Why This Matters: Why this matters: Reveals neural mechanisms that explain how people balance exploration and exploitation when facing potential rewards or losses. How this aligns with previous research: Extends prior work linking the amygdala to exploration and mood regulation, showing these processes also apply in loss-avoidance settings. Future implications: Could guide development of treatments … Read more

Summary: Post-mortem analysis of brain tissue from people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) shows an abnormal, hyperphosphorylated form of tau protein mislocalized to novel brain regions where it is not normally found. This altered tau interacts with the mitochondrial fission protein DRP1, promoting mitochondrial fragmentation and increased oxidative stress. Applying a selective tau degrader reversed … Read more

Summary: Researchers find that caregivers who talk and respond to their infants boost language development. This benefit applies to all children, including those later diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Source: UT Dallas New research shows that increased caregiver speech and conversational interaction in infancy supports later language skills for children both with and without … Read more

Summary: People who score high on self-essentialism—the belief that personal attributes stem from a deeper, stable “essence”—are more likely to be attracted to others who share those attributes, the study found. Source: APA We tend to feel drawn to people who share our preferences or opinions. New research from the American Psychological Association suggests that … Read more

Summary: Using a nonlinear signal-processing approach on experimental recordings, researchers have revealed a clear link between motor behavior and brain activity. These findings offer promising directions for brain-computer interface design, neurorehabilitation, and applied artificial intelligence. Source: American Institute of Physics Accurate detection, quantification, and classification of motor-related brain activity remain major goals for researchers aiming … Read more

Researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University have mapped the complete wiring diagram for the section of the nervous system that controls mating in the male roundworm Caenorhabditis elegans, according to a study published today in Science. This work marks a significant advance in connectomics — the scientific effort to map the … Read more

Accelerated Cellular Aging Detected in Major Depressive Disorder Using the GrimAge Methylation Clock Summary: DNA methylation markers in blood cells from people with Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) indicate a cellular age roughly two years older, on average, than markers from similarly aged individuals without the disorder. Source: UCSF Key findings: A multidisciplinary team at the … Read more

Findings published in the February issue of Otology & Neurotology Researchers at Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Harvard Medical School, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Massachusetts General Hospital report a significant association between regular aspirin use and reduced growth of vestibular schwannomas (also called acoustic neuromas). These benign but potentially dangerous intracranial tumors can cause … Read more

Summary: New study explains how olfactory neurons change their gene activity to adapt to different scent environments. Source: University of Geneva Olfactory receptors, which sit on the surface of sensory neurons inside the nasal cavity, detect odorant molecules and transmit that information to the brain. How do these neurons cope with a wide range of … Read more

Scientists have validated a world-first, minimally invasive brain-machine interface designed to control an exoskeleton using thought. The interface uses a stent-based electrode, called a stentrode, which is implanted into a cortical blood vessel to record neural signals linked to movement. Preclinical studies indicate these signals can be decoded and translated into commands to drive an … Read more