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brain research

Research articles and news stories tagged with brain research

This shows the outline of two heads and brains. One brain is foggy, as though representing depression.

·August 3, 2025·5 min read

Brain Reward Signals Blunted by Genetic Depression Risk

A new imaging study reveals that young adults with a higher genetic risk for depression show diminished brain activity when processing rewards and punishments. Using data from nearly 900 healthy twins and siblings, researchers found altered activation in brain regions linked to attention and decision-making—well before any symptoms of depression appeared.

This is a visual representation of the 5-HT1A serotonin receptor.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·August 2, 2025·6 min read

Fat Molecule May Control How You Feel Emotion

Scientists have uncovered how the brain’s 5-HT1A serotonin receptor—vital in mood regulation—functions at the molecular level. This receptor, a common target of antidepressants and psychedelics, prefers certain signaling pathways no matter the drug, but drugs can still vary in how strongly they activate them.

This shows a person with their signal cord highlighted. In the background are people with various mobility devices.

Featured Neurology Neuroscience

·August 1, 2025·6 min read

Signs of MS Emerge 15 Years Before Diagnosis

A large-scale analysis of health records reveals that subtle signs of multiple sclerosis (MS) may appear more than a decade before diagnosis. People who eventually develop MS began increasing healthcare visits—especially for general symptoms like fatigue, pain, and anxiety—15 years before neurologists identified their first demyelinating event.

This shows a Brain and insulin syringes.

Featured Neuroscience

·August 1, 2025·5 min read

Leptin, Not Just Insulin, May Hold the Key to Diabetes Treatment

A decade after an overlooked discovery, researchers now confirm that the hormone leptin can reverse diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) even without insulin. The brain, misled by low leptin into thinking the body lacks fuel, triggers a metabolic emergency — a core process in DKA.

This shows a person smiling, surrounded by positive looking avatars.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·August 1, 2025·4 min read

Empathy Can Be Emotionally Conditioned

Empathy isn't just innate — it can be trained by associating another person’s happiness with personal rewards. In this study, participants observed a character experiencing good and bad moments, which were paired with gains or losses in their own rewards.

This shows a map of the US and a couple behind shattered glass.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·August 1, 2025·4 min read

Murder-Suicide Rates in U.S. Higher Than Previously Estimated

New research reveals that murder-suicide incidents in the U.S. are more frequent than previously documented, with an average of 820 related deaths per year. Most incidents involve current or former intimate partners, and nearly all suicides were carried out with firearms.

This shows a Brain surrounded by glial cells.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·August 1, 2025·6 min read

New Drug Targets Brain Glial Cells to Reverse PTSD Symptoms

A new study reveals that astrocyte-derived GABA, not neuronal activity, plays a central role in PTSD by impairing the brain’s ability to extinguish traumatic memories. Researchers found this excess GABA originates from the enzyme MAOB in astrocytes and disrupts fear regulation in the medial prefrontal cortex.

This shows a dad and child surrounded by money and dark clouds, implying financial assets do not really affect mental health outcomes.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·July 31, 2025·6 min read

Poverty Isn’t the Key Driver in Family Mental Health Struggles

A large-scale longitudinal study challenges the assumption that poverty amplifies the link between parental distress and child mental health problems. Using advanced statistical modeling, researchers found that financial hardship did not influence the reciprocal relationship between parents’ and children’s mental health.

This shows a brain and a range of objects including shapes and bouncing balls.

Featured Neuroscience Visual Neuroscience

·July 31, 2025·6 min read

Brain Sorts ‘Stuff’ from ‘Things’ Using Separate Neural Circuits

A new study reveals that our brains separate “stuff” like water and sand from “things” like balls or tools, using specialized circuits in the visual cortex. Functional MRI scans showed distinct areas within the ventral and dorsal visual pathways that preferentially respond to the fluidity or rigidity of materials. T

This shows an older woman looking through a photo album with her caregiver.

Featured Neurology Neuroscience

·July 30, 2025·5 min read

Dementia Often Goes Undiagnosed for Over 3 Years

A global analysis has revealed that people with dementia wait an average of 3.5 years after symptom onset before receiving a diagnosis. The delay is even longer—about 4.1 years—for early-onset dementia, with younger patients and those with frontotemporal dementia facing the greatest lags.

This shows a person holding their stomach in pain, surrounded by COVID molecules, reflecting how COVID has impacted the gut-brain axis health.

Featured Neurology Neuroscience

·July 30, 2025·4 min read

Post-COVID Spike in Gut-Brain Disorders

A major international study confirms that disorders of gut-brain interaction have increased significantly since the COVID-19 pandemic. Using consistent diagnostic tools across 2017 and 2023 populations, researchers found notable surges in IBS and functional dyspepsia.

This shows a split image of a woman's face. On one side she is giving a blank stare, on the other is oxytocin molecules and a lighter expression on her face.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·July 30, 2025·8 min read

Oxytocin May Treat the Social Deficits of Psychopathy

Psychopathy impairs the ability to recognize and respond appropriately to emotional facial expressions, often disrupting empathy and social behavior. A new review explores whether oxytocin—a neuropeptide known to promote social bonding—can help compensate for these deficits.

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brain research

Brain Reward Signals Blunted by Genetic Depression Risk

Fat Molecule May Control How You Feel Emotion

Signs of MS Emerge 15 Years Before Diagnosis

Leptin, Not Just Insulin, May Hold the Key to Diabetes Treatment

Empathy Can Be Emotionally Conditioned

Murder-Suicide Rates in U.S. Higher Than Previously Estimated

New Drug Targets Brain Glial Cells to Reverse PTSD Symptoms

Poverty Isn’t the Key Driver in Family Mental Health Struggles

Brain Sorts ‘Stuff’ from ‘Things’ Using Separate Neural Circuits

Dementia Often Goes Undiagnosed for Over 3 Years

Post-COVID Spike in Gut-Brain Disorders

Oxytocin May Treat the Social Deficits of Psychopathy

Immune Attack on Smell Pathways May Signal Early Alzheimer’s

Boosting Prefrontal Dopamine Shows Promise in Cutting Alcohol Use

Highly Sensitive People Face Greater Mental Health Risks

Bipolar Mood Shifts Linked to Insulin Signaling in the Pancreas

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