Regional overlap between dimensional associations between conduct problems and brain structure (current study) and case-control differences in conduct disorder. Credit: Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry (2026).
Conduct problems—including persistent rule-breaking, aggression, irritability and difficulty following school rules—are associated with small but widespread differences in brain structure, according to a majorinternational studyof more than 14,000 children and adolescents.
New research has discovered subtle but widespread differences in the brain’s communication networks in people with bipolar disorder, offering new insight into how illness severity and treatment may relate to brain wiring.
A recent study has identified hidden pathways through which parental DNA influences a child’s life, presenting a framework that separates direct genetic inheritance from parents’ environmental impacts, known as “genetic nurture.” By analysing data from over 30,000 multigenerational families, researchers found that the domestic environment shaped by parental DNA can affect traits such as height, weight, and academic ability that rival direct inheritance.
A study of 2,044 older Japanese adults revealed that lower vitamin C levels in blood plasma are associated with reduced gray matter volume and connectivity in the brain’s default mode network.
Researchers have discovered unique brain activity patterns in individuals with depression, shedding light on the persistent nature of depressive symptoms. Their study, used advanced neuroimaging and mathematical modelling to analyse brain transitions between states, indicating that depression may involve “brain-state entrapment,” whereby the brain tends to favour certain activity patterns and struggles to shift away from them.
Adolescents who spend at least two hours a day on social media are more likely to experience depressive symptoms and poorer well-being, with the strongest effects in early adolescence, according to new research.
A new study challenges the belief that teenage risk-taking is due to excess dopamine, finding instead that it stems from low baseline dopamine levels. Analysing data from over 800 adolescents, researchers discovered that those with the lowest reward biology use substances like alcohol and cannabis as a way to stimulate their underactive brains. As their dopamine systems mature into adulthood, their experimentation with substances significantly decreases.
New research suggests that reinforcing the body’s natural daily rhythms to improve sleep could help the brain recover after a stroke.
A pioneering, first-of-its-kind study demonstrated that a personalised, machine-learning-guided lifestyle coaching program can nearly double the remission rates of mild-to-moderate depression. The research tracks how individual behavioural factors uniquely predict low mood states.
Scientists say they’ve uncovered striking new evidence of how alcohol addiction impacts the brain’s learning systems—and how those systems may slowly adapt during recovery—in a new study published in Clinical Neurophysiology.
New research by a collaboration of U.K.-based scientists has revealed that common indoor and outdoor air pollutants can alter both brain and respiratory function within just four hours of exposure, offering key insights into how air pollution impacts brain health and may contribute to dementia risk.
Children recover significantly faster from concussion after receiving early, multidisciplinary care designed to treat persistent symptoms, according to a new study.
Researchers have discovered the first definitive neural evidence of how the brain creates and reuses abstract symbols to think creatively. The research tracks the neural substrates of “compositional generalisation”, the foundational cognitive ability to take familiar components and recombine them into entirely fresh ideas.
A neuroimaging study has challenged the idea that chronic brain inflammation causes Long COVID, using PET and MRI scans to analyse patients with Long COVID, healthy individuals, and MS patients.
Scientists have uncovered a vital mechanism of the “heart-brain axis,” showing that a heart attack can alter brain function, leading to depression, anxiety, and cognitive decline. After such an event, a toxic byproduct called methylglyoxal (MG) increases in the bloodstream and accumulates in the brain’s mood and memory centres.
Frequent changes in blood pressure could affect cognitive health and contribute to brain changes associated with dementia risk, according to new research.
A new study identified the architectural and evolutionary principles that govern how both children and artificial neural networks absorb language. The research bridges cognitive linguistics and deep learning to demonstrate the power of “iterated learning”, the process where language reshapes itself over multiple generations to become increasingly structured and structured data becomes easier to learn.
New research has uncovered how a protein strongly linked to Alzheimer’s disease plays a critical role in forming long-lasting memories—opening up new directions for future dementia treatments.
A new study finds that caffeine negatively impacts sleep quality by reducing slow-wave activity, even if total sleep duration seems normal. Researchers used electroencephalography (EEG) to show that this reduction leads to a more wakeful brain state, hindering the central nervous system’s ability to regenerate physically and cognitively.
