Summary: A new study finds that learning to read by sounding out words — commonly called phonics — significantly improves both the accuracy of reading aloud and reading comprehension. Source: Royal Holloway University. Research published in the Journal of Experimental Psychology: General demonstrates that phonics-based reading instruction — teaching learners the relationship between letters and … Read more

Study reveals new facets of the adult brain. A new study from the Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, published online in Neuron on February 4, sheds fresh light on the plasticity of the adult brain at its most fundamental site of change — the synapse. The results clarify how connections between neurons are formed, … Read more

Research shows nutrition strongly influences rapid brain structure development during the first months of life. Scientists at the University of Illinois have studied neonatal piglets as a model for human brain and cognitive development to investigate how specific milk components affect early neurodevelopment. Human breast milk is widely regarded as the best source of infant … Read more

Summary: A large analysis of nearly 1,900 children found that those with a family history of substance use disorder (SUD) show early, measurable differences in how their brains shift between activity states—long before any substance exposure. The differences are sex-specific: girls with a family history demonstrated greater “transition energy” in introspective brain networks, suggesting more … Read more

Researchers at UC Santa Barbara and the University of Bristol show that the visual system can perform multiple tasks at once without losing speed or accuracy. Conventional wisdom holds that multitasking impairs mental performance. Yet new research on visual sampling — the rapid sequence of brief glances we use to gather visual information — finds … Read more

Summary: Astrocytes—star-shaped glial cells abundant in the central nervous system—are increasingly recognized as critical to brain health. New research highlights astrocyte transplantation as a promising approach to restore brain function in neurodegenerative diseases. Transplanted astrocytes can survive long-term, integrate with host tissue, form normal synaptic contacts, and support neural regeneration. Success depends on factors such … Read more

Summary: Researchers report that diet quality and body weight may influence how people with bipolar disorder respond to certain treatments. The study found that participants with healthier diets and lower BMI showed better responses to add-on nutraceutical treatment than those who were overweight or who consumed diets associated with higher inflammation. Source: European College of … Read more

Summary: New research suggests that astrocytes — the brain’s star-shaped support cells — reactivate developmental programs during normal aging, which may drive loss of neuronal connections and contribute to cognitive decline. Targeting aged astrocytes could offer a way to prevent or reverse some age-related declines. Source: Salk Institute. Researchers at the Salk Institute report that … Read more

Summary: Replaying arguments in your head can be therapeutic and may help prevent anxiety and depression, researchers report. Source: University of Exeter. Rather than burying family quarrels, carefully replaying upsetting events in your mind—recalling details of what was said, how it sounded, and the sequence of actions—can be therapeutic. Researchers suggest that this concrete review … Read more

Summary: Young people who experienced complex early-life trauma—characterised by repeated interpersonal violence or child abuse—exhibit more severe mental health problems and greater cognitive impairments than peers with no trauma exposure or those who experienced isolated, non-interpersonal traumas. Source: King’s College London New research from King’s College London examines how different types of trauma influence later … Read more