Summary: New human brain recordings show how memory is consolidated during sleep and demonstrate that precisely timed deep-brain stimulation can strengthen that process. Researchers report that delivering targeted electrical pulses during a specific phase of deep sleep enhanced communication between the hippocampus—the brain’s memory hub—and widespread areas of the cerebral cortex. The findings offer physiological … Read more

Summary: New research indicates that measurable decline in brain transmission speed begins in the 30s and 40s, later than the previously assumed onset around age 25. Source: University Medical Center Utrecht Recent findings from University Medical Center Utrecht (UMC Utrecht) suggest that the human brain’s processing speed matures and peaks later than commonly believed. Rather … Read more

Brain white matter strongly predicts reading acquisition beyond genetic risk Researchers at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) have shown that patterns of white matter development in young children’s brains can forecast how well they will learn to read. By combining brain imaging with standard early assessments, the team identified neural markers that predict … Read more

Summary: Migraines substantially increase the risk of developing dementia of all types, including Alzheimer’s disease, according to a prospective cohort study of older adults. Source: Wiley Dementia is the most common neurological disorder in older adults, while headaches—including migraines—are the most common neurological complaint across age groups. A recent study published in the International Journal … Read more

Summary: Researchers have defined clinical criteria for Limbic-predominant Amnestic Neurodegenerative Syndrome (LANS), a distinct memory-loss disorder that is frequently misdiagnosed as Alzheimer’s disease. LANS typically advances more slowly than Alzheimer’s and carries a more favorable prognosis. The new criteria enable clinicians to identify LANS in living patients using clinical assessment, brain imaging and biomarker evidence, … Read more

Summary: New international analyses of the INTERSTROKE study find that frequent consumption of carbonated (fizzy) drinks and many commercially produced fruit drinks is linked with a higher risk of stroke. Across nearly 27,000 participants in 27 countries, carbonated beverages were associated with a roughly 22% higher chance of stroke, while fruit drinks were linked with … Read more

Summary: Researchers have revealed how serotonergic neurons in larval zebrafish use visual feedback tied to movement to decide when and how much serotonin to release. This neuromodulatory signal then adjusts the fish’s swimming vigor, allowing behavior to be tuned based on the success of previous actions. The study shows that neurons in the dorsal raphe … Read more

Summary: A new poll conducted by UMass Lowell and The Washington Post finds that three-quarters of NFL fans believe head injuries in football are a major problem. Six in 10 respondents also said they are concerned that those injuries contribute to off-field violence. UMass Lowell–Washington Post Poll: Most Americans See Head Injuries in Football as … Read more

Summary: Researchers investigate why men generally find women with lower waist-to-hip ratios (WHR) more attractive and sexually appealing. Source: Frontiers Male turkeys famously try to mate with a head on a stick. In the same spirit, male preferences can sometimes be reduced to a single visible cue. How far can human ideals of an attractive … Read more

Summary: Researchers used machine learning to detect cross-linguistic speech patterns in children on the autism spectrum, identifying prosodic features—especially rhythm—that appear consistent across English and Cantonese. Source: Northwestern University Researchers at Northwestern University led a study that applied machine learning to identify speech characteristics associated with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) that are shared between English … Read more