In people with epilepsy, a new study has found a smartwatch application accurately detected tonic-clonic seizures, seizures with major convulsions, with a low rate of false alarms.
A recent study identified sleep behaviours as early indicators of brain ageing in healthy adults by analysing MRI data from over 23,000 individuals. It found that sleep durations outside the recommended seven-to-nine hours, frequent daytime napping, and chronic sleeplessness are associated with greater white matter lesions, a marker of cognitive decline, regardless of other factors.
Finally this week, quitting smoking is associated with a lower risk for dementia, especially for those with no or modest weight gain after cessation, according to a study published in Neurology.
Alongitudinal study tracking children over a period of seven years has identified distinct brain-wave patterns emerging from age 9 that can forecast a child’s vulnerability to anxiety or depression by age 13. These predictive markers reveal divergent, hemisphere-specific neurodevelopmental trajectories. Anxiety is linked to activity on the right side of the brain, while depression is tied to the left.
Researchers developed transparent, flexible contact lenses that use electrical stimulation to treat depression, enhancing brain connectivity and increasing serotonin levels by 47%, comparable to top antidepressants.
A Phase 2 clinical trial found that a single 25 mg dose of psilocybin, alongside psychotherapeutic support, significantly reduces symptoms of recurrent depression, with antidepressant effects appearing by day two and 53% of participants reaching remission by six weeks. While well-tolerated, the study identified long-term efficacy issues and the challenge of patient blinding in psychedelic research.
A new study maps the functional remodelling strategies the brain deploys during simulated visual impairment.
Researchers are developing a multi-organ “organ-on-chip” device called the GlucoBrain project to connect human cellular models of the gut, pancreas, and brain in a biochip. This study will investigate the biological mechanisms linking diabetes to cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s by monitoring molecular signaling and cellular responses to glucose and hormone levels.
A healthy brain may help protect thinking and memory skills from the early effects of Alzheimer’s disease, a new study has found.
A major longitudinal cohort study revealed a compelling neuroprotective link between smoking cessation and a lowered risk of developing dementia. While the study does not definitively prove causation, the empirical data shows that individuals who quit smoking experience a 16% reduction in dementia risk compared to those who continue smoking, eventually matching the baseline risk levels of lifelong non-smokers after approximately seven years.
A multi-site study reveals that combining cannabis and tobacco, a trend known as “co-use”, significantly increases the long-term risk of developing full psychotic disorders like schizophrenia. The study tracked over 1,000 participants from the North American Prodrome Longitudinal Study, specifically focusing on adolescents and young adults already at “clinical high risk” for psychosis.
A new study reveals that long-term exposure to low levels of air pollution is directly linked to worse memory, comprehension, and processing speed.
A milestone pilot randomized controlled clinical trial delivered the first targeted clinical evidence that immunotherapy could serve as a powerful new treatment paradigm for treatment-resistant depression. The study investigated whether tocilizumab, an existing anti-inflammatory drug traditionally used to treat autoimmune conditions like rheumatoid arthritis, could alleviate depressive symptoms by blocking a specific inflammatory pathway.
Migraine with aura is linked to a higher risk of ischemic stroke in middle-aged and older individuals, as per a study in Neurology, while migraine without aura does not show this association; however, the study does not confirm causation.
New research argues that Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) must be reframed from a simple disruption of motor pathways into a fundamental systems-level disorder. The framework posits that SCI permanently fractures communication, desynchronizes physiological states, and halts learning across the entire brain–body–environment loop.
Finally, a new study has created a real-time method to detect alcohol-induced blackouts during drinking, tackling the challenge of identifying blackouts only after harmful incidents occur.
HoliAtlas Project Brain Images. Credit: Instituto de Aplicaciones de las Tecnologías de la Información y de las Comunicaciones Avanzadas (ITACA), Universitat Politècnica de València
An international team has developed one of the most comprehensive and detailed structural atlases of the human brain to date. Known as HoliAtlas, it will be particularly useful for the study and early diagnosis of neurological and neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s.
