Quick Q&A Q: Can past injuries increase sensitivity to future pain or stress?A: Yes. This research shows that earlier injuries can prime the nervous system to overreact to later stressors, producing prolonged pain and heightened fear even after the wound has healed. Q: What mechanism keeps the nervous system hypersensitive?A: A stress hormone called corticosterone … Read more

Summary: A new study finds that people’s moods expressed on social media decline when air pollution worsens. Source: MIT. China has long struggled with severe air pollution in many of its major cities. Previous research cited by Chinese institutions estimates that poor air quality contributes to substantial premature deaths and economic losses each year. Researchers … Read more

Summary: Researchers used human brain organoids—often called “mini‑brains”—to investigate the early origins of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Their work indicates a disruption in the balance of excitatory cortical neurons in the forebrain of individuals with ASD, offering new insight into how developmental changes in utero may contribute to the condition. This advanced organoid technology recapitulates … Read more

Summary: T cells may be misled into treating dopamine neurons as foreign because of accumulated, damaged alpha-synuclein, a new study reports. Source: Columbia University. First direct evidence that abnormal alpha-synuclein provokes an immune response in Parkinson’s disease Researchers at Columbia University Medical Center and the La Jolla Institute for Allergy and Immunology report the first … Read more

Summary: New research from the University of Chicago shows that a Western-style diet high in processed foods and low in fiber prevents the gut microbiome from recovering properly after antibiotics. In mice, this diet blocked regeneration of a diverse, healthy microbiome and increased vulnerability to infections such as Salmonella. By contrast, a fiber-rich, plant-forward diet … Read more

Summary: Researchers have identified common sequence variants in the gene ABCC9 that are linked to differences in human voice pitch. Using nearly 13,000 speech recordings from Icelandic volunteers together with genomic sequence data, scientists performed the first large-scale analysis connecting genetic variation to acoustic features of the human voice. The study found ABCC9 variants that … Read more

Scientists identify protein that allows brain cells to dampen their sensitivity. Strengthening and weakening connections between neurons—known as synaptic plasticity—is essential for brain development, learning, and everyday function. One mechanism neurons use to weaken synapses is the internalization of glutamate receptors from their surface, which reduces the cell’s responsiveness to excitatory signals. In a new … Read more

Summary: New research from UCL shows that when mothers regularly talk about their infants’ thoughts, feelings and intentions, their babies have higher levels of oxytocin. Oxytocin is a hormone closely tied to social bonding, emotional regulation and early relationship formation, and this study links maternal mind-minded speech to measurable changes in infants’ oxytocin. The study … Read more

Summary: Researchers highlight the essential role of thyroid hormone transport in cerebellar development. Source: KU Leuven. Thyroid hormones play a critical role in brain development. When the proteins that transport these hormones into cells are impaired, the developing cerebellum—often called the “little brain”—suffers significant damage. Researchers from KU Leuven and King’s College London report new … Read more

Summary: Researchers have developed a new mathematical model that helps explain how the brain forms new memories without erasing older ones. Source: Zuckerman Institute. New mathematical model resolves a long-standing question about memory and offers a framework to guide future studies. Scientists at Columbia University have introduced a mathematical model that clarifies how the biological … Read more