Regional Cortical Volume and Thickness Associations With Early Substance Use Initiation in the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study. Credit: JAMA Network Open (2024).
A new study has identified neuroanatomical differences in children associated with early substance use initiation.
Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) shows a positive treatment effect and improved quality of life (QoL) among patients with treatment-resistant depression according to two studies published in Brain Stimulation.
A new analysis of U.S. mortality data reveals the disproportionate impact of traumatic brain injuries on older adults, males and certain racial and ethnic groups.
Gender differences define how the human brain ages and telltale biomarkers in the blood may be strongly suggestive of cognitive impairment and dementia, according to a comprehensive new study involving more than 500 people.
Researchers have identified genetic variations in brain cells, particularly microglia and oligodendrocytes, that influence both aging and Alzheimer’s risk.
New research shows that not all brain cells age equally, with certain cells, such as those in the hypothalamus, experiencing more age-related genetic changes. These changes include reduced activity in neuronal circuitry genes and increased activity in immunity-related genes.
A recent study has found that menopause revs up the progression of multiple sclerosis (MS).
Researchers have discovered that pupil size during non-REM sleep correlates with memory consolidation. When pupils contract, the brain focuses on consolidating new memories; when dilated, it processes older ones. This separation prevents “catastrophic forgetting,” allowing the brain to efficiently manage both new and existing knowledge. These findings could lead to better memory enhancement techniques for humans and inspire more efficient artificial neural networks.
A new study shows head trauma may activate latent viruses, leading to neurodegeneration.
A collaborative effort between Mount Sinai and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center has shed valuable light on how monoamine neurotransmitters such as serotonin, dopamine, and now histamine help regulate brain physiology and behavior through chemical bonding of these monoamines to histone proteins, the core DNA-packaging proteins of our cells.
Finally this week, sex differences in brain structure are present from birth, new research shows.
Credit: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (2024).
The link between poor sleep and mental health problems could be related to deficits in brain regions that keep unwanted thoughts out of the mind, according to hew research.
Researchers from Trinity College Dublin have collaborated with international partners to explore if societal inequality affects the brain. The study reveals a direct link between structural inequality—such as socioeconomic disparities measured by a country-level index (GINI)—and changes in brain structure and connectivity associated with aging and dementia.
New research has explained how the body’s internal clock influences the inflammatory process of the immune system.
Researchers used AI to analyze brain images from 70-year-olds, estimating their biological brain age and uncovering connections to lifestyle and health factors. Diabetes, inflammation, and high glucose levels were linked to older-looking brains, while regular exercise and healthy habits were associated with younger-looking brains.
An international research team, including researchers at Karolinska Institutet, has mapped the genes expressed in the brain cells of people with multiple sclerosis.
Gestational hypertension, preeclampsia, and eclampsia are associated with an increased risk for neurological outcomes in the months or years after giving birth, according to a recent study published in JAMA Neurology.
People with breathing problems during sleep may have a larger hippocampus, the area of the brain responsible for memory and thinking, according to a new study.
Researchers have discovered a connection between Alzheimer’s disease and herpes simplex virus-1 (HSV-1), suggesting viral infections may contribute to neurodegeneration. The study found that tau protein, typically seen as harmful in Alzheimer’s, might initially protect the brain from the virus but later exacerbate damage.
COVID-19 infection is not associated with immediate changes in multiple sclerosis (MS) symptom severity or disability, according to a study published in Neurology.
A study of nearly 10,000 adolescents found that those who initiated substance use before age 15 exhibited distinct differences in brain structures compared to their peers. Many of these differences were present before substance use, suggesting a role in predisposing factors like genetics and environment.
New research in epigenetics reveals how early-life experiences influence gene expression and brain development. By bridging the gap between nature and nurture, this work shows that environmental factors leave lasting biological imprints, shaping long-term health and resilience.
For patients with neurodevelopmental disorders, a genomics-informed model can provide clinical benefits, directly affecting management, according to a new study.
A new “molecular lantern” technique allows researchers to monitor molecular changes in the brain non-invasively using a thin light-emitting probe. This innovative tool utilizes Raman spectroscopy to detect chemical changes caused by tumors, injuries, or other pathologies without altering the brain beforehand.
