Summary: Researchers at Rush University Medical Center report that two intranasal peptides reduced brain inflammation and halted the spread of alpha-synuclein in mouse models of Parkinson’s disease. Treated animals also showed measurable improvements in gait, balance, and other motor functions. If these findings translate to humans, the investigators say the approach could represent a significant … Read more

Summary: New laboratory research points to a possible therapeutic pathway for secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (SPMS). Source: Brigham and Women’s Hospital. Study clarifies biological processes in progressive multiple sclerosis and identifies a potential treatment approach. Researchers at Brigham and Women’s Hospital have uncovered how an FDA‑approved medication affects cells in the central nervous system to … Read more

Summary: Lower prefrontal cortex activity during creative virtual reality drawing tasks suggests an increased relaxation response. Source: Drexel University Virtual reality (VR) is expanding in clinical and therapeutic settings, moving beyond exposure therapies for phobias and trauma to new roles in creative arts therapies and mental health interventions. Researchers at Drexel University’s College of Nursing … Read more

Summary: Researchers have identified specific, microscopic gait patterns associated with Fragile X syndrome and SHANK3 deletion syndrome—two genetic conditions linked to autism—by analyzing subtle movements recorded by motion-sensored footwear. Source: Rutgers University Rutgers researchers report that Fragile X and SHANK3 deletion syndromes, both associated with autism and related neurological concerns, show distinct signatures in walking … Read more

Summary: Researchers at MIT have developed an optogenetic method that uses light instead of electrical current to control muscle contractions. In mice, this technique produced smoother, more natural muscle force modulation and dramatically reduced muscle fatigue. While translating the method to humans remains a challenge, the approach offers promising avenues for future neuroprosthetic devices and … Read more

Summary: Children who were prenatally exposed to cannabis showed a thicker prefrontal cortex compared with children whose mothers did not use cannabis during pregnancy. Cannabis use during pregnancy is linked to altered brain structure in children, a new study published in Biological Psychiatry reports. Researchers found that children aged 6 to 8 years who had … Read more

Summary: New research links mutations in histone H4—part of the DNA “spool”—to intellectual disabilities and developmental delay. Source: University of Otago Researchers led by the University of Otago have identified a previously unrecognized rare genetic mutation that explains the cause of developmental and cognitive differences in affected individuals and gives families a definitive diagnosis. The … Read more

Summary: A new Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center study finds that many women experience a measurable decline in sexual function beginning about 20 months before their final menstrual period and continuing through the first year after that last period, with further, slower declines over the next five years. Source: Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center Menopause … Read more

Summary: Escapism emerges as a consistent predictor of problematic gaming in both professional esports players and recreational video gamers. Source: Elsevier A new study published in Comprehensive Psychiatry is the first to directly compare professional electronic sports (esport) players with recreational video game players, examining how their motivations differ and which factors predict problematic gaming. … Read more

Summary: Researchers have identified genetic factors that may protect against the progression of episodic migraine into chronic migraine. Source: Kazan Federal University Migraine affects a large portion of the global population, with estimates around 15% worldwide and up to 20% in Russia. Current diagnostic and treatment approaches remain primarily clinical, relying on patients’ reported symptoms … Read more