Summary: Researchers used a broad, data-driven genetic screening approach to map links between inherited risk for psychiatric conditions and a wide range of behaviors, symptoms and environments in young people. The study found associations between polygenic risk scores and potentially modifiable factors such as screen time and caffeinated beverage consumption, offering leads for early prevention … Read more

Summary: Research from Uppsala University shows that patient expectations—the placebo effect—interact with dopamine signaling to shape how well social anxiety and depressive symptoms respond to SSRI treatment. Patients who believed the medication would help were nearly four times more likely to show improvement than those given a neutral or deceptive expectation, even though both groups … Read more

Summary: Researchers have produced a high-resolution, cell-by-cell atlas of the amygdala, revealing unexpected links between neuronal energy metabolism and addiction behaviors—and pointing to a potential therapeutic target for cocaine use disorder. A single-cell examination of the amygdala, a compact but critical brain region that governs emotional responses, has uncovered novel molecular connections between susceptibility to … Read more

Summary: Repeated social defeat stress activates microglia in the medial prefrontal cortex via innate immune receptors, prompting release of inflammatory cytokines that impair neuronal function and produce depressive behavior. Source: Kobe University. Japanese researchers have identified a key role for innate immune–driven neural inflammation in stress-induced depression, revealing potential targets for new antidepressant strategies. Their … Read more

Summary: New research from Columbia University shows that some cells preferentially inactivate one parent’s copy of a gene, producing a bias in gene activity called monoallelic expression. This selective inactivation affects roughly one in twenty genes in the immune cells studied and helps explain why some people who carry disease-causing mutations have little or no … Read more

Summary: A new longitudinal study suggests that physical activity during adolescence can reduce the likelihood that sleep problems persist into young adulthood. Source: James Cook University. Overview A collaborative study by researchers at James Cook University and the University of Queensland followed more than 3,600 participants from age 14 through age 21 to examine how … Read more

Summary: Researchers have identified two previously unreported regions in the mouse brain where the C9orf72 gene—implicated in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) and Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD)—is strongly expressed. Source: University of Bath University of Bath scientists identify two mouse brain regions with strong C9orf72 expression Researchers at the University of Bath have discovered new sites of … Read more

Summary: New research indicates that common chemotherapy drugs can damage the brain’s meningeal lymphatic system—the network that clears metabolic waste and supports immune surveillance—potentially explaining the cognitive symptoms known as “chemo brain.” Using a combination of mouse experiments and human tissue-engineered models, scientists report that agents such as docetaxel shrink lymphatic vessels, reduce fluid drainage, … Read more

Summary: Problems with visual processing in children and young adults have been associated with dyslexia and linked to difficulties with motor skills and mathematics, affecting how the brain interprets moving or rapidly changing visual information. Source: Norwegian University of Science and Technology Visual processing refers to how the brain interprets signals from the eyes. When … Read more

Summary: A new study in rodents suggests a direct link between breathing patterns and changes in brain activity, with implications for understanding how controlled breathing may influence emotion and mental states. Source: Penn State Mental health clinicians and meditation practitioners have long argued that intentional breathing can calm the mind, but the exact brain mechanisms … Read more