Finally this week,researchers have found that the pupil is key to understanding how, and when, the brain forms strong, long-lasting memories.
The Brain Connectivity Model of Intelligence. Schematic illustration of selected brain connections that have been linked to intelligence differences across studies. Adapted from Hilger & Sporns, 2021. Credit: Thiele et al.
Neuroscientists have developed machine learning models to predict human intelligence.
Researchers have found that incorporating specific nutrients into a regular diet may reduce iron buildup in the brain—a factor associated with cognitive decline in normal aging. The research team said the findings offer valuable insights for future clinical trials aimed at evaluating the impact of similar nutritional intake on brain iron accumulation and cognitive function.
The short-term boost our brains get after we do exercise persists throughout the following day, suggests a study led by UCL (University College London) researchers.
Thirteen proteins linked to brain aging in humans areidentifiedin a Nature Aging paper. Changes in the concentrations of these blood proteins may peak at 57, 70, and 78 years old in humans, and suggest that these ages may be important for potential interventions in the brain aging process.
A team of scientists has uncovered a novel mechanism that reshapes our understanding of how blood flow is regulated in the brain. The study, published in The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences introduces Electro-Calcium (E-Ca) Coupling, a process that integrates electrical and calcium signaling in brain capillaries to ensure precise blood flow delivery to active neurons.
Researchers at the Yale School of Medicine found structural and functional alterations in specific brain regions of individuals with opioid use disorder. The study’s results were published in Radiology.
A new study has identified a unique brain network that links varied patterns of brain atrophy, or shrinkage, associated with schizophrenia. By combining neuroimaging data from multiple studies involving more than 8,000 participants, the research team found a specific connectivity pattern of atrophy that was present across different stages and symptoms of schizophrenia—and distinct from brain networks associated with other psychiatric disorders.
New research provides valuable insights into the brain-body immune connection, identifying key communication hubs in the dural sinuses and skull bone marrow at the back of the head.
New research shows that slow-wave sleep strengthens synaptic connections in the neocortex, making it more receptive to long-term memory formation. Researchers found that during deep sleep, synapses in the neocortex reach peak efficiency at precise moments within slow-wave oscillations.
A new study suggests how brain, with sleep, learns meaningful maps of spaces.
A large-scale study revealed that genetic variants linked to dyslexia are associated with differences in brain areas controlling motor coordination, vision, and language. Using data from over a million individuals, researchers calculated genetic “polygenic scores” for dyslexia and analyzed their relationship to brain structures. Higher genetic risk for dyslexia was tied to lower volumes in brain regions related to speech processing and movement, and increased volumes in the visual cortex. Differences in the brain’s internal capsule, which connects regions, were also observed.
Cognitive impairment, especially in learning and memory, is more likely among people with epilepsy, according to a newly published study.
A recent study explores how connections across the entire brain predict human intelligence, moving beyond traditional focus on specific brain areas like the prefrontal cortex. Using fMRI data from over 800 individuals, researchers analyzed communication between brain regions to predict fluid, crystallized, and general intelligence scores. Findings reveal that distributed brain-wide connections play a crucial role, surpassing existing models that emphasize localized regions. This research highlights intelligence as a global property of the brain, offering fresh perspectives for understanding cognitive processes.
The chromosomal disorder 22q11.2 deletion syndrome (22q) has emerged as one of the strongest risks for schizophrenia.
New research reveals that brain structure varies with reading ability, particularly in the left hemisphere. Better readers have distinct traits, including a larger anterior temporal lobe for integrating word meaning and a thicker left Heschl’s gyrus for phonological processing.
Night shifts and poor sleep quality are associated with an increased risk for incident epilepsy, according to a study published in BMC Public Health.
People with severe, treatment-resistant depression who received a nerve-stimulating therapy showed significant improvement in depressive symptoms, quality of life and ability to complete everyday tasks after a year, according to the results of a national, multicenter clinical trial.
Finally this week, researchers have found a relationship between lifestyle choices that affect dementia risk and early signs of aging in the brain.
A new way of mapping activity and connections between different regions of the brain has revealed fresh insights into how higher-order functions like language, thought and attention, are organized.
