to achieve these illusions. An interview with Martinez-Conde for Neuropod is available fordownload.

The effects of particular foods on brain function have long been suspected. Gómez-Pinilla discusses the mechanisms responsible for the action of nutrients on mental function and the potential of diet manipulations to promote mental fitness.

Tracey and Leknes review the emerging evidence of extensive similarities between the anatomical substrates and signalling systems that mediate painful and pleasant sensations. Understanding the relationship between these powerful modulators of behaviour could be important for alleviating unnecessary suffering and improving well-being.

Functional MRI has shown that aspects of cognitive and emotional processing and even conscious awareness might be retained in some patients who have been diagnosed as vegetative. Owen and Coleman discuss the clinical, legal and scientific implications of these findings.

Mounting evidence suggests that aerobic exercise improves cognitive function throughout the lifespan. In this article, Hillman and colleagues describe the latest research in humans and non-human animals and discuss the implications for our increasingly sedentary lifestyles.

For millennia, cannabis has been used for its relaxing and medicinal properties. Murray and colleagues shed light on recent findings concerning the potential adverse effects of cannabis use and discuss some societal issues that might benefit from research into the effects of cannabis on the brain.

As the average age of the world population constantly increases, ways to prevent dementia have been the focus of many studies. Carol Brayne highlights the difficulties in the interpretation of studies in different population contexts.

Illes and colleagues examine trends in neuroscience discovery, scientific discourse and public reactions to the dissemination of research findings, drawing on the example of a neurogenetic disorder, autism, to investigate the interactions between these groups.

Psychiatric symptoms are frequently observed in patients with Alzheimer's disease or other dementias. Ballard and Howard discuss the current knowledge, and present an analysis of the efficacy of neuroleptic drugs in treating these symptoms and their adverse effects.

The gap between neuroscience and education is being filled by packages aimed at helping teachers enhance learning in the classroom. Goswami considers the myths versus the science that is genuinely relevant for education and how we might bridge this gap.

The relationship between brain activity and behaviour is an issue of great interest and contention. Eastman and Campbell discuss the differences in the legal and scientific constructs of responsibility, and their implications for the determination of criminal responsibility.