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brain development

Featured Genetics Neurology Neuroscience

·October 9, 2025·7 min read

Gene Behind Child Brain Disorder Also Tied to Parkinson’s Disease

Scientists have discovered that mutations in the EPG5 gene—known for causing the rare childhood disorder Vici syndrome—also increase the risk of Parkinson’s disease and dementia later in life. The gene plays a crucial role in autophagy, the process by which cells clear out damaged material.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·October 8, 2025·6 min read

Social Inference Could Be the Key to Healing Schizophrenia

Researchers have identified a brain function that could transform how schizophrenia is treated—by focusing on social inference, the ability to interpret social cues and intentions. The study found that strengthening this skill early can help young patients regain independence and prevent long-term cognitive decline.

Featured Genetics Neuroscience

·October 8, 2025·8 min read

Why Older Fathers Pass on More Harmful Mutations to Their Kids

Groundbreaking research has revealed that as men age, harmful genetic mutations in sperm not only accumulate but are also favored during sperm production, giving them a reproductive advantage. Using ultra-accurate DNA sequencing, scientists found that sperm from older men were significantly more likely to carry disease-causing mutations, including those linked to neurodevelopmental disorders and cancer.

Autism Featured Neuroscience

·October 4, 2025·6 min read

Born to Connect: Newborn Brain Already Wired for Social Awareness

A new study reveals that the brain’s social perception pathway—a network that processes faces, gaze, and speech—is already active at birth or shortly thereafter. Using advanced imaging data, researchers showed that newborns exhibit robust connectivity in regions responsible for visual and social processing.

This shows a mom holding a baby at night.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·October 3, 2025·6 min read

When Mom Struggles to Bond, Babies Sleep Worse

A large Finnish study has found that mothers who struggle to bond with their infants are more likely to have children with sleep problems that persist into toddlerhood. Difficulties in bonding at eight months were linked to sleep disruptions, including frequent awakenings and trouble falling asleep, even at age two.

This shows a child standing alone and a neural network.

Featured Neuroscience

·October 2, 2025·6 min read

Teen Solitude Linked to Measurable Changes in Brain Networks

Adolescents who regularly choose solitude over social connection show measurable differences in brain structure and function, according to a large neuroimaging study. Brain scans revealed altered activity and weaker connections in regions tied to social and emotional processing, with changes spanning multiple cognitive networks.

Autism Featured Genetics Neuroscience

·October 1, 2025·7 min read

Early vs. Late Autism Diagnoses Linked to Distinct Genetic Profiles

A large-scale international study has revealed that autism diagnosed in early childhood is genetically and developmentally distinct from autism diagnosed later in life. Researchers analyzed data from over 45,000 autistic individuals and found that early-diagnosed children often show social and behavioral difficulties from a very young age.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·September 30, 2025·7 min read

Income Inequality Reshapes Children’s Brains and Mental Health

A large-scale neuroimaging study of over 10,000 U.S. children reveals that income inequality in society is tied to structural and functional brain changes that predict poorer mental health outcomes. Unlike individual family income, societal inequality impacts children across socioeconomic groups, suggesting that social environments exert powerful biological effects.

This shows a young girl sitting at a table and a shadow of her older self.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·September 29, 2025·6 min read

Preschool Overeating in Girls Linked to Teen Anxiety and Impulsivity

A study tracking more than 2,000 Quebec children found that girls who regularly overate in the preschool years were more likely to report anxiety, impulsivity, and hyperactivity during adolescence. The association was not found in boys, pointing to possible sociocultural influences such as closer monitoring and restrictive food environments for girls.

Featured Neuroscience

·September 27, 2025·6 min read

Skin-to-Skin Contact Boosts Brain Development

Very preterm infants who received more skin-to-skin contact during their hospital stay showed stronger development in brain regions tied to stress and emotional regulation. Brain scans revealed that longer skin-to-skin sessions were linked to changes in white matter pathways that support attention, memory, and emotional health.

Featured Genetics Neurology Neuroscience

·September 25, 2025·4 min read

Infant Brain Gene Regulator May Predispose Adults to Dementia

A new study reveals that the brain’s vulnerability to disorders like multiple sclerosis and dementia may begin in early life. Researchers identified a developmental “switch” in astrocytes, the brain’s support cells, governed by the NR3C1 gene.

This shows a pregnant woman surrounded by viruses.

Featured Neuroscience

·September 24, 2025·6 min read

Severe Flu in Pregnancy Lets Harmful Molecules Reach Fetal Brain

A new study shows that severe flu infections in pregnant mice compromise both placental and brain barriers, allowing large molecules and fibrinogen to reach the fetal brain. These molecules accumulated in critical regions like the subventricular zone, where neural stem cells develop, raising concerns about long-term impacts on neurodevelopment.