Weekly Neuroscience Update

*Credit: Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry (2025)*

A new review highlights five major ways microplastics can harm the brain, raising concerns that they may worsen neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. These tiny particles can trigger inflammation, disrupt the blood–brain barrier, generate oxidative stress, impair mitochondria, and damage neurons.

Researchers have mapped how brain networks differ in individuals at Clinical High Risk (CHR) for psychosis, providing a new perspective on the mechanisms underlying the disease onset.

A new study found that variations in the brain’s insulin receptor network affect how women respond to early-life adversity. This effect has a lesser impact in men, suggesting there is a sex-specific process at play.

Dopamine neurons—the cells that drive reward and motivation while we’re awake—become surprisingly active during nonrapid eye movement sleep right after we learn something new.

The human brain processes spoken language in a step-by-step sequence that closely matches how large language models transform text. Using electrocorticography recordings from people listening to a podcast, researchers found that early brain responses aligned with early AI layers, while deeper layers corresponded to later neural activity in regions such as Broca’s area.

In a new leap for neurobiology and bioelectronics, scientists have developed a wireless device that uses light to send information directly to the brain—bypassing the body’s natural sensory pathways.

Young children exposed to unusually high temperatures are less likely to reach basic developmental milestones in literacy and numeracy. Analyzing data from over 19,000 children across multiple countries, the study found that average maximum temperatures above 86 °F were associated with measurable declines in early learning outcomes.

A new study shows that dance can be beneficial in halting the cognitive decline associated with Parkinson’s disease and, for some participants, they even showed signs of improvement.

A research team has developed a new AI foundation model that creatively solved the problem of the “label data shortage,” regarded as the biggest challenge in deep learning-based brain signal analysis. This technology is designed to self-learn brain signals and is gaining attention for its ability to deliver high accuracy with very small amounts of labels.

Semaglutide medications like Ozempic and Wegovy can help lower the risk of heart and metabolic diseases in people with schizophrenia spectrum disorders, according to a new study.

A newly discovered biological signal in the blood could help health care teams and researchers better understand how children respond to brain injuries at the cellular level, according to research in the Journal of Neurotrauma.

Neuroscientists have developed a first-of-its-kind method to rapidly produce synchronized, human brain wave-like activity in lab-grown neural networks that can communicate over long distances.

A new analysis shows that anti-inflammatory medications may help reduce symptoms for a subset of people with depression who also have chronic, low-grade inflammation. By reviewing randomized controlled trials that specifically enrolled individuals with elevated inflammatory markers, researchers found that anti-inflammatory treatments significantly reduced both overall depressive symptoms and anhedonia.

An international study has found that wearable technology could help detect Parkinson’s disease (PD) up to nine years before clinical diagnosis simply by monitoring how people turn when they walk.

Researchers have identified a distinct immuno-inflammatory biomarker across major psychiatric disorders that can be detected using noninvasive brain imaging. Patients exhibiting this brain signature showed systemic inflammation and poorer response to standard treatments.

A preliminary study of people with diabetes suggests that use of glucose-lowering GLP-1 drugs may be linked to a lower risk of developing epilepsy.

A new study proposes that autism arises when genetic vulnerability, an early environmental trigger, and prolonged activation of the cellular stress response align during critical developmental windows. This “three-hit” metabolic model reframes autism as a disorder of disrupted cellular communication and energy metabolism rather than an inevitable genetic outcome.

Finally this week, researchers have discovered how a neural circuit drives relapse after opioid use, a finding that could lead to more effective treatments for opioid use disorders.

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*Illustration depicting a model of how DA and serotonin cotransmission shapes behaviour through frequency-dependent filtering of D1-MSN axons. Credit: Science Advances (2025)*

Scientists have uncovered a previously unknown mechanism by which dopamine, a key brain chemical vital for movement and motivation, can affect brain activity indirectly by boosting serotonin.

