Summary: A large meta-analysis has found no link between hormonal contraception and idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH). IIH is a potentially serious neurological disorder marked by elevated pressure in the cerebrospinal fluid surrounding the brain; it can cause chronic headaches, visual disturbances, and in rare cases permanent vision loss. Because IIH most often affects women of … Read more

Summary: New research shows the brain begins summarizing complex visual scenes far earlier than previously believed. The study demonstrates that the primary visual cortex (V1)—long considered responsible mainly for basic features like edges and local motion—actually computes ensemble statistics. V1 compresses many individual motion signals into a concise “gist,” encoding both the average direction and … Read more

Summary: A large, national cohort study found that treating children diagnosed with ADHD using stimulant medication (methylphenidate) before age 13 was associated with a lower long-term risk of developing nonaffective psychotic disorders, including schizophrenia. The analysis of Finnish health records challenges the common concern that stimulant treatment increases later psychosis risk and instead suggests a … Read more

Summary: Researchers have mapped the exact molecular “phone line” that lets the gut’s immune system signal the brain during parasitic infection. The study reveals a direct relay between two rare epithelial cell types—tuft cells and enterochromaffin (EC) cells—through which the immune system suppresses appetite by activating vagal nerve pathways. When tuft cells detect parasite-derived metabolites, … Read more

Summary: For the first time, researchers have captured the dynamic molecular behavior of TRPM8 — the ion channel in sensory neurons that detects cold and mediates the cooling sensation of menthol. Using a combination of rapid freezing (cryo-EM) and real-time motion mapping (HDX-MS), the team reconstructed how this channel changes shape and how a lipid … Read more

Summary: A new Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) study uncovers a striking connection between anti-cancer immunity and autoimmune brain disease. Researchers show that antibodies generated to attack tumors expressing NMDA receptors can unintentionally target the brain, causing symptoms such as psychosis and seizures. The research centers on anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis (ANRE), the autoimmune disorder dramatized … Read more

Summary: For decades neuroscientists have puzzled over how a single chemical—dopamine—can control two very different functions: reinforcing reward-based learning and energizing physical movement. New research using rats reveals a timing-based “switch” mediated by a second neurotransmitter, acetylcholine. When dopamine release follows a fall in acetylcholine, it promotes learning; when dopamine coincides with an acetylcholine burst, … Read more

Summary: Researchers have identified a previously unknown genetic disorder that combines features of premature aging (a progeroid syndrome) with severe neurological impairment and intellectual decline. Using a combination of genome sequencing and advanced cellular reprogramming, the team traced the cause to a mutation in the IVNS1ABP gene and defined how that mutation disrupts fundamental cell … Read more

Summary: A large nationwide study from Finland has found that severe, hospital-treated infections are linked to a higher risk of dementia. Examining health registry records for more than 374,000 people, researchers identified 29 diseases associated with increased dementia risk—27 of them non-infectious conditions such as Parkinson’s disease and alcohol-related disorders, and two infectious conditions. The … Read more

Summary: New research shows that the subjective feeling of “deep sleep” depends as much on the quality of dreaming as on traditional measures of brain activity. Although slow-wave patterns have long been linked to restorative sleep, this study finds that immersive, vivid dreaming — even during non-REM sleep — strongly enhances people’s sense of having … Read more