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brain research

Research articles and news stories tagged with brain research

·July 10, 2025·5 min read

Memory Chooses Meaning Over Surface Similarities

Memory helps us make sense of the present by retrieving past experiences based on either surface-level similarities or deeper conceptual connections. A new study reveals that when a familiar mental category — like excuses or conflicts — is available, memory prioritizes structural, abstract links over superficial cues.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·July 10, 2025·5 min read

Learning Music Boosts Kids’ Wellbeing, Confidence, and Belonging

A new study highlights the powerful role of music learning in improving children’s social, emotional, and educational wellbeing. Beyond listening or casual participation, learning music builds self-confidence, emotional awareness, and a sense of belonging.

Featured Neuroscience

·July 10, 2025·3 min read

Dopamine Acts Locally, Not Globally

New research has overturned decades of belief about how dopamine communicates in the brain, showing it acts with pinpoint precision rather than broad diffusion. Scientists discovered that dopamine is released in localized hotspots, allowing highly specific and timely messages to nerve cell branches.

Featured Neuroscience

·July 10, 2025·7 min read

Lab-Grown Neurons Reach Unprecedented Diversity

Researchers have created over 400 distinct types of human nerve cells in vitro, vastly expanding the diversity available for neuroscience research. By systematically combining genetic engineering with morphogen signaling molecules, they mimicked the intricate variety of neurons found in the brain.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·July 10, 2025·7 min read

Most Antidepressant Users Don’t Face Severe Withdrawal

The largest review of antidepressant withdrawal studies shows most people don’t experience severe symptoms when stopping these medications. Analyzing data from nearly 18,000 participants, researchers found the most common withdrawal symptoms were mild, including dizziness, nausea, and nervousness.

This shows a child sitting under a tree.

Featured Genetics Neuroscience Psychology

·July 10, 2025·6 min read

Child Maltreatment Accelerates Aging and Hinders Social Development

New research shows that childhood maltreatment leaves lasting biological and social scars. In a study of young children, those who experienced abuse showed accelerated cellular aging and reduced social attention.

Featured Neuroscience Pain Psychology

·July 10, 2025·6 min read

Brain Pathway Reveals How Pain Feels Emotionally

Pain is more than a physical signal — it also carries emotional weight that shapes our response and memory of discomfort. A new study identifies a group of neurons in the thalamus that directly links pain signals to the brain’s emotional center.

Featured Neuroscience

·July 10, 2025·8 min read

How the Brain Replays and Compresses Memories

New research shows how the brain replays and organizes memories, even compressing long experiences into short, fixed-length neural sequences. Scientists recorded hundreds of hippocampal neurons in freely flying bats to study phenomena called neural replay and theta sequences, previously observed only in rodents.

This shows a psychedelic brain and mushrooms.

Featured Neuroscience

·July 9, 2025·4 min read

Psilocybin Shows Promise as Anti-Aging Therapy

Psilocybin, the active compound derived from psychedelic mushrooms, significantly delayed cellular aging and extended lifespan in a preclinical study. Researchers observed a 50% increase in the lifespan of human skin and lung cells and a 30% increase in survival in aged mice treated with psilocybin.

Featured Neuroscience

·July 9, 2025·3 min read

Popular Muscle Supplement Creatine Critical for Brain Function

Creatine is well known for its role in muscle energy, but it’s also critical for brain function and development. In people with creatine deficiency disorders, supplements often fail to improve neurodevelopment because the brain’s protective barrier blocks access.

Featured Neuroscience

·July 9, 2025·4 min read

Live Dance Sparks Brain Synchrony

A new study reveals that watching live dance performances synchronizes audience members’ brainwaves, reflecting shared focus and social connection. Using EEG headsets, researchers found stronger synchrony during live shows compared to watching alone, especially when performers made eye contact.

Featured Genetics Neurology Neuroscience

·July 9, 2025·7 min read

Genes and Brain Wiring Team Up in Alzheimer’s Spread

A new study reveals how genes influence where and how Alzheimer’s-related tau protein spreads in the brain. By combining imaging, gene data, and advanced modeling, researchers uncovered four gene pathways that either amplify or resist tau buildup, depending on brain connectivity.