Summary: New research shows that trait shyness is associated with reduced spontaneous neural activity in the cerebellum—traditionally linked to motor control but increasingly recognized for roles in emotion and social cognition. Using resting-state fMRI and Regional Homogeneity (ReHo) analysis, investigators observed lower local synchrony in the cerebellar Crus I region among people who report higher … Read more

Summary: Researchers report that a novel nano-micelle formulation of cannabidiol (CBD), called CBD-IN, crosses the blood–brain barrier and delivers fast, targeted relief from neuropathic pain in mice. The preparation produced measurable pain reduction within 30 minutes and did so without the motor and cognitive side effects commonly seen with traditional pain medications. High-resolution brain mapping … Read more

Summary: iMAPS is a new imagery-focused therapy designed to help people with psychosis gain control over intrusive mental images that intensify paranoia, fear, and hallucinations. In a feasibility trial of 45 participants, the approach achieved high engagement and meaningful reductions in distress by teaching people to understand, transform, and re-script disturbing images. Unlike some standard … Read more

Summary: Researchers have identified a previously unknown hook-like structural element in the tail of the kinesin-2 motor protein that explains how these molecular motors select and bind the correct cargo inside cells. Using high-resolution cryo-electron microscopy and molecular dynamics simulations, the team mapped the HAC domain at near-atomic detail and demonstrated how it organizes adaptor … Read more

Summary: A seven-day intensive retreat that combined meditation, reconceptualization, and group healing practices produced measurable changes in brain activity and blood-based biology, demonstrating that focused consciousness practices can alter whole-body physiology. Participants showed reduced default-mode network activity, increased neural connectivity and markers of neuroplasticity, elevated endogenous opioid signaling, shifts in immune markers, and metabolic changes—effects … Read more

Summary: Researchers have developed an advanced closed-loop visual neuroprosthesis that communicates bidirectionally with the brain, representing a major advance toward restoring functional vision. Unlike previous systems that only delivered stimulation, this implant both stimulates and records neural activity in real time, allowing the device and the brain to adapt to one another. In two blind … Read more

Summary: A new study links oxidative stress—an imbalance between damaging reactive molecules and the body’s antioxidant defenses—to abnormal repetitive behaviors (stereotypies) in mice. Researchers report that higher levels of oxidative stress biomarkers, including the antioxidant glutathione and several blood proteins, are associated with more severe repetitive behaviors in young mice. These biomarker profiles were consistent … Read more

Summary: New research shows that aggression and self-harm can share a biological basis rooted in how the brain responds to early-life trauma. The study found that trauma increases activity of specific calcium channels within a neural circuit connecting the thalamic nucleus reuniens and the hippocampus, intensifying pain signaling and impulsive behaviors. This hyperactivation makes individuals … Read more

Summary: Scientists have identified a new immune mechanism in Alzheimer’s disease showing that the brain’s immune cells, microglia, can act as protectors rather than only contributors to damage. Lowering the transcription factor PU.1 in microglia induces expression of lymphoid-like immunoregulatory receptors, including CD28, which reduces inflammation, slows amyloid plaque accumulation, and preserves cognitive function in … Read more

Summary: Scientists have produced the most detailed molecular map to date of how the brain develops after birth and how it responds to inflammation. Using a new spatial tri-omics approach, the research team tracked gene expression, epigenetic regulation, and protein production in defined brain regions, revealing that inflammatory processes can reactivate genetic programs normally active … Read more