Summary: A new study reports brown fat interacts with secretin, a gut hormone, to signal the feeling of fullness to the brain during a meal. Source: Cell Press. Researchers in Germany and Finland report that brown adipose tissue (BAT), commonly known as brown fat, communicates with the gut hormone secretin to signal fullness to the … Read more

Summary: The lateral hypothalamus is a key subcortical node in social brain networks. It influences socially motivated choices by integrating information about rewards for oneself and for others, and it coordinates with cortical regions to shape behavior. Source: National Institutes of Natural Sciences How we value things is often shaped by what others receive. You … Read more

Summary: New evidence indicates that the likelihood of being diagnosed with cognitive impairment or dementia among U.S. adults has grown over the last two decades. Source: Max Planck Institute A recent analysis by researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research and collaborators finds that the risk of cognitive impairment and dementia in the … Read more

Summary: Researchers have produced one of the most detailed, data-driven maps of the mouse brain to date. Using an artificial intelligence model named CellTransformer, the team identified about 1,300 distinct regions and subregions, including previously uncharted areas, offering a new, high-resolution view of brain organization. Unlike traditional atlases that rely on human interpretation, this map … Read more

Summary: Researchers have identified 26 new genes associated with intellectual disability. Source: CAMH A step closer to personalized medicine for intellectual disability Researchers at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) and Queen’s University have identified 26 previously unreported genes linked to intellectual disability. Most individuals affected by intellectual disability do not receive a … Read more

Summary: Researchers have developed an innovative machine learning model that uses retinal imaging to distinguish normal cognition from mild cognitive impairment (MCI). This approach offers a non-invasive, cost-effective opportunity to detect early signs of cognitive decline that can precede Alzheimer’s disease. The model evaluates multimodal retinal images acquired with optical coherence tomography (OCT) and OCT … Read more

Summary: New research into the mechanisms of programmed cell death in both humans and plants identifies shared protein-driven pathways. These findings could accelerate drug development for neurodegenerative diseases and guide the creation of disease-resistant crops. Source: University of Queensland Research connecting cell suicide mechanisms in humans and plants offers promising avenues for treatments of neurodegenerative … Read more

Summary: Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk’s company Neuralink has completed a milestone procedure by implanting its brain-computer interface (BCI) in a human subject. This marks a key step in the company’s first human clinical trial designed to help people with paralysis interact with devices using their thoughts. The ongoing clinical trial targets individuals with … Read more

Summary: Researchers at Tohoku University have developed lab-grown neuronal networks that behave more like those in living brains, offering a new platform to investigate learning, memory, and neural plasticity under precisely controlled conditions. Using microfluidic devices to guide connectivity, these in vitro networks display diverse activity patterns and reconfigure in response to repeated stimulation—features that … Read more

Summary: A recent case report indicates that medical marijuana may offer rapid symptom relief for people with chronic itch. Researchers propose that THC interacts with brain and nervous system receptors, which can lower inflammation and nerve activity and, in turn, reduce the sensation of itch. Source: Johns Hopkins Medicine Chronic itch, medically known as chronic … Read more