Summary: A UCLA-led study reveals critical species differences between human and mouse astrocytes in how oxidative stress, hypoxia, and inflammation activate immune and repair programs. The authors recommend adapting mouse neurodegeneration models to better mimic human vulnerability to oxidative damage. Source: UCLA Researchers comparing astrocytes—the star-shaped support cells of the brain—in humans and mice report … Read more

Summary: Poor oral health is strongly associated with higher rates of migraine, abdominal pain, and widespread musculoskeletal pain in women, particularly those with fibromyalgia. Researchers identified several oral microbes linked to increased pain scores, suggesting a possible connection among the oral microbiome, the gut-brain axis, and chronic pain. Women reporting the poorest oral health were … Read more

Summary: A Stanford study finds that highlighting how social norms are changing — not just what people currently do — makes individuals more likely to adopt new, sustainable behaviors. Source: Stanford Convincing people to adopt new or uncommon behaviors—whether for the environment, personal health, or other important causes—can be difficult because prevailing social norms strongly … Read more

Summary: Adults with developmental dyslexia show impaired phoneme discrimination when natural acoustic variation is present in speech. When that variation is removed, neural responses to speech sounds in dyslexic and typical readers are comparable. These findings indicate that difficulty extracting linguistically relevant, invariant cues from variable speech may hinder the formation of native-language phoneme categories … Read more

Summary: A new study finds that witnessing violence can increase the likelihood of later aggressive behavior, but only under specific social conditions. Male mice that observed attacks by familiar peers—but not by strangers—later showed heightened aggression. The effect was linked to a set of neurons in the amygdala that appear to “prime” aggressive responses. When … Read more

Summary: The immune system’s chronic response, rather than direct parasite action, may be largely responsible for the health and behavioral changes linked to Toxoplasma gondii infections. Source: The Conversation Illness changes us. From a runny nose during a cold to extreme aggression in rabies, infections often alter behavior in ways that help pathogens spread. Many … Read more

Omega-3 Levels Enhance B Vitamins’ Ability to Slow Cognitive Decline in Mild Cognitive Impairment New analysis from an international research team suggests that higher blood levels of Omega-3 fatty acids strengthen the protective effect of B vitamin supplements against cognitive decline in older adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Researchers from the Universities of Cape … Read more

New technique navigates the neuron jungle to target the source of Parkinson’s disease Researchers report a promising, less invasive approach to target the specific brain cells involved in Parkinson’s disease. In experiments with a rat model of Parkinson’s, the technique selectively stimulated cholinergic neurons and produced a marked recovery of movement and posture. Parkinson’s disease … Read more

Summary: Researchers have created an AI-powered diagnostic system that uses smartphone video and cloud processing to detect nystagmus — a telltale sign of vestibular and neurological disorders. Unlike conventional methods such as videonystagmography (VNG), which are costly and cumbersome, this deep learning platform offers an affordable, patient-friendly option suitable for remote assessment and telemedicine. The … Read more

Summary: Recent research shows that attitudes about abortion are increasingly intertwined with both religious identity and racial attitudes. People who score high on measures of racial resentment are significantly more likely to oppose legal abortion, regardless of their stated religious views or party identification. Conversely, religious conservatives and liberals with low racial resentment are more … Read more