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University of Bristol

·March 11, 2025·5 min read

Eating Seafood Linked to Kinder, More Socially Skilled Young Children

Children who regularly eat seafood at age 7 exhibit more positive social behaviors—such as sharing, helping, and interacting kindly—by ages 7 and 9, compared to those who rarely consume seafood. This finding, from a large study tracking nearly 6,000 children, underscores seafood’s role in supporting behavioral and social development during childhood.

Featured Neuroscience

·October 18, 2024·5 min read

Mosaic Brain Evolution Drives Learning in Tropical Butterfly

Researchers have discovered that Heliconius butterflies, known for feeding on both nectar and pollen, show mosaic brain evolution with specialized neural expansions linked to enhanced learning and memory abilities. This expansion occurs in specific brain structures called mushroom bodies, which are key for long-term visual memory and spatial learning.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·July 22, 2024·3 min read

Dogs Detect Human Stress Smell, Affecting Their Mood and Choices

Summary: New research finds that dogs exposed to human stress odors make more ‘pessimistic’ choices, indicating a negative emotional state....

Featured Neuroscience

·July 10, 2024·5 min read

Critical Brain Development in Toddlers at 16 Months

Researchers found that 16-month-old toddlers engage more brain regions to develop cognitive skills like inhibitory control. Using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), the study showed increased brain activity in the prefrontal and parietal cortex. Despite no observable improvement in skills, significant brain changes were noted between 10 and 16 months. This highlights 16 months as a crucial period for developing the ability to follow instructions and control impulses.

This shows an older man undergoing an eye exam.

Featured Neuroscience Visual Neuroscience

·June 5, 2024·3 min read

New Breakthrough Treatment for Age-Related Macular Degeneration

Researchers discovered that boosting the protein IRAK-M in retinal cells can effectively treat age-related macular degeneration (AMD). This revolutionary therapy offers a comprehensive approach to AMD, a leading cause of vision loss affecting 200 million people worldwide.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·March 11, 2024·5 min read

Happiness Takes Practice

Happiness can indeed be learned through courses like their 'Science of Happiness', which educates students on evidence-informed habits for well-being. However, a follow-up study indicates that the initial boost in well-being requires sustained effort and continued practice of these habits, such as gratitude and meditation, to maintain long-term benefits.

Featured Neuroscience

·November 27, 2023·4 min read

Beyond Processed Foods: New Insights into What Drives Our Food Choices

A new study challenges prevailing assumptions about food preferences, particularly regarding ultra-processed foods (UPFs). Engaging 224 adults, the study analyzed responses to images of 52 familiar foods, assessing factors like energy density, processing level, and carbohydrate-to-fat ratio.

Featured Neuroscience

·August 7, 2023·5 min read

Navigators of Nature: Butterflies Exhibit Spatial Learning

Until now, research on insect spatial learning primarily focused on social species like bees and ants. This new revelation underscores the possibility of more widespread complex learning skills, such as the use of spatial information, in insects than previously recognized.

Featured Neuroscience

·June 19, 2023·4 min read

Deciphering the Brain’s ‘Traffic Lights’: A Receptor Map Unveiled

Researchers unveiled key organizational principles in the brain, thanks to an intricate mapping of neurotransmitter receptors. The team, studying macaque brains, provided a deeper understanding of how our brain differentiates between internally and externally stimulated thoughts and emotions.

Featured Genetics Neuroscience Psychology

·April 25, 2023·4 min read

Genetic Driver of Anxiety Discovered

An international team of scientists has identified a gene in the brain responsible for anxiety symptoms and found that modifying the gene can reduce anxiety levels, offering a novel drug target for anxiety disorders. The discovery highlights a new amygdala miR483-5p/Pgap2 pathway that regulates the brain's response to stress and provides a potential therapeutic approach for anxiety disorders.