Scientists have uncovered a strategy that the brain uses for chemical signalling. In a new study, researchers found that in the striatum, a brain region central to learning and movement, one signalling system can seize control of another, promoting the coordinated release of both.
A meta-analysis has confirmed that exposure to nature—real, virtual, or imagined—reduces negative emotions and boosts brain health.
A massive study of over 2.2 million individuals has fundamentally redefined how we understand the genetics of addiction. The research reveals that most genetic risk for substance use disorders (SUD) isn’t about how the body reacts to a specific drug, but how the brain is “wired” for behavioural disinhibition.
A meta-analysis found no link between hormonal contraception and idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH), a serious condition marked by increased pressure around the brain, potentially causing chronic headaches and vision loss.
A machine-learning analysis of brain waves recorded during sleep may help identify people at high risk of developing dementia, according to a recent study. The study found that when a person’s “brain age,” estimated from sleep signals using EEG, exceeded their actual age, the risk of dementia increased.
A major study has found that treating ADHD with stimulant medication during childhood may actually lower the long-term risk of developing serious psychotic disorders, such as schizophrenia.
New research shows that the long-term neurological impact of childhood trauma is not permanently etched onto the brain. An analysis of brain communication patterns in individuals with childhood adversity indicates that lifetime physical activity can reshape neural connectivity, strengthening internal communication and optimizing stress response. The findings from the studyin Biological Psychiatry: Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuroimaging highlight physical activity as a modifiable lifestyle factor linked to neurobiological adaptation.
An international team has completed a massive “blueprint” of the human neocortex, the brain’s outer layer responsible for high-level thinking, decision-making, and sensory processing.
A clinical decision support tool that uses artificial intelligence (AI) to analyze scans after a stroke alongside treatment recommendations is associated with better quality care and long-term outcomes for patients compared with usual care, finds a recent study publishedin The BMJ.
Can a stroke make part of your brain younger? New research using deep learning reveals that undamaged brain regions reorganise and show “youthful” structural patterns to compensate for severe stroke damage.
New research identifies a leaky blood-brain barrier as the primary link between repetitive head injuries and long-term cognitive decline in retired athletes. MRI scans compared with post-mortem tissue from athletes with Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy reveal that this barrier remains compromised even years after retirement.
Scientists have identified a new genetic disease characterised by premature ageing and deficits in brain function.
Consciousness and its impairment from brain injuries are not well understood, making disorders of consciousness (DOC), like coma and vegetative states, challenging to treat. A new study published in Nature Neurosciencesuggests that AI may help researchers tackle this issue. The research team developed an adversarial AI framework to better understand states of reduced consciousness and explore potential solutions.
Finally this week, new research shows that periodontal tissue status, peripheral immune response, and cognitive functions are closely interconnected.
Researchers have identified a major genetic risk factor for a rare form of frontotemporal dementia. The discovery, published in Nature Genetics, provides a biological entry point for a disease subtype that has been difficult to study. It could not only help to improve diagnosis and patient stratification, but also opens up new avenues toward targeted treatments.
A new studysuggests that merely engaging in physical activity isn’t sufficient; the structure of workouts, including session spacing and organization, may be more crucial for healthy brain aging than the total activity amount.
MIT neuroscientists have discovered how the brain focuses on a single voice amid many, addressing the “cocktail party problem.” This focus is crucial in crowded settings like cocktail parties, where multiple conversations occur. The brain can follow the voice of the person you’re talking to despite background noise. Using a computational model of the auditory system, the MIT team found that enhancing neural processing units that respond to specific voice features, like pitch, helps bring that voice to the forefront of attention.
Higher maternal physical activity is associated with early child neurodevelopment, according to a recent study.
The stress hormone cortisol disrupts the brain’s navigational system by impairing the function of grid cells essential for spatial orientation. Researchers from Ruhr University Bochum, Germany, verified this in an imaging study with 40 individuals who completed a virtual navigation experiment in an MRI scanner. Subjects who received cortisol prior to the experiment performed worse, with indistinct grid cell activity patterns.
