Summary: Researchers have identified genetic changes that affect stress responses in children who are at elevated risk of developing bipolar disorder. Source: UT Health Science Center Houston. Researchers at McGovern Medical School at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) report genetic alterations linked to stress response in children at high risk … Read more
Summary: A new study from MD Anderson explains how the enzyme ACSS2 enables brain tumors to survive and grow in nutrient-starved environments. Source: MD Anderson Cancer Center. New research clarifies how the enzyme ACSS2 supports tumor growth under metabolic stress and suggests potential therapeutic strategies. Cancer cells must secure carbon and energy to grow and … Read more
Summary: A new qualitative study finds that multiplayer online gaming can develop valuable workplace skills, including teamwork, problem-solving, leadership, and coaching abilities. Researchers report that long-term MMO players often apply habits and behaviors learned in-game—such as patience, strategic thinking, and feedback delivery—to their professional roles, suggesting that moderate gaming can support both personal and career … Read more
Summary: A new analysis of real-world hospital records identifies early indicators of which patients are most likely to benefit from Cobenfy, the first schizophrenia treatment with a novel mechanism approved in fifty years. The study finds that people with prominent negative symptoms—such as social withdrawal and low motivation—tended to gain the greatest improvements in mood … Read more
Summary: Researchers have identified a specific neuronal circuit in the brain’s central amygdala that promotes anxiety. The findings highlight dynorphin signaling as a potential target for new treatments for anxiety-related disorders. Source: Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory. Neuroscientists at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) have mapped a neural pathway in the amygdala that drives anxiety and … Read more
Summary: A new imaging study from TU Dresden investigates the rapid neural processes that enable short-term task learning and the brain-wide reorganization that supports turning instructions into fluent behavior. Source: TU Dresden Researchers at TU Dresden have used functional imaging to examine how large-scale brain networks reorganize during rapid, instruction-based task learning. The findings, published … Read more
Summary: Postmortem analysis of brain neurons from people with Parkinson’s disease identified over 200 genes showing altered epigenetic markers compared with healthy brains. Strikingly, the sets of affected genes differed almost entirely between women and men. Source: Rutgers University New Rutgers research, published in npj Parkinson’s Disease, shows that epigenetic changes associated with Parkinson’s disease … Read more
Summary: Neuroimaging offers significant promise for linking specific patterns of brain activity to mental health conditions, but a new Yale-led study highlights that more work is needed before brain scans can reliably predict psychiatric diagnoses such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Source: Yale Neuroimaging technologies have generated excitement for their potential to reveal biological signatures … Read more
Summary: An experimental drug, PAC-1, that prompts cancer cells to self-destruct has been approved for a clinical trial in patients with anaplastic astrocytoma and glioblastoma. PAC-1 crosses the blood-brain barrier and has shown promising results in cell lines, rodent models and canine patients. Source: University of Illinois. PAC-1, a small molecule that activates procaspase-3 and … Read more
New research reveals how adolescents’ brains balance risk and reward behind the wheel—and how a parent’s presence changes that equation. Researchers from the University of Illinois used a driving simulation and brain imaging to examine how 14-year-olds evaluate risk when driving alone versus when their mother is watching. The study, led by psychology professor Eva … Read more