New brain imaging research shows that structural damage in schizophrenia spectrum disorders may begin in specific “epicenter” regions before spreading across connected brain networks. Individuals with the condition showed widespread reductions in structural similarity between key cognitive and emotional brain regions.

Researchers have uncovered new insights into how brain wiring differs in children and young adults with autism, offering more precise ways to understand the condition.

There is new hope for people who have lost their smell. Scientists have successfully tested a breakthrough device that lets people detect the presence of certain odors. This innovative system helps them “smell” again by translating odors into feelings (like touch) inside the nose.

Lockdown and social distancing measures during the COVID-19 pandemic were associated with increased developmental concerns about young children in Scotland, research suggests.

Researchers have identified two receptors in the brain that control the breakdown of amyloid beta, a substance that accumulates in Alzheimer’s disease. The study could pave the way for future drugs that are both safer and cheaper than current antibody treatments.

Patients with major depressive disorder, including non-responders to first-line antidepressants, may benefit from short-term nitrous oxide treatment.

A new study has achieved a long-standing goal in neuroscience: showing how the brain’s smallest components build the systems that shape thought, emotion and behaviour. The research, published in the journal Nature Communications, could transform how scientists understand cognition and aging, as well as mental health disorders like depression and schizophrenia.

Neuroscientists have identified five “major epochs” of brain structure over the course of a human life, as our brains rewire to support different ways of thinking.

New longitudinal research shows that Alzheimer’s disease blood biomarkers rise up to 95 percent faster in people with obesity than in those without. While baseline tests initially appeared lower due to blood dilution, long-term tracking revealed a significantly accelerated build-up of neurodegeneration and amyloid pathology.

Using in-vehicle driving data may be a new way to identify people who are at risk of cognitive decline, according to a study published on November 26, 2025, in Neurology.

Researchers have developed an AI system that can reconstruct fine hand muscle activity using only standard video footage. Traditionally, this type of measurement required intrusive electrodes attached to the skin, but the new method eliminates that need entirely.

A large population analysis found that older adults who received the shingles vaccine were significantly less likely to develop dementia over the following seven years.

A new review explores how episodic memories are formed, stored, and reshaped over time, revealing why our recollections of past events often change. Rather than functioning like fixed files, memories consist of multiple components that can lie dormant until triggered by environmental cues.

Finally this week, a multi-institutional team of researchers report that extensive musical training can steady the body in space, both with and without guiding sounds, during a blindfolded stepping test.

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Credit: PLOS Mental Health (2025). DOI: 10.1371/journal.pmen.0000463

A recent study explores how physiological signals can reveal cognitive arousal—the level of mental alertness and emotional activation—without relying on subjective reporting.

New research reveals that women with long COVID show distinct biological disruptions — including gut inflammation, anaemia, and abnormal hormone levels — that may explain their heightened and persistent symptoms. These findings emerged from immune, biomarker, and genetic analyses in people one year after infection.

A new software enables brain simulations which both imitate the processes in the brain in detail and can solve challenging cognitive tasks.

University of Auckland researchers report that an 8-week, twice-weekly LSD microdosing regimen for major depressive disorder was feasible and well-tolerated, with Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) scores reduced by 59.5% at the end of treatment and sustained to six months.

Dance styles engage the brain in different ways depending on the movements, aesthetics, and emotions associated with the dance, according to a study published in Nature Communications.

New research shows that depression beginning before age 25 has a much stronger hereditary component than depression that emerges later in life. By analysing genetic data from over 150,000 people with depression, researchers identified distinct genetic regions linked specifically to early-onset cases.

Scientists have developed an innovative, non-invasive brain stimulation therapy to significantly improve visual function in stroke patients who have suffered vision loss following a stroke.

A rare intracranial brain-recording study revealed that tirzepatide, a GLP-1 and GIP receptor agonist, temporarily silences craving-related neural activity in a key reward circuit of the brain. Researchers observed that the drug initially shut down signaling in the nucleus accumbens of a patient with treatment-resistant obesity. However, after five months, both the “food noise” and the corresponding neural patterns returned, suggesting the effect was short-lived. The findings highlight how these metabolic drugs influence human brain circuits and underscore the need for more durable treatments targeting impulsivity in eating disorders.

