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brain research

Research articles and news stories tagged with brain research

This is a drawing of a shrew and a brain.

·September 1, 2025·7 min read

Shrews Shrink and Regrow Brains, Offering Clues for Human Diseases

Scientists used non-invasive MRI to study shrews that seasonally shrink and regrow their brains, uncovering water loss as the key driver of this rare phenomenon. Despite losing about nine percent of their brain volume in winter, shrew brain cells remain alive, with aquaporin-4 proteins playing a key role in regulating water movement.

This shows the outline of a person with a glowing brain and a robotic arm.

Featured Neuroscience

·September 1, 2025·5 min read

Brain-AI System Translates Thoughts Into Movement

Researchers have created a noninvasive brain-computer interface enhanced with artificial intelligence, enabling users to control a robotic arm or cursor with greater accuracy and speed. The system translates brain signals from EEG recordings into movement commands, while an AI camera interprets user intent in real time.

This shows a brain with two paths leading to it.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·September 1, 2025·2 min read

Depression Disrupts Learning to Avoid Unpleasant Events

Depression specifically impairs the ability to learn how to actively avoid unpleasant events, though it does not affect avoidance behavior once learned. Researchers tested 465 participants across a range of depressive symptoms in a task adapted from rodent research, involving sounds and visual cues.

This shows a map, half Is red and covered in negative emojis, the other is blue and covered with positive emojis, symbolizing the effect heat has on mood.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·August 31, 2025·6 min read

Extreme Heat Makes People More Negative

A large-scale global study shows that extreme heat affects not just our bodies, but also our emotions. Researchers analyzed over a billion social media posts and found that when temperatures exceeded 95°F (35°C), expressed sentiments became more negative, particularly in lower-income countries where effects were three times stronger.

This shows a brain surrounded by viruses and DNA.

Featured Neurology Neuroscience

·August 31, 2025·5 min read

Could a Common Virus Help Drive Parkinson’s?

New research suggests a previously harmless virus may be linked to Parkinson’s disease. Scientists detected Human Pegivirus (HPgV) in the brains and spinal fluid of Parkinson’s patients but not in controls, challenging assumptions that the virus is benign.

This shows a burning brain on top of a stack of scientific journals.

Featured Neuroscience

·August 30, 2025·6 min read

AI Tool Flags Predatory Journals, Building a Firewall for Science

A new AI system developed by computer scientists automatically screens open-access journals to identify potentially predatory publications. These journals often charge high fees to publish without proper peer review, undermining scientific credibility.

This shows a map of the world with DNA and speech bubbles overlayed.

Featured Genetics Neuroscience

·August 30, 2025·5 min read

Genetics Reveal How Human Contact Shapes Language Evolution

A new study shows that genetic evidence of historical contact between populations reveals consistent patterns of language change. By combining genetic data with linguistic databases, researchers found that unrelated languages became 4–9% more similar after human contact.

This shows a person walking on a path with scattered puzzle pieces at his feet.

Autism Featured Neuroscience

·August 30, 2025·6 min read

Most Autistic Adults Over 40 Remain Undiagnosed

A major review has revealed that nearly all autistic adults over 40 in the UK remain undiagnosed, leaving them vulnerable to serious health and social challenges. The findings show that older autistic adults face higher risks of nearly all physical and mental health conditions, including early-onset dementia and increased suicidal ideation.

Featured Genetics Neuroscience

·August 30, 2025·5 min read

“Junk DNA” Plays Key Role in Brain Development and Disease

A new study shows that repetitive DNA, once dismissed as “junk,” plays a critical role in shaping the human brain. Scientists found that LINE-1 transposons, a type of mobile DNA element, are active in stem cells and regulate key genes during early brain development.

This shows a person listening to music with the outline of other people in the background.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·August 30, 2025·6 min read

Music Sparks Social Imagination and Eases Loneliness

A large-scale study with 600 participants shows that music can genuinely evoke feelings of companionship by sparking social imagination. When participants listened to folk music, they imagined vivid social scenes such as being with friends, even when lyrics were removed.

Featured Genetics Neuroscience

·August 29, 2025·4 min read

Stem Cells Use Toggle Switch to Regenerate Neurons

Scientists have uncovered how stem cells in the olfactory system continually regenerate neurons responsible for our sense of smell. Using live zebrafish imaging, cell tracking, and single-cell RNA sequencing, researchers identified a bistable toggle switch that drives progenitor cells to commit to specific fates and self-organize into “cellular neighborhoods.”

Featured Neurology Neuroscience

·August 29, 2025·4 min read

AI Speech Model Detects Neurological Disorders With 92% Accuracy

A new AI framework can detect neurological disorders by analyzing speech with over 90% accuracy. The model, called CTCAIT, captures subtle patterns in voice that may indicate early symptoms of diseases like Parkinson’s, Huntington’s, and Wilson disease.