Summary: Researchers report that analysing the painting styles of artists using mathematical methods can reveal signs of neurodegenerative disorders before clinical diagnosis. Source: University of Liverpool. New research from the University of Liverpool, published in Neuropsychology, indicates that subtle changes in artists’ brushwork can help detect early signs of neurodegenerative disease. Psychologist Dr Alex Forsythe … Read more

Summary: A longitudinal study from researchers at UT Health San Antonio links higher midlife cortisol levels with greater brain amyloid accumulation—a hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease—specifically among post‑menopausal women. Tracking 305 cognitively healthy adults over about 15 years, the team found that elevated cortisol in midlife predicted later amyloid deposition in women who had experienced menopause, … Read more

Summary: Resting-state neuroimaging can reveal brain connectivity patterns associated with suicide risk. In young adults with mood disorders, those who have attempted suicide show reduced connectivity within the cognitive control network (CCN) and weakened connections between the CCN and the default mode network (DMN), compared with peers who have not attempted suicide. Source: University of … Read more

Summary: Women are at higher risk for Alzheimer’s disease and tend to experience faster progression, a finding linked to greater and more rapid brain-wide spread of the tau protein. Source: Vanderbilt University Medical Center Overview: The abnormal buildup of proteins in the brain is a hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease, but how these proteins spread across … Read more

Summary: Under certain conditions, people can correctly produce information when prompted by strong semantic cues even though they never consciously stored that information in memory. Source: Florida Tech Britannica defines memory as “the encoding, storage and retrieval in the human mind of past experiences.” A recent multi-institutional study including a Florida Tech researcher challenges that … Read more

Summary: Intermittent electrical stimulation of the nucleus basalis of Meynert raised acetylcholine levels and improved working memory in adult nonhuman primates, a new study reports. Source: Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University Intermittent deep brain stimulation of a small forebrain region that degenerates in Alzheimer’s disease improves working memory, while continuous stimulation can impair … Read more

Summary: A new study finds that believing a cigarette contains nicotine can relieve a smoker’s cravings even when the cigarette does not actually contain nicotine. Source: Virginia Tech Virginia Tech and University of Texas at Dallas researchers reveal how belief and drug effects interact in the brain New research from the Virginia Tech Carilion Research … Read more

Summary: New research shows that loss of smell in older adults can predict not only future cognitive decline but also shrinkage in brain regions associated with Alzheimer’s disease. Source: University of Chicago Although we often take our sense of smell for granted compared with vision or hearing, olfaction supplies the brain with vital information—from detecting … Read more

Summary: New review describes how brain tissue expands during early learning and later renormalizes as cells are pruned or reassigned, offering an efficient mechanism for acquiring many skills without net brain growth. Expansion and Renormalization: How the Brain Reorganizes Cells During Learning Source: Cell Press For decades, neuroscientists have asked how the human brain continues … Read more

Summary: Lactation triggers profound metabolic changes in mothers, driven by shifts in hormone levels and changes in brain activity. New research reveals how a rise in prolactin together with a drop in estrogen suppresses specific estrogen receptor α (ERα) neurons in the hypothalamus, increasing appetite and conserving fat to meet the energy demands of nursing. … Read more