The recreational drugs cannabis, cocaine and amphetamines significantly increase the risk of stroke—including among younger users—Cambridge researchers have concluded after analysing data from more than 100 million people.
Scientists have identified a coordinated “gene expression program” that drives neurotransmission in the living human brain by integrating real-time intracranial recordings from neurosurgical patients with molecular profiling. This study reveals specific genes associated with active signalling, offering new insights into human cognition and psychiatric disorders.
A single session of physical exercise can spawn a boost of neural activity in brain networks that underlie learning and memory, according to a new study.
A team of Spanish researchers investigated whether individuals with high psychopathic traits exhibit brain structure anomalies that prevent feelings of regret and contribute to manipulation and antisocial behaviour by interviewing men convicted of intimate partner violence and a control group, followed by brain scans. The results showed that men with thinner cortex in certain brain regions—particularly fronto-temporo-parietal areas—tended to display higher antisocial tendencies, regardless of their history of violence.
Scientists have identified seven specific types of hyperarousal, creating a new roadmap for treating the underlying tension of mental disorders.
Researchers conducted a study on the link between responses to SSRIs and SNRIs and brain connections. Their findings, published in Molecular Psychiatry, suggest that a specific link between the frontal lobe, a region in the brain’s outer layer involved in decision-making, and the amygdala, which is central to the processing of emotions, differs in patients that respond better to SSRIs and those who find SNRIs more beneficial.
Alzheimer’s research has faced criticism for its lack of diversity, with a primary focus on participants of European ancestry. A groundbreaking study has revealed significant variations in Alzheimer’s pathology, specifically tau protein tangles and amyloid plaques, among different racial and ethnic groups. This suggests the disease’s biological timeline varies across populations, indicating a need to adjust current diagnostic tools and future treatments for broader effectiveness.
A new study offers a single explanation for two major symptoms of schizophrenia.
New research has found no evidence that the transitional symptoms of menopause such as brain fog and memory problems have a lasting impact on cognitive performance. The research, publishedin npj Women’s Health, found that while brain fog is a real symptom commonly experienced by peri- and postmenopausal women, there is no evidence that it has an ongoing impact on a person’s cognitive abilities.
The largest-ever Parkinson’s study shows how symptoms differ between men and women.
A recent study published in NeuroImage reveals that neuroticism is linked to altered communication between different brain networks rather than isolated brain activity. Researchers discovered that people with higher levels of this personality trait show increased connectivity between brain regions responsible for processing emotions, regulating memory, and detecting threats. These findings suggest that emotional instability arises from how the brain’s emotional hubs synchronize with other areas.
New research indicates that storytelling may be linked to the evolution of human memory and could enhance everyday retention.
Having type 1 diabetes is linked to a higher risk of dementia, according to a recent study published in Neurology. Type 2 diabetes also carries a higher risk compared to those without diabetes. However, this study shows an association and does not prove that diabetes causes dementia. Type 1 diabetes is rare, representing about 5% of diabetes cases.
Finally, new research shows that harmonically consonant musical chord progressions during face-to-face interactions enhance brain circuits linked to social connection and emotional processing.
For years, Alzheimer’s research has faced criticism for not being diverse, primarily focusing on participants of European ancestry. A groundbreaking study has challenged the “one-size-fits-all” approach. By examining brain markers across a diverse group, researchers found important differences in how early Alzheimer’s symptoms—such as tau protein tangles and amyloid plaques—manifest among racial and ethnic groups. These results indicate that the disease’s biological timeline varies across populations, suggesting that existing diagnostic tools and future treatments may need adjustments to be effective for everyone.
Scientists have found that a novel blood-based biomarker can predict a woman’s risk of developing dementia as many as 25 years before symptoms appear.
Blockbuster weight-loss drugs like semaglutide and liraglutide have significantly affected metabolic health, and a new study mapping GLP-1 expression in the brain reveals notable sex-specific differences. This research explains why females may experience greater appetite suppression and weight loss with these medications, and it suggests the potential for developing sex-specific treatments for addiction, depression, and Alzheimer’s.
