Most Popular in 2016 – Top Ten Countdown

Published21 Dec 2016
Reviewed21 Dec 2016
Author Juliet M. Beverly
Source BrainFacts/SfN

BA “mini-brain,” like the one seen above, contains neurons that communicate with each other, making it a powerful tool for studying brain function and modeling disease.

In this Research & Discoveries piece, BrainFacts.org dived into the history behind the cell of unlimited potential and the possibilities that “induced” stem cells perhaps have for the development of new treatments for neurological diseases. Learn more >>

Courtesy, with permission: Hoffman-Kim lab/Brown University.

#9 The Workings of the Adolescent Brain

Although the teenage brain is apt for learning, the same wiring also makes them more prone to addition. BrainFacts.org Editorial Board Member Frances Jensen discussed how the biology of the teen brain presents particular vulnerabilities. Learn more >>

A hippocampal pyramidal neuron (red) innervated by GABAergic axons (black) depicted in traditional Chinese watercolor.

#8 Learning Styles Hurt Learning

Beth Rogowsky broke down the research that explodes the myth on learning style-based instruction and the implications for educators and teachers. Learn more >>

Peng, et al. The Journal of Neuroscience, 2010.

Scientists have previously been able to map the brain using technology such as MRI tractography, used here to map white matter tracts in the human brain.

#7 Making the Connection

BrainFacts.org reported on technologies coming out of the BRAIN Initiative. This article chronicles the creation of a catalog of all the connections in the human brain that may be possible with new technological advances. Learn more >>

Gigandet X, Hagmann P, Kurant M, Cammoun L, Meuli R, et al. Estimating the Confidence Level of White Matter Connections Obtained with MRI Tractography. PLoS ONE. 3(12) (2008).

Universal silhouette of teenager with a backpack; thought bubbles surround its head.

#6 Roundup: Teens and the Changing Brain

Hormones play a large role in teenage brain development. BrainFacts.org gathered all you need to know to understand the dramatic changes in the developing adolescent brain. Learn more >>

Illustration marking the location of the hippocampus in the brain.

#5 Neurogenesis: An Overview

Putting a long-held neuromyth to rest, BrainFacts.org told the story of how scientists discovered that new cells are born in the brain throughout life. This finding lead to further understanding of learning and memory. Learn more >>

#4 The Neuroscience of Pain: Translating Science to the Patient

A neuroscientist, a clinician, and a patient advocate discussed the underlying nervous system mechanisms of acute and chronic pain, approaches and therapies, and societal impact. Learn more >>

The image above shows the dentate gyrus of an adult mouse with individual cells stained in green and pink.

#3 Image of the Week: Neurogenesis

BrainFacts.org took readers to a place where new cells are born in the adult mouse brain: the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus. Learn more >>

Image credit: Winkle, et al. The Journal of Neuroscience, 2016.

Illustration of people with speech, call out bubbles above their heads.

#2 Roundup: Language and the Brain

BrainFacts.org complied seven items to help readers learn more about the basics of the complex functions behind language. Learn more >>

#1 The Human Brain

In this video from our Brain Awareness Week Online webinar, Zachary Grieb, a graduate student in the neuroscience program at Michigan State University, explained the anatomy of the brain, from the frontal lobe to the cerebellum and everything in between. Learn more >>

This year, BrainFacts.org brought you stories on stem cells, neurogenesis, evolving brain mapping technologies, and more. Our most popular stories of the year illuminated your desire to know more about the brain all the way down to the neuron.

So, what were the most popular posts of 2016? Browse through this photo gallery and find out.

Click through the images and their descriptions to view our most popular posts in 2016, and click the link in each caption to visit the pages.

About the Author

Juliet M. Beverly

Juliet M. Beverly is the senior editor for BrainFacts. She previously worked at the Embassy of Austria in the Office of Science & Technology as the assistant editor for Bridges, an online magazine covering transatlantic science and technology policy.