Craving junk food after a sleepless night?
Sleep deprivation causes the olfactory system to go into overdrive, sharpening food odors, and breaking down communication within other brain areas that receive food signals.... Read More...
Northwestern University
Stem cell transplant reverses disabling MS-like disease
Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation reversed neuromyelitis optica. Five years following transplantation, only 2 of twelve patients had relapsed.... Read More...
Study furthers understanding about what shapes human gut microbiome
Despite humans sharing a close genetic relationship to apes, our gut microbiome more closely resembles that of Old World monkeys like baboons. In terms of the development of the human microbiome, ecology across evolution plays a more significant role than genetic relationships.... Read More...
Map of broken brain networks shows why people lose speech in language-based dementia
Researchers have identified the location of dysfunctional brain networks that lead to impaired sentence production and word-finding in primary progressive aphasia (PPA). PPA can occur in those with neurodegenerative diseases, such as frontotemporal dementia and Alzheimer's disease. Mapping the networks allows clinicians to apply non-invasive brain stimulation to potentially improve speech in those with PPA. ... Read More...
Wearable device can predict aggressive outbursts in people with autism a minute in advance
A newly designed device can give caregivers warning of an impending aggressive outburst from a person with ASD one minute before it occurs. The device monitors physiological indicators of stress. ... Read More...
Are Attitudes Contagious?
Our attitudes toward others may be attributed to nonverbal signals as much as the behavior of other people. ... Read More...
Newly discovered neural pathway processes acute light to affect sleep
Study challenges the widely accepted belief that all light information is relayed through the suprachiasmatic nucleus, which synchronizes the circadian rhythm.... Read More...
Pink noise boosts deep sleep in mild cognitive impairment patients
Short pulses of pink noise played during slow-wave sleep can help improve memory consolidation for those with mild cognitive impairment.... Read More...
The brain consumes half of a child’s energy, and that could matter for weight gain
New hypothesis proposes a variation in brain energy expenditure during childhood may be linked to increased obesity risk.... Read More...
Safe to breastfeed while on bipolar meds? Jury’s still out
Previous research into the effects of lithium exposure via breastmilk are poorly designed and sparse, researchers report. Until more research is done, mothers and babies should be reviewed on a case-by-case basis for lithium continuation, as discontinuing the medication could pose a significant risk for both child and parent.... Read More...
Genes linked to psychoactive properties of beverages may explain why we love coffee, beer and soda
Genes related to the psychoactive properties of sweet and bitter beverages, and not variations in our taste genes, may explain why some people prefer sodas over coffee, and vice-versa. ... Read More...
Brain stimulation reverses age-related memory loss
Transcranial magnetic stimulation applied to the parietal lobe improves the function of brain areas important for memory which are disrupted by aging. The study reports TMS helps improve memory in older adults experiencing memory loss to the level of younger adults.... Read More...