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University of Cambridge

This shows a teen alone in a dark room with a cell phone, surrounded by emojis.

·September 9, 2025·5 min read

Loneliness Drives Teens to Seek Rewards

A new study reveals that adolescents are highly sensitive to even brief periods of social isolation, showing a sharp increase in motivation to seek rewards after just a few hours alone. This heightened drive can encourage reconnection but may also lead to risky behaviors if social contact isn’t available.

This shows a statue of a person holding their head. Neurons are overlayed.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·September 2, 2025·6 min read

Chronic Stress Sends Immune Cells to Brain, Driving Depression

A new study shows that chronic stress causes immune cells called neutrophils to leave bone marrow in the skull and collect in the brain’s protective membranes, where they contribute to depressive symptoms. In mice, blocking an immune “alarm” pathway reduced these cells and improved mood-related behaviors.

Brain Cancer Featured Neurology Neuroscience

·September 2, 2025·5 min read

Freezing Brain Molecules Could Halt Deadly Cancer Spread

Scientists have identified a new way to stop glioblastoma — the deadliest form of brain cancer — from spreading by altering its environment rather than targeting the tumor directly. The team showed that cancer cells depend on flexible hyaluronic acid molecules to invade surrounding brain tissue, but when these molecules were "frozen," cells became immobile and dormant.

Featured Genetics Neurology Neuroscience

·July 7, 2025·6 min read

Stem Cell Grafts Show Promise in Repairing Myelin in MS

A new study reveals that neural stem cell grafts can generate new myelin in the central nervous system, offering hope for treating progressive multiple sclerosis (MS). Researchers showed that induced neural stem cells matured into myelin-producing oligodendrocytes and safely integrated into damaged regions in a mouse model.

This shows people in an art gallery. Above their heads are thought bubbles.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·May 11, 2025·6 min read

Contemplating Beauty Boosts Abstract Thinking

A new study finds that actively engaging with artistic beauty—rather than just looking at art—enhances abstract thinking and psychological distancing, helping people see the bigger picture beyond daily concerns. Participants who focused on rating the beauty of ceramic artworks scored significantly higher on cognitive tests measuring abstract thought than those who simply matched objects with line drawings.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·May 6, 2025·8 min read

Teens With Mental Health Conditions Use Social Media Differently

Adolescents with mental health conditions report distinct and often more negative experiences on social media compared to their peers. Those with internalising conditions like anxiety and depression were more likely to compare themselves to others, struggle with self-control, and experience mood changes tied to likes and comments.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·April 30, 2025·6 min read

Parents Often Miss Early Clues About How Kids Feel at School

Parents often misread how their children feel about school during their first year, usually taking a full year to align with their child’s actual experiences. While most parents believed their children enjoyed the classroom, many underestimated how much children liked the playground—and vice versa.

Featured Neuroscience

·April 23, 2025·6 min read

Earlier Bedtimes Linked to Better Brain Function in Adolescents

A large-scale study has found that adolescents who go to bed earlier and get slightly more sleep show better brain function and higher cognitive test performance than their peers. Using wearable devices and brain imaging from over 4,000 participants, researchers discovered that even small differences in sleep duration and timing impacted brain volume and task performance.

Featured Neurology Neuroscience

·January 21, 2025·6 min read

Antibiotics and Other Drugs May Reduce Dementia Risk

A study analyzing data from over 130 million individuals found that antibiotics, antivirals, vaccines, and anti-inflammatory medications are associated with a reduced risk of dementia. This supports the idea that infections and inflammation contribute to dementia and highlights the potential of repurposing existing drugs for prevention or treatment.

Featured Neuroscience

·January 7, 2025·6 min read

Study Confirms Early Brain Differences Between Sexes

A study analyzing over 500 newborns has confirmed that brain structure differences between male and female infants are present from birth. While male brains were larger on average, females had more grey matter in regions related to memory and emotion, whereas males had more white matter and grey matter in sensory and motor regions.

This shows a teen sitting alone on a phone.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·November 13, 2024·6 min read

Isolation Spurs Teen Threat Sensitivity, Even With Online Interaction

A new study finds that brief isolation increases threat sensitivity in teens, even if they remain connected online. Adolescents isolated in a room for several hours showed heightened physiological stress and anxious responses to potential threats, regardless of whether they had access to smartphones.

Featured Neurology Neuroscience

·October 8, 2024·5 min read

Brainstem Inflammation Linked to Long-Covid Symptoms

New research shows that severe Covid-19 infection can cause inflammation in the brainstem, potentially leading to prolonged symptoms like fatigue, breathlessness, and anxiety. Using ultra-high-resolution 7-Tesla MRI scanners, scientists observed specific brainstem areas associated with these symptoms, highlighting how immune response post-infection might affect brain health.