Can you tell the difference between a real human voice and an AI-generated one? According to a new study, your conscious mind might struggle, but your brain is already picking up the clues.
Researchers have identified new genetic variants associated with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) through long-read whole genome sequencing (LR-WGS), which enhances the detection of genetic variants compared to short-read methods. These insights could result in more precise genetic testing and targeted therapies for ASD.
Increasing our level of physical fitness leads to a greater release of brain-boosting proteins following a single exercise session, a new studyhas found.
A new study has found a neural “fingerprint” that predicts our ability to understand others’ intentions, identifying a brain network that responds when our expectations of others are incorrect. This could significantly change the diagnosis and treatment of social cognition disorders such as autism and borderline personality disorder.
Scientists have successfully preserved brain tissue by deep-freezing it. When thawed, the neurons start sending signals again. This method can be used to preserve brain tissue removed during surgery for later study.
The VIVID Trial, a large study on Vitamin D, found that high doses of Vitamin D3 did not reduce the severity of COVID-19 or prevent hospitalisation, but suggested potential benefits for preventing Long COVID. Participants adhering to the Vitamin D regimen reported fewer ongoing symptoms after eight weeks, indicating that while Vitamin D isn’t a cure for COVID-19, it may aid long-term recovery.
A retinal image could help doctors quickly distinguish between similar neurodegenerative diseases such as ALS and Alzheimer’s disease, and with remarkable accuracy, according to new research.
A new study shows that immune cells called microglia can actively promote the formation of plaques in Alzheimer’s disease, challenging the long-standing view that these cells serve only as defenders against plaque buildup. The findings were recently publishedin the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Smoking cannabis can reshape memories. A new study found that those who consumed THC were more likely to recall nonexistent words and struggled with tasks like remembering to do something later.
Fatigue is a significant and challenging symptom of major depressive disorder. Recent research shows that cells in depressed individuals overwork at rest but struggle to produce energy under stress. This indicates that mitochondria are pushed to their limits early in the illness, contributing to low mood and cognitive slowness.
A new review explains that ketogenic diets help reduce seizures in epilepsy by strengthening the brain’s energy systems, reducing inflammation, and protecting neurons, offering benefits that many medications do not provide.
In former college athletes, having had three or more concussions was associated with slightly worse physical, mental, behavioural, and cognitive health five years after graduation, according to an article published in Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.
New research suggests that exercise may help people with cancer stay mentally sharp and better able to handle daily tasks, work, and social activities through chemotherapy treatment delivered on an every two-week cycle.
A recent study from the University of Cambridge indicates that menopause may significantly increase the risk of Alzheimer’s disease. Researchers analyzed brain scans from nearly 125,000 women and found that menopause is linked to reductions in gray matter, which is critical for processing information. They also observed decreased volume in brain areas responsible for memory, emotion, attention, and decision-making. These changes were related to poorer sleep, higher anxiety and depression, and slower reaction times. Notably, the affected regions are the same ones most at risk in Alzheimer’s disease, the most common type of dementia.
People with major depressive disorder saw significant and lasting reductions in their symptoms from a single dose of the psychedelic compound DMT in a small study.
Results from the long-term ACTIVE study reveal that a specific type of cognitive exercise can significantly reduce the risk of dementia for up to two decades. The study, which followed nearly 3,000 older adults for 20 years, found that those who participated in “speed of processing” training—exercises designed to sharpen visual attention and reaction time—were 25% less likely to be diagnosed with dementia compared to a control group.
Eating unhealthy foods early in life leaves lasting brain and feeding changes, but gut bacteria can help restore healthy eating, a new study finds.
Researchers have found a specific type of high-frequency brain activity in the anteromedial orbitofrontal cortex (amOFC) that correlates with compulsive behaviours in people with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). In three patients with severe OCD who didn’t respond to treatment, targeting this signal with deep-brain stimulation (DBS) quickly reduced symptoms. These results suggest that OCD symptoms might be caused by irregular brain circuits in the frontal region and could lead to better DBS systems that activate only when harmful signals occur.
A recentstudy has found a direct link between age-related declines in neuron activity in the cerebellum and worsening motor skills, including gait, balance and agility.