Researchers at the University of Copenhagen have demonstrated that the brain’s ability to learn certain skills can be significantly enhanced if both the brain and nervous system are primed by carefully-calibrated, precisely-timed electrical and magnetic stimulations. This new research has the potential to open entirely new perspectives in rehabilitation and possibly elite sports.
A study of patients with epilepsy shows how making new neurons benefits cognition.
New AI software can read the brain scans of patients who have had a stroke to more accurately pinpoint when it happened and help doctors work out whether it can be successfully treated. It is hoped that the new technology will ultimately enable faster and more accurate emergency treatment of patients in a hospital setting.
Researchers have discovered the structural details of a brain receptor called GPR6, which could lead to new treatments for Parkinson’s disease.
Living in disadvantaged neighbourhoods is associated with higher blood pressure and lower cognitive performance, even in individuals without mild cognitive impairment. Researchers analyzed over 500 adults, finding that poor social and economic resources in neighborhoods exacerbate cardiometabolic health issues and reduce brain function.
Scientists have developed a new approach to learning through noninvasive manipulation of brain activity patterns.
A new study is helping solve the mystery as to why the brain shrinks in a unique pattern, known as atrophy, in chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). Published in Acta Neuropathologica, this research provides novel evidence that cumulative repetitive head impacts are driving the specific patterns of brain degeneration found at the base of the folds of the surface of the brain, known as the cortical sulcus.
A global research collaboration has revealed a hidden cause of a rare intellectual disorder associated with severe language delay, epileptic seizures, motor impairment and brain abnormalities.
A multi-sensory digital treatment protocol, incorporating sensory integration, sensory substitution, and sensory masking (e.g., blindfolding), significantly improved participants’ performance on spatial memory tasks. Resting-state fMRI analysis showed that these improvements were associated with enhanced connectivity between memory-related brain regions, executive frontal areas, and the default mode network (DMN).
People with high blood pressure who also lack sleep may be at increased risk of reduced cognitive performance and greater brain injury, new research has found.
Researchers have uncovered a groundbreaking mechanism called Electro-Calcium (E-Ca) coupling that integrates electrical and calcium signaling in brain capillaries. This process ensures precise blood flow delivery to active neurons, crucial for brain health and cognitive function.
Researchers at the University of Helsinki have made a breakthrough in understanding what neural mechanisms allow the extreme sensitivity of human vision in darkness.
New research reveals that music can do more than trigger memories—it can alter their emotional tone. When participants recalled neutral stories while listening to emotionally charged music, they later remembered the stories as matching the music’s mood. These findings hint at music’s potential for therapeutic interventions, like reframing negative memories in depression or PTSD.
Finally this week a recent study has found that high blood sugar may impair brain health even in people without diabetes.
The four sensory networks of the brain network partition. The partition comprises four sensory networks, with the somatomotor network encompassing the somatosensory cortex. The thalamus contains parcels of each sensory network. Credit: Molecular Psychiatry (2024).
A new approach to analyzing brain scans could help researchers better understand psychiatric illness using much smaller groups of patients than previously thought necessary, potentially accelerating the development of more precise mental health treatments.
A new study reveals how specific brain cells called interneurons can act as our in-built traffic controllers. The findings are published in the journal PLOS Biology.
Younger and middle-aged patients seem to be disproportionately affected by neurologic manifestations of post-acute sequelae of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection (Neuro-PASC), according to a study publishedin the Annals of Neurology.
Investigators have defined new biologic and clinical biomarkers for better identifying patients with different stages of Parkinson’s disease and Lewy body dementia.
Researchers have developed the most detailed 3D computational models of key brain regions, including the hippocampus and sensory cortices, to better understand their roles in memory formation and connectivity.
New research provides critical insights into the role of sleep in motor learning for individuals recovering from traumatic brain injury (TBI). The study sheds light on how sleep, specifically a short nap, influences brain activity associated with motor skill improvement, with implications for optimizing rehabilitation strategies.
A recent study of high school football players found that concussions affect an often-overlooked but important brain signal.
Cognitive neuroscientists at Trinity College Dublin have published new research describing a brand new approach to making habit change achievable and lasting.
