Summary: Researchers are advancing methods to restore touch to prosthetic limbs by stimulating the brain’s tactile regions. Using intracortical electrodes placed in the primary somatosensory cortex, teams have produced stable, precisely localized sensations and, with patterned stimulation, recreated motion and shape perception on the hand. These developments bring neuroprosthetics closer to delivering useful, intuitive tactile … Read more

Summary: A new study illuminates the molecular mechanisms that shape synaptic transmission, a process essential for cognition. Source: MIT. Our cognitive abilities depend on how effectively synapses—the connections between neurons—transmit information. Researchers at MIT’s Picower Institute for Learning and Memory explored the molecular machinery that controls synaptic signaling and identified a distinct role for the … Read more

Summary: New research finds that stories emphasizing particular moral traits help early adolescents adopt those values as part of their moral reasoning. Source: University at Buffalo Reading a story can be a meaningful part of a child’s moral education. A recent study shows that narrative media — books, comics and other character-driven stories — can … Read more

Summary: Researchers have identified a brain signaling pathway that can be chemically modulated to reverse autism-related changes in genetically engineered mice. The drug-like intervention normalized both physiology and behavior in adult animals, pointing to a potential path for developing treatments for adults on the autism spectrum. Source: Florida Atlantic University. Scientists at Florida Atlantic University … Read more

Eye-tracking reveals early social attention differences in preterm infants Attention to other people is a cornerstone of early social-cognitive development. New research from Kyoto University shows that infants born prematurely display different patterns of social attention compared with full-term infants, with potential implications for later social communication and autism risk. The study used eye-tracking to … Read more

Glioblastoma: a promising strategy to overcome resistance to mTOR-targeted therapies Glioblastoma is the most common and deadly primary brain tumor in adults, and effective treatments remain scarce because these cancers quickly develop resistance to therapy. New research from the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research in San Diego identifies a key molecular escape route that allows … Read more

Summary: New randomized, double-blind research indicates that a daily supplement combining probiotics with vitamin D may improve cognitive performance in adults living with schizophrenia. In a 12-week trial of 70 participants, those who received the probiotic-plus-vitamin D supplement showed measurable gains on a standard cognitive assessment, while overall symptom severity assessed by clinical scales did … Read more

Summary: Treatment with estrogen significantly lowered inflammatory markers and reduced delirium-like behaviors in mouse models of urinary tract infection. Source: Cedars-Sinai Medical Center Delirium frequently occurs in women who develop urinary tract infections (UTIs), particularly after menopause. Researchers at Cedars-Sinai used laboratory mice to examine whether estrogen—commonly prescribed in hormone replacement therapy—can prevent delirium-like symptoms. … Read more

Summary: Belief in conspiracy theories may arise from a combination of genetic predispositions, cognitive capacity, and emotional responses. Researchers propose that memes can form quasi-stable attractor states in neural networks, helping to explain how conspiracy beliefs consolidate in the brain. Source: Nicolaus Copernicus University Across the world, the range and persistence of conspiracy theories accompanying … Read more

Key Questions Answered Q: What did the study reveal about the genetics of smell?A: A large genetic analysis identified ten genomic regions associated with the ability to recognize particular odors, seven of which are newly reported discoveries. Q: How do sex differences influence smell perception?A: Three of the identified regions show effects that differ between … Read more