Summary: Because different areas of the brain mature at different rates, neuroscientists warn that pinpointing a single moment when the brain “reaches maturity” is far more complicated than it often appears. Source: Cell Press. Neuroscientists cannot definitively say when your brain becomes a legal adult. Law must draw a line between adolescence and adulthood — … Read more

Summary: Ozanimod, an immune-modulating medication developed at Scripps Research, has received FDA approval for the treatment of adults with relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis. The drug prevents certain lymphocytes from entering the brain by binding to receptors on their surface, reducing the number of activated immune cells that drive attacks on the nervous system. Source: … Read more

Summary: New research suggests that a person’s pupil dilation in response to emotional cues may help identify who is most likely to develop depression after a natural disaster. Source: Binghamton University Pupil dilation may help identify people at greater risk of depression after disaster-related stress, pointing toward more targeted post-disaster interventions, according to new research … Read more

Clearing Senescent Astrocytes Prevents Parkinson’s Neuropathology and Symptoms in a Mouse Model Summary: Researchers at the Buck Institute identify clearance of senescent astrocytes as a promising therapeutic approach to prevent Parkinson’s neuropathology and symptoms in a mouse model of sporadic disease triggered by pesticide exposure. Source: Buck Institute Overview: A study from the Andersen laboratory … Read more

Turning off cells in a habit-associated brain region prevents rats from learning to run a maze on autopilot. Daily routines often become automatic: we take the same route to work, perform familiar sequences of actions without conscious thought, and sometimes develop habits we cannot easily stop, such as smoking or nail-biting. New research from MIT … Read more

Summary: A two-year study from the University of Vermont shows that the menopause transition is a significant neurological phase change, not merely a reproductive milestone. Researchers tracked resting-state brain activity across three life stages—premenopause, perimenopause, and postmenopause—and found widespread functional shifts linked to estrogen fluctuations. These findings clarify biological mechanisms behind midlife cognitive changes and … Read more

Summary: Researchers have identified gut neurons in the worm C. elegans that detect ingested bacteria and release a neurotransmitter that tells the brain to stop moving. Source: MIT. When a hungry worm discovers a patch of bacteria, it quickly slows its movements to feed. After it becomes satiated or the food is exhausted, the worm … Read more

Summary: Scientists have identified a conserved genetic program that governs limb regeneration across species. By comparing axolotls, zebrafish, and mice, researchers found that a family of transcription factors, the SP genes (notably SP6 and SP8), acts as a shared regulator for regrowing lost appendages. The study also demonstrates a viral, enhancer-directed gene therapy that can … Read more

Summary: New research undermines the neural unreliability hypothesis of autism by showing consistent sensory-evoked brain responses in people with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Source: University of Rochester Medical Center Study in Cerebral Cortex Challenges Neural Unreliability Theory of Autism A study published in the journal Cerebral Cortex presents strong evidence against the idea that neurons in … Read more

Summary: Alongside physical distancing and improved personal hygiene, moderating indoor relative humidity with the change of seasons may help reduce COVID-19 transmission. However, the virus can still spread through direct contact and close proximity regardless of season, researchers caution. Source: Yale How much spring and summer will influence the COVID-19 pandemic depends not only on … Read more