Neuroscience researchers have revealed how an internal structural component within neurons executes coordinated movements as synaptic connections are strengthened. By separating the remodeling process into two distinct steps during long-term potentiation (LTP), the team shed light on how the internal “skeletons” of dendritic spines change during synaptic plasticity. These insights have implications for understanding a … Read more

Summary: Researchers report that teleological thinking — a powerful cognitive bias that attributes final causes or an overriding purpose to natural events — is linked to two seemingly unrelated belief systems: creationism and conspiracy theories. Source: Cell Press Teleological Thinking Connects Creationism and Conspiracy Beliefs It’s common to hear people say “everything happens for a … Read more

Summary: A new study finds that synapse quality — specifically the size of dendritic spine heads in the temporal cortex — predicts better episodic memory in older adults. The results challenge the long-standing idea that memory decline in aging is driven mainly by a loss of synapses, suggesting instead that the strength of remaining synapses … Read more

Summary: The neighborhood where you live can shape your heart and brain health, new research and community experience suggest. Source: American Heart Association Liz Harris refuses to let obstacles stop her from walking. Three mornings a week she descends three flights of stairs and heads to Anacostia Park, a 10-minute walk from her home. If … Read more

Summary: A haunted-house experiment finds that a “just right” level of fear—enough to raise heart rate but not overwhelm—maximizes enjoyment. Source: APS Chainsaw-wielding maniacs, brain-eating zombies, and sudden jump scares are familiar elements in horror films and commercial haunted-house attractions. In non-pandemic years these experiences draw large crowds of thrill-seekers every Halloween season. But why … Read more

Summary: Neuroscientists show that the familiar idea of “practice makes perfect” has a measurable neural basis. When a male zebra finch sings to itself, neural circuits in the basal ganglia generate variability in its courtship song as part of ongoing rehearsal. But in the presence of an attractive female, a noradrenaline signal suppresses that variability, … Read more

Summary: A virtual reality study finds people tend to judge their bodies more harshly from a first-person view, and see themselves as more attractive when observed from a third-person perspective. Source: Frontiers Are we accurate judges of our own attractiveness? New research published in Frontiers in Robotics and AI suggests that our self-assessments of attractiveness … Read more

For a decade, the Blue Brain Project at the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) has pursued a bold engineering approach to understand how brain circuits work by digitally rebuilding a portion of juvenile rat neocortex. On October 8, the team published a first-draft reconstruction in Cell describing a virtual brain slice that captures key … Read more

Summary: Researchers report that defects in the Ets1 gene are linked to immune changes characteristic of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Source: Institute for Basic Science Researchers at the Academy of Immunology and Microbiology, Institute for Basic Science (IBS) and Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH) in South Korea have identified how defects in the … Read more

Summary: Research on lithium exposure through breast milk is limited and often methodologically weak, according to a new systematic review. Until stronger evidence is available, decisions about continuing lithium during breastfeeding should be individualized, balancing risks to both mother and infant. Source: Northwestern University Women prescribed lithium for bipolar disorder frequently ask whether breastfeeding while … Read more