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brain research

Research articles and news stories tagged with brain research

·May 9, 2025·6 min read

Map of Sugar Receptor Could Curb Our Cravings

For the first time, scientists have mapped the 3D structure of the human sweet taste receptor, offering critical insights into how we perceive sweetness and why we crave sugar. This detailed map, created using cryo-electron microscopy, reveals how sweeteners bind to a key receptor component, TAS1R2, which resembles a Venus flytrap.

Featured Neuroscience

·May 9, 2025·3 min read

Oxygen Boost Sparks Early Brain Growth

A new study reveals that raising oxygen tension during weeks four to six of brain organoid development significantly promotes neurogenesis, guided by the oxygen-binding protein neuroglobin. Using cerebral organoids and cutting-edge imaging, researchers monitored internal oxygen levels and linked their changes to key stages in early brain development.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·May 9, 2025·2 min read

Majority of Parents Report Sensory Overload From Daily Family Chaos

A new survey finds that nearly 75% of parents experience sensory overload—when sounds, sights, and chaos from daily life overwhelm the brain. The most common triggers include children arguing, loud household noise, and clutter from toys and messes.

This shows people gossiping and a person standing alone.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·May 9, 2025·5 min read

Would You Rather Be Ignored or Gossiped About? Science Weighs In

New research explores the psychological tradeoff between being ignored and being the subject of gossip, revealing that neither option feels good—but for different reasons. In a series of five experiments with over 1,000 participants, researchers found that while most people reject negative gossip, many also feel uncomfortable being praised behind their backs.

This shows a person using a swap to analyze a saliva test.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·May 9, 2025·5 min read

At Home Saliva Test Detects Hidden Stress, Depression Risks

Researchers have developed a portable “lab-on-a-chip” device that measures cortisol levels from saliva, offering an objective and rapid way to assess stress and mental health risk. The device includes a disposable saliva collector and a handheld reader that delivers results to a smartphone within minutes.

Featured Neurology Neuroscience

·May 9, 2025·9 min read

Pregnancy Health Shapes a Child’s Blood Pressure for Life

Children born to mothers with obesity, gestational diabetes, or hypertensive pregnancy disorders have significantly higher blood pressure from early childhood through adolescence. These children also experience faster blood pressure increases between ages 2 and 18, highlighting the long-term cardiovascular impact of prenatal exposures.

Featured Neurology Neuroscience

·May 9, 2025·5 min read

Using Music to Detect Concussion in Kids

A new music therapy-based tool called MuSICCA may transform how healthcare teams assess consciousness in children with severe brain injuries. Developed to address the lack of reliable diagnostic methods for children aged 2 to 18, MuSICCA uses tailored live music performed by a therapist to evoke and record patient responses.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·May 9, 2025·6 min read

Resistance to New Rules Fades Once They’re in Place

A new study reveals that resistance to policies like smoking bans or speed limits drops significantly after they are implemented. Known as “reactance,” this initial pushback stems from perceived threats to personal freedom, but tends to subside as people adapt and begin recognizing societal benefits.

Featured Neuroscience Visual Neuroscience

·May 9, 2025·4 min read

B Vitamins May Halt Glaucoma Progression

Glaucoma damages the optic nerve and is usually managed by reducing eye pressure, though treatment effects vary. Researchers have long suspected a link with homocysteine, but new findings reveal it is a bystander, not a driver of the disease.

Featured Neurology Neuroscience

·May 8, 2025·4 min read

HIV Drugs Linked to Lower Alzheimer’s Risk

New research shows that HIV drugs called NRTIs may significantly reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. Analyzing two large health databases, scientists found that patients on NRTIs had a 6% to 13% annual decrease in Alzheimer’s risk.

Featured Genetics Neuroscience

·May 8, 2025·4 min read

Bigger Brains and Strong Immunity Linked to Longer Lifespans

New research reveals that mammals with larger brains and more robust immune systems tend to live longer lives. By studying 46 species, scientists found a clear link between maximum lifespan and the expansion of immune-related gene families.

Featured Neuroscience

·May 8, 2025·4 min read

How Brain Signals Shape Its Protective Waste Disposal Network

The brain’s meningeal lymphatic system plays a key role in clearing waste and transporting immune cells, but until now, how it develops was unclear. Using zebrafish and advanced imaging, researchers revealed that neural activity regulates this system by influencing specialized glial cells that release Vegfc, a key growth factor.