Teen cannabis use linked to flattened cognitive development in large U.S. study
New research suggests that adolescents who begin using cannabis may experience a slowing in their cognitive development compared to peers who do not use the drug. The findings, published in...
View ArticleScientists reveal the brain’s hidden role in building exercise endurance
Repeated physical activity builds endurance by triggering widespread adaptations throughout the human body, but a new study reveals that the brain actually directs these physiological changes....
View ArticleLosing deep belly fat may slow brain aging and protect memory
Losing deep belly fat rather than just overall body weight is linked to slower brain aging and better cognitive function years later. The research, published in Nature Communications, suggests that...
View ArticleA father’s scent helps babies synchronize their brains with new adults
The scent of a father can help babies synchronize their brain activity with unfamiliar adults and encourage more energetic social play. By simply smelling their father’s body odor, infants essentially...
View ArticleHigh salt diets disrupt the gut microbiome and impair memory in mice
A new study demonstrates that both abnormally high and abnormally low dietary salt intake can induce cognitive impairment in mice, though through distinctly different biological pathways. The research...
View ArticleDesk setups that encourage an expansive posture may boost risk-taking
A recent study published in British Journal of Psychology suggests that people’s physical posture, even when influenced naturally by their environment, can affect their mood and willingness to take...
View ArticleNeuroscientists shed light on how the brain juggles talking and listening...
When humans engage in a conversation, the brain must seamlessly process both the words they want to say and the sentences they are hearing. A new study reveals that the brain uses shared neural codes...
View ArticleNew study of Brazilian twins sheds light on the heritability of our creative...
A recent study of Brazilian twins suggests that people’s beliefs about their own artistic and practical creativity are modestly influenced by their genetics. The research, published in Personality and...
View ArticleThe neuroscience of pity: how attractiveness and morality shape empathy
New research reveals how people process empathy when they see someone in pain, showing that physical attractiveness and moral history both influence our emotional responses. The findings indicate that...
View ArticleChildren’s math and reading skills are linked to better maternal health in...
An analysis of National Longitudinal Survey of Youth data found that mothers whose children were better at math and reading tended to be healthier. On the other hand, low levels of math and reading...
View ArticleIntelligence and personality traits do not predict inattentional blindness
People’s intelligence and personality traits do little to predict whether they will notice an unexpected object while concentrating on another task, according to a study published in Royal Society Open...
View ArticleNew study reveals that fluctuating—not just intense—brain signals play a...
A recent study found that people with higher body mass index and tendencies toward disinhibited eating experience more fluctuating brain responses to food rewards. The findings, published in...
View ArticleStandard brain scans might misread oxygen metabolism in large portions of the...
A small study suggests that the primary method used to map brain activity may often yield reversed metabolic readings. The research reveals that blood oxygen levels do not consistently reflect...
View ArticleOrexin neurons act as an effort-tracking system in the brain
A new study found that specialized brain cells called orexin neurons act as an effort-tracking system that spikes in activity when an animal expects a reward. The research suggests that turning these...
View ArticleSocial anxiety drives people to conform specifically to negative feedback
People with high social anxiety are highly prone to adjusting their own emotions to match negative feedback from their peers, a tendency backed by sustained brain activity. A small study published in...
View ArticleConsciousness may have evolved to solve a problem that pure intelligence...
Consciousness may have evolved to help living things resolve competing needs when their survival is at stake, rather than simply emerging from greater intelligence. This theoretical account was...
View ArticleBrain scans reveal how artificial sweeteners affect our reward circuits...
An experimental study compared changes in brain activity after ingestion of water and different types of flavored waters. Results showed that cerebral blood flow in the hypothalamus (a brain region...
View ArticleThe human brain clears fluid directly into the skull, and poor sleep slows...
Brain fluid drains directly into the spongy marrow of the human skull, establishing a physical connection between the nervous system and the immune system. A recent imaging study reveals that this...
View ArticleDoes exercise really slow brain aging? A new study complicates the narrative
Physical activity is widely believed to protect the aging brain, but recent evidence suggests the relationship might actually operate in the opposite direction. A new analysis of a large group of...
View ArticleMapping the relay stations of human consciousness
Researchers have mapped deep brain regions that act as central communication hubs for the brain’s outer surface, identifying potential targets to help restore awareness in patients with severe brain...
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