Researchers report that ketogenic diets are associated with modest reductions in depressive symptoms in adults, while evidence for anxiety remains uncertain.

An international study has uncovered similar structural changes in the brains of young people diagnosed with anxiety disorders, depression, ADHD and conduct disorder, offering new insights into the biological roots of mental health conditions in children and young people.

A randomised, placebo-controlled trial shows that cannabis with active THC reduces immediate alcohol cravings and lowers drinking levels in heavy-drinking young adults.

New research shows that the brain distinguishes between “what an odour is” and “how it feels,” processing them at different times. After smelling, the brain sends a quick signal that identifies molecular features for differentiation.

“Drains” in the brain, responsible for clearing toxic waste in the organ, tend to get clogged up in people who show signs of developing Alzheimer’s disease, a new study shows.

Researchers have discovered how the brain keeps time for precise movements, revealing a neural “hourglass” mechanism between the motor cortex and striatum. The motor cortex sends timing signals that accumulate in the striatum until they reach a threshold that triggers action.

Finally this week, a new brain imaging study reveals that music activates the same chemical system in the brain that is responsible for the pleasure associated with food and social bonding.

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*A non-invasive imaging technique, 1H-MRS, can detect chemicals in different parts of the brain. Choline is represented by “Cho” in the above graph. Credit: UC Regents*

A new study shows that people with anxiety disorders tend to have lower levels of a chemical called choline in their brains compared to people without anxiety. Choline is a nutrient that plays an important role in brain function. It helps produce acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter involved in memory, mood regulation, and muscle control. It’s also a component of cell membranes, helping brain cells communicate efficiently.

Researchers have developed a highly sensitive diagnostic that predicts a person’s stage of dementia based on neurovascular and metabolic changes.

The way we speak in everyday conversation may hold important clues about brain health, according to a new study that found that subtle features of speech timing, such as pauses, fillers (‘uh,’ ‘um’) and word-finding difficulty, are strongly linked to executive function, the set of mental skills that support memory, planning and flexible thinking.

ADHD symptoms are influenced by socioeconomic factors in regions affected by conflict and resource limitations, a new study focusing on non-Western populations has found.

Infants born deaf or hard of hearing show adverse changes in how their brains organise and specialise, which can significantly affect their cognitive and linguistic development. However, recent studies indicate that timely exposure to sound and language, even in modified forms, can considerably help these children develop more normally and bridge the gap in their learning processes.

A research team has discovered extensive genetic links between neurological disorders like migraine, stroke and epilepsy, and psychiatric illnesses such as schizophrenia and depression.

New research reveals that trait shyness is linked to reduced spontaneous neural activity in the cerebellum, a brain region traditionally associated with motor control but increasingly recognised for its role in emotion and social cognition.

Scientists have developed the most detailed molecular map yet of how the brain develops and reacts to inflammation, revealing that disease processes can “reawaken” genes from early life.

A new brain decoding method called mind captioning can generate accurate text descriptions of what a person is seeing or recalling—without relying on the brain’s language system. Instead, it uses semantic features from vision-related brain activity and deep learning models to translate nonverbal thoughts into structured sentences.

Researchers have found that living in a socioeconomically deprived neighbourhood can harm brain health as early as midlife.

A new study reveals that autism symptom severity correlates with shared brain-connectivity patterns in children with autism or ADHD. Stronger autistic traits are linked to increased connectivity between frontoparietal and default-mode networks, which are vital for social cognition and executive functions.

Mayo Clinic researchers have developed a new tool that can estimate a person’s risk of developing memory and thinking problems associated with Alzheimer’s disease years before symptoms appear.

