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UC Davis

·November 10, 2025·7 min read

Low Choline Could Be a Hidden Driver of Anxiety

A large meta-analysis of 25 studies found that people with anxiety disorders have significantly lower levels of choline, a vital brain nutrient, compared to individuals without anxiety. This reduction was especially pronounced in the prefrontal cortex, which helps regulate emotion and behavior.

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Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·September 30, 2025·7 min read

Psilocybin Worsens Postpartum Depression Symptoms

New research shows psilocybin, often studied as a treatment for mental health disorders, may worsen symptoms of postpartum depression in mice. Mothers given the drug showed more anxiety, avoidance of their pups, and lasting depressive-like behaviors.

Featured Neuroscience Visual Neuroscience

·September 23, 2025·6 min read

Brain Reveals Attention Works Like a Zoom Lens

A new study shows that our brain’s attention system first prepares broadly, then zooms in on specific details within fractions of a second. Using EEG and machine learning, researchers tracked how people focused on either the color or movement of dots before they appeared.

Autism Featured Neuroscience

·September 17, 2025·5 min read

Gut Problems in Autism Linked to Sleep, Behavior, and Sensory Challenges

A long-term study tracking 475 children found that autistic children are far more likely to experience persistent gastrointestinal issues than their peers. These symptoms often co-occur, persist across childhood, and strongly relate to challenges with sleep, communication, behavior, and sensory processing.

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Featured Neurology Neuroscience

·August 25, 2025·6 min read

Having a Purpose in Life Linked to Lower Dementia Risk

A new study of over 13,000 adults found that having a strong sense of purpose in life is linked to a reduced risk of dementia. Those with higher purpose were 28% less likely to develop cognitive impairment, even when accounting for genetic risk and other factors.

Featured Genetics Neuroscience

·July 21, 2025·4 min read

Hidden Genes in DNA “Dark Matter” Linked to Human Brain Traits

Researchers have identified two genes from the human genome’s “dark matter” that influence brain size and synaptic signaling. Using the complete human genome and zebrafish models, the team showed how these duplicated genes may contribute to what makes the human brain distinctive.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·May 2, 2025·5 min read

Happiness Is as Unique as You Are

A large international study shows that happiness does not stem solely from either external circumstances or internal attitudes, but varies widely between individuals. Some people’s happiness is shaped mostly by life domains like income and relationships, while others draw happiness from internal qualities, or a mix of both.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·April 30, 2025·5 min read

Dance and Lullabies May Not Be Human Universals After All

New 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.

Featured Genetics Neurology Neuroscience

·April 22, 2025·5 min read

Microglia Reprogrammed to Deliver Precision Alzheimer’s Therapies

Researchers have developed engineered human microglia that detect disease-related brain changes and release therapeutic proteins precisely where needed. Using CRISPR technology, the team programmed these cells to secrete an enzyme that breaks down beta-amyloid plaques only in affected areas.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·April 14, 2025·5 min read

LSD-Inspired Drug Reverses Psychosis Brain Damage Without Hallucinations

A new LSD-derived compound called JRT shows promise for treating schizophrenia and other brain disorders without inducing hallucinations. Developed by researchers who altered just two atoms in LSD’s structure, JRT maintains the psychedelic’s neuroplastic effects while avoiding its psychosis-linked risks.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·November 14, 2024·6 min read

Brain Circuits Behind Psychedelics’ Anti-Anxiety Power Decoded

New research has identified distinct neural circuits for the anti-anxiety and hallucinogenic effects of psychedelics. Using the psychedelic DOI in mice, researchers demonstrated that anxiety reduction persists long after hallucinatory effects subside.

Featured Neuroscience

·November 11, 2024·6 min read

Asthma Linked to Memory Deficits in Children

A recent study highlights a connection between asthma and memory difficulties in children, with earlier onset linked to slower memory development over time. In testing episodic memory in children aged 9-10, researchers found that those with asthma scored lower than their peers without the condition.