Summary: Exposure to antidepressants during early pregnancy and the first weeks of life can produce lasting changes in how the brain processes sensory information. Source: SfN Exposure to antidepressants during pregnancy and the neonatal period can alter sensory processing into adulthood, according to a mouse study recently published in eNeuro. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) … Read more

Summary: New research uncovers molecular connections between aging and neurodegenerative disease risk. Source: Harvard Medical School Researchers have long sought to understand the causes of neurodegenerative diseases—conditions such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and frontotemporal dementia (FTD) that involve progressive loss of neurons and brain function. While genetics, infections and other factors can … Read more

Summary: Using high-resolution live imaging of embryonic mouse cortex, researchers discovered an active, multi-layered pyramidal neuron circuit that forms far earlier than expected. Genetically disrupting this circuit produces anatomical and functional changes resembling those observed in autism spectrum disorder. Source: IOB Researchers applied a new single-cell, in vivo approach to live embryonic mouse brains and … Read more

Summary: A new AI-driven method detected long COVID in 22.8% of patients—substantially higher than prior estimates—by analyzing nearly 300,000 de-identified electronic health records. The algorithm separates symptoms specifically associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection from pre-existing health issues, helping clinicians identify post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 more accurately. This approach, called “precision phenotyping,” systematically reviews longitudinal clinical data … Read more

Summary: Periostin directly activates sensory neurons linked to itch. Pharmacological or genetic blockade of the periostin receptor reduced itch behavior in mouse models of chronic allergic skin inflammation. Periostin Links Skin Allergic Responses to Itch-Sensory Neurons Source: North Carolina State University Researchers at North Carolina State University report that periostin — a protein commonly upregulated … Read more

Summary: Exposure to portrayals of death in films and television can help people come to terms with their mortality. In experiments conducted by researchers at Radboud University, participants who were prompted to reflect on death before watching emotionally meaningful scenes from works such as Me Before You, House, and Grey’s Anatomy showed greater acceptance of … Read more

Summary: A new deep learning algorithm may help children affected by abuse disclose information about their experiences. Source: USC Can Artificial Intelligence Improve Forensic Interviews with Child Abuse Victims? When children are victims of crimes, their legal testimony often comes from structured forensic interviews. Because many child victims are traumatized or abused by caregivers, they … Read more

Summary: A new study finds that how the brain is organized into subnetworks affects performance on both simple and complex tasks. Source: Rice University New research from Rice University shows that the brain’s wiring — specifically how its subnetworks are organized — influences how well people perform tasks of varying complexity. The human brain is … Read more

Summary: Children born between 37 and 41 weeks of gestation may show measurable differences in school performance by age nine. This study found that longer gestation within the term range was linked to higher teacher ratings in mathematics, language and literacy, social studies, and science. Notably, children born at 41 weeks tended to score better … Read more

Summary: A fully implanted wireless neural device enabled a locked-in ALS patient to control a speech computer using only her brain activity, allowing independent communication at home. Source: UMC Utrecht. Researchers at UMC Utrecht have implanted a wireless brain–computer interface in a patient with advanced amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), enabling her to operate a speech … Read more