Summary: Researchers have identified more than 500 genetic variants that influence tobacco and alcohol use, including aspects related to addiction and consumption patterns. Source: University of Minnesota. Tobacco and alcohol use are heritable behaviors that contribute substantially to mortality and raise the risk for many complex diseases and disorders. The University of Minnesota participated in … Read more

Summary: An international research team has advanced understanding of the brain’s noradrenaline (NA) system and developed a new method to record rapid chemical signals from the living human brain. Their approach, adapted to standard clinical depth electrodes used in epilepsy monitoring, reveals how NA in the amygdala tracks emotional intensity and attention—findings relevant to conditions … Read more

Summary: New research from the Max Planck Institute indicates that a single nucleotide change in the human-specific gene ARHGAP11B likely played a critical role in the expansion of the human neocortex. Source: Max Planck Institute. A single nucleotide substitution likely contributed to the evolutionary expansion of the human neocortex What helped make the human brain … Read more

Summary: A well-known TED Talk promoted the idea that “power posing” boosts confidence and improves chances of success. Recent, larger-scale studies challenge that claim, finding that while power poses may increase feelings of power, they do not produce measurable changes in behavior or outcomes. Source: Michigan State University. The widespread claim that briefly adopting a … Read more

Summary: Researchers used artificial intelligence to visualize and track changes in synapse strength in living animals. Synapses—the tiny junctions where neurons communicate—are central to learning, memory and age-related brain changes. By applying machine learning to noisy in vivo microscopy, the team enhanced image quality enough to detect and follow individual synapses across days and weeks. … Read more

Summary: Digital sleep therapy can effectively treat insomnia and reduce reliance on sleeping pills. Source: NTNU About half a million Norwegians live with chronic sleep problems, commonly known as insomnia. Cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia (CBT‑I) is the most well-documented, non-pharmacological treatment, but access to trained therapists is limited. A fully automated, digital version of … Read more

Summary: A study reports that more than 80% of parents observed significant or moderate improvements in their child’s autism spectrum disorder (ASD) symptoms after treatment with medical cannabis. Source: Ben-Gurion University. Researchers at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU) and Soroka University Medical Center evaluated medical cannabis as a potential treatment for autism spectrum disorders … Read more

DNA Folding and 3D Gene Hubs Drive Glioblastoma: New Insights from Weill Cornell Summary: A preclinical study from Weill Cornell Medicine shows that how DNA folds inside the nucleus of brain cells plays a crucial role in glioblastoma, one of the most aggressive brain cancers. Instead of relying solely on mutations, tumor cells assemble genes … Read more

Summary: Researchers created statistical instances of a mouse micro-connectome that include more than 10 million neurons. The model covers five orders of magnitude in scale and represents roughly 88 billion synaptic connections. Source: EPFL The pattern of synaptic connections between neurons determines their activity and function. Until now, comprehensive maps of these connections—known as connectomes—have … Read more

Summary: New research finds that young children are more likely to resist immediate temptations when the reward depends on both themselves and a partner, compared with situations that rely solely on their individual self-control. Source: APS Children Are More Willing to Delay Gratification When Cooperation Is Required Children as young as five and six show … Read more