An international research team from Brazil, Scotland and Germany has advanced our understanding of the brain’s complex neural networks by using computer simulations combined with cluster analysis. The investigators built a computational model of the cat cerebral cortex, dividing it into 65 cortical areas linked by fibers with varying connection densities. Those cortical areas were … Read more

Summary: Researchers examine how psychedelic compounds influence brain function and explore their therapeutic potential for a variety of psychiatric conditions. Source: Stanford Interest in psychedelic substances—compounds that alter perception, emotion, thought, and behavior—has resurged in both the scientific community and the public sphere. Robert Malenka, MD, Ph.D., the Nancy Friend Pritzker Professor in Psychiatry and … Read more

Summary: A recent UCLA Health study finds that people with high resilience show distinct patterns of brain activity and healthier gut microbiomes. These individuals demonstrated stronger emotional regulation, clearer self-awareness, and microbiome signatures linked to lower inflammation and a more intact gut barrier. This research is the first to directly examine how psychological resilience relates … Read more

Summary: Researchers have found a combination of existing pharmaceutical drugs that increases healthy lifespan and slows the rate of ageing in the microscopic worm Caenorhabditis elegans, establishing a foundation for exploring similar drug combinations in mammals and, ultimately, humans. Source: Yale-NUS College. Drug Combination Extends Healthy Lifespan and Slows Ageing in C. elegans A research … Read more

Summary: Prediction errors influence perception during extremely fast visual events. New findings indicate that such errors can persist into later stages of processing and sometimes emerge as brief visual illusions, supporting the view that perception reflects a decision process. Source: RUB Neuroscientists at Ruhr-Universität Bochum (RUB), together with colleagues from the University of Freiburg, report … Read more

Summary: Decades of research have documented the harms of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs). A new study shifts the focus to Positive Childhood Experiences (PCEs) and finds that children with special health care needs are far less likely to benefit from these protective experiences. The disparity is largest for children of color and those living in … Read more

Summary: A recent longitudinal study of older Canadians found that regular social participation—particularly volunteer work and recreational activities—is associated with higher odds of maintaining excellent health and well-being over a three-year period. Researchers followed more than 7,000 adults aged 60 and older to examine whether involvement in community, volunteer, religious, cultural, or recreational activities predicted … Read more

A study by researchers at the Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center (HICCC) at NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University Medical Center found that nearly one in four women (23 percent) newly diagnosed with breast cancer reported symptoms consistent with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) shortly after diagnosis, with higher risk among Black and Asian women. The research was published in … Read more

New relay circuits formed across sites of complete spinal transection result in functional recovery in rats. Researchers at the University of California, San Diego and VA San Diego Healthcare have demonstrated extensive axonal regeneration at sites of severe spinal cord injury in rats, showing that early-stage neurons can survive, extend axons, and establish functional relay … Read more

Summary: Mutations or deletions in different genes associated with schizophrenia and autism produce similar dysfunctions in an anterior thalamic circuit, pointing to a shared neural mechanism for certain cognitive impairments. Source: MIT Many neurodevelopmental disorders produce overlapping symptoms such as learning difficulties and attention problems. A new study from MIT identifies a common circuit-level mechanism … Read more