Inside the Thinking Brain

In this episode, we explore the role of sleep for memory. We welcome back Svenja Brodt, who will talk about what different sleep phases contribute, the role of dreams, and whether pulling an all-nighter before an exam is a recipe for disaster. We also dig into what scientists are still trying to figure out about how sleep shapes what we remember – and what we forget. Co-host: Simon Faßnacht.

In this episode, we dive into one of the brain’s most fascinating abilities: remembering. We’re joined by Svenja Brodt; she will explain how the brain stores memories and how MRI helps reveal the interplay between the hippocampus and neocortex in shaping short-term and long-term memory. We discuss what this means for studying effectively for an exam and how the aging brain can still form new memories. Co-host: Simon Faßnacht.

In this episode of Signals & Synapses, we take a deep dive into cognitive neuroscience. Join Romy Lorenz as she explores the science behind thinking, deciding, and understanding. What are neural networks in the brain? Why are they important and how can we explore them? And how might stroke patients benefit from fundamental research? Co-host: Christina Bruckmann.

In this episode of Signals & Synapses, we explore ultra-low-field MRI and how meaningful brain images can be made with almost no magnetic field. Join Kai Buckenmaier as he tackles the challenges of ultra-low field MRI, pushing the limits of how little magnetic field is needed to produce meaningful images of the brain. Co-host Dana Ramadan offers an ultra-high field perspective for contrast.

What exactly are brain oscillations, and why do we need them? In this episode, co-host Chiara Zanonato sits down with neuroscientist Pascal Fries to explore how these rhythmic patterns emerge in the brain and what role they play in attention. Together, they unpack the "communication through coherence" theory, a fascinating idea about how brain regions sync up to focus our thoughts. Get ready to tune into the brain’s own internal frequencies.

How does the brain keep time? From anticipating a green light to following a song’s rhythm, our brains rely on internal clocks. In this episode, co-host Theresa Horn talks with neuroscientist Assaf Breska about how these timing mechanisms work—and how they can be studies, even though they’re hidden deep in the brain. Learn why studying patients with cerebellar lesions is key to this research and how these insights could one day lead to better treatments.

Zebrafish larvae are so transparent that you can see their brains—and you can even watch individual neurons light up in real time. Neuroscientists Jennifer Li and Drew Robson do just that, tracking brain activity in freely swimming zebrafish as they explore, interact, and forage. In this episode, co-hosted by Svenja Klinkowski, we dive into their work and what it reveals about the fundamental mechanisms of the brain.