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developmental neuroscience

This shows a lonely child looking out a window.

·April 9, 2024·4 min read

Childhood Loneliness Linked to Later Psychosis

Childhood loneliness significantly increases the likelihood of experiencing a psychotic episode later in life, particularly in women. Through an observational case-control study involving 285 first-episode psychosis patients and 261 controls, the research distinguished the effects of subjective loneliness from objective social isolation.

Autism Featured Genetics Neuroscience

·April 9, 2024·6 min read

Gene Mutation Increases Autism Risk

Researchers made significant strides in understanding autism spectrum disorder's genetic underpinnings. By studying mice with a frameshift mutation in the KMT2C gene, they observed behavioral and cognitive impairments resembling ASD symptoms.

This shows a pregnant woman looking at pills.

Autism Featured Neuroscience

·April 9, 2024·5 min read

Acetaminophen in Pregnancy Not Linked to Autism, ADHD Risk

A comprehensive study involving over 2.4 million Swedish children has debunked the notion that acetaminophen use during pregnancy increases the risk of autism, ADHD, and intellectual disability in offspring. The research employed a novel sibling comparison method to eliminate confounding familial and environmental factors, revealing no increased risk of neurodevelopmental disorders among siblings exposed to acetaminophen prenatally versus those who were not.

Featured Neuroscience

·April 8, 2024·6 min read

Insomnia Begins in Childhood and Persists Through Life

Children and teens from racial and ethnic minority groups, especially Black children, are more likely to suffer from insomnia that begins in childhood and persists into adulthood. The study underscores the chronic nature of insomnia symptoms starting from a young age and their link to significant health issues, including cardiometabolic diseases and mental health disorders.

Autism Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·April 8, 2024·4 min read

Cannabis in Pregnancy Linked to Autism and ADHD Risk

Researchers identified a strong link between prenatal cannabis use disorder (CUD) and heightened risks of ADHD, ASD, and ID in children. The study analyzed over 222,000 mother-offspring pairs in Australia, revealing that children of mothers with prenatal CUD were almost twice as likely to develop these neurodevelopmental disorders.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·April 8, 2024·6 min read

Baby Talk: Early Social Interaction Spurs Language Growth

Early social interactions, characterized by "parentese," smiles, and eye contact, significantly impact infant brain development and language growth. Utilizing magnetoencephalography (MEG), the study observed increased brain activity in 5-month-olds during social interactions with adults, compared to nonsocial scenarios.

Autism Featured Neuroscience

·April 4, 2024·7 min read

Early Gut Flora Imbalance May Predict Autism and ADHD

Disturbances in gut flora during infancy are linked to the later development of neurodevelopmental disorders like autism and ADHD. Analyzing over 16,000 children from the ABIS study, researchers identified significant biomarkers in cord blood and stool samples that correlate with future diagnoses of these disorders.

Featured Neuroscience

·April 2, 2024·5 min read

Infant Microbiomes Dance to a Circadian Rhythm

Infant gut microbiomes develop circadian rhythms from as early as two weeks after birth, becoming more distinct as they age. The research found that dietary differences, such as breastfeeding versus formula feeding, have minimal impact on these microbiome patterns compared to the effect of aging.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·March 29, 2024·7 min read

Teens & Screen Pain: Unveiling Netflix’s Impact on Youth Empathy

Popular Netflix shows and films expose adolescents to an average of 10 incidents of pain every hour, challenging portrayals of pain and suffering in media aimed at 12 to 18-year-olds. This first-of-its-kind research scrutinizes the depiction of painful incidents and responses in shows like "Stranger Things" and "Sex Education."

Featured Neuroscience

·March 28, 2024·6 min read

Babies Predict Actions Based on Language Community

Six-month-old infants can predict actions of individuals who speak their mother tongue, but not of those speaking a foreign language. This research, merging insights from predictive brain mechanisms and social categorization, found that brain activity and eye movement in infants differ based on the language spoken by the observed person.

Featured Genetics Neuroscience Psychology

·March 27, 2024·7 min read

THC Metabolism Could Influence Cannabis Use Disorder Risk

Researchers linked differences in THC metabolism to varying effects of cannabis use and the risk of developing Cannabis Use Disorder (CUD). The study, which included young adults with and without CUD, found that genetic differences in THC-metabolizing enzymes can lead to stronger and longer-lasting effects of cannabis, especially among females who metabolize THC more slowly.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·March 27, 2024·5 min read

Empathy Begins in Infancy

Children as young as 18 months display empathic concern towards others, marking a significant milestone in early emotional and cognitive development. The research found that children's capacity for empathic concern grows in environments where caregivers respond sensitively to their needs, highlighting the importance of social interactions in acquiring empathy.