Using full-genome sequencing data from more than 347,000 individuals, researchers have quantified how much genetic variation explains human traits such as height, body mass index, fertility, and disease risk. The results show that genes account for roughly 30% of the variation between individuals, with higher estimates for traits like height and lower for fertility.

Finally this week, a large-scale study of more than 86,000 Europeans found that speaking multiple languages may help slow biological and cognitive aging.

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*Single-Cell Transcriptomic Atlas of the Human Habenula Credit: American Journal of Psychiatry (2025)*

New research published in the American Journal of Psychiatry provides new molecular insights into the role of the habenula, a pea-sized brain region that helps regulate motivation and mood, in contributing to the risk of schizophrenia.

In an article published in Brain Medicine, a European research team presents a focused review of emerging neuromodulation techniques for treatment-resistant obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).

A study using wearable scanning technology has revealed how brain function differs in people with multiple sclerosis (MS). This is the first study to utilise this newly developed technology in MS, demonstrating its potential for investigating neurological diseases.

A new large-scale, open data resource helps researchers link brain development with mental health disorders.

Scientists have created one of the most comprehensive single-cell maps of the developing human brain. The atlas captures nearly every cell type, their genetic fingerprints, and how they grow and interact. It also benchmarks best-in-class laboratory methods for producing high-quality neurons, marking a significant step toward new therapies for Parkinson’s disease and other brain disorders.

Creative experience might enhance brain health, potentially slowing the brain’s ageing.

For the first time, scientists have mapped the genetic architecture of the brain’s communication bridge—the corpus callosum—using AI and MRI data from over 50,000 people. The study uncovered dozens of genes that shape the size and thickness of this vital structure, many of which are active during prenatal development when the brain’s wiring is established.

Researchers have discovered that the gut’s rhythmic muscle movements may help explain how blood vessels in the brain expand and contract in coordination.

Researchers have uncovered a previously overlooked role of the hippocampus in shaping memory, revealing how social interactions can enhance the brain’s ability to convert fleeting experiences into lasting memories.

An analysis of brain scans from 572 people reveals that activity in brain regions linked to reward and social processing can predict how effective messages will be. The work is published in PNAS Nexus.

Differences between men and women in intelligence and behaviour have been proposed and disputed for decades. Now, a growing body of scientific evidence shows hundreds of genes act differently in the brains of biologically male or female humans. What this means isn’t yet clear, though some of the genes may be linked to sex-biased brain disorders such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases.

A new study reveals that humans possess a form of “remote touch,” enabling them to detect hidden objects in sand without making direct contact.

A week-long retreat combining meditation and mind-body healing produced significant changes in brain activity and blood biology, demonstrating how consciousness-based practices can transform physical health. Participants showed reduced default-mode activity, enhanced neural connectivity, elevated natural opioids, immune activation, and metabolic shifts—effects that extended beyond the brain into the entire body.

Scientists have created an advanced visual neuroprosthesis that communicates bidirectionally with the brain, marking one of the most significant steps yet toward restoring functional vision

A new study has found that consuming unsalted, skin-roasted peanuts can significantly improve brain vascular function and memory. The findings were published online in the international, peer-reviewed journal Clinical Nutrition.

A new imagery-focused therapy called iMAPS may help people with psychosis gain control over disturbing mental images that fuel paranoia, fear, and hallucinations.

Finally, this week, a new brain decoding method called mind captioning can generate accurate text descriptions of what a person is seeing or recalling—without relying on the brain’s language system. Instead, it uses semantic features from vision-related brain activity and deep learning models to translate nonverbal thoughts into structured sentences.

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*Diagram outlining the model procedures for one domain and one region. This process was repeated for all 33 domains and 82 regions. Credit: Network Neuroscience (2025).*

A new study provides the best evidence to date that the connection patterns between various parts of the human brain can tell scientists the specialized functions of each region.

Researchers have discovered that problems with the brain’s waste-clearing system—the glymphatic system—may significantly raise the risk of developing dementia. In one of the most extensive studies to date, MRI data from 40,000 adults revealed that impaired cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) flow predicts dementia risk years before symptoms appear.