Researchers have studied changes in the cerebral cortex of people with psychosis. Their findings show that psychosis does not follow one path; instead, its development is influenced by how the brain matures, along with symptoms, thinking, and treatment. The authors stress the importance of personalised approaches that consider individual differences to better understand the condition and improve long-term treatment strategies.
A simple combination of daily physical exercise and protein-rich nutritional drinks appears to offer significant health benefits for people with dementia.
Chronic pain lasts longer in women than in men, and new research suggests that differences in immune cells called monocytes may explain this. In a study published in Science Immunology, researchers at Michigan State University discovered that a type of monocyte produces a molecule that reduces pain. These cells are more active in men due to higher testosterone levels. In contrast, women experience longer pain and slower recovery because their monocytes are less active.
Researchers have developed a high-speed “neuron-on-a-plate” system that successfully mimics the complex electrical rhythms of the developing human brain.
A research team has found new clues about how the brains of people with Down syndrome develop differently from a very early age. The study, published in Nature Communications, shows that brain cells with an extra copy of a chromosome (trisomy 21)—the genetic cause of Down syndrome—have difficulty forming strong, well-coordinated connections with one another.
Finally this week, a new study warns that AI chatbots like ChatGPT can significantly worsen psychiatric conditions—particularly delusions, mania, and suicidal ideation.
Credit: Gibson Digital / Glasgow Caledonian University / PA
A “unique” AI-powered headset that can predict epileptic seizures minutes before they occur has been developed by scientists
A new study from Karolinska Institutet, published in Nature Communications, reveals how rhythmic brain waves known as alpha oscillations help us distinguish between our own body and the external world. The findings offer new insights into how the brain integrates sensory signals to create a coherent sense of bodily self.
Scientists have discovered that a part of the brain may be behind high blood pressure.
Women are more than twice as likely as men to develop stress-related conditions like PTSD, yet the biological mechanisms behind this risk are not well understood. Recent research provides evidence that the ovarian hormone estradiol influences the brain’s response to perceived threats after trauma.
A new study investigated both gene expression and regulation at single cell levels to reveal disruptions in gene function in three brain regions of patients with sporadic early onset Alzheimer’s disease.
Researchers mapped the brain connectivity of 960 individuals to uncover how fast and slow neural processes support complex behaviour. They found that intrinsic neural timescales—regions’ characteristic processing windows—are shaped by white-matter pathways distributing signals across the brain. Individuals with a closer match between their wiring and regional timescale demands showed more efficient transitions between behaviour-linked brain states.
An international study that pooled brain scans and memory tests from thousands of adults has shed new light on how structural brain changes are tied to memory decline as people age.
A new machine-learning-based approach to mapping real-time tumour metabolism in brain cancer patients could help doctors discover which treatment strategies are most likely to be effective against individual cases of glioma. The team verified the accuracy of the model by comparing it against human patient data and running mouse experiments.
A new international study has developed the first practical, five-year dementia risk prediction tool for stroke survivors—using only information that’s routinely collected in hospitals and clinics.
Clinician-scientists at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine have developed an artificial intelligence (AI) tool that significantly improves diagnostic accuracy for functional seizures—a condition often misdiagnosed as epilepsy.
A real world study has shown that higher daytime light exposure positively influences different aspects of cognition.
There are indications that a simple finger-prick blood test could, in the future, detect Alzheimer’s disease long before the first clinical symptoms become apparent. This approach could offer a more accessible and less burdensome alternative to the current, complex diagnostic methods.
Autistic adults show reduced availability of a key glutamate receptor, mGlu5, across widespread brain regions. This difference supports the theory that an imbalance between excitatory and inhibitory signaling may contribute to autism-related traits.
Using marijuana just once or twice a month was associated with worse school performance and emotional distress for teens, according to a large study of adolescents.
A possible new treatment for impaired brain blood flow and related dementias is on the horizon. Recent research provides novel insights into the mechanisms that regulate brain blood flow and highlights a potential therapeutic strategy to correct vascular dysfunction.
