Summary: A longitudinal analysis finds that strong structural connections between the rostrolateral prefrontal cortex and the inferior parietal lobe in childhood are linked with stronger functional connectivity and better reasoning ability in adolescence and young adulthood. Source: SfN. Childhood Brain Wiring Predicts Reasoning Skills in Later Life New research published in The Journal of Neuroscience … Read more

Researchers at Butler Hospital report cellular changes tied to childhood adversity and psychiatric disorders, according to a study published online in Biological Psychiatry on January 16, 2015. The study links telomere shortening and alterations in mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) with early-life stress and lifetime psychiatric conditions—changes that are commonly associated with cellular aging and may indicate … Read more

Vaccine research leads to complete remission in child with relapsed neuroblastoma One year after his final treatment, a six-year-old boy with relapsed, high‑risk metastatic neuroblastoma remains in complete remission. This encouraging case was reported in the January 2013 issue of Pediatrics, the journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics. The study received partial funding from … Read more

Summary: A new machine-learning approach can estimate a person’s internal body clock by analyzing metabolites in blood. This technique enables personalized guidance for sleep timing, meal scheduling, and clinical sampling by predicting circadian phase with minimal blood sampling. It offers a less invasive, practical route to align daily behaviour and treatments with an individual’s biology, … Read more

Summary: A new set of laboratory tools allows researchers to detect and observe granulins inside cells for the first time. Source: Emory Health Sciences. Researchers at Emory University School of Medicine have developed antibody-based tools that enable reliable detection of small proteins called granulins inside cells. Granulins are fragments derived from a larger precursor protein, … Read more

Summary: The brain’s default mode network is functionally split: different subnetworks support constructing imagined scenes and evaluating their emotional quality. Source: SfN New research published in Journal of Neuroscience shows that two key components of imagination — building mental scenarios and judging their emotional value — are supported by distinct subnetworks within the brain’s default … Read more

Summary: New findings show that individual differences in the severity of depressive symptoms after a relationship breakup are linked to measurable changes in resting-state whole-brain dynamics. Source: UPF Barcelona Overview: Stressful life events can precipitate depressive symptoms even in people without a clinical diagnosis. A relationship breakup is a common and emotionally significant example: it … Read more

Summary: Symptoms of depression often appeared before stroke and tended to worsen after the event, according to a long-term study. Source: AAN Depressive symptoms can begin years before a stroke and typically increase further following a stroke, researchers report in the July 13, 2022 online issue of Neurology. In a large, long-term study, investigators tracked … Read more

Summary: Researchers explain why maintaining holiday rituals is important for mental health, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Source: The Conversation From birthdays to weddings and graduations, 2020 has seen many personal celebrations cancelled, while communal festivities such as Bonfire Night, Eid and Diwali were often muted or postponed. Given concerns that increased social mixing could … Read more

Summary: Researchers have identified a direct cellular interaction between the nervous system and the immune system. Pain-sensing neurons around lymph nodes can actively modulate lymph node activity. Source: Broad Institute New research reveals a clear, physical connection between the nervous and immune systems. Scientists from Harvard Medical School, the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, … Read more