Summary: Adults who experienced parental divorce in childhood show significantly lower oxytocin levels than adults from intact families, a difference that may be linked to later attachment and social difficulties. Source: Baylor University Lower Oxytocin Levels Found in Adults Who Experienced Parental Divorce A study led by researchers at Baylor University found that adults who … Read more

Summary: A new study reports that herpes viruses exploit an ancient RNA element in the human genome to promote their replication, a mechanism similar to one observed in some tumors. These findings may open new avenues for diagnostics and therapies and could also inform research into neurodegenerative conditions. Source: Mount Sinai Hospital Researchers at Mount … Read more

Summary: Irish researchers report genetic links between sleep characteristics and several neuropsychiatric and neurodevelopmental conditions. Using large-scale polygenic risk score analysis, they found that genetic liability for autism and schizophrenia is associated with an evening chronotype (a tendency toward “night owl” behaviour), while genetic liability for ADHD, schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder is associated with insomnia. … Read more

Summary: A new study shows that traumatic brain injury (TBI) can raise the risk of Alzheimer’s disease by impairing the brain’s ability to clear damaged proteins, allowing toxic tau proteins to build up. The researchers identified decreased levels of BAG3, a protein that supports protein clearance via the autophagy-lysosome pathway, as a key factor in … Read more

Summary: A new study finds that people’s own behavior — not just the behavior of others or prevailing social norms — largely determines how they judge and respond to others in brief, zero-sum competitive situations. Researchers report that generous individuals are more likely to reward generosity, while those who act selfishly are more likely to … Read more

Summary: New research reveals how brains distinguish self-generated visual motion from external motion to guide behavior. Source: Rockefeller University. Brains predict their own movements to shape perception and behavior What we see is not always a literal reflection of the world—our brains actively filter incoming visual information to prevent self-motion from being mistaken for movement … Read more

Summary: Neurons that express prepronociceptin in the central amygdala are activated when animals consume palatable, calorie-dense foods. Selectively reducing these nociceptin-producing neurons in mice decreased binge-like consumption of rich foods without altering normal chow intake. These findings identify a specific brain circuit that promotes hedonic eating and could inform new treatments for obesity and binge-eating … Read more

Summary: A multisite study shows that using cannabis and tobacco together — commonly called “co-use” — substantially raises the long-term likelihood of developing a full psychotic disorder such as schizophrenia. The research followed more than 1,000 participants from the North American Prodrome Longitudinal Study, focusing on adolescents and young adults who were already classified as … Read more

Summary: An overgrowth of the bacterium Klebsiella in the gut of extremely premature infants is linked to higher levels of specific immune cells and to the development of neurological injury. The findings support a connection between the gut microbiome, immune responses and early brain development. Source: University of Vienna Extremely premature infants face a high … Read more

Summary: Noradrenaline reduces immune effectiveness by blocking leukocyte movement through tissues. Source: Cell Press The neurotransmitter noradrenaline, a central mediator of the sympathetic “fight-or-flight” response, can rapidly weaken immune defenses by stopping the movement of multiple types of white blood cells within tissues, researchers report in the journal Immunity. In mouse models of infection and … Read more