Statins might help protect the brain function of breast and lymphoma cancer patients for up to 2 years after their cancer treatment, according to a report in JAMA Network Open.

A study published in the journal Music and Medicine demonstrates that intraoperative music therapy significantly reduces the amount of propofol and fentanyl required during laparoscopic cholecystectomy performed under general anaesthesia. Patients exposed to therapeutic music also experienced smoother awakenings and lower physiological stress, as measured by decreased perioperative cortisol levels.

Scientists have used next-generation imaging technology to discover that when the brain is falling asleep, it shows a coordinated shift in activity.

A research team has conducted one of the most comprehensive studies on dopamine and decision-making in humans so far, providing evidence for effects of the former on the latter. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter involved in several functions, including motivation and reward.

Newly decoded brain circuits make memories more stable as part of learning, according to a new study.

Brain scans from American football players reveal subtle differences in the brain’s outer grooves when compared to scans from otherwise healthy men who never played contact or collision sports, a new study shows. Its authors say the findings could potentially predict which people are more at risk of chronic traumatic encephalopathy.

Researchers have uncovered an unexpected molecular partnership that reshapes understanding of how brain inflammation arises in Alzheimer’s disease.

Even when blood pressure is well controlled, older adults whose blood pressure fluctuates widely from one heartbeat to the next may be at greater risk for brain shrinkage and nerve cell injury, according to a recent study.

Finally, this week, new research suggests that a child’s gut microbiome at age 2 may influence their emotional health years later.

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Credit: *Neuroscience* (2025). DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2025.06.032

Memory loss may not simply be a symptom of getting older. New research shows that it’s tied to specific molecular changes in the brain and that adjusting those processes can improve memory.

An international consortium of researchers has created the largest-ever database compiling records of brain activity during sleep and dream reports. One of the first analyses of the database confirmed that dreams do not occur only during REM sleep, but also during deeper and calmer NREM stages. In these cases, brain activity resembles wakefulness more than deep sleep, as if the brain were “partially awake.”

A smartphone app for muscle relaxation significantly reduced migraine-related disability in patients visiting the emergency department.

A new study reveals that sleep-like slow-wave brain activity can persist for years in surgically disconnected brain hemispheres of awake epilepsy patients. Using EEG recordings, researchers found that the isolated cortex exhibits patterns similar to deep sleep, anesthesia, or vegetative states—suggesting absent or reduced awareness.

People 60 and older who are excessively sleepy during the day may have more problems with memory and thinking after surgery, suggests a study presented at the ANESTHESIOLOGY 2025 annual meeting.

Doctors and researchers at the University of Pittsburgh and UPMC have developed a new treatment for epilepsy patients who don’t respond to medication and aren’t candidates for surgery. Their approach, published in Nature Communications, uses deep brain stimulation (DBS) that is tailored to each patient’s unique brain wiring.

A new computational tool has uncovered genetic evidence directly linking Alzheimer’s disease to the loss of memory-making neurons, helping to resolve a decades-long mystery in dementia research.

While studies have linked brain areas to remembering personal experiences, brain areas involved in learning more impersonal information about the world remain unclear. In a new JNeurosci paper, researchers used fMRI on 29 human volunteers as they performed a learning task to shed light on how the brain acquires semantic, impersonal information.

Researchers have traced the earliest stages of multiple sclerosis (MS), showing that the immune system begins attacking the brain up to seven years before diagnosis.

New research has provided the strongest evidence yet that auditory verbal hallucinations—or hearing voices—in schizophrenia may stem from a disruption in the brain’s ability to recognise its own inner voice.

Adults with gum disease may be more likely to have signs of damage to the brain’s white matter than people without gum disease, according to a study published in Neurology Open Access.

