Summary: Researchers report that following a consistent and sufficient sleep schedule at the start of antidepressant treatment may influence how quickly and how well patients recover. Source: University of Michigan Health System. Medication remains a cornerstone of treatment for many people with major depressive disorder, but early response and remission are often delayed or incomplete. … Read more

Acetaminophen, long used as a reliable pain reliever, may also reduce the brain’s ability to recognize mistakes, according to new research from the University of Toronto. Researchers led by postdoctoral fellow Daniel Randles, together with collaborators from the University of British Columbia, conducted the first neurological investigation into how acetaminophen affects the brain’s error-detection responses. … Read more

Summary: Researchers found that older mice struggle more than younger ones to suppress certain actively firing neurons when background noise is present. This failure to quiet specific neural activity produces a muddled auditory scene, making it harder for the brain to isolate a target sound and ignore competing noise. Source: Johns Hopkins University Researchers at … Read more

Summary: Study highlights how dopamine receptors shape motivation and decision-making. Source: The National Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Science and Technology Why do we act, even for routine goals? What drives us to exert effort, seek rewards, or accept risks? At the heart of these behaviors is the brain’s reward system—an evolutionarily conserved network that … Read more

Glance out the window and then close your eyes. What did you see? Maybe you noticed rain and a man carrying an umbrella. What color was the umbrella? What shape was its handle? Did you remember those details? Probably not. Some neuroscientists have argued that, even if you recall only a few specifics from a … Read more

Summary: New research highlights the specific challenges and needs of autistic women who are mothers or who wish to become mothers. The study reveals frequent late diagnoses, often only after a child is diagnosed, and a lack of awareness and tailored support among family members and health professionals. Participants reported heightened sensory sensitivities, anxiety, and … Read more

Summary: Minocycline, a broad‑spectrum tetracycline antibiotic, has shown promise as an adjunctive treatment for major depressive disorder. Researchers suggest the drug may reduce inflammation in the brain—a factor implicated in some cases of depression—and a small randomized clinical trial found that people who received minocycline alongside their usual therapy reported better overall functioning, improved quality … Read more

Summary: New research links psychosis to a genetic change that alters immune signaling in the brain. The study found that reduced expression of GRK3 in people with psychosis related to bipolar disorder is associated with higher levels of the immune-related metabolite kynurenic acid. Source: Karolinska Institutet Researchers at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden report evidence connecting … Read more

A new method facilitates the mapping of connections between neurons. The human brain performs extraordinary functions through the coordinated activity of billions of neurons arranged in intricate networks. A research team from the Max Planck Institute for Dynamics and Self-Organization, the University of Göttingen and the Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience Göttingen has developed a … Read more

An international research team led by neuroscientists at Keck Medicine of the University of Southern California (USC) reports genetic evidence that some individuals may be more vulnerable than others to noise-induced hearing loss. Noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) remains one of the most common occupational illnesses in the United States, according to public health authorities. Military … Read more