Summary: Researchers examined whether people are judged more positively and even rewarded at the ballot box when their name matches the shape of their face. Source: Springer. New research finds that a well-matched name and face can help a politician win more votes. Researchers David Barton and Jamin Halberstadt of the University of Otago in … Read more

Different regions of the brain specialize in processing distinct aspects of our sensory experiences. How those cortical areas communicate and route sensory signals to support perception and behavior has been a longstanding question in neuroscience. By studying touch in mice, researchers at the University of Zurich demonstrate that the flow of sensory information from one … Read more

Summary: Among veterans with traumatic brain injury (TBI), poor sleep was linked to larger MRI-visible perivascular spaces and an increase in persistent post-concussive symptoms. Source: Oregon Health and Sciences University Sound, restorative sleep appears vital to recovery after traumatic brain injury, according to a new study of military veterans. Published in the Journal of Neurotrauma, … Read more

Summary: Researchers apply a mathematical framework to clarify healthy brain function and to explain how neuropsychiatric disorders may arise. They propose that problems in processing prior beliefs can cause incorrect interpretations of sensory data, producing pathological perceptions and behaviors. Source: Frontiers Every second, our brains receive a flood of information from the five senses. To … Read more

Summary: New research shows that listening to and practicing music can slow cognitive decline in older adults by stimulating increases in grey matter in key brain regions. Source: University of Geneva Normal aging often brings gradual cognitive decline. But can targeted activities help preserve mental abilities? Researchers from the University of Geneva (UNIGE), HES‑SO Geneva … Read more

Summary: New preclinical research from Weill Cornell Medicine indicates that dysfunction in astrocytes—non-neuronal support cells in the brain—may drive cognitive decline and memory loss in dementia. The study links accumulation of the protein TDP-43 in astrocytes to abnormal antiviral immune activity, excessive chemokine signaling, neuronal hyperactivity, and progressive memory impairment. Source: Weill Cornell Medicine A … Read more

Cord Blood Lipids Linked to Childhood Social and Emotional Development Summary: Infants with higher levels of triglycerides and certain low-density lipoproteins in their umbilical cord blood were more likely to receive lower teacher ratings for social and emotional development at age five, while higher levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) at birth were associated with better … Read more

Scanning fruit fly brains reveals how neural signals shape circadian behaviors Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have uncovered how different groups of timekeeping neurons in the brain become active at distinct times of day, even though they share the same molecular clock. Their results illuminate how daily rhythms are translated … Read more

Summary: A new study reports that when pairs of monkeys interact during a social task, their brains display episodes of strong synchronization. Source: Duke University. Mirror neurons—cellular circuits thought to link perception and action—are widely believed to play a central role in social behavior. Although their precise functions remain under investigation, abnormalities in mirror-neuron systems … Read more

Summary: Disrupting memories that link environmental cues to drug use sharply reduces cocaine-seeking behavior in a rat model of addiction, according to new research. Source: University of Pittsburgh. Forty to 60 percent of people treated for substance use disorders experience relapse, posing a major barrier to long-term recovery. New findings from the University of Pittsburgh … Read more