A new study uncovers constant communication between the human brain’s social cognitive network, responsible for understanding others’ thoughts, and the amygdala, known for processing fear and emotions. High-resolution brain scans revealed that this connection helps the brain integrate emotional importance into social interactions. This insight could lead to non-invasive treatments like transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) for anxiety and depression by targeting these regions. The findings highlight how evolutionary brain expansion enhances social understanding while linking it to ancient emotional processing centers.
Neuroscientists have demonstrated that dopamine and serotonin work in opposition to shape learning.
Researchers have identified a novel role for the brain’s ‘locus coeruleus’ in sleep and its disruptions. This brain region facilitates the transition between NREM and REM sleep states while maintaining an unconscious vigilance toward the external world. Stress disrupts its functions and negatively impacts on sleep quality.
A new method to profile gene activity in the living human brain has been developed by researchers at FutureNeuro, the Research Ireland Center for Translational Brain Science and RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences, in collaboration with international partners. This innovative approach, published in JCI Insight, opens new avenues for understanding and treating neurological conditions such as epilepsy.
A study led by the University of Glasgow has revealed differences in the brains of pediatric and adult patients that might explain the sometimes catastrophic outcomes seen in children following a traumatic brain injury.
Finally this week, new research has examined the relationship of emotion regulation to real-world responses to stress to better understand stress-related increases in suicide risk in depression.
Functional MRI before and after HBOT. Credit: The Shamir Medical Center
Researchers have demonstrated that hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) improves the condition of PTSD sufferers who have not responded to psychotherapy or psychiatric medications.
Scientists have discovered for the first time a neural mechanism for memory integration that stretches across both time and personal experience. These findings, reported in Nature, demonstrate how memories stored in neural ensembles in the brain are constantly being updated and reorganized with salient information, and represent an important step in deciphering how our memories stay current with the most recently available information.
Neuroscientists have discovered brain cells that form multiple coordinate systems to tell us “where we are” in a sequence of behaviours. The findings help us understand the algorithms used by the brain to flexibly generate complex behaviors, such as planning and reasoning, and might be useful in understanding how such processes go wrong in psychiatric conditions such as schizophrenia.
New research finds that even single bouts of intense exercise can improve cognitive performance in young adults, particularly in memory, attention, and executive functioning.
By scanning the brains of people while they watched movie clips, neuroscientists have created the most detailed functional map of the brain to date. The fMRI analysis, published in Neuron, shows how different brain networks light up when participants viewed short clips from a range of independent and Hollywood films, including Inception, The Social Network, and Home Alone.
Asthma is associated with memory difficulties in children, and early onset of asthma may exacerbate memory deficits, according to a new study.
Older adults with significant fluctuations in cholesterol levels are at increased risk for dementia and cognitive decline, even without medication changes. Researchers studied nearly 10,000 older adults, tracking their cholesterol levels and cognitive function over six years. High variability in total and LDL (“bad”) cholesterol was associated with a 60% increase in dementia and 23% increase in cognitive decline.
Scientists have successfully reprogrammed astroglia, a type of brain support cell, into neurons that mimic specific interneurons critical for brain function.
Exercise has been shown to improve brain health and reduce the risk of cognitive decline and dementia over the long-term. But engaging in everyday physical activity has immediate benefits for brain health, according to a new study.
New research highlights neuroglia (or glia cells) as critical players in mental health, potentially influencing conditions like depression and schizophrenia. Glia cells, long considered “support cells” in the brain, have now been shown to communicate through unique calcium signaling, impacting neuronal function and stress responses. Studies suggest that compromised astrocyte function, a glial cell type, may relate to depressive symptoms and schizophrenia.
A study investigated how cannabis use influences metabolomic patterns linked to psychotic-like experiences in adolescents. Blood samples revealed that non-cannabis users showed inflammatory metabolic changes associated with hallucinations, while cannabis users exhibited shifts in energy-related metabolites tied to brain ketogenesis.
Finally this week, a new study links satellite data with brain imaging to reveal how environmental factors like light pollution, green spaces, and urban density affect the mental health and brain development of children.
Cerebral networks and reciprocal connectivity between the cerebellum and cerebrum, supporting social and emotional learning. Credit: Nature Reviews Neuroscience (2024).
A recent publication in Nature Reviews Neuroscience sheds light on the often-overlooked role of the cerebellum in both motor and social-cognitive processes.
