Summary: A new Emory University study reports that adenine methylation in DNA increases up to fourfold in the brain during stress. Source: Emory University. As genome science advances, researchers are uncovering additional chemical marks on DNA beyond the four canonical bases. Are these modifications meaningful signals that regulate gene activity, or are they accidental byproducts … Read more

Music training initiated during high school might hone brain development. Beginning music lessons as late as high school can sharpen teenagers’ auditory processing and strengthen language-related skills, according to a Northwestern University study. The research, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), shows that group music classes offered in school can … Read more

Summary: A new study finds that the brain represents the vividness of imagined and perceived experiences in similar ways, which can cause people to confuse imagination with reality when their mental images become strong. Source: UCL Researchers at University College London report that the more vividly someone imagines something, the more likely they are to … Read more

Summary: Two distinct frontotemporal networks in the brain activate and cooperate to integrate individual word meanings, enabling the construction of higher-order sentence meaning during reading. Source: UT Houston When someone reads a sentence, two separate but interacting brain networks—one anchored in the frontal lobe and the other in the temporal lobe—become active. Together, they integrate … Read more

Summary: Researchers at UT Southwestern report that lower physical fitness is linked to faster deterioration of white matter fibers in the brain, which can contribute to cognitive decline and memory problems as people age. Source: UT Southwestern Regular Exercise Supports Brain Health and May Help Prevent Alzheimer’s New research from the O’Donnell Brain Institute at … Read more

Summary: Researchers have identified how two intermingled types of neurons split the work of planning and initiating movement. Source: HHMI. The mouse brain contains roughly 80 million neurons packed into a space about the size of a hazelnut. These cells include many distinct shapes and sizes, and their connections number in the billions. The brain … Read more

Summary: Researchers propose that the brain estimates and corrects for the expected sensory-driven activation from an input—such as image contrast—so that what remains is a clearer neural signal of familiarity. Source: University of Pennsylvania When someone looks at an image they have seen before, even if it was only a single brief exposure, the brain … Read more

“Gatekeeper” Neurotransmitter for Itch Does Not Mediate Pain, Study Finds Summary: Researchers identify brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) as a neurotransmitter that conveys itch signals but does not contribute to acute, inflammatory, or neuropathic pain. Source: North Carolina State University Researchers at North Carolina State University report that brain natriuretic peptide (BNP), a neurotransmitter previously linked … Read more

Summary: New research shows that infants’ brains respond differently to emotional tones in voices. The study suggests that early maternal behavior—particularly how much a mother directs or controls her infant’s actions—can influence the same brain network adults use to process emotional vocalizations. Source: PLOS. Researchers report that the brain network adults use to process angry … Read more

New software developed by researchers detects a person’s ability to understand or share feelings in therapy sessions. “And how does that make you feel?” Empathy is widely recognized as the cornerstone of effective therapy. A team of researchers from the University of Southern California (USC), the University of Washington and the University of Utah has … Read more