Weekly Neuroscience Update

A new study published in Scientific Reports has introduced a promising diagnostic tool that could dramatically shorten the long wait times many families face when seeking evaluations for autism and attention-related conditions. The research team used artificial intelligence to analyse subtle patterns in how people move their hands during simple tasks, identifying with surprising accuracy whether someone is likely to have autism, attention-deficit traits, or both. The method, which relies on wearable motion sensors and deep learning, could one day serve as a rapid and objective screening tool to help clinicians triage children for further assessment.

New research is investigating how childhood adversity rewires brain circuits that control emotion, memory, and attention, increasing the risk of impulsive and pathological aggression.

A groundbreaking study has revealed that genes linked to mental and neurodegenerative disorders, such as autism, depression, and Parkinson’s, begin influencing brain development during the earliest fetal stages. These genes are already active in neural stem cells—the progenitors that form the brain—long before symptoms arise.

Researchers at the University of Michigan have illuminated a complete sensory pathway showing how the skin communicates the temperature of its surroundings to the brain.

Patients with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) may be closer to personalized care, according to new research that shows how the disease disrupts interactions between the microbiome, immune system, and metabolism.

A new study using direct recordings from human brains reveals how the amygdala and hippocampus coordinate to form and retrieve emotional memories.

A personalised brain stimulation system powered by AI that can safely enhance concentration from home has been developed by researchers from the University of Surrey, the University of Oxford and Cognitive Neurotechnology. Designed to adapt to individual characteristics, the system could help people improve focus during study, work, or other mentally demanding tasks.

In the largest study of its kind, researchers linked irregular sleep patterns to elevated risk for 172 diseases.

Neuroscientists have grown a novel whole-brain organoid, complete with neural tissues and rudimentary blood vessels. This advance could usher in a new era of research into neuropsychiatric disorders such as autism.

Researchers have successfully mapped the entire neural circuit responsible for transmitting cool temperature signals from the skin to the brain.

A new brain imaging study reveals that how people expect pain relief—through visual cues or treatment explanations—can significantly influence how much pain they actually feel. External cues, like symbols signaling less pain, consistently reduced pain perception and altered brain regions tied to pain processing.

Finally this week, a new international study confirmed a significant post-pandemic rise in disorders of gut-brain interaction, including irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and functional dyspepsia.

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