New research has shown that Alzheimer’s disease impacts the brain in two primary phases: an early, gradual phase that damages select cell types and a late phase marked by rapid, widespread damage as symptoms emerge.
Playing video games may boost your cognitive abilities and exercise can improve your mental health, but not the other way around, a large-scale study has found.
A large meta-analysis of over 600,000 people shows that experiencing loneliness significantly raises the risk of developing dementia by 31%. Researchers found that loneliness is a key factor in cognitive decline, contributing to conditions like Alzheimer’s disease, regardless of age or sex.
Researchers have found that senescent cells—non-dividing “zombie” cells—accumulate in the skin as people age and may influence aging in other parts of the body.
A new study reveals that visual clutter alters how information flows between neurons in the brain’s primary visual cortex, but not the order in which it’s processed. Researchers found that the efficiency of information transfer changes depending on the location of clutter in the visual field.
An innovative study, published in Nature Communications, reveals the mechanism behind two seemingly contradictory effects of fear memories: the inability to forget yet the difficulty to recall.
After only one to three days of a whiplash injury, scientists can predict which patients will develop chronic pain based on the extent of cross “talk” between two regions of the brain, and the person’s anxiety level after the injury, according to a new Northwestern Medicine study.
Women who began an aerobic exercise program during chemotherapy for breast cancer reported improved cognitive function and quality of life compared to those who received standard care.
A new study reveals that setting reminders can eliminate some age-related declines in memory. The findings offer a significant breakthrough in addressing the cognitive challenges faced by older adults, particularly in the context of prospective memory, which is the ability to remember to perform an intended action at the right moment, like taking medication or attending appointments.
Concussion researchers have recognized a new concussion sign that could identify up to 33% of undiagnosed concussions.
In a study publishedin the journal Bilingualism: Language and Cognition, Concordia researchers use neuroimaging methods to examine brain resilience in regions of the brain linked to language and aging. They found that the hippocampus in bilinguals with Alzheimer’s disease was noticeably larger than those who were monolingual when matched for age, education, cognitive function and memory.
People in early middle age who have poor sleep quality, including having difficulty falling or staying asleep, have more signs of poor brain health in late middle age, according to a recent study.
New research shows that prolonged mental exertion weakens connectivity between the brain’s frontal and parietal lobes, impacting cognitive efficiency. However, the brain has built-in compensatory mechanisms that adjust neural connections to preserve function under fatigue.
Finally this week, cannabis use may lead to thinning of the cerebral cortex in adolescents, according to a recent study published in The Journal of Neuroscience.
The team that first recorded vagus nerve signals in humans has now isolated the electrical activity of individual neurons responsible for cardiovascular regulation. Published in the Journal of Physiology, the Monash University-led discovery paves the way for more research into how and why cardiovascular disease develops.
New research reveals that dopamine is not directly responsible for the formation of placebo analgesia, contrary to previous beliefs.
Scientists have developed a new brain-mapping tool called START, which combines transcriptomics and viral tracing to map the connections between specific neuronal subtypes with unprecedented detail. This technology allows researchers to identify distinct patterns of connectivity in inhibitory neurons within the cerebral cortex, providing a blueprint of the brain’s circuits.
A new study has demonstrated that emotion enhances memory for contextual details, challenging the view that emotion impairs the ability to remember such information.
Researchers compared the diagnostic accuracy of GPT-4 based ChatGPT and radiologists using 150 brain tumor MRI reports. ChatGPT achieved 73% accuracy, slightly outperforming neuroradiologists (72%) and general radiologists (68%).
Deep brain stimulation may provide immediate improvement in arm and hand strength and function weakened by traumatic brain injury or stroke.
People with Parkinson’s disease (PD) who experience visual hallucinations have reduced brain responses to unexpected visual changes, a marker known as visual mismatch negativity (vMMN). Using EEG, researchers compared brain activity in PD patients with and without hallucinations and discovered that those with hallucinations showed weaker vMMN signals
Lower attention ability in adolescence can predict cigarette and cannabis use in young adulthood, according to new research from Trinity College Dublin.
