Summary: A new analysis supports earlier research suggesting that fetal exposure to acetaminophen is associated with an increased risk of later diagnosis of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Source: NIH A study funded by the National Institutes of Health and the Agency for Health Care Research and Quality suggests that acetaminophen exposure … Read more

Summary: Researchers have identified a distinctive feature of human brain communication networks: the transmission of information through multiple parallel pathways. This pattern was not found in macaque or mouse brains. Using diffusion and functional MRI together with information theory and graph theory, the team mapped “brain traffic” to compare how signals travel across mammalian brains. … Read more

Summary: Neuroimaging shows that people display a reduced neural response in the anterior cingulate cortex when viewing images of others with facial disfigurements. A comparable reduction is seen when observers view other stigmatized groups, such as people experiencing homelessness. This decreased activity may help explain reduced empathy toward people with facial disfigurements and point to … Read more

Summary: Blood tests from participants in an Alzheimer’s research program detected elevated levels of a specific form of tau protein — phosphorylated tau 217 — that closely tracked the presence of amyloid plaques in the brain. Individuals with amyloid accumulation had as much as two to three times the amount of this tau species in … Read more

Summary: Researchers have identified a specialized class of neurons, called IC-encoder neurons, that cause the brain to “see” illusory shapes—such as squares or triangles that aren’t present in the raw visual input. These cells receive top-down signals from higher visual areas and then complete missing contours in primary visual cortex, actively constructing the perceptual edge … Read more

DNA mutations can drive cancer, yet in certain cases a higher number of mutations may predict a better outcome. A comprehensive genomic study led by Yale researchers, analyzing more than 700 brain tumors, has identified a distinct subtype of glioblastoma (GBM) — the most aggressive form of brain cancer — that carries an unusually large … Read more

Summary: A longitudinal study finds that hearing impairment in older adults is linked to faster cognitive decline. Higher education appears to reduce this effect for mild hearing loss, but not for moderate-to-severe loss. Source: UCSD Hearing loss is a common consequence of aging, and its relationship to cognitive decline is an important public health concern. … Read more

Summary: New research maps how anxiety shifts decision-making in the brain, biasing choices toward avoidance and pessimism. Source: Kyoto University Is a higher-paying job worth an extra hour of commuting each day? Many decisions force us to weigh potential rewards against anticipated discomfort. New findings show that anxiety tilts this internal cost–benefit balance, making people … Read more

Summary: After traumatic brain injury (TBI), the brain’s immune cells show a marked slowdown in their internal recycling process (autophagy), allowing cellular waste to accumulate and worsen inflammation and recovery. Stimulating autophagy with rapamycin reduced neuroinflammation and improved functional recovery in a mouse model of TBI. Source: University of Maryland Every year in the United … Read more

Summary: New research clarifies how the somatosensory cortex contributes to prosocial behavior. Source: Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, KNAW. Helping people in need is a cornerstone of human society. It is often assumed we help because we empathically share others’ pain. Neuroscience has shown that when we see someone in pain, brain regions involved in touch … Read more