Summary: Researchers have experimentally documented abnormal fetal brain development after a pregnant primate contracted the Zika virus, providing an important model for testing prenatal therapies. Source: UW Medicine Findings could lead to new ways to test prenatal therapies to protect babies For the first time, scientists have experimentally demonstrated abnormal fetal brain development following Zika … Read more

Summary: A recent study from Lund University shows that an AI conversational assistant can perform psychiatric assessment interviews with greater diagnostic accuracy than commonly used mental health rating scales. In a sample of 303 people with confirmed psychiatric diagnoses, the AI assistant Alba conducted brief conversational interviews and provided DSM-5–based diagnostic suggestions. Alba’s assessments aligned … Read more

Summary: A new double-blind, placebo-controlled study shows that dopamine directly influences mentalising—the ability to infer others’ thoughts, feelings and intentions—in healthy adults. In a trial with 33 volunteers, blocking dopamine receptors with haloperidol reduced accuracy when participants ascribed mental states to animated interactions, highlighting dopamine’s role in socio-cognitive function and carrying implications for conditions such … Read more

Summary: New research shows that an FDA-approved rheumatoid arthritis drug can reduce severe, unexplained chronic itch by blocking immune signals that directly activate nerve cells in the skin. FDA-approved arthritis drug may work in new ways to fight itch Chronic itch causes persistent, often debilitating scratching, but its underlying mechanisms have been difficult to pin … Read more

Summary: Researchers have identified new genetic signatures linked to age-related macular degeneration, paving the way for improved diagnosis, personalized treatment and drug screening for this currently incurable eye disease. Source: Garvan Institute Researchers have moved closer to better diagnosing and treating age-related macular degeneration (AMD) by uncovering specific genetic and molecular signatures in the retinal … Read more

Summary: A new study examines how lexical tones influence infants’ ability to link spoken labels with objects. Source: University of Tennessee Infants show more sensitivity to non-native speech sounds than previously assumed, according to research published in the Journal of Memory and Language. The study provides new insight into how babies begin to map words … Read more

Summary: Adults who developed cognitive symptoms—commonly called “brain fog”—after mild COVID-19 infection showed abnormalities in their cerebrospinal fluid. Researchers suggest an overactive immune response triggered by SARS-CoV-2 may underlie these cognitive problems. Source: UCSF New cognitive symptoms following otherwise mild COVID-19 were linked to measurable abnormalities in cerebrospinal fluid, offering clues about how SARS-CoV-2 may … Read more

Summary: A new study examines whether people with musical training are better at understanding vocoded speech—a degraded form of speech that models what cochlear implant users hear—than those without musical experience. Source: Acoustical Society of America. Cochlear implants are widely used to treat sensorineural hearing loss by electrically stimulating auditory nerve fibers via an electrode … Read more

MRI study links reading to young children with measurable brain activity tied to early literacy Many parenting guidelines recommend reading aloud to infants and toddlers, with the aim of supporting language growth and preparing children for reading. New research using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) now provides evidence that shared book reading in the preschool … Read more

Summary: A recent study used the psychedelic dimethyltryptamine (DMT) as a controlled scientific probe to examine how psychedelics change brain dynamics and disrupt the sense of self. The researchers found that DMT suppresses alpha-band activity and pushes brain activity away from a balanced, near-critical state — a balance thought to support coherent, time-extended self-awareness. These … Read more