New research has found that frequent consumption of fizzy drinks and fruit juice significantly increases the risk of stroke. The study, which analyzed data from nearly 27,000 participants across 27 countries, showed a 22% increased risk of stroke from drinking fizzy drinks, with the risk rising further with multiple servings per day. Additionally, drinking more than four cups of coffee daily raised stroke risk by 37%, while tea consumption was associated with a reduced stroke risk.
New research shows that even pollution levels that are below government air-quality standards are associated with differences in children’s brains.
University of Queensland researchers have made a significant step towards enabling women with epilepsy safer access to a common and highly effective anti-seizure medication.
A new study shows that brain synchronization between a neurotypical person and someone with autism is weaker compared to two neurotypical individuals interacting. Using EEG hyperscanning, researchers observed reduced inter-brain synchrony during hand movement imitation between mixed pairs, with autistic individuals more likely to follow than lead.
Certain immune cells play an important role in the early stages of multiple sclerosis, a twin study shows.
New evidence from the Centre for Healthy Brain Ageing indicates that older adults who experience a stroke for the first time will have substantial immediate and accelerated long term-cognitive decline. The new research, published in JAMA Network Open, looked at finding out exactly how a stroke impacts a person’s cognitive abilities.
Scientists are examining the brains of individuals with asymptomatic Alzheimer’s disease who, despite having amyloid plaque and tau buildup—the primary indicators of Alzheimer’s—did not show diagnosable dementia symptoms while alive. They’ve identified crucial mechanisms that may safeguard against cognitive decline in Alzheimer’s disease.
Finally this week, In a first-of-its-kind study, University of South Florida researchers are finding that music can help boost cognition in patients undergoing chemotherapy.
Pupillary light reflex (PLR) assessment in open-eye and closed-eye conditions. Credit: Communications Medicine (2024).
A new technological advancement now enables researchers to observe changes in pupil size and gaze direction behind closed eyelids for the first time, using non-contact infrared imaging. This capability is expected to aid in identifying wakefulness states during sleep, anesthesia, and intensive care by monitoring pupil size variations. It could also be instrumental in gauging sedation levels, detecting seizures and nightmares, and acknowledging pain or responsiveness following trauma or within intensive care settings.
A recent study using artificial intelligence has yielded a new understanding of how the brain anticipates future occurrences and processes data. It was found that the brain’s inherent activity, even in the absence of external stimuli, is crucial to our cognitive and emotional processes.
New research shows that varied cognitive training, rather than repetitive tasks, helps older adults improve working memory.
Scientists have mapped how propofol, a widely used anesthetic, alters brain connectivity to induce unconsciousness. Using fMRI, they found that propofol disrupts connections in the thalamus, reducing complex information processing and limiting sensory integration.
Research on older individuals indicates that vision impairment may be responsible for one in five dementia cases.
A new technology that uses harmless light waves to measure activity in babies’ brains has provided the most complete picture to date of brain functions like hearing, vision and cognitive processing outside a conventional, restrictive brain scanner.
Scientists have developed an innovative approach to studying brain connections using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Recently published in Cell Systems, this workintroduces a new way of understanding brain architecture through dynamic functional networks, challenging the traditional static approach.
A new study publishedin Nature Communications examines how the brain initiates spontaneous actions. In addition to demonstrating how spontaneous action emerges without environmental input, this research has implications for the origins of slow ramping of neural activity before movement onset—a commonly-observed but poorly understood phenomenon.
Researchers have published a novel study exploring the effects of delayed feedback on learning in individuals with moderate-to-severe traumatic brain injury (TBI).
A breakthrough in medical imaging is making it possible for researchers to observe brain activity during movement and pick up the early signs of disorders that affect brain-to-body coordination, such as Parkinson’s disease.
A new study investigated the origin of ataxia in the brain of patients with stroke and found a significant number of the stroke lesions in the patients were located outside the cerebellum.
Researchers have developed a noninvasive technique that could dramatically improve the way doctors monitor intracranial hypertension, a condition where increased pressure in the brain can lead to severe outcomes like strokes and hemorrhages.
Robotic ‘coaches’ aiding upper limb rehabilitation for stroke and brain injury survivors have been successfully trialed in Vienna, Austria.