A team of researchers has developed and tested a new virtual reality (VR) training task designed to help stroke survivors living with visuospatial neglect (VSN), a disabling condition that affects attention and awareness of one side of space. The exploratory case study is among the first to integrate audiovisual cues within a physiotherapy-based VR task to support rehabilitation.

Finally, this week, listening to music when you are over 70 years of age has been linked to a 39% reduction in the risk of dementia, according to a new study of over 10,800 older people.

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Participants were more likely to perceive the avatar’s expression as angry when they actively avoided the avatar, compared to when the avatar moved away from them. Credit: (C)Toyohashi University Of Technology.

A research team from the Cognitive Neurotechnology Unit and the Visual Perception and Cognition Laboratory at Toyohashi University of Technology has found that approach–avoidance behavior in a virtual reality (VR) environment modulates how individuals recognize facial expressions.

A McGill University-led clinical trial is the first in humans to show online brain training exercises can improve brain networks affecting learning and memory.

A new study reveals that the human brain synchronizes more accurately with rhythm when listening to music than when feeling it through touch. When people tap along to sound, slow rhythmic brain waves align with the perceived beat, helping maintain steady timing.

Psilocybin could be the future of mental health care, with promising findings emerging from Australia’s first research trial using psychedelics to treat depression.

An international research team led by a University of Ottawa Faculty of Medicine investigator has revealed intricate details about how nerve signals activate at the neuromuscular junction. This specialized synapse connects motor neurons to skeletal muscle fibers.

A ‘digital twin’ of your brain could predict mental health issues and slow cognitive decline.

A study published in Environment International concludes that air pollution during pregnancy is associated with slower brain maturation in newborns. It is the first study to analyze brain development within the first month of life.

A new clinical trial is investigating how advanced brain monitoring could improve the diagnosis and management of epilepsy.

University of California San Diego of Medicine researchers, in collaboration with the genetic testing company 23andMe, have identified regions of the human genome associated with cannabis use, uncovering new relationships with psychiatric, cognitive and physical health.

The conditions where you live may influence your brain health and risk for dementia, according to a new study.

Women are affected by severe depression twice as often as men. The reasons for this have not yet been fully clarified. One potential factor is sex-specific differences in the blood-brain barrier. Scientists are conducting research on the project “Leaky blood-brain barrier in major depressive disorder.” A particular focus is on sex-specific differences.

New research reveals how uniquely wired human brains can perceive the world in strikingly similar ways.

A new study published in Scientific Reports indicates that amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and multiple sclerosis (MS) have an extremely high geographic association, even after controlling for race, gender, wealth, latitude, and access to neurological health care.

Finally, this week, a ‘ flight simulator‘ for the brain reveals how we learn—and why minds sometimes go off course.

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Opioid blockade (Naltrexone condition; right side) relative to placebo (Control condition; left side) selectively eliminated attentional broadening after reward receipt (A), but did not change attentional narrowing after reward anticipation (B) or reward-related performance speed on the lexical decision task (C). Credit: Psychological Medicine (2025).

Feeling good doesn’t just lift our mood—it also helps us stay flexible and resilient. A study by an international team of neuroscientists shows that natural brain opioids released after rewards play a key role in broadening attention, offering fresh insights into stress, cognition, and well-being.

A ground-breaking study has shown that ALS may actually be an autoimmune disease.

Engaging in creative experiences, such as music, dance, visual arts, and even specific video games, can slow brain aging and promote healthier brain function, according to a new international study by the Global Brain Health Institute (GBHI), published in Nature Communications.

Can your brain attune itself to a foreign language before you’re born? A team of neuropsychology researchers has found that it can.

A new study reveals that the brain’s social perception pathway—a network that processes faces, gaze, and speech—is already active at birth or shortly thereafter. Using advanced imaging data, researchers showed that newborns exhibit robust connectivity in regions responsible for visual and social processing.

Scientists have discovered why mental maps tend to fade with age.

