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neurodevelopment

This shows the shadow of a teenage girl.

·May 23, 2024·5 min read

Teen Social Networks Influence Mental Health Disorder Spread

Researchers found that mental disorders can spread within school social networks. By analyzing data from over 700,000 Finnish ninth-graders, they discovered that having classmates with mental disorders increased the risk of being diagnosed with similar conditions later in life.

Autism Featured Neuroscience

·May 23, 2024·6 min read

Key Brain Differences in Autistic Boys and Girls Identified

Researchers discovered significant sex-specific differences in brain development between autistic boys and girls aged 2-13. The study found that autistic girls have a thicker cortex at age 3 and faster cortical thinning into middle childhood compared to boys.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·May 23, 2024·5 min read

School Readiness at 4 Predicts Teen Outcomes

A new study finds that children not deemed "school ready" at age 4 are significantly more likely to be unemployed or out of education by 16. This early disadvantage also predicts lower GCSE achievement. Researchers used data from over 8,000 Bradford young people to identify this link. This highlights the need for early intervention in schools to reduce later disadvantage.

Autism Featured Neuroscience

·May 23, 2024·5 min read

Brain Patterns Predict Autism Risk in Infants

A new study study found distinct brain connectivity patterns in 6-week-old infants at risk for autism. Differences in the Salience Network, responsible for filtering important stimuli, may predict later sensory and social behaviors. Infants with stronger sensory connections showed sensory over-responsivity at age one, while those with stronger social connections demonstrated better shared attention.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·May 22, 2024·4 min read

Strong Link Between Teen Cannabis Use and Psychosis Risk

A new study finds a strong association between teen cannabis use and a significantly increased risk of developing psychotic disorders. This risk appears to be age-dependent, with adolescents being particularly vulnerable to the effects of cannabis on their developing brains. While further research is needed, these findings raise concerns about early cannabis use and highlight the importance of prevention strategies.

Auditory Neuroscience Featured Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles

·May 22, 2024·6 min read

Bilingual Babies’ Brains Adapt Early

Newborns exposed to multiple languages before birth show distinct brain responses to speech sounds. Unlike monolingual babies who are more attuned to a specific language's pitch, bilingual babies show greater sensitivity to a wider range of sounds. This study highlights the impact of prenatal linguistic environments on early brain development and sound processing.

Featured Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles Psychology

·May 21, 2024·5 min read

Parental Distraction Negatively Impacts Child-Parent Interactions

A new study finds that any form of parental distraction, whether from screens or non-digital activities, negatively impacts parent-child interaction. Both digital and non-digital distractions led to reduced parental sensitivity and child engagement. This suggests that it's not the screens themselves, but rather the divided attention, that hinders parent-child communication.

Featured Neuroscience

·May 21, 2024·3 min read

Brain’s Self-Organization is Key to Development

A new study reveals that the brain's cortex can self-organize during development, transforming unorganized inputs into highly structured activity patterns. This self-organization is guided by mathematical rules similar to those found in other natural systems. Disruptions in these patterns could impact sensory perception and contribute to neurodevelopmental disorders like autism.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·May 19, 2024·4 min read

Pre-Pandemic Brain Wiring Predicted Teen Mental Health During COVID

A large study using pre-pandemic brain scans of adolescents reveals that brain wiring before COVID-19 predicted mental health outcomes during the pandemic. Adolescents with stronger connections within the brain's "salience network," responsible for emotion and reward processing, demonstrated greater resilience to stress and negative emotions.

This shows a woman gazing out of a window.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·May 17, 2024·5 min read

Loneliness May Predict Mental Health Issues

A study following 2600 participants over 20 years revealed a correlation between loneliness in adolescence and an increased risk of developing mental health problems like psychosis, bipolar disorder, and depression in adulthood. While causality cannot be definitively determined, the association is strong, highlighting the importance of monitoring and addressing loneliness in young people.

Autism Featured Genetics Neurology Neuroscience

·May 15, 2024·4 min read

CNTN4 Protein’s Role in Autism and Alzheimer’s Unveiled

A new study reveals the crucial role of the protein Contactin-4 (CNTN4) in neuron development, impacting both neurodevelopmental disorders and Alzheimer's disease. Researchers found that CNTN4, linked to autism, interacts with the Alzheimer-related protein APP, affecting neuron growth in the brain's cortex.

Autism Featured Neuroscience

·May 15, 2024·4 min read

Dopamine Disruption Linked to Autism

A new study reveals that disrupted dopamine signaling during neural development is linked to autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Researchers found significant correlations between dopamine pathways and neural development in humans and zebrafish models.