FeaturedNeuroscience·April 30, 2025·4 min readHow the Brain Judges Social EncountersScientists have identified the neural circuitry responsible for assigning emotional value—positive or negative—to social encounters. Two key neuromodulators, serotonin and neurotensin, were found to control opposing emotional responses in a brain region responsible for learning and memory.Read More
FeaturedNeuroscience·April 30, 2025·5 min readSmall Bursts, Big Gains: Exercise Shields the Aging BrainNew research shows that even small amounts of high-intensity physical activity can significantly benefit brain health and reduce dementia risk. The study highlights how endurance training and fitness influence inflammation, blood flow, and brain plasticity—key factors in cognitive decline.Read More
FeaturedNeurosciencePsychology·April 30, 2025·6 min readParents Often Miss Early Clues About How Kids Feel at SchoolParents often misread how their children feel about school during their first year, usually taking a full year to align with their child’s actual experiences. While most parents believed their children enjoyed the classroom, many underestimated how much children liked the playground—and vice versa.Read More
FeaturedNeurosciencePsychology·April 30, 2025·7 min readGirls With ADHD Face Higher Risk of AnxietyA new study reveals that in girls, symptoms of inattentive-type ADHD significantly increase the likelihood of developing anxiety during adolescence. Inattention and anxiety appear to reinforce each other in girls, but not in boys, where hyperactivity is the more predictive factor.Read More
FeaturedNeurosciencePsychology·April 30, 2025·5 min readDance and Lullabies May Not Be Human Universals After AllNew research challenges the long-held belief that dance and lullabies are universal to human culture. Drawing on over four decades of ethnographic work among the Northern Aché people in Paraguay, researchers found no evidence of group dancing or infant-directed singing.Read More
FeaturedNeurologyNeuroscience·April 30, 2025·5 min readNext-Gen Soft Exoskeleton Boosts Mobility for Kids With Cerebral PalsyResearchers have developed the MyoStep, a next-generation soft exoskeleton designed to help children with cerebral palsy walk more easily and safely. Combining artificial muscles, smart fabrics, and wireless sensor networks, the MyoStep offers a lightweight and adaptable alternative to bulky traditional exoskeletons.Read More
FeaturedNeurosciencePsychology·April 30, 2025·4 min readEarly Teen Depression May Be Easier to Treat Than in AdultsNew research reveals that depression in young teens may be more treatable than in adults, thanks to more flexible and less entrenched symptom patterns. Using data from over 35,000 adolescents, researchers applied network analysis and a novel "network temperature" model to show that depressive symptoms stabilize with age, becoming more resistant to change.Read More
FeaturedNeurologyNeuroscience·April 30, 2025·6 min readPsilocybin Shows Promise for Parkinson’s Mood and Motor SymptomsA new pilot study reveals that psilocybin—the compound found in psychedelic mushrooms—may significantly improve mood, cognition, and motor function in people with Parkinson’s disease. The compound was well tolerated, with only mild side effects, and benefits persisted for weeks after dosing. While the study was primarily designed to test safety, researchers observed meaningful and lasting improvements in multiple symptoms.Read More
FeaturedNeurosciencePsychology·April 30, 2025·6 min readWhat Poor Sleep Really Does to Your BrainChronic sleep disorders and short-term sleep deprivation affect different regions of the brain, highlighting distinct neural impacts. A meta-analysis of 231 brain studies showed that chronic sleep disorders alter regions involved in emotions and memory, while short-term deprivation primarily affects attention and movement regulation.Read More
FeaturedNeurologyNeuroscience·April 30, 2025·5 min readSkin Test Detects Neurodegenerative Disease PSP with High AccuracyResearchers have developed a skin-based test that can detect misfolded tau proteins specific to progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), offering a faster, more accurate diagnosis than current methods. This breakthrough could improve patient assignment to clinical trials and eventually guide targeted, precision treatments.Read More
FeaturedNeurosciencePsychology·April 30, 2025·7 min readThe Smart Way to Teach Math? Mix Speed with StrategyA new review shows that children learn arithmetic most effectively through a structured approach that integrates conceptual understanding with brief timed practice and reflection. Rather than choosing between rote memorization or rich discussion, the most successful instruction cycles through both, reinforcing number sense and mental strategies.Read More
FeaturedNeuroscience·April 30, 2025·7 min readAddiction Accelerates Brain Aging via Distinct Molecular PathwaysSubstance use disorders (SUDs) accelerate biological aging in the brain through substance-specific molecular mechanisms. Using brain-specific epigenetic clocks, researchers found that alcohol, opioids, and stimulants each trigger unique patterns of neurodegeneration, particularly in the decision-making centers of the brain.Read More
