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Brigham and Women’s Hospital

·May 20, 2025·4 min read

Hitting Snooze Disrupts REM Sleep

Despite expert warnings, hitting the snooze button is a common part of many people’s morning routines. A large global study analyzing data from over 21,000 individuals found that snoozing occurred in 56% of sleep sessions, with heavy users snoozing for up to 20 minutes each morning.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·April 23, 2025·5 min read

Psychedelics May Reset Brain-Immune Link Driving Fear and Anxiety

A new study reveals that chronic stress activates immune cells that travel to the brain, amplify inflammation, and heighten fear responses. Researchers found that psychedelics like MDMA and psilocybin disrupt this immune-brain crosstalk, reducing stress-related fear in mice and showing similar effects in human tissue samples.

Featured Neurology Neuroscience

·January 18, 2025·7 min read

Processed Red Meat Linked to Higher Dementia Risk

A study of over 133,000 individuals found that consuming processed red meat daily increases dementia risk by up to 13%, while replacing it with alternatives like nuts, legumes, or fish may lower the risk by 20%. Higher processed meat intake was associated with accelerated cognitive aging and increased subjective cognitive decline (SCD).

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·January 16, 2025·5 min read

Decoding Favoritism: How Parents Shape Sibling Bonds

New research sheds light on how parents subtly favor children based on birth order, personality, and gender, shaping family dynamics. Younger siblings often receive more favorable treatment, while older siblings are granted greater autonomy.

This shows a woman sleeping and a brain.

Featured Neuroscience

·January 7, 2025·5 min read

Short-Term Rhythms Shape Sleep Spindles and Brain Health

Sleep spindles—brief bursts of brain activity crucial for memory and sleep stability—are guided primarily by short-term timing patterns lasting less than 15 seconds. Researchers found these patterns are highly individualized, consistent across nights, and change with age, outweighing the influence of other factors like brain rhythms or sleep depth.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·December 12, 2024·6 min read

Schizophrenia’s Unique Brain Network Identified

A new study has identified a distinct brain network connecting areas of atrophy associated with schizophrenia, offering a unified view of its neuroanatomy. By analyzing data from over 90 studies and more than 8,000 participants, researchers created an atrophy connectivity map that overlaps with regions linked to schizophrenia, such as the insula and hippocampus.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·November 26, 2024·6 min read

Fitness Trackers Detect Mood Episodes in Bipolar Disorder with High Accuracy

Data from fitness trackers can detect mood episodes in individuals with bipolar disorder with up to 89.1% accuracy for mania and 80.1% for depression. Researchers used passively collected, noninvasive data and machine learning algorithms to identify mood changes, demonstrating the potential for real-time monitoring.

Featured Genetics Neurology Neuroscience

·November 21, 2024·5 min read

Maternal Inflammation May Shape Offspring’s Alzheimer’s Risk

Maternal immune activity during pregnancy influences memory circuitry in offspring, with sex-specific effects extending into midlife. Elevated immune markers like IL-6 and TNF-a in mothers were linked to adverse brain activity in memory regions, particularly in postmenopausal women, and lower cognitive performance in children.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·September 24, 2024·7 min read

New Brain Stimulation Target Could Treat PTSD

A new study suggests that neurostimulation targeting specific brain circuits may help treat PTSD in veterans. Researchers found that veterans with damage to brain areas connected to the amygdala, the brain's fear center, were less likely to develop PTSD.

Featured Genetics Neurology Neuroscience

·July 29, 2024·5 min read

Rapid Stem Cell Model Advances Parkinson’s Research

Researchers have developed a model that quickly converts stem cells to brain cells with Parkinson’s disease (PD) protein structures, allowing for personalized study and treatment. This new approach can transform stem cells into brain cells within weeks, facilitating high-throughput genetic and drug screening. By mimicking diverse protein misfolding seen in PD patients, the model offers a practical tool for diagnostics and drug discovery. This advancement could lead to personalized therapies for Parkinson's and related neurodegenerative diseases.

Featured Neuroscience

·May 31, 2024·7 min read

Mediterranean Diet Cuts Mortality Risk by 23% in Women

Following a Mediterranean diet reduces the risk of all-cause mortality by 23% in U.S. women over 25 years. The diet's benefits include lower cancer and cardiovascular mortality, linked to positive changes in metabolism, inflammation, and insulin resistance. Researchers analyzed biomarkers to understand these health improvements. The study highlights the diet’s potential for long-term health benefits.

Featured Neurology Neuroscience

·May 29, 2024·6 min read

Early Memory Complaints Linked to Alzheimer’s Brain Changes

A new study finds that reports of cognitive decline from patients and their partners are linked to the accumulation of tau tangles, a hallmark of Alzheimer's disease. This underscores the importance of addressing memory concerns early.