Summary: Researchers at the University of Sydney have resolved a long-standing question about “adaptive efficiency” — how the brain divides limited neural resources when processing expected versus unexpected events. The study shows the brain uses a two-part strategy that balances speed and accuracy in a matter of milliseconds, prioritizing rapid action for predictable inputs and … Read more
Summary: A new University of Michigan report exposes a major public health gap: nearly all Michiganders aged 50 and older say preserving brain health is very important, yet fewer than half (47%) understand that everyday lifestyle changes can reduce their future risk of dementia. Conducted in January 2026, the Michigan Poll on Healthy Aging surveyed … Read more
Summary: Loss of smell and taste carries an emotional, social and psychological burden that can be as severe as many major chronic illnesses. A new narrative review examined years of clinical evidence and direct quality-of-life measurements across a wide range of long-term conditions to quantify that impact. The review challenges the common misconception that olfactory … Read more
Summary: Removing criminal penalties for personal cannabis possession or adopting tightly regulated legal frameworks does not, on its own, increase overall use. In contrast, large-scale, for-profit commercial markets—such as those established in parts of the United States and Canada—are linked to higher-product potency, rising addiction rates and greater mental health-related hospital admissions. A separate review … Read more
Summary: A major new UK trial shows that people living with both psychosis and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can safely and effectively recover when offered an integrated, trauma-focused therapy. The STAR (Study of Trauma And Recovery) trial is the largest multi-site randomized controlled study to date assessing trauma-focused treatment adapted for people with psychosis. Across … Read more
Summary: A new study cautions against equating AI intelligence with consciousness. Drawing on the neurological phenomenon known as “blindsight”—which shows that complex information processing can occur without conscious awareness—the researchers emphasize that AI systems operate through statistical learning and computation, not subjective feeling or lived experience. As conversational agents grow more fluent and emotionally attuned, … Read more
Summary: Researchers have mapped the molecular landscapes of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) to understand how hundreds of different genetic mutations shape the developing brain. Using single-nucleus multi-omics sequencing across more than 250 samples, the team tracked gene expression, chromatin accessibility, and other epigenetic signals in specific brain cell types at multiple developmental stages. Although the … Read more
Summary: A new study offers some of the clearest molecular evidence to date that stressful experiences early in life leave persistent, body-wide marks on the epigenome. Researchers analyzed 237 free‑ranging rhesus macaques from Cayo Santiago and matched decades of detailed life history records with DNA methylation data collected from multiple adult tissues. Using highly accurate, … Read more
Summary: Researchers have produced the first preclinical proof-of-concept showing that an mRNA vaccine can target neuroblastoma, the most lethal childhood cancer. This study addresses a disease responsible for roughly 15% of pediatric cancer deaths and highlights the urgent need for new therapies, since many high-risk cases do not respond to current treatments. Using an advanced … Read more
Summary: A new University of Michigan report exposes a significant public health gap: nearly all Michiganders aged 50 and older say preserving brain health matters a great deal, yet fewer than half (47%) recognize that everyday lifestyle choices can lower their future risk of dementia. The January 2026 survey gathered responses from 1,293 Michigan adults … Read more
