Summary: A new experimental study reports that short periods of physical isolation increase adolescents’ sensitivity to potential threats, even when they remain connected online. Teens who spent several hours alone showed stronger physiological stress responses and greater anxiety reactions to learned threat cues, whether or not they had access to smartphones and social media. This … Read more

Summary: A UCL-led analysis finds ethnic disparities in dementia medication in the UK: Asian and Black people with dementia are less likely to receive recommended anti-dementia treatments and tend to be prescribed antipsychotic drugs for longer periods than White patients, raising concerns about unequal quality of care. Source: UCL New UCL-led study finds disparities in … Read more

Summary: A new study suggests THC, the main psychoactive compound in cannabis, may slow cognitive decline experienced by many people living with HIV. Source: Michigan State University. Researchers at Michigan State University report that tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) — a primary compound in marijuana — may help slow the cognitive decline that affects up to half of … Read more

Summary: Researchers report that subtle hearing loss in young adults may increase cognitive demands on the brain and could raise the risk of developing dementia later in life. The study found altered activity in the right frontal cortex among those with mild hearing decline. Source: Ohio State University. Turning up the volume on headphones or … Read more

Summary: Increasing levels of neurotrophin-3 in the dorsal amygdala alters dispositional anxiety in nonhuman primates, suggesting a potential pathway for early interventions to reduce anxiety risk in humans. Source: UC Davis Overview: Researchers at the University of California, Davis, and the University of Wisconsin–Madison report that boosting a single brain molecule, neurotrophin-3 (NT-3), reduces anxious … Read more

Summary: Frequent bouts of common infections such as colds or the flu may accelerate brain aging, contribute to cognitive decline, and raise the risk of dementia. In a study of aging male mice, repeated episodes of moderate inflammation produced measurable memory deficits and disrupted neuronal signaling. Source: Tulane University Frequent illness may influence the pace … Read more

Why does sleeping on it help? New research from the University of Bristol examines how brain activity during sleep sorts the vast stream of daily experiences, preserving only the most important information in lasting memory. Researchers from the Centre for Synaptic Plasticity at the University of Bristol report findings that strengthen the case for the … Read more

Summary: Researchers identify SCN3A gene mutations as a cause of early infantile epileptic encephalopathy. Source: CHOP. Researchers have identified mutations in the SCN3A gene that underlie a severe form of infant epilepsy and provide initial evidence that certain anti-seizure medications may reduce early brain injury by suppressing pathological electrical activity in a critical newborn window. … Read more

Summary: Researchers report that socially contagious itching appears to be hardwired in the brain. Source: WUSTL Researchers discover why mice scratch in response to other mice scratching Certain actions such as yawning and scratching are socially contagious: when one individual performs them, others often follow. A team at Washington University School of Medicine in St. … Read more

Summary: A single psilocybin dose, administered once with psychotherapy, produced sustained reductions in depression, anxiety, hopelessness and existential distress for cancer patients, with benefits observed up to 4.5 years after treatment. Source: NYU Overview Researchers at NYU Grossman School of Medicine followed up on a landmark randomized trial and report that a single administration of … Read more