Summary: New long-term results from the ACTIVE study show that a targeted cognitive training—called speed of processing training—can lower the risk of developing dementia for up to 20 years. In a randomized clinical trial that followed nearly 3,000 older adults, those who completed the initial speed training plus later booster sessions were about 25% less … Read more

Summary: Researchers have found that chronic physical pressure on the brain — for example, the force produced by an expanding tumor — does more than physically injure neurons. That mechanical compression activates internal cellular programs that drive neurons toward programmed death, contributing to lasting neurological decline. Using laboratory-grown neural networks and preclinical models, the team … Read more

Summary: Researchers have discovered a reliable pattern of high-frequency activity in the anteromedial orbitofrontal cortex (amOFC) that strongly correlates with compulsive behaviors in people with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). In three individuals with severe, treatment-resistant OCD, brief, targeted deep brain stimulation (DBS) disrupted this signal and produced rapid symptom relief. These results support the idea that … Read more

Summary: Falling in love is more than an emotion; it’s a powerful neurochemical event. Brain imaging shows that early romantic love activates the brain’s reward centers, flooding the system with dopamine and triggering euphoria, heightened motivation, and physical arousal. At the same time, stress hormones rise and brain regions involved in critical judgment quiet down, … Read more

Summary: New research shows that “sourness” is not a single, uniform taste. By testing five common organic acids—citric, malic, lactic, fumaric, and tartaric—investigators found pronounced differences in perceived sourness, puckering, and mouth-drying, even when acids were presented at equal concentrations. The findings clarify why biting a green apple, sucking a lemon, and tasting spoiled milk … Read more

Summary: A recent randomized trial found that when people align their overnight fasting with their natural sleep-wake cycle—specifically by stopping eating at least three hours before bed—cardiovascular and metabolic markers improved even without reducing calories. This “sleep‑anchored” time‑restricted eating strengthened night‑time blood pressure dipping and heart rate variability, and improved daytime glucose handling, suggesting greater … Read more

Summary: Researchers report that acetazolamide (AZD), a drug used for glaucoma, altitude sickness, and seizures, shows promise for preventing relapse in opioid use disorder (OUD). Rather than acting on opioid receptors, AZD inhibits the brain enzyme carbonic anhydrase 4 (CA4) in the reward center, reversing synaptic changes produced by long-term drug exposure. In mouse studies, … Read more

Summary: New research shows that sustained intellectual engagement from childhood through late adulthood is linked to a substantially lower risk of Alzheimer’s disease. In a long-term study of nearly 2,000 participants, those with high “lifetime cognitive enrichment”—activities such as reading, learning languages, visiting museums, and regular mental challenges—experienced a delay in the onset of dementia … Read more

Summary: A new analysis argues that the real danger of generative AI is not only that it sometimes produces false information, but that it can reinforce and amplify our own distorted beliefs. Drawing on distributed cognition theory, the study shows how conversational AI can become part of our thinking processes, shaping memory, identity, and personal … Read more

Summary: Weight loss in Parkinson’s disease has been an unresolved clinical puzzle. New research from Fujita Health University indicates that weight loss in Parkinson’s patients stems mainly from targeted fat loss, not muscle wasting, and reflects a fundamental shift in whole-body energy metabolism. The study shows impaired glucose-based energy production (glycolysis and the TCA cycle) … Read more