Overhead view of colleagues sharing and analyzing reports at a round table.

An elegant, mature woman laughs heartily at a joyful joke.

Connecting with a good joke activates the brain’s pleasure-and-reward center, elevating endorphins, dopamine and serotonin, a powerful mood-regulating neurotransmitter.  

Laugh to Light up Your Brain

Businesspeople working together in the background with a light bulb in camera focus (indicating new idea). 

People often gravitate toward easy options, but one-dimensional thinking stifles fluid intelligence — how flexibly one applies learning in new ways. 

Expand Your Mental Resources

Diverse group of adult students having fun during their adult ed class at a local college.

Continuing to challenge your brain throughout your life nurtures positive changes through neuroplasticity and the formation of new neural pathways.

Thrive Through Lifelong Learning

Center for BrainHealth leads scientific research to enhance and restore the brain. Learn how to exercise your brain to work better and faster today!

Frontiers of BrainHealth

As UTD's neuroscience chair, Gregory Dussor, PhD, focuses on understanding cellular mechanisms of neural activation as well as plasticity. Recently, his research team began to investigate mechanisms that may contribute to the higher prevalence of migraine in women, including the hormone prolactin and calcitonin gene-related peptide.

Pathological Mechanisms and Therapeutic Targets for Migraine Headache

Daniel P. Perl, MD, is highly regarded for his work on the neuropathology of age-related neurodegenerative disorders, especially the role of environmental factors in their induction. At the  Department of Defense’s Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, he established a state-of-the-art neuropathology laboratory dedicated to research on the acute and long-term effects of traumatic brain injury (TBI) and PTSD among military personnel. 

The Long-Term Effects of Traumatic Brain Injury Among Military Personnel

Dr. Heidi Blumenthal's research focuses on the causes of maladaptive stress response and risk behaviors, with an emphasis on the dynamic interplay of anxiety and substance use. An associate professor at University of North Texas, she leads research exploring how anxiety vulnerability may enhance likelihood of problematic substance use activity as well, as how substance use may increase risk for anxiety. 

Maladaptive Stress Response and Risk Behaviors

BrainHealth Presents

NEW DATE: Discover the new science of motivating young people with developmental psychologist Dr. David Yeager, professor at UT Austin, as he dives into a data-driven leadership approach shown to effectively engage and guide the next generation. Before the talk, in-person guests can enjoy a pre-talk reception and programs expo with information about our youth and education programs and how some of our wonderful community partners are making a difference in DFW. 

The Neuroscience Behind Motivating Young People 

Dr. Jiahui Guo’s research focuses on human high-level perception and cognition (e.g, face recognition, social perception) in typical and neuropsychological populations, combining research techniques such as naturalistic stimuli, neuroimaging, behavioral measurements, computational modeling, and artificial neural networks. She is an assistant professor at UTD and external fellow at the Center for Vital Longevity. 

Understanding Human High-Level Perception Using Naturalistic Stimuli

Noa Ofen, PhD, leads research to investigate the development of memory systems in the brain, pairing careful behavioral assessments with multiple neuroimaging approaches. She and her team seek to understand the factors that shape cognitive ability across the lifespan. She is a professor at UTD and the Center for Vital Longevity. 

The Development of Memory Systems in the Brain

Interdisciplinary scientist Lee Hood, MD, PhD, advocates for a shift in the traditional healthcare model from a disease focus to a prevention and wellness approach, and envisions a future of predictive, preventive, personalized and participatory (P4) healthcare achieved through a systems approach to biology.

Thrive

at Work

and Home

Helpful vs. Harmful Quiz

ARE YOUR DAILY HABITS TOXIC TO YOUR BRAIN HEALTH?

How often are you in back-to-back meetings or tasks without breaks in between?

Your score is

Next Generation Science

Go BrainHealth! Take the Challenge

You can strengthen your brain by how you use it.

Know Brainers

Instead of focusing on how many things you checked off your list today, shift towards the measures that matter most — Were you more innovative? More purpose-driven? More socially fulfilled?

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