A new study has identified five distinct “sleep-biopsychosocial” profiles that connect how we sleep with our brain networks, mental health, cognition, and lifestyle. Using data from over 700 participants, researchers found that different sleep patterns—ranging from poor quality to resilience and short duration—each showed unique neural connectivity patterns.

A large-scale international study has revealed that autism diagnosed in early childhood is genetically and developmentally distinct from autism diagnosed later in life.

Scientists have developed a new mathematical model of memory that explores how information is encoded and stored. Their analysis suggests that memory works best in a seven-dimensional conceptual space — equivalent to having seven senses. The finding implies that both humans and AI might benefit from broader sensory inputs to optimize learning and recall.

Researchers have identified a rare type of brain cell that may drive the chronic inflammation and neurodegeneration seen in progressive multiple sclerosis (MS).

A new study shows that bullying activates distress pathways in the brain within seconds. Tweens and adults who viewed first-person bullying videos displayed heightened activity in social and emotional brain networks, alongside strong autonomic threat responses.

New research sheds light on the mechanisms by which humans can isolate and focus on individual sounds in noisy environments.

Scientists have revealed that intentional memory control—deciding what to remember or forget—is more potent than emotional influence when forming long-term memories. Participants were more likely to recall words they were told to remember than those carrying emotional weight, even though emotion sometimes strengthened recall or caused false memories.

Finally, this week, a new study reveals how the brain organizes and directs its slowest activity.

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Conceptual framework for brain–body states. Credit: *Trends in Neurosciences* (2025).

There is growing evidence that the heart has a strong influence on thinking and feeling.

Your chronological age may say 65, but your brain could be acting a decade younger — or older — depending on your life experiences. That’s the message from a study by University of Florida researchers, who found that optimism, good sleep, social support, and other positive factors were strongly linked with healthier brains. The findings suggest that how people live and cope with stress can measurably influence the pace of brain aging, even in those living with chronic pain.

An international research team has made a significant breakthrough in predicting neurodegenerative diseases.

In a discovery that could reshape our understanding of memory, neuroscientists have found that forgetting is not just a glitch in the brain but is actually a finely tuned process, and dopamine plays a crucial role.

A new study shows that lifelong social advantages can slow biological aging.

Recent research explores the ways brain cells communicate, revealing fresh insight into the progression of Alzheimer’s disease. A multidisciplinary team used advanced imaging and computational modeling to analyze the “crosstalk” between neurons and their supporting glial cells in the human brain. This approach highlights the brain’s interconnected cellular network.

A growing number of U.S. adults—particularly those under 40—are reporting serious challenges with memory, concentration and decision-making, according to a new study published in Neurology.

Researchers at the University of Michigan are using artificial intelligence to predict the health consequences that sport-related concussions might have on student athletes over the course of their college athletic careers.

A recent study shows that sugary drinks don’t just affect physical health—they may also raise the risk of depression in women by disrupting the gut microbiome.

New research has shown that walking enhances how the brain processes auditory information, sharpening responses compared to standing still. When participants walked in a figure-eight path, their brains responded more strongly to sounds, and turning direction influenced whether responses were enhanced or suppressed in each ear.

Extreme instances of stress can cause lasting changes to the brain itself. This could leave some people more vulnerable to addiction, a University of Mississippi study concludes.

People who sleep poorly are more likely than others to have brains that appear older than they actually are. This is according to a comprehensive brain imaging study from Karolinska Institutet, published in the journal eBioMedicine.

An advanced AI tool can detect tiny brain lesions that cause severe epilepsy in children, allowing faster diagnosis, more precise treatment and a potential cure.

New research has found that people with narcolepsy type 1 exhibit patterns of slow brain pulsations that resemble those seen in healthy sleep. The findings, published in PNAS, suggest that orexin—a neuropeptide involved in maintaining wakefulness—may play a key role in the brain’s fluid-clearing system, known as the glymphatic system.

Finally this week, scientists have developed a brain-inspired semiconductor that can adjust its responses based on experience, much like human neurons do through “intrinsic plasticity.”