FeaturedNeuroscience·January 17, 2025·5 min readPregnancy Reshapes Mom’s Brain, Reducing Gray MatterPregnancy leads to a 4.9% reduction in gray matter volume in 94% of the brain, with partial recovery postpartum, primarily in regions tied to social cognition. A groundbreaking neuroimaging study analyzed brain changes in 179 women, including non-gestational mothers, revealing that these changes are biologically driven by pregnancy hormones rather than the experience of motherhood.Read More
FeaturedNeurosciencePsychology·February 6, 2024·4 min readCan’t Buy Me Happiness: Joy Beyond WealthMany Indigenous and local communities report high levels of life satisfaction despite low monetary incomes, challenging the widely held belief that economic growth is essential for happiness. Surveying 2,966 individuals across 19 globally diverse sites, researchers found life satisfaction scores in these communities comparable to those in affluent countries, with some even surpassing the happiness indices of wealthy Scandinavian nations.Read More
FeaturedNeuroscience·September 18, 2023·6 min readMotherhood’s Brain Blueprint: How Pregnancy Rewires UsResearchers have delved into the neurobiological evolution during pregnancy and postpartum, shining a light on brain changes and maternal behavior. Hormonal fluctuations, especially related to estrogens, are believed to induce brain plasticity during these periods.Read More
FeaturedNeurologyNeuroscience·June 22, 2023·5 min readLiver-Brain Axis Plays Key Role in Alzheimer’sResearchers found evidence pointing to the crucial role the liver might play in Alzheimer's disease development. The study discovered liver dysfunction characteristics in Alzheimer's disease mouse models, including abnormal protein deposits and oxidative stress.Read More
FeaturedNeuroscienceOpen Neuroscience ArticlesPsychology·May 12, 2022·4 min readExcessive Sports Training May Have Negative Effects on Mood StateIntense sports training may be good for the body, but it might not always be so good for the mind. Researchers found the more intense a training session is, the lower both mood and heart rate variability are the next day.Read More
FeaturedNeurologyNeuroscience·April 30, 2022·4 min readA New Treatment Reduces Inflammation in Multiple Sclerosis Mice ModelsAdministering a lipid that mediates inflammation reduced chronic inflammation associated with multiple sclerosis in mouse models. Researchers found these mediator lipids are reduced in humans with multiple sclerosis.Read More
FeaturedNeurologyNeuroscienceOpen Neuroscience Articles·April 29, 2021·5 min readInflammation Seen in Earliest Stages of Parkinson’s Disease, and It Is Different Between Men and WomenStudy finds evidence of inflammation in the blood of patients during the early stages of Parkinson's disease. The findings support the theory that inflammation is a driver of the neurodegenerative disorder. The effect was most noticed in women with Parkinson's.Read More
FeaturedNeurologyNeuroscienceOpen Neuroscience Articles·May 13, 2020·3 min readSignificant differences exist among neurons expressing dopamine receptorsDopamine receptors have different molecular features and functions depending on their anatomical location within the striatum. The findings could help develop better-targeted treatments for a range of disorders from schizophrenia to Parkinson's disease.Read More
Brain CancerFeaturedGeneticsNeurologyNeuroscienceOpen Neuroscience Articles·October 30, 2019·2 min readKey gene in familial Alzheimer’s disease regulates neuronal developmentResearchers identify a new cell mechanism that connects Alzheimer's disease and cancers.Read More
AutismFeaturedGeneticsNeuroscienceOpen Neuroscience Articles·July 25, 2019·4 min readBrain protein mutation from child with autism causes autism-like behavioral change in miceResearchers implanted a genetic mutation that encodes the DAT protein from a child with ASD into mice. The mice began to exhibit autism-like behavioral deficits. Mice with the DAT T356M mutation had reduced social interaction and a loss in social dominance. The mice also demonstrated an increase in hyperactivity. At the physiological level, the researchers found impaired striatal dopamine transmission and clearance.Read More
FeaturedPsychology·February 25, 2019·3 min readUrban Parks Could Make You HappierSpending 20 minutes in an urban park helps to increase emotional well being, regardless of whether or not a person is participating in exercise, a new study reports.Read More
FeaturedNeuroscience·November 12, 2018·3 min readDynamic Audiovisuals Increase Spectator Attention, But Inhibit Conscious ProcessingStudy reports audiovisual editing causes an increase in activity in visual processing areas, while continuous and orderly editing produces more cognitive processing activity.Read More
