Summary: New research shows that placental oxygenation during the third trimester strongly predicts development of the fetal cerebral cortex and may forecast later childhood cognition and behavior. Using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to assess placental function, the study provides clearer evidence of how the placenta mediates the effects of maternal health on fetal brain development … Read more

Genetic Mutation Identified as a Cause of Cerebellar Ataxia in Humans, Mice, and Dogs Summary: A new study identifies a mutation in the CAPN1 gene as an additional cause of cerebellar ataxia across species. Source: Cell Press A mutation in the CAPN1 gene has been identified as a cause of cerebellar ataxia in humans and … Read more

Researchers at the University of British Columbia and the Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute have identified how amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), commonly called Lou Gehrig’s disease, spreads between cells in the nervous system and demonstrated a strategy that could block that spread. ALS is a disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and the … Read more

Argus II “Bionic Eye” Delivers Lasting Vision Benefits in Three-Year Clinical Trial Patients implanted with the Argus II retinal prosthesis experienced meaningful improvements in visual function and quality of life. The three-year results from a multicenter clinical trial confirm the long-term efficacy, safety and reliability of the Argus II retinal implant, commonly referred to as … Read more

Brain scientists have long assumed that aging reduces the brain’s ability to adapt and learn. A new study from Brown University challenges that view, showing that older adults can learn a visual task as well as younger people, but the neural changes supporting that learning occur in different brain tissue: white matter rather than cortex. … Read more

Summary: New research shows the immune system provides a biological link between personality and long-term mortality risk. People who score higher in conscientiousness tend to live longer in part because they have lower levels of the inflammatory marker interleukin‑6 (IL‑6). Source: University of Limerick Groundbreaking research led by the University of Limerick reveals for the … Read more

Summary: New evidence indicates that lithium, a medication most commonly used to stabilize mood in bipolar disorder, may reduce repetitive behaviors in models of SHANK3-related autism by restoring disrupted neuronal homeostasis. Source: Brandeis University The mood-stabilizing drug lithium reduces repetitive behaviors in mice lacking SHANK3, an autism-linked gene. Researchers report that lithium restores specific forms … Read more

How neurons are created and how they connect to form complex networks remains one of biology’s major mysteries. Research led by Dietmar Schmucker at VIB–KU Leuven sheds light on an important part of this puzzle in a study published in Science. The work identifies a cellular mechanism that helps explain how highly branched neurons establish … Read more

Summary: Researchers explain why the serotonin hypothesis for depression may not be as accurate as previously believed. Source: The Conversation For decades, the public has been told that depression stems from a “chemical imbalance” in the brain—most commonly, a deficit of the neurotransmitter serotonin. Our recent umbrella review of the evidence finds that this explanation … Read more

Summary: Researchers have created an AI-driven tool, MeAgainMeds.com, to help match patients to the antidepressant most likely to be effective given their medical history. The free website aims to shorten the common trial-and-error process for finding the right medication and improve treatment outcomes. Using analysis of data from millions of patient records, the AI generates … Read more