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Neuroscience News is an independent open access science magazine. Since 2001, we have featured neuroscience research news from labs, universities, hospitals and news departments around the world. Topics include brain research, AI, psychology, neuroscience, mental health and neurotech.

Latest Neuroscience News

Science news articles cover neuroscience, neurology, psychology, AI, mental health, robotics, neurotechnology and cognitive sciences.

Smart Social Media Use Reduces Teen Stress

How young people use social media impacts their mental health more than how much time they spend on it. Researchers found that reducing harmful comparisons and fostering meaningful connections online can improve mental well-being, reducing loneliness, anxiety, and depression.

This shows the molecular structure for ketamine.

“Lifesaving” Low-Dose Ketamine Unlocks Rapid Relief for Depression

Researchers have identified how low-dose ketamine alleviates depression by selectively targeting specific NMDA receptors in the brain. Unlike high-dose anesthetic effects, low-dose ketamine binds to lateral grooves on NMDA receptors, enhancing excitatory transmission and long-term synaptic changes.

Beer Drinkers Have Poorer Diets, Lower Activity Levels

Beer-only drinkers have the lowest diet quality, highest caloric intake, and lowest physical activity levels compared to those who drink wine, liquor, or a combination. Researchers analyzed over 1,900 U.S. adults and found beer drinkers scored lowest on the Healthy Eating Index, while wine drinkers scored highest.

Neurology News Articles

Neurology news articles cover neurology, brain cancer, traumatic brain injuries, neurosurgery, neuroanatomy, brain research and neurological disorders.

Study Revolutionize Restless Legs Syndrome Treatment

Researchers released new clinical guidelines for treating restless legs syndrome (RLS), emphasizing patient-centered care and evidence-based updates. Iron supplementation is now a key recommendation, addressing low brain iron as a cause of RLS. Dopamine agonists like pramipexole and ropinirole are de-emphasized due to risks of worsening symptoms, while newer treatments such as alpha-2-delta ligands, nerve stimulation, and low-dose opioids gain conditional or strong recommendations.

Huntington’s Gene Enhances Early Brain Growth and Intelligence

A study reveals that the genetic mutation causing Huntington’s disease (HD) enhances brain development and intelligence in early life, but leads to degeneration in adulthood. Children with the HD gene exhibit larger brains and higher IQs than those without the mutation.

Are Emotional Sounds Universal Across Languages?

A new study examined vocal expressions of emotion across 131 languages, exploring similarities in emotional interjections and comparing them to non-linguistic sounds like cries and laughter. The research aimed to understand whether shared vocal patterns exist globally and if these patterns relate to our evolutionary roots in vocal communication. The team found that vocal expressions of pain, like "Ouch!", showed consistent vowel forms across languages, while disgust and joy did not.

AI News Articles

AI news articles cover science articles about artificial intelligence including ChatGPT, Bard, Dalle, neural networks, machine learning, LLMs, AGI and other AI related topics.

AI Model Reveals Shifting Cause-and-Effect in Complex Systems

A novel machine learning model called Temporal Autoencoders for Causal Inference (TACI) accurately detects changing cause-and-effect relationships in complex, time-varying systems like weather patterns and brain activity. By analyzing both synthetic and real data, TACI captures dynamic interactions and quantifies shifts in strength or direction over time. Tested on long-term weather data and brain imaging in monkeys, TACI successfully pinpointed when causal connections emerged, weakened, or reversed.

Robots Trained by Video: A Leap Toward Autonomous Surgery

For the first time, a robot has been trained to perform surgical procedures by watching videos of expert surgeons, marking a leap forward in robotic surgery. This breakthrough in "imitation learning" means that robots can learn complex tasks without needing to be programmed for every individual movement. By training on surgical footage, the robot replicated procedures with skill comparable to human surgeons, demonstrating its ability to adapt and even correct its actions autonomously.

AI Tool Reveals Long COVID May Affect 23% of People

A new AI tool identified long COVID in 22.8% of patients, a much higher rate than previously diagnosed. By analyzing extensive health records from nearly 300,000 patients, the algorithm identifies long COVID by distinguishing symptoms linked specifically to SARS-CoV-2 infection rather than pre-existing conditions. This AI approach, known as "precision phenotyping," helps clinicians differentiate long COVID symptoms from other health issues and may improve diagnostic accuracy by about 3%.

Psychology News Articles

Science research articles cover psychology, depression, mental health, schizophrenia, mental disorders, happiness, stress, PTSD, autism, psychiatry and therapy.

This shows two heads and "paranormal" symbols.

Traditional Paranormal Beliefs Linked to Stress

Traditional paranormal beliefs, such as witchcraft and religious superstition, are linked to higher stress and reduced coping ability, while new age beliefs, like spiritualism and precognition, show no such link. Researchers used an improved scale to analyze responses from over 3,000 participants, revealing that traditional beliefs may reflect anxieties about external control. The findings highlight the psychological differences between belief types but cannot confirm cause-and-effect relationships.

This shows the outline of people and brains.

Metabolic Pathways Link Cannabis to Psychosis in Teens

A study investigated how cannabis use influences metabolomic patterns linked to psychotic-like experiences in adolescents. Blood samples revealed that non-cannabis users showed inflammatory metabolic changes associated with hallucinations, while cannabis users exhibited shifts in energy-related metabolites tied to brain ketogenesis. These findings suggest that cannabis use may trigger distinct molecular pathways in psychotic-like experiences.

Stress in Social Groups: How One’s Stress Affects the Whole

New research on zebra finches reveals that stress spreads within social groups, even affecting individuals not directly exposed to stressors. Birds in groups with more stressed members showed reduced movement and changes in social behavior, such as fewer social bonds.

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Toddlers Learn Best After Experiencing Impossible Events

Young children grasp possibilities and distinctions between improbable and impossible events well before they can explain them in words. In a new study, two- and three-year-olds were found to learn more effectively after witnessing impossible events, which seem to trigger an intense curiosity.

Cannabis Leaves Molecular Marks on DNA Linked to Psychosis

Frequent use of high-potency cannabis leaves unique molecular marks on DNA, particularly affecting genes related to energy and immune function. Researchers found that DNA methylation—an epigenetic modification—differed between frequent cannabis users who had experienced psychosis and those who had not, suggesting a possible genetic link to psychosis risk.

This shows a woman looking at brain scans.

Menopausal Hormone Therapy’s Effects on Brain Health

Menopausal hormone therapy (MHT) has nuanced effects on brain health, influenced by factors like age, treatment duration, and past surgical history. The study found that current MHT users had higher brain age gaps and smaller hippocampal volumes, while past users showed no significant differences compared to non-users.

Exercise Spurs Nerve Growth Through Biochemical and Physical Impact

Researchers found that exercise promotes neuron growth through both biochemical signals (myokines) and physical stretching. Muscle cells, when contracted, release myokines that boost neuron growth and maturity.

How Visual Clutter Disrupts Information Flow in the Brain

A new study reveals that visual clutter alters how information flows between neurons in the brain’s primary visual cortex, but not the order in which it's processed. Researchers found that the efficiency of information transfer changes depending on the location of clutter in the visual field.