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Open Access

Neuroscience research articles and press releases that cover research published in Open Access journals are listed below. We use Open Access (OA) to mean that the general public has free, open access to research journal articles published online.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·April 24, 2025·5 min read

Gun Culture a Key Factor in School Shooter Backgrounds

A comprehensive analysis of all known U.S. school shootings reveals that most shooters grew up in social environments where guns were a central part of family bonding and identity. These cultural meanings of affection, fun, and belonging made firearms easily accessible to the shooters—often without barriers at home. In many cases, parents purchased the firearms used or stored them in places their children could reach.

Featured Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles

·April 18, 2025·5 min read

How Intent Shapes Perception of Action

A groundbreaking study used a brain-machine interface to explore how intentions, actions, and their outcomes are temporally linked in the human brain. By recording single-neuron activity from a paralyzed individual with implanted electrodes, researchers enabled intentional hand movement through machine-learning-driven muscle stimulation.

This shows a person sticking out their tongue and neurons.

Featured Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles

·April 10, 2025·5 min read

Purkinje Cells Control Tongue Precision in Skilled Movements

Researchers studying marmosets discovered that Purkinje cells in the cerebellum help regulate tongue movement by signaling when to stop as the tongue nears its target. These cells were highly engaged during precision tasks, like inserting the tongue into narrow tubes, but not during casual grooming.

This shows a hand holding a brain and another reaching out to touch it.

Featured Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles

·April 9, 2025·4 min read

How the Brain Separates Touch We Choose vs. Touch We Receive

Touch is a vital sense, yet the brain processes active and passive touch using distinct pathways. In mice, researchers found that different regions of the thalamus—the brain’s sensory hub—respond uniquely depending on whether the animal actively explored with its whiskers or passively received a touch.

This shows a person in bed and a tablet.

Featured Neuroscience

·April 2, 2025·6 min read

Screen Time in Bed Linked to Less Sleep, Higher Insomnia Risk

A new study of over 45,000 young adults found that using screens in bed increases the risk of insomnia by 59% and cuts sleep by 24 minutes. Surprisingly, the type of activity—whether social media, movies, or studying—didn’t make a difference; it was the screen time itself that mattered most.

Autism Featured Genetics Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles

·April 1, 2025·4 min read

Protein Imbalance Triggers Autism-Like Behavior

A new study reveals that autism-like symptoms in mice emerge when two nerve proteins—MDGA2 and BDNF—fall out of balance. MDGA2 typically keeps BDNF/TrkB signaling in check, but when MDGA2 levels drop, heightened neuronal activity and social impairments occur.

This shows a woman, a cell phone and laptop.

Featured Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles Psychology

·March 29, 2025·5 min read

Why Simply Putting Away Your Phone Won’t Help You Focus

A new study reveals that placing your smartphone out of reach doesn’t significantly reduce distraction or boost productivity. While participants used their phones less when they were farther away, they simply shifted their attention to other devices like laptops. The core issue isn’t the phone itself but the deeply ingrained habits and routines we’ve built around it. Smartphones remain the preferred tool for distraction due to their multifunctionality, portability, and tactile design.

Featured Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles

·March 21, 2025·4 min read

Sleep-Deprived Fruit Flies Show Sharper Memory via PKA Signaling

Fruit flies with genetic mutations that severely reduce sleep show enhanced performance in olfactory memory tasks, challenging assumptions about sleep’s role in cognition. This paradox appears to be driven by increased protein kinase A (PKA) signaling in the mushroom body, a brain region responsible for memory and sleep regulation.

This shows two people awake at night on their phones.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·March 19, 2025·3 min read

Higher Depression Risks for Night Owls

A new study finds that staying up late, known as having an “evening chronotype,” is associated with a higher risk of depression. Researchers analyzed data from 546 university students and found that this link is influenced by sleep quality, alcohol consumption, and mindfulness levels.

This shows the outline of two people and a brain.

Featured Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles Psychology

·February 18, 2025·4 min read

Depression Speeds Up Physical Illness

Adults with a history of depression develop long-term physical conditions about 30% faster than those without, according to a large study. Researchers analyzed data from over 172,000 participants and found that those with depression accrued an average of 0.2 additional conditions per year, compared to 0.16 in those without.

Featured Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles Psychology

·February 12, 2025·5 min read

AI vs. Human Therapists: Study Finds ChatGPT Responses Rated Higher

A new study suggests that ChatGPT’s responses in psychotherapy scenarios are often rated higher than those written by human therapists. Researchers found that participants struggled to distinguish between AI-generated and therapist-written responses in couple’s therapy vignettes.

Auditory Neuroscience Featured Neuroscience

·January 31, 2025·6 min read

Ancient Ear Muscles Reactivate When We Struggle to Listen

Humans have vestigial ear muscles that once helped our ancestors focus on sounds. New research shows these muscles still activate when we strain to hear in noisy environments. Scientists used electromyography to measure auricular muscle activity in people listening to an audiobook with distracting background noise.

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Open Access

Gun Culture a Key Factor in School Shooter Backgrounds

How Intent Shapes Perception of Action

Purkinje Cells Control Tongue Precision in Skilled Movements

How the Brain Separates Touch We Choose vs. Touch We Receive

Screen Time in Bed Linked to Less Sleep, Higher Insomnia Risk

Protein Imbalance Triggers Autism-Like Behavior

Why Simply Putting Away Your Phone Won’t Help You Focus

Sleep-Deprived Fruit Flies Show Sharper Memory via PKA Signaling

Higher Depression Risks for Night Owls

Depression Speeds Up Physical Illness

AI vs. Human Therapists: Study Finds ChatGPT Responses Rated Higher

Ancient Ear Muscles Reactivate When We Struggle to Listen

Eyes Reveal Intentions Faster Than We Think

Blood Test Tracks Brain Tumor Growth with Patient-Specific DNA Markers

Oxytocin Powers Altruistic Responses via Parallel Brain Circuits

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