Summary: Hearing their mother’s voice appears to support the development of language pathways in the brains of premature infants. In a randomized controlled trial led by Stanford Medicine researchers, preterm babies who regularly heard recordings of their mothers reading showed more mature language-related brain connections on MRI than infants who did not receive those recordings. … Read more

Summary: Scientists have identified a method to induce a reversible, hibernation-like state that protects the brain after injury without relying on external cooling. By activating a specific population of hypothalamic neurons, researchers produced a controlled drop in body temperature that preserved neuronal health and improved motor recovery in mice. Advanced imaging and histological analysis showed … Read more

Summary: A recent study shows that the human brain aligns its slow neural rhythms with a musical beat more reliably when the beat is heard than when it is felt through vibration. When people tap along to sound, low-frequency brain waves entrain to the perceived beat and support steadier timing. Touch-based rhythms, by contrast, produce … Read more

Summary: New research from the University of Virginia shows that people who report near-death experiences (NDEs) often undergo deep changes in perspective, purpose and priorities, yet many find it difficult to integrate those changes into everyday life. In a survey of 167 experiencers, 64% sought professional or social support after their experience; those who received … Read more

Summary: Researchers who analyzed genetic data from more than 130,000 volunteers have pinpointed specific genes associated with trying cannabis and with how often people use it. The study highlights two genes—CADM2 and GRM3—that are central to brain signaling and impulse-related behaviors, and reveals broad genetic overlap between cannabis use and a range of psychiatric, cognitive, … Read more

Summary: New research presented at the ECNP congress shows that people with ADHD often demonstrate higher creative achievement, and that this advantage may be linked to a greater tendency for the mind to wander. This study is the first to directly connect ADHD traits, creativity, and the two recognized forms of mind wandering—spontaneous and deliberate. … Read more

Summary: A new study shows that brain serotonin activity, measured by a simple EEG-based test, can help predict which patients will develop sexual side effects from SSRI antidepressants. The Loudness Dependence of Auditory Evoked Potentials (LDAEP) test identified people with higher pre-treatment serotonin activity as significantly more likely to experience difficulty reaching orgasm while taking … Read more

Summary: A philosophy researcher has created a practical decision tree to help scientists, ethicists, and policymakers evaluate which animals may be conscious. This new framework clarifies long-standing debates about whether creatures such as crabs, fish, insects, or other simple organisms can experience pain, emotion, or a first-person perspective. The framework distinguishes two central approaches: one … Read more

Summary: Researchers have identified a rare brain cell type that appears to drive chronic inflammation and neurodegeneration in progressive multiple sclerosis (MS). These cells, termed disease-associated radial glia-like (DARG) cells, occur about six times more often in cells derived from people with progressive MS than in controls. DARGs revert to an early developmental, radial glia-like … Read more

Summary: Researchers have identified a population of neurons in the orbitofrontal cortex that become especially active when outcomes are uncertain. These “uncertainty neurons,” observed in both rats and humans, appear to help the brain balance flexibility and precision in decision-making and support learning in unpredictable environments. The discovery could inform treatments for conditions characterized by … Read more