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Penn State

Featured Genetics Neuroscience Psychology

·May 29, 2026·10 min read

Unmasking the Epigenetic Disparity in Anxiety Disorders

Can we permanently dismantle post-traumatic stress disorder by erasing the physical marks trauma leaves on our genes? Backed by a five-year, $3.2 million grant researchers are exploring the epigenetic architecture of the amygdala to decode how a single terrifying event creates a long-lasting "molecular memory".

This shows a cigarette, a vape, and a graph showing the increase in smoking cessation rate when vaping.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·May 19, 2026·13 min read

Salt-Nicotine E-Cigarettes Triple Smoking Cessation Odds

Can switching to a pod-based electronic cigarette serve as a highly effective off-ramp for chronic smokers? A randomized, placebo-controlled trial reveals that switching to a 5% salt-nicotine e-cigarette triples the likelihood of successful smoking cessation within six weeks.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·May 15, 2026·9 min read

Harsh Parenting Biologically Distorts Child Stress Regulation

A new study utilizes Respiratory Sinus Arrhythmia (RSA) monitoring to provide rare biological evidence of parent-child "co-regulation." While less-harsh mothers naturally exit the regulatory driver's seat as their preschoolers age into independent self-regulation, aggressive parenting upends this evolutionary pipeline.

This shows a person doing sit-ups and a brain.

Featured Neuroscience

·April 27, 2026·9 min read

Abdominal Movement Flushes Neural Waste

Tensing your stomach acts as a hydraulic pump, swaying the brain to clear out toxins.

This shows a brain model with the bci on it.

Featured Neuroscience

·April 18, 2026·9 min read

3D-Printed “Honeycomb” Sensors Match Your Unique Neural Map

Researchers have developed 3D-printed, honeycomb-structured hydrogel electrodes that perfectly match the unique folds of a patient's brain for safer, high-quality neural monitoring.

Featured Neuroscience

·March 26, 2026·11 min read

Teen’s Internal Clock Controls Their Cravings

A new study shows that sleep timing is the "lever" for teen heart health. Night owls eat more calories and move less, especially during the school year when their internal clocks clash with early start times.

Featured Neurology Neuroscience Psychology

·November 11, 2025·7 min read

Stress Undermines Brain Circulation, Increases Dementia Risk

Researchers found that a rare class of neurons—type-one nNOS neurons—plays a central role in regulating brain blood flow and coordinating neural activity in mice. Removing these stress-vulnerable cells caused major drops in vessel oscillations and widespread reductions in electrical signaling, suggesting a crucial link between neuron loss, blood-flow decline, and brain-function impairment.

Featured Neuroscience

·October 17, 2025·7 min read

People Miss Racial Bias Hidden Inside AI Emotion Recognition

A new study reveals that most people fail to recognize racial bias embedded in AI systems, even when it is visible in the training data. The research shows that artificial intelligence trained on imbalanced datasets—such as happy white faces and sad Black faces—learns to associate race with emotion, perpetuating biased performance.

This shows a boy and girl eating a snack.

Featured Neuroscience

·September 21, 2025·9 min read

Boys Adjust Calorie Intake After Snacks While Girls Keep Eating

A new study found that young boys adjusted their food intake at mealtime when they had already eaten a fruit snack, but girls did not. The findings suggest that boys are more likely to listen to their body’s signals of hunger and fullness, while girls may rely on social or environmental cues.

Featured Neuroscience

·August 13, 2025·4 min read

Sonic Swarms: How Tiny Robots Use Sound to Think and Move Like One

Researchers have developed a model for micro-sized robots that use sound waves to communicate, allowing them to self-organize into swarms with collective intelligence. These sonic swarms can adapt their shape, navigate complex spaces, and re-form if disrupted, making them potentially useful for environmental, medical, and sensor applications.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·May 7, 2025·5 min read

Robot Gender and Design Influence Customer Choices

New research reveals that service robots’ gendered characteristics can shape customer decisions in the hospitality industry. Robots with male-associated traits were more persuasive with women who had a lower sense of personal power, while customers with higher power felt less influenced.

This shows a woman's face with a digital sticker.

Featured Neuroscience

·April 22, 2025·6 min read

Smart Sticker Reads Real Emotions Beneath the Surface

A new stretchable, rechargeable sticker developed by researchers can detect authentic emotional states by measuring physiological signals like heart rate, skin temperature, and humidity, even when facial expressions are misleading. The wearable patch transmits real-time data to mobile devices, helping health providers assess mental health remotely.