Summary: New research in humans and mice shows that brief bursts of beta-frequency brain activity — not a continuous increase in beta power — play a key role in filtering distractions so the brain can process sensory input. Source: Brown University Researchers investigating how beta brainwaves influence attention and perception have found that the critical … Read more

Summary: New research indicates that depression that begins before age 25 carries a substantially stronger genetic component than depression that appears later in life. By analyzing genetic data and medical records from more than 150,000 people diagnosed with depression across Nordic biobanks, investigators pinpointed genetic regions specifically associated with early-onset cases and linked higher genetic … Read more

Findings also shed light on food choices and obesity New research from NYU Langone Medical Center reveals that insulin — the hormone central to regulating blood sugar and satiety — has a stronger and more direct role in controlling dopamine, the brain chemical tied to reward and pleasure, than previously understood. These laboratory and behavioral … Read more

Mood-related disorders rank among the top ten causes of disability worldwide, yet the genes driving these conditions have remained difficult to pinpoint. Researchers at Linköping University approached this challenge by exploiting an unexpected advantage: domestication. When animals are domesticated, many behavioral and physiological traits change, and one of the earliest and most consistent shifts is … Read more

Summary: Researchers tested a multi-step immunotherapy designed to retrain the immune system to control HIV without continuous antiretroviral drugs. After stopping standard HIV medication, seven of ten trial participants sustained low viral levels for months, and one showed no measurable viral rebound. The regimen combined a therapeutic vaccine that boosts virus-targeting T cells with broadly … Read more

Summary: Researchers have identified a distinct population of circulating tumor cells in the blood of breast cancer patients with brain metastases. This discovery is advancing efforts to develop a blood test that could identify patients at risk for brain metastasis and monitor disease progression and treatment response in real time. Source: Houston Methodist. Houston Methodist … Read more

Summary: The gut microbiome may influence how diet and exercise shape brain health and alter the risk of developing dementia. Source: Baycrest New evidence suggests the gut microbiome plays an important role in how lifestyle choices—especially diet and exercise—affect cognitive health and dementia risk. Better understanding this connection could help clinicians and researchers design more … Read more

Breakthrough in the Senses of Touch and Movement: ASIC3 Identified as a Key Player Researchers studying the poorly understood mechanical senses of touch and movement have reported a significant advance that could eventually aid people with movement disorders, spinal cord injuries, high blood pressure and help improve the design of robotics and prosthetics. The mechanical … Read more

Summary: A preclinical study shows Schwann cells can protect injured axons by supplying sugars, revealing a metabolic support mechanism with promising implications for neurodegenerative diseases such as ALS and peripheral neuropathies. Source: University at Buffalo Axons are long, delicate projections of neurons that carry signals across the nervous system. Because of their length and fragility, … Read more

Summary: Researchers report a theranostic approach that can detect and neutralize the earliest, preclinical signs of Alzheimer’s disease. Their method targets toxic soluble amyloid-β oligomers, offering potential to halt Alzheimer’s pathology before irreversible neuronal damage occurs. Source: Bar-Ilan University Alzheimer’s disease affected more than 55 million people worldwide in 2020, and that number is projected … Read more