Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) continues to challenge researchers: studies of brain connectivity in people with autism have reported seemingly contradictory findings—some describe reduced synchronization between brain regions, while others report increased synchronization. New work clarifies these discrepancies by revealing a deeper principle underlying brain organization in ASD. A recent study by teams at the Weizmann … Read more

Researchers urge reclassification of traumatic brain injury as a chronic disease Researchers at the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) in Galveston argue that traumatic brain injury (TBI) should be recognized and managed as a chronic disease rather than treated as a one-time event. Their review of 25 years of research shows that the consequences … Read more

Self-esteem has intrigued psychologists for more than a century and remains one of the most researched topics in the social sciences (Bleidorn, Hufer, Kandler, Hopwood, & Riemann, 2018). Despite extensive study and our common-sense sense that self-esteem relates to feelings of self-worth, many questions remain unanswered. This article summarizes psychology’s current understanding of self-esteem and … Read more

UCSF Research Rewrites How the Brain’s Hunger Circuit Controls Eating New experiments from researchers at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) challenge long-standing beliefs about how the brain regulates hunger and feeding behavior. For decades, neuroscientists have studied a compact neural circuit in the hypothalamus that plays a central role in hunger and energy … Read more

Summary: Picky eating in young children is not always a matter of willful behavior — genetics may play a role. Researchers have identified two taste-related genes linked to picky eating in preschoolers. Source: ACES/University of Illinois. Picky eating is common among preschool-age children and is often part of normal development. For some children, however, strong … Read more

Self-acceptance is one of the greatest gifts you can give yourself. Unconditional self-acceptance means embracing who you are—strengths and flaws alike—without needing to earn approval. It allows you to feel and express the full range of emotions without judgment. Research links unconditional self-acceptance to better psychological wellbeing and a greater sense of life harmony (MacInnes, … Read more

Summary: Researchers have made a significant breakthrough in restoring the ability to form lasting memories in older or damaged brains. Source: UC Irvine. Researchers at the University of California, Irvine report that aging or damaged brains can regain the ability to form long-term memories when an overactive enzyme that suppresses a key gene is inhibited. … Read more

Summary: New research from the UC Davis MIND Institute finds that up to 30% of children diagnosed with autism show reduced symptom severity between ages three and six. Some children even no longer met diagnostic criteria by age six. The study also reports that girls on the autism spectrum are more likely than boys to … Read more

Modular, programmable proteins enable tracking and control of gene expression Researchers at MIT have developed a new class of engineered proteins that can be programmed to bind virtually any RNA sequence. These customizable RNA-binding proteins make it possible to visualize RNA inside living cells, monitor how often a specific mRNA is translated, and even modulate … Read more

Summary: Researchers report that about one in ten heavy cannabis users experience cannabis withdrawal syndrome after stopping use. Source: Columbia University. As regular cannabis use has risen across the United States, so has the prevalence of withdrawal symptoms among users. Researchers at the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health and Columbia University Irving Medical … Read more