Researchers have recently been exploring the potential of psychedelic drugs, such as psilocybin and lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) for treating depression and other mental disorders. Recent research compared the brains of those who had taken psychedelics to those who meditated or were hypnotized. The researchers found that while some may report similar experiences or feelings under these different states of consciousness, what is happening in their brains is very different. Despite the similarities in brain activity between psilocybin and LSD, the changes they induced were markedly different. It suggests that psychedelics, meditation, and hypnosis operate differently and possess distinct underlying mechanisms.

A new study has used multi-omics profiling to track the markers of aging in women.

In a recent review published in the journal Trends in Cognitive Science on August 3rd, a group of social scientists describe how the functions of social media algorithms are misaligned with human social instincts meant to foster cooperation, which can lead to large-scale polarization and misinformation.

Researchers have proposed a strategy to stratify risk of progression from mild cognitive impairment to Alzheimer’s disease.

Research from the Max Planck Florida Institute for Neuroscience has identified a mechanism through which insulin-like growth factors facilitate brain plasticity. The insulin superfamily of hormones, including insulin, insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF1), and insulin-like growth factor 2 (IGF2), play a crucial role not only in regulating blood sugar, metabolism, and growth, but also in healthy brain development and function, including learning and memory.

Finally this week, how people feel about their sleep has a greater impact on their well-being than what sleep-tracking technology says about their sleep quality, new research has found.