Summary: New research suggests a likely cause of vision problems experienced by astronauts on long-duration space missions. Source: RSNA Researchers report that vision problems observed in astronauts after extended missions are linked to changes in the volume of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), the clear fluid that surrounds the brain and spinal cord. These findings were presented … Read more

Summary: Researchers have identified a family of brain lipids, called SGDGs (3-sulfogalactosyl diacylglycerols), that decline with age. These lipids show anti-inflammatory activity and may be relevant to aging-related brain changes and neurodegenerative disease. Source: Salk Institute Aging involves many interconnected processes—chronic inflammation, metabolic shifts, cellular stress, and molecular damage among them. A collaborative team from … Read more

U‑M Study Uses Patient Skin Cells to Reveal Unexpected Mechanism in Dravet Syndrome A University of Michigan research team has used a stem cell–based method to recreate epilepsy in a laboratory dish and uncovered a surprising cellular mechanism behind Dravet syndrome, a severe genetic epilepsy. The approach converts patient skin cells into induced pluripotent stem … Read more

Summary: A new study indicates that certain medication combinations may lead to better outcomes for people with schizophrenia. Researchers reported that patients who added an antidepressant to their ongoing antipsychotic treatment were less likely to require hospitalization or emergency care for psychiatric reasons than those who began another antipsychotic or a benzodiazepine. Source: Columbia University. … Read more

Summary: The brain depends on a continuous supply of energy to maintain neurotransmitter balance. New research shows that when energy runs low—such as during ischemia or stroke—neurons begin releasing glutamate in atypical, self-amplifying plume-like bursts. These events accumulate extracellular glutamate, triggering excitotoxic cascades that can damage or kill neurons and worsen neurological outcomes. Scientists used … Read more

Summary: Children who learn to play musical instruments show advantages over their non-musical peers in learning, memory, and attention. Musically trained children exhibited stronger activation in the inferior frontal gyrus and the supramarginal gyrus—regions linked to the phonological loop, a working memory system involved in auditory processing. Researchers report that instrument training may also support … Read more

Summary: Researchers show that implant stimulation settings in animal brains can be fine-tuned autonomously by learning algorithms, without requiring continuous human adjustment. This advance points to more adaptive, personalized neuroprostheses that could improve outcomes for people living with spinal cord injuries, stroke-related motor deficits, and other movement disorders. Source: University of Montreal For years, scientists … Read more

Summary: People who perform physically demanding jobs face a 55% higher risk of developing dementia compared with those in more sedentary occupations. Source: University of Copenhagen A new study from the University of Copenhagen finds that long-term, hard physical work is linked with a substantially higher risk of dementia. After adjusting for lifestyle factors and … Read more

Summary: Anti-inflammatory medications, including drugs commonly used for arthritis, show beneficial effects on depressive symptoms in people with major depressive disorder (MDD). Source: Aarhus University Depression is among the most serious global mental health conditions, according to the World Health Organization, and researchers are actively seeking better treatment options. In the largest meta-analysis to date, … Read more

Summary: Retinal cells produced from human stem cells can extend processes and form functional contacts with neighboring cells, a new study reports. These lab-grown cells show the ability to replace damaged retinal neurons and transmit sensory signals, advancing the prospect of clinical trials for treating diseases that cause vision loss and blindness. Source: University of … Read more