2026 Conference: Creativity in Human and Artificial Systems

More info: sc.edu/study/colleg...

#AI #creativity #IMB #Conference

University of South Carolina has *7* tenure-track faculty positions in Neurobiology of Language:

tinyurl.com/USC-Faculty-...

Positions in COMD, Psych, Linguistics, School of Medicine.

@snlmtg.bsky.social #SNL2025, we will have a booth.

w/@rutvikdesai.bsky.social @imb-uofsc.bsky.social

#IMB Talks
Fall 2025 - Spring 2026

Examples of high and low WMH load. FLAIR scans for 2 ABC participants in their 70s with white matter hyperintensities highlighted in red in the left scan in each pair. The images on the left side of the panel show coronal (A) and axial (B) views of a brain with a low WMH load while the scans on the right (C and D) show the same views of a participant with a high WMH load.

Pulse pressure, not MAP, mediates age-related WMH burden, linking vascular stiffness to cognitive decline. WMH load also mediates the age-MoCA relationship. Arterial health isn't just cardiac-it's cognitive.
Full text: doi.org/10.1002/acn3...
#Neurovascular #CognitiveAging #Neuroimaging #AgingBrain

brain2print AI powered web tool for creating 3D printable brain models - Scientific Reports Scientific Reports - brain2print AI powered web tool for creating 3D printable brain models

3d printing your own brain has never been easier, thanks to this fantastic tool by my colleague Chris Rorden.

www.nature.com/articles/s41...

https://www.nature.com/articles/s42003-025-08228-z

Study using MRI & CNNs uncovers 6 distinct regional brain aging gradients. They align with neurobiological hierarchies(e.g.S-A axis)& better predict cognitive/sensorimotor performance than global measures. Frontal cortices age faster ('last in, first out').
#BrainAging
www.nature.com/articles/s42...

At 12 mos, infants with elevated genetic likelihood for ASD show reduced social-communication & attention (esp. responding to/initiating social attention) vs. EL-ADHD & low-risk peers. No sig.
parent-reported differences for EL-ADHD vs. controls; early ADHD signs may be less detectable.
#ASDresearch

The C-STAR Lecture Series (2024–2025) features biweekly online talks on topics such as #aphasia, #stroke rehabilitation, #neuroimaging, #neurostimulation, and the neurobiology of #language. Talks are open via Zoom, typically Fridays at 11:30am ET.

Schedule & access: cstar.sc.edu/lecture-seri...

AI & the Brain Conference | March 28, 2025

Insightful talks from Dr. Leila Wehbe, Dr. Rutvik Desai, Dr. Amit Sheth, Dr. Jack Gallant, Dr. Khalid Malik, and Dr. Christian O'Reilly on AI, neuroscience & brain health, closing with a dynamic panel discussion!

#AI #Neuroscience #BrainTech #USC #IMB

More information: sc.edu/study/colleg...

🔹2025 Conference: AI & the Brain🔹

The Institute for Mind and Brain at the University of South Carolina will host a one-day in-person conference on AI & the Brain on March 28, 2025. The event includes talks from external speakers, local researchers, & a poster session.
#AI #Neuroscience #Mind #Brain

‪Stand Up for Science 2025 - 7 March, Columbia, SC

#scienceforall #sciencenotsilence #standupforscience2025

AIs flunk language test that takes grammar out of the equation Humans understand that ‘red ball’ makes sense but ‘ball red’ does not. Large language models? Not so much.

theconversation.com/ais-flunk-la...

Fu, X., Franchak, J. M., MacNeill, L. A., Gunther, K. E., Borjon, J. I., Yurkovic-Harding, J., … Pérez-Edgar, K. (2024). Implementing mobile eye tracking in psychological research: A practical guide. Behavior Research Methods.

New guide on Mobile Eye Tracking (MET) in psychology! From infancy to adulthood, MET captures real-life visual attention, cognition & behavior.
Practical tips for data collection, analysis & open-source tools included! Read here: doi.org/10.3758/s134...

#EyeTracking #PsychResearch

Oh, S., Yang, X., Hayes, W. M., Anderson, A., Wedell, D. H., & Shinkareva, S. V. (2025). Physiological responses to aversive and non-aversive audiovisual, auditory, and visual stimuli. Biological psychology, 195, 108994. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biopsycho.2025.108994

How do everyday sounds & sights affect us?
This study finds aversive stimuli trigger stronger physiological responses, with audio-visual interplay amplifying emotions! Insights for #autism & #misophonia research.

#Neuroscience #Psychology #SensoryProcessing

doi.org/10.1016/j.bi...

Nelson, C. M., O’Reilly, C., Xia, M., & Hudac, C. M. (2024). Coupling Up: A Dynamic Investigation of Romantic Partners’ Neurobiological States During Nonverbal Connection. Behavioral Sciences, 14(12), 1133. doi.org/10.3390/bs14...

Figure 1. Nonverbal Connection Conditions and Topographic Maps for Corresponding Conditions. Nelson, C. M., O’Reilly, C., Xia, M., & Hudac, C. M. (2024). Coupling Up: A Dynamic Investigation of Romantic Partners’ Neurobiological States During Nonverbal Connection. Behavioral Sciences, 14(12), 1133. https://doi.org/10.3390/bs14121133

New research explores how nonverbal connections like hand-holding or eye contact impact neural synchrony in romantic couples. Findings reveal that synchronized brain activity strengthens pair bonding. Even fleeting moments of connection have lasting biological effects.

#Neuroscience #Relationships

interesting!

Source: https://sc.edu/uofsc/posts/2024/11/11-desai-chatbot-research.php Photo by Jack Allen

New research from #USC highlights AI chatbots' surprising limitations. While powerful, they stumble on simple tasks, often confidently "making up" facts. The Two-Word Test study highlights AI flaws and urges critical use. Knowledge is key: trust, but verify!

#AI #LLM #TWT
@rutvikdesai.bsky.social

Discover SCOPE: The South Carolina Psycholinguistic Metabase offers 250+ variables, 100K words, and 81K nonwords for linguistic research. Search, generate lists, and access detailed data sources.

Learn more: www.sc.edu/study/colleg...

#Psycholinguistics #LinguisticResearch #SCOPE #DataDriven

Analyzing large datasets of heart rhythms and brain wave activity with #AI and #machine_learning, a team of University of South Carolina professors is making progress toward better understanding of #autism spectrum disorder and identification of ASD diagnostic biomarkers.

#USC #ASD #Biomarkers

Sure. We will share more information.

Drs. Svetlana Shinkareva & Douglas Wedell, backed by REAM Foundation funding, are exploring how visual cues & mental imagery influence misophonia—intense emotional responses to certain sounds. A leap toward better understanding!

#Misophonia #Neuroscience #MentalHealth #ResearchInnovation #UofSC

AI and data science: Analyzing large datasets of heart rhythms and brain wave activity with AI and machine learning, a team of University of South Carolina professors is making progress toward better understanding of autism spectrum disorder and identification of ASD diagnostic biomarkers.

Dr. Arheix-Parras (post-doc scholar with Dr. Desai) received the Barbara Martin Aphasia Research Grant from the National Aphasia Association.
She will be using non-invasive brain stimulation techniques to help enhance recovery outcomes for people with post-stroke aphasia.

@rutvikdesai.bsky.social

The Institute for Mind & Brain explores cognitive & neural processes across topics like #social_attention, multisensory #perception, #language, & #executive_functions.
Also, researchers focus on neurodevelopmental disorders (e.g. #autism), #aging, #aphasia, & rare genetic disorders.