Researchers use optogenetics to produce pain relief by shutting off neurons with light. Scientists at the Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital of McGill University and the McGill University Health Centre have demonstrated a precise, non‑pharmacological approach to pain relief using light. Their work highlights optogenetics as a promising, highly focused alternative to conventional pain medications, … Read more

Summary: Pregnancy may accelerate biological aging in women. Using advanced epigenetic clocks that measure DNA methylation, researchers compared the biological age of women with different pregnancy histories to women who had never been pregnant. The study found that a greater number of pregnancies is associated with markers of accelerated biological aging in women. This pattern … Read more

Summary: A large U.S. study shows that students who believe they were targeted because of social characteristics—such as race, religion, disability, gender, sexual orientation, or appearance—experience greater and more varied harm than other bullied peers. Analyzing responses from more than 2,200 young people who reported being bullied, the research links bias-motivated victimization to deeper impacts … Read more

Oxytocin boosts reward-related brain activity for crying infants but not smiling ones Researchers at Indiana University report that the hormone oxytocin increases activity in a brain region linked to reward when women view images of crying infants, but not when they view smiling infants. The finding suggests oxytocin may amplify the motivation to respond to … Read more

Summary: A recent study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) identifies a drug already approved by the FDA that interferes with a toxic protein interaction, and shows it may offer a promising new approach to treating Parkinson’s disease. Source: Northwestern University Researchers report new insights into Parkinson’s disease mechanisms and … Read more

Summary: People who display compulsive traits—features common in conditions such as obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), addiction, and some eating disorders—tend to rely on repetitive habits. A new large-scale study shows this is less about an inability to plan and more about uncertainty about how plans will play out. In an online game played by around 2,000 … Read more

Summary: New research finds that people who use illicit amphetamines face about a fivefold greater risk of developing psychosis. Source: BMJ The illicit use of amphetamines—often referred to as “speed”—is associated with a roughly fivefold increase in the risk of psychosis, according to a 10-year retrospective cohort study published in Evidence-Based Mental Health. Researchers found … Read more

Summary: Researchers are re-examining whether popular so-called “superfoods” truly deserve their reputation and, if they do, how best to include them in a balanced diet for real health benefit. Source: University of New South Wales Most people know the old saying: “An apple a day keeps the doctor away.” That proverb hints that certain everyday … Read more

Researchers report that children later diagnosed with autism were exposed to higher levels of several steroid hormones in the womb, including testosterone, progesterone and cortisol. The study, conducted by teams at the University of Cambridge and the Statens Serum Institute in Copenhagen, suggests prenatal steroidogenic activity may contribute to why autism is diagnosed more often … Read more

Brain scans show that viewing graphic anti-smoking images on cigarette packs activates areas involved in emotion, decision-making, and memory, researchers report in Addictive Behaviors Reports. Researchers from Georgetown University Medical Center and Truth Initiative used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to study neural responses in young adult smokers exposed to graphic warning labels on cigarette … Read more