Summary: Depression that begins before or during pregnancy often proves more severe than depression that starts after childbirth, largely because it tends to last longer and may go undetected until routine postpartum screening, a new study finds. Source: Northwestern University. Timing of onset—before, during, or after pregnancy—affects severity, symptoms, and treatment approach for maternal depression. … Read more

Summary: Researchers report that a protein which affects regulation of the HPA axis may trigger postpartum disorder in some new mothers. Source: Tufts University. Postpartum depression affects nearly one in five new mothers, causing symptoms such as anxiety, overwhelming fatigue, difficulty bonding with infants and, in some cases, suicidal thoughts. These maternal difficulties have also … Read more

Summary: Mutations that produce abnormal RNA from repeated DNA sequences trigger an antiviral-like inflammatory response in cells. This immune activation causes neuronal cell death and can lead to progressive neurodegenerative disease. Source: University of Adelaide Researchers identify how DNA repeat mutations trigger neurodegeneration Scientists have uncovered a cellular mechanism linking DNA repeat mutations to neurodegenerative … Read more

Summary: Cognitive deficits associated with long-COVID can show substantial improvement within three to four days following alternating non-invasive brain stimulation using microcurrents. Source: IOS Press Many people who recover from COVID-19 continue to experience persistent cognitive problems—impaired memory, reduced attention, difficulty understanding language, trouble multitasking—and pronounced fatigue. These symptoms often last for weeks or months … Read more

Summary: A McMaster University review found no evidence that cannabis helps people with opioid use disorder stop using opioids while receiving methadone maintenance treatment. Source: McMaster University Key finding: Interest has grown in whether cannabis could serve as a substitute or “exit drug” for people with opioid use disorder, but a systematic review and meta-analysis … Read more

Summary: When hippocampal neurons are already firing at higher rates just before a learning event, people are more likely to encode and later recall that information. The results support the idea of a hippocampal “ready-to-encode” state that improves memory formation. Source: UCSD What the hippocampus does before you try to form a memory can determine … Read more

Summary: New research shows the human brain automatically recognizes the actions an environment makes possible—such as walking, climbing, or swimming—without conscious effort. Using functional MRI, researchers identified distinct activity patterns in visual brain regions that go beyond simple object or color processing, revealing a neural representation of “affordances,” or possible actions offered by a scene. … Read more

Summary: Regular treadmill walking improves cognitive function—especially learning and memory—and helps preserve hippocampal volume in people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (MS). Source: Kessler Foundation A pilot study conducted by MS researchers indicates that supervised treadmill walking may be an effective, low-cost behavioral strategy to reduce the cognitive burden of multiple sclerosis. The study, titled “Effects … Read more

Summary: The posterior inferotemporal cortex (PITd) plays a direct and critical role in guiding attention. This unexpected finding may prompt researchers to revise established ideas about how attentional control is organized in the brain. Source: Rockefeller University Reading a single line of text while tuning out background noise illustrates a basic but essential brain function: … Read more

Summary: Researchers at the University of Cambridge are developing an artificial intelligence system designed to “quarantine” hate speech in a way similar to how antivirus tools isolate malicious software. With current models reaching roughly 80% accuracy in detecting harmful language, the approach aims to reduce exposure to abusive content while preserving user choice and minimizing … Read more