Summary: New research identifies glucosamine as a major component of brain glycogen and reveals its essential role in protein glycosylation and neurological health. Source: University of Kentucky Using advanced imaging and biochemical methods to study brain metabolism, researchers at the University of Kentucky have uncovered where an essential sugar is stored in the brain. Glycogen, … Read more

Summary: Following the legalization of retail marijuana in Washington, overall cannabis use fell among younger teens, but increased among high school seniors who work 11 or more hours per week. Source: Washington State University Key finding: New research led by a Washington State University College of Nursing professor found that the only adolescent group to … Read more

Summary: A new study shows our brains naturally give greater weight to the opinions of people who appear confident. Source: University of Sussex Confidence carries biological weight: the brain treats confident people’s opinions as more valuable. Researchers who measured brain activity report that human decision-making favors the opinions of confident individuals. The study, published in … Read more

Scientists at The Scripps Research Institute, together with researchers from drug discovery company Receptos, have produced the first high-resolution molecular image of the S1P1 receptor, a critical membrane protein that regulates processes implicated in multiple sclerosis and other diseases. This detailed structural map is already guiding drug discovery efforts and clarifying how some existing therapies … Read more

Summary: New research shows that people often know which option is statistically best but still choose alternatives based on recent success, habit, or intuition rather than acting on what they have learned. Source: Ohio State University People sometimes ignore what they know to be the best choice, opting instead for the option that felt right … Read more

Individual differences in pain perception may be linked to brain structure. A study published in the journal Pain by researchers at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center reports a clear relationship between brain anatomy and how intensely people experience pain. The research suggests that variations in grey matter volume in specific brain regions correspond with individual … Read more

Summary: A new Princeton University study finds that people are judged as more competent when their clothing appears to be higher in economic status. These impressions form almost instantly and are difficult to override. Source: Princeton University Overview: Subtle economic cues in clothing shape how competent we perceive others to be, according to research published … Read more

Summary: A new study investigates how professional musicians prioritize visual (sight-reading) versus auditory (playing by ear) information when learning new music and how those priorities shape their practice and memory strategies. Source: Acoustical Society of America. Musicians’ brains may be classifiable by how they prioritize sight versus sound when learning new pieces. Playing an instrument … Read more

Summary: Early hallucinations in people with Parkinson’s disease can be an early indicator of faster cognitive decline. By combining detailed neuropsychological assessments with resting-state electroencephalography (EEG), researchers linked subtle, often underreported hallucinations to an accelerated loss of frontal executive function over subsequent years. These findings underline the importance of early recognition and clinical attention to … Read more

LA BioMed researcher says study identified new potential site for medications to target. Summary Researchers at the Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center (LA BioMed) report a promising avenue for new therapies to treat status epilepticus — the prolonged, life‑threatening seizures that can cause extensive brain damage. Their study finds that NMDA … Read more