Summary: Artificial intelligence can now more reliably detect signs of depression by analyzing the sound and acoustic features of a person’s voice. Source: University of Alberta AI algorithms can now more accurately detect depressed mood using the sound of your voice, according to new research by University of Alberta computing scientists. Researchers in the Department … Read more
Summary: A refined protocol for converting human embryonic stem cells into retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cells offers a potentially safe and effective treatment approach for age-related macular degeneration. Source: EPFL Aging affects the eyes in many ways. For most people it means changing glasses or reduced sharpness of vision, but some age-related conditions are far … Read more
Summary: Researchers at Virginia Tech applied artificial intelligence and natural language processing to a decade of broadcast transcripts and social media activity from CNN and Fox News. Their analysis reveals a measurable increase in partisan and inflammatory language over time and shows how broadcast language shapes online public debate. The study demonstrates that the words … Read more
Summary: Researchers have developed a non-invasive urine screening that can identify young children at elevated risk for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) earlier than standard behavioral assessments. The Microbially-Derived Metabolite (MDM) System measures 17 specific small molecules produced by the gut microbiome and uses their concentrations to generate an objective risk score. In multi-site clinical testing, … Read more
When people with high levels of psychopathic traits imagine others in pain, brain regions normally involved in empathy and caring fail to activate and to communicate properly with other areas that guide emotion and decision-making, according to a study published in the open-access journal Frontiers in Human Neuroscience. Psychopathy is a personality disorder marked by … Read more
Key Questions Answered Q: Does poverty amplify mental health problems between parents and children?A: This large longitudinal study found no evidence that poverty strengthens the link between parental distress and child mental health difficulties. Q: What was surprising about these findings?A: Although mental health problems are more common in lower-income families, the study found that … Read more
Summary: New theoretical research challenges long-standing assumptions about animal size evolution. Using computer simulations, the study shows how ecological factors—especially competition for resources and extinction risk—drive long-term changes in body size, helping to explain conflicting patterns seen in the fossil record. Contrary to a simplified reading of Cope’s rule, which suggests a general tendency for … Read more
Summary: Greater adherence to a Mediterranean-style diet was associated with the lowest risk of cognitive impairment in two large eye-disease cohorts. Higher consumption of fish and vegetables showed the strongest protective association with cognitive decline. Source: NIH/NEI Researchers at the National Eye Institute (NEI), part of the National Institutes of Health, analyzed data from two … Read more
Researchers at the University of Exeter and UCL identify AKT1 gene as a predictor of sensitivity to the mind-altering effects of smoked cannabis New research led by teams at the University of Exeter and University College London (UCL) has identified variation in the AKT1 gene that predicts how strongly a young person may experience the … Read more
Summary: A comprehensive systematic review of 99 studies involving 221,097 participants found that high-concentration delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) cannabis products are linked to negative mental health outcomes, most notably psychosis, schizophrenia, and cannabis use disorder (CUD). While some clinical studies suggested possible benefits for anxiety and depression, those findings were inconsistent and of low quality. Overall, the … Read more
