Summary: A new theoretical framework proposes that the old divide between computational functionalism and biological naturalism misses how real brains compute. The authors introduce “biological computationalism,” the view that neural computation is inseparable from the brain’s physical, hybrid, and energy-constrained dynamics rather than an abstract algorithm running on generic hardware. Biological computationalism holds that discrete … Read more

Summary: Some people rely strongly on visual and auditory cues when making choices. This heightened cue sensitivity can produce persistent, maladaptive decisions: when cue–outcome relationships change, these individuals have difficulty updating their beliefs and may continue to act on outdated signals even when those signals predict more risky or disadvantageous outcomes. New research led by … Read more

Summary: People automatically mirror the facial expressions of others, but new research finds we do this much more for joyful faces than for sadness or anger. The intensity of that mimicry predicts how much we trust someone. Across three experiments using facial electromyography (EMG) and behavioral measures, participants copied smiles more readily and consistently rated … Read more

Summary: Guilt and shame arise from different cognitive triggers and rely on distinct neural systems to guide compensatory behavior. In a controlled experimental game that varied both the harm caused to a victim and the participant’s degree of responsibility, researchers found that guilt is driven more by the severity of harm, while shame is shaped … Read more

Summary: Researchers have identified a precise neural pathway that converts emotional stress into immediate wakefulness during non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep. In mice, GABAergic neurons in the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST) rapidly engage glutamatergic neurons in the deep mesencephalic nucleus (DpMe), producing an almost instantaneous arousal. When DpMe glutamatergic neurons were selectively … Read more

Summary: Depression and anxiety appear to increase the risk of cardiovascular disease through chronic stress pathways that involve the brain, autonomic nervous system, and systemic inflammation. In an analysis of over 85,000 adults, people with depression or anxiety — and particularly those with both conditions — were significantly more likely to experience major cardiovascular events … Read more

Summary: Studying creativity as it happens is difficult, but musical improvisation provides a rare, observable window into spontaneous idea generation. In a new brain-imaging study, researchers tracked how 16 experienced jazz pianists’ neural networks reorganized while they played a familiar tune from memory, improvised around its melody, or freely improvised over its chord changes. The … Read more

Summary: A large, 25-year Swedish study reported an association between higher consumption of certain full-fat dairy products—specifically high-fat cheese and high-fat cream—and a lower risk of developing dementia. The results show an association, not proof of protection. People who ate the most high-fat cheese had a 13% lower overall dementia risk and a 29% lower … Read more

Summary: New research suggests dopamine’s role in movement is different than previously believed. Rather than directly controlling the force or speed of each action, dopamine appears to provide a necessary baseline that enables movement to occur. Experiments found that manipulating brief, subsecond dopamine spikes did not alter how vigorously animals moved, while restoring overall dopamine … Read more

Summary: New research shows that objective social isolation directly causes faster cognitive decline in later life, independent of subjective feelings of loneliness. Analyzing more than 137,000 cognitive assessments from over 30,000 older adults across 14 years, the study found that lower levels of social contact consistently predicted quicker deterioration in cognitive function across all demographic … Read more