Summary: Researchers examined resting-state functional MRI scans from more than 1,300 adults and found that poor sleep alters brain connectivity differently across the lifespan. In college-age adults, poor sleep produced overconnectivity in motor networks consistent with physical hyperarousal. In older adults (65+), poor sleep was associated with abnormal hyperconnectivity among higher-order cognitive networks—especially between the … Read more

Summary: Researchers identified a small but statistically measurable increase in the risk of a rare, potentially permanent vision-threatening condition—ischemic optic neuropathy—among adults who began treatment with GLP‑1 receptor agonists compared with patients on other standard diabetes medications. Key Facts Absolute risk increase: The added risk is very small: roughly 3 to 4 extra cases of … Read more

Summary: A new study used specialized positron emission tomography (PET) to measure synaptic connections in living human brains. Analyzing one of the largest clinical cohorts to date, researchers found a clear, widespread reduction in synaptic density in schizophrenia that follows the brain’s underlying molecular and network architecture. Their results map a distinct structural starting point … Read more

Summary: Researchers found that the brains of adolescents with autism process unfamiliar voices in a markedly different way than their neurotypical peers. During adolescence, typically developing teens show increasing responsiveness in brain reward circuitry to strangers’ voices, supporting social exploration. In contrast, autistic teens do not show this developmental increase; many instead grow more responsive … Read more

Summary: Researchers analyzed longitudinal data from thousands of preteen girls and found that testosterone—often viewed as primarily a male hormone—plays a prominent and previously underappreciated role in early emotional vulnerability among girls aged 10 to 12. The study shows that internal neurochemical fluctuations are stronger predictors of anxiety and depression than visible physical changes, highlighting … Read more

Summary: Unveiled at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference in London, the Consortium for Biomedical Research and Artificial Intelligence in Neurodegeneration (C-BRAIN) has released three open-source AI platforms. Designed as a collaborative “AI Biomedical Research Scientist,” these tools analyze global neuroscience literature, surface insights hidden in unpublished or negative results (so-called “dark data”), and offer structured … Read more

Summary: Researchers recorded real-time brain activity in infants and adults while they listened to speakers in different noisy settings. The team found that, even with an immature cerebral cortex, human infants can use spatial separation cues early in life to pick out and follow a single speaker in a crowded auditory scene. Key Facts Early … Read more

Summary: Researchers analyzed decades of socioeconomic data by linking national medical registries with detailed tax records. They found that people who later receive an early-onset dementia diagnosis experience substantial and steadily worsening work productivity losses that begin years before clinical diagnosis. The timing and magnitude of these losses differ by underlying pathology. Key Facts The … Read more

Summary: Drawing on hundreds of studies in psychology, behavioral economics and neuroscience, researchers show that procrastination is a complex psychological struggle rooted in an evolutionary mismatch in the brain. Rather than a single habit, procrastination takes multiple forms. The research identifies nine distinct procrastinator profiles and presents a practical toolkit to address the specific mental … Read more

Summary: Engineers have created a new cerebellum-inspired electronic chip that detects unexpected events while consuming very little power. Unlike most neuromorphic efforts that model the cerebrum (the brain’s thinking center), this device emulates the cerebellum’s reflex-driven strategy: it ignores predictable background signals and activates only for novel, surprising inputs. In trials using electrocardiogram (ECG) data, … Read more