A major review of prior research has found no evidence that menopause hormone therapy either increases or decreases dementia risk in postmenopausal women.
New research has provided the first direct evidence that schizophrenia is associated with a greater release of serotonin in the frontal cortex, and demonstrates its link to a greater severity of some of the most disabling symptoms of the disorder.
A new study has uncovered how children’s play styles differ depending on whether they are playing alone or with someone else, and how these differences relate to their social skills and brain activity.
The secret to a healthier and “younger” heart lies in the vagus nerve. A recent study has shown that preserving bilateral cardiac vagal innervation is an anti-aging factor. In particular, the right cardiac vagus nerve emerges as a true guardian of cardiomyocyte health, helping to preserve the longevity of the heart independently of heart rate.
AI, using a simple blood test combined with standard brain images has, for the first time, been able to identify two biologically distinct types of multiple sclerosis (MS).
A new study comparing stroke survivors with healthy adults reveals that post-stroke language disorders stem not from slower hearing but from weaker integration of speech sounds. While patients detected sounds as quickly as controls, their brains processed speech features with far less strength, especially when words were unclear.
New research reveals that numbers in our visual field can subtly distort how we judge spatial positions, showing that perception is shaped by both numerical magnitude and object-based processing.
Researchers recently carried out a study investigating the possible connection between gut microbiota and the depressive episodes experienced by people diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder. Their findings, published in Molecular Psychiatry, suggest that the microorganisms in the digestive system can directly influence connections between specific brain regions known to be affected by BD depression.
New research has found that high risk of obstructive sleep apnea is linked to poorer mental health in adults over 45.
New research following children for more than a decade links high screen exposure before age two to accelerated brain maturation, slower decision-making, and increased anxiety by adolescence. Infants with more screen time showed premature specialization in brain networks involved in visual processing and cognitive control, which later reduced flexibility during thinking tasks.
A research group has uncovered a key mechanism in the development of Alzheimer’s. The mechanism in question identifies toxic proteins and disposes of them.
Researchers mapped the brain connectivity of 960 individuals to uncover how neural processes support complex behavior. They found that intrinsic neural timescales—each region’s processing window—are shaped by white-matter pathways that distribute signals. Individuals with a closer match between their wiring and regional timescale demands showed more efficient transitions between behavior-linked brain states.
Finally this week, a new study revealed that visual awareness acts as a “conductor” refining the speed and precision of attentional rhythmic sampling.
Persistent effects of air pollutants (main effects) from a multi-pollutant model. Credit: Environmental Research (2026)
Scientists warn that exposure to air pollution may have serious implications for a child’s developing brain.
A new study shows that merely imagining a positive encounter with someone can make you like them better by engaging brain regions involved with learning and preference. The findings could have implications for psychotherapy, sports performance and more.
For the first time, a team of researchers has reconstructed how the cerebellum establishes its connections with the rest of the brain during the earliest stages of life.
Social isolation directly causes cognitive function to decline more quickly in later life, independent of whether someone feels lonely. By analysing more than 137,000 cognitive tests from over 30,000 older adults, a new study found that reduced social contact consistently predicted faster cognitive decline across all demographic groups.
Researchers have developed an AI-driven brain model that can track fear as it unfolds in real-world situations, offering a major shift from traditional lab-based approaches.
A new study is challenging a popular theory about how dopamine drives movement, a discovery that could shift how scientists think about Parkinson’s disease treatments. Published in Nature Neuroscience, the research found dopamine does not set the speed or force of each movement, as had been thought. Instead, it appears to serve as the underlying support system that enables movement.
Depression and anxiety may heighten cardiovascular disease risk through chronic stress pathways in the brain and body. In a large analysis of more than 85,000 adults, those with depression or anxiety — especially both — were significantly more likely to experience a heart attack, stroke or heart failure.
A new study has found that people who microdose psychedelics feel better on the days they take them—but those boosts don’t seem to last.
A team of researchers has uncovered, for the first time, how genes linked to autism and intellectual disability may influence early brain development. Their work helps clarify how differences in early brain development contribute to neurodevelopmental disorders and could identify more targeted therapies for these conditions.
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