Summary: Unexpectedly positive outcomes strengthen memory for specific events. These results may have implications for understanding and treating memory problems associated with depression. Source: Brown University Key finding: Researchers found that moments when outcomes exceed expectations — for example, finding an unexpectedly good parking spot or discovering a $20 bill on the sidewalk — not … Read more

Scientists at The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) have identified a new signaling role for the enzyme RIPK3 in coordinating communication between mitochondria and the immune system. The study reveals that RIPK3 links mitochondrial function to natural killer T (NKT) cell activation, a pathway that influences immune responses to tumors and helps regulate inflammatory processes that … Read more

Summary: Theta oscillations appear to play a central role in how the human brain processes smells, a recent study reports. Source: Northwestern Medicine. Theta Oscillations Rapidly Convey Odor Information in the Human Brain Theta oscillations — rhythmic electrical activity that cycles about four to eight times per second — may be a core mechanism for … Read more

Summary: Consuming familiar items in unconventional ways can renew the pleasure they provide, new research suggests. Source: The Conversation. The quick fade of pleasure It happens almost instantly. You open a bottle of your favorite drink, take a sip, and the flavor is intense and delightful. After a few more sips, however, the taste seems … Read more

Digital brain atlas of aging may improve early detection of Alzheimer’s and other neurodegenerative conditions Researchers have produced a detailed digital atlas of the ageing human brain that could help clinicians detect early signs of Alzheimer’s disease and other neurodegenerative disorders in older adults. By comparing an individual’s MRI scan to a map of healthy … Read more

Summary: Researchers compare human habits—like a vinyl collector favoring a particular record store—to a widespread decision-making strategy called operant matching, in which animals distribute choices according to expected rewards. New experiments show fruit flies use the same strategy, and the work pinpoints synaptic mechanisms in the fly brain that implement it. A recent study at … Read more

Summary: A study from West Virginia University examines how employees with depression decide whether and how to disclose their condition at work, identifying eight distinct strategies along a disclosure continuum. Source: West Virginia University Employees who experience depression often face a difficult choice: whether to disclose their condition at work, and if so, how much … Read more

Summary: Researchers report new molecular details about memory formation, showing how CaMKII binding sites organize actin filaments into rigid bundles that form the structural backbone of dendritic spines. Source: Rice University New insight into a longstanding puzzle — how memory can be encoded and maintained — comes from a multidisciplinary team that characterized how neuronal … Read more

Innovative ultrasound method uses acoustic pressure to control which molecules cross the blood-brain barrier—potentially improving treatments for central nervous system disorders such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s. A research team led by Elisa Konofagou, professor of biomedical engineering and radiology at Columbia Engineering, has demonstrated for the first time that the size of molecules that penetrate … Read more

Summary: For millions living with fibromyalgia, exercise is both essential and difficult: movement often brings intense pain and overwhelming fatigue. A large, real-world clinical trial now shows a simple, drug-free option that helps—adding TENS (transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation) to standard outpatient physical therapy significantly reduced movement-evoked pain and, importantly, fatigue. In the multicenter FM-TIPS trial, … Read more