Summary: Age-related changes in certain proteins can directly trigger amyloid-β aggregation, a hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease. Age-Related Protein Aggregation May Trigger Amyloid-β Formation, New Study Suggests Researchers at the German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases and the Hertie Institute report evidence that proteins that aggregate with age can initiate amyloid-β (Aβ) aggregation, a central feature of … Read more

Summary: Researchers have developed magnetically programmable microbots made from soft elastomers that can produce controlled, time-varying shapes. Source: Max Planck Institute. Soft magnetic materials that generate time-varying shapes could power microswimmers Microrobots that swim like sperm, paramecia, or jellyfish could one day navigate tiny environments inside the body or operate in confined microfluidic systems. Researchers … Read more

Summary: Transcriptional regulators related to the Brinker system control injury-induced increases in pain sensitivity and may provide new targets for therapies to treat chronic pain. Source: University of New England Chronic pain affects millions worldwide and remains a major clinical challenge. Better understanding of the cellular and molecular mechanisms that sustain pain after injury is … Read more

Summary: When people with language disorders such as aphasia speak, listeners shift their attention toward the speaker’s hand movements and gestures. Gestures can supplement limited verbal output and help conversation partners understand the intended message. Source: University of Zurich When words are limited, gestures can bridge the gap—particularly for people with aphasia. An international research … Read more

Summary: A recent study finds that the metaphors we use—such as “light bulb” or “seed”—affect how people judge the quality of ideas and the ability of their creators. Source: Society for Personality and Social Psychology How Metaphors Influence Perceptions of Discovery, Ideas, and Inventors The familiar image of a bright idea popping into existence as … Read more

Lurie Children’s-led study highlights importance of screening kids with epilepsy for learning and behavioral problems. Children who develop epilepsy often face challenges beyond seizures that can shape their futures. A long-term study led by researchers at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago found that learning difficulties and behavioral or psychiatric problems — … Read more

Summary: Thalamic inputs to the superficial layers of the cerebral cortex are sparse and individually weak, yet they display remarkable diversity in their distribution. Together, however, these varied inputs form a reliable and efficient representation of sensory information. Source: Picower Institute for Learning and Memory The cerebral cortex constructs perception from sensory signals relayed through … Read more

Summary: Researchers report that taking photographs can strengthen our memory for visual details of an experience while simultaneously reducing recall for non-visual information, such as sounds. Source: APS. Across social media and personal photo libraries, people routinely capture moments from daily life—on the beach, in museums, at meals, or even while waiting in line. New … Read more

Summary: Adopting healthier habits or making modest lifestyle changes can lower the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias, particularly for people from lower socioeconomic backgrounds. Source: American Society for Nutrition As rates of Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias rise in the U.S., new research highlights that everyday lifestyle factors—diet, physical activity and sleep—can … Read more

Traffic Fatalities Decline in States With Medical Marijuana Laws Summary: Researchers report an average 11 percent reduction in traffic fatalities in states after enacting medical marijuana laws. Source: Columbia University. Key Findings Researchers at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health found that states adopting medical marijuana laws experienced measurable declines in traffic fatalities. On … Read more