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Genetics

This shows sister moms and their babies.

Featured Genetics Neuroscience Psychology

·May 21, 2025·5 min read

Postpartum Psychosis May Run in Families

Women are over 10 times more likely to develop postpartum psychosis if their sister has experienced the condition, according to a major study of more than 1.6 million women. This rare but severe disorder, marked by hallucinations, paranoia, and disorganized thinking after childbirth, can have life-threatening consequences if not treated.

Autism Featured Genetics Neuroscience

·May 20, 2025·5 min read

Newly Found Brain Switch Regulates Synapses, Offers Clues to Autism

A research team has uncovered a molecular "switch" that precisely regulates NMDA receptors, key players in brain communication, by blocking excitatory synapse overactivity. The proteins MDGA2 and EphB2 were found to compete for receptor activation, with MDGA2 acting as a natural inhibitor.

Featured Genetics Neuroscience

·May 19, 2025·6 min read

Want to Live to 115? Here’s What Research Says You Should Do

New insights from longevity research suggest that lifestyle—not just genetics—plays a vital role in living a longer, healthier life. While rare individuals like 115-year-old Ethel Caterham may benefit from exceptional genes, research shows that physical activity, diet, sleep, and stress management are key factors that can significantly influence lifespan.

This shows an older man sitting and brains.

Featured Genetics Neurology Neuroscience

·May 18, 2025·4 min read

Sitting for Hours May Shrink the Brain

Prolonged sedentary behavior in adults over 50 is linked to cognitive decline and brain shrinkage in regions vulnerable to Alzheimer’s disease. Even among those who exercise regularly, spending more time sitting was associated with worse cognitive outcomes.

Featured Genetics Neuroscience

·May 18, 2025·7 min read

Parents’ Age, Ancestry, and Habits Shape New DNA Mutations

A massive genomic study has revealed that parental age, ancestry, and smoking habits subtly influence the number of new genetic mutations (de novo mutations) passed from parents to children. By analyzing whole-genome data from 10,000 parent-child trios, researchers found that most variation in mutation rates comes from parental age, especially the father’s.

Featured Genetics Neurology Neuroscience

·May 17, 2025·5 min read

Alzheimer’s Disrupts the Whole Body, Not Just the Brain

Alzheimer’s disease is traditionally seen as a brain disorder, but new research using fruit flies reveals that it also affects organs and tissues throughout the body. Scientists created an Alzheimer’s Disease Fly Cell Atlas to profile gene expression across 219 cell types in flies expressing human Alzheimer’s proteins.

Featured Genetics Neuroscience

·May 16, 2025·3 min read

Silent Switches in DNA Gave Rise to Human Intelligence

Despite sharing over 98% of our DNA with chimpanzees, humans possess strikingly advanced cognitive and emotional abilities. A new study reveals that rapid shifts in gene regulation—rather than changes in protein-coding genes—may explain this leap.

Featured Genetics Neurology Neuroscience

·May 16, 2025·4 min read

Clues in Spinal Fluid Could Unlock Early FTD Diagnosis

Frontotemporal dementia (FTD), a common form of early-onset dementia, is often misdiagnosed due to its overlapping symptoms with psychiatric and neurological disorders. In a new NIH-funded study, researchers identified key protein changes in spinal fluid that may serve as the first specific biomarkers for FTD in living patients.

Featured Genetics Neuroscience

·May 16, 2025·6 min read

Genetic Twist Behind Orange Cat Fur Finally Uncovered

After decades of mystery, researchers have finally identified the gene behind orange fur in domestic cats: a deletion mutation in the X-linked gene ARHGAP36. This mutation increases gene activity in pigment-producing skin cells, shifting fur color toward orange by altering pigment production pathways.

Featured Genetics Neuroscience

·May 15, 2025·5 min read

Recessive Genes May Quietly Shape Health, Learning, and Fertility

Carriers of recessive gene mutations, long thought to be unaffected, may actually face subtle disadvantages, including more medical issues, shorter educational attainment, and reduced reproductive success. A study of over 300,000 individuals reveals that people who carry recessive genes for intellectual disability are especially impacted, despite having only one mutated gene copy.

Featured Genetics Neuroscience

·May 14, 2025·5 min read

Tiny Gene Fragment Key to Memory Revealed

Researchers have discovered that a nine–amino acid microexon spliced into the DAAM1 gene is critical for memory formation, functioning exclusively in neurons. Deleting this microexon in mice resulted in fewer synaptic spines—essential structures for learning and memory—and caused a 40% decline in memory performance.

Featured Genetics Neuroscience

·May 13, 2025·5 min read

Protein Differences Between Sexes Aren’t All Genetic

An international study of 6,000 proteins across 56,000 people found that while protein levels differ significantly between males and females, most of these differences are not caused by genetics. Only about 100 proteins showed sex-specific genetic regulation, suggesting that environmental, hormonal, and lifestyle factors play a major role in shaping health outcomes.