Scientists have created a dynamic technique to monitor swift changes in brain activity, particularly those associated with cravings. This method differs from conventional neuroimaging by offering a continuous perspective on the variations in craving intensity. The research revealed that individuals with intense cravings tend to remain longer in brain states that intensify these cravings and do not activate the brain networks that could diminish them.
A recent study highlights the interaction between brain structure and social context, suggesting that some children are more vulnerable to social stressors than others.
With maps of the connections between neurons and artificial intelligence methods, researchers can now do what they never thought possible: predict the activity of individual neurons without making a single measurement in a living brain.
A review highlighting recent advances in genetically encoded fluorescent tools for labeling and selectively manipulating synapses has been published in Nature Reviews Neuroscience.
Scientists have determined that more than 60% of people who contracted COVID-19 have neurological symptoms that impact their cognitive function and quality of life, even two and three years after COVID-19.
Lip-read words can be decoded from the brain’s auditory regions similarly to heard speech, according to a new report that looked at how vision supports verbal perception.
Exercising is healthy, but not always appealing. Now research may have found a “switch” that activates the desire to get moving, as it shows that during exercise the muscle activates proteins which encourage further activity. The paper is published in Science Advances.
Researchers have demonstrated that a simple blood test that reflects brain health can predict which people are most at risk of suffering a stroke.
Our brain interprets visual information by combining what we see with what we already know. A study published in the journal Neuron, reveals a mechanism for learning and storing this existing knowledge about the world.
A newly developed brain-computer interface translates brain signals into speech with up to 97% accuracy, making it the most precise system of its kind.
Researchers have discovered that spontaneous brain activity during early development drives neural wiring before sensory experiences shape the brain. This spontaneous activity in neurons strengthens connections, following Hebb’s rule, where “cells that fire together wire together.”
A recently published study has unveiled significant findings that could enhance brain-computer interface (BCI) technologies, marking a crucial step towards more intuitive neuroprosthetic control and advanced rehabilitation therapies.
Scientists have developed a promising preventative therapeutic approach against Alzheimer’s disease, targeting the amyloid beta biomolecule that typically triggers nerve cell hyperactivity in the early stages of the brain disease.
A new study finds that COVID-19 proteins left in the brain may lower cortisol levels, leading to heightened inflammation and an exaggerated response to stressors.
Through a large-scale brain imaging study, an international research team has identified five patterns of age-related degeneration in older people experiencing mental decline. In their study, the team conducted the multi-year study of thousands of MRI scans using machine learning applications to find patterns in brain degeneration as people age.
A new machine learning model, AutMedAI, can predict autism in children under two with nearly 80% accuracy, offering a promising tool for early detection and intervention.
Researchers have discovered the neurons responsible for “item memory,” deepening our understanding of how the brain stores and retrieves the details of “what” happened and offering a new target for treating Alzheimer’s disease.
Contrary to previous research, a new study of female participants finds no link between migraine and the risk of developing Parkinson’s disease.
Children who have persistently raised inflammation are at a higher risk of experiencing serious mental health disorders including psychosis and depression in early adulthood, according to a study published today in JAMA Psychiatry.
Researchers have identified a link between brain overgrowth and the severity of social and communication symptoms in children with autism spectrum disorder.
People withmultiple sclerosis (MS) are far less likely than those without the condition to have the molecular hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease, according to new research. The discovery suggests a new avenue of research through which to seek Alzheimer’s treatment.
Scientists have discovered a new method to regulate the receptors responsible for the sense of touch, potentially leading to more effective treatments for chronic pain.
Researchers have found that nondeceptive placebos—placebos given with the full knowledge that they are placebos—can effectively manage stress, even when administered remotely. In a two-week randomized controlled trial, participants experiencing prolonged stress were divided into two groups: one group received nondeceptive placebos, while the other served as a control.
Return to work two years after a breast cancer diagnosis is associated with higher cognitive speed performance before and after treatment, according to a study published in JAMA Network Open.
Researchers have discovered a mutation in the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein that enhances its ability to infect the central nervous system, potentially explaining neurological symptoms and long COVID. The mutation was found to allow the virus to better infiltrate the brain, with implications for future treatments targeting COVID-19’s effects on the brain.
Finally, this week, while everyone knows that a good night’s sleep restores energy, a new study finds it resets another vital function: memory.
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