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University of Illinois

·June 17, 2025·6 min read

AI Reveals Key Predictors of Lifelong Brain Health

A new study used machine learning to pinpoint the lifestyle and health factors most strongly associated with cognitive performance across the lifespan. Among 374 adults aged 19 to 82, age, blood pressure, and BMI were the top predictors of success on a focus-and-speed-based attention test.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·May 13, 2025·6 min read

Diverse Social Ties Boost Health in Aging

A decade-long study of over 1,500 older adults reveals that socially enriched networks—marked by diverse and active relationships, are strongly linked to better health outcomes later in life. In contrast, those with restricted networks, often limited to family and shaped by isolation, reported significantly worse health and were less likely to improve their social ties over time.

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Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·May 7, 2025·4 min read

Social Drinking, Not Solitary, Drives Most Alcohol-Related Harm

New research challenges the stereotype of the solitary drinker, showing that social drinking plays a central role in the development and consequences of alcohol use disorder. Studies reveal people consistently drink more in social settings, where heavy drinking often leads to serious harms like violence, risky sex, and traffic fatalities.

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Featured Neuroscience

·April 22, 2025·7 min read

Plant or Meat? Either Fuels Muscle Growth Equally

A new study finds that when it comes to building muscle, the source of dietary protein—whether animal- or plant-based—makes no difference, as long as intake is sufficient. Researchers also discovered that evenly distributing protein across meals doesn't enhance muscle protein synthesis compared to skewed intake later in the day.

Featured Neurology Neuroscience

·March 15, 2025·4 min read

Herpes Virus Linked to Long-Term Brain and Neurological Problems

A new study reveals that herpes simplex virus-1 (HSV-1), commonly known for causing cold sores, can travel through the nasal cavity directly to the brain, causing severe and lasting neurological symptoms. In animal experiments, nasal HSV-1 infection led to persistent neurological dysfunction, including anxiety and cognitive impairment.

Featured Genetics Neuroscience Psychology

·February 23, 2025·6 min read

Genetic Mutation Linked to Schizophrenia Alters Brain Function

Researchers identified a rare genetic mutation in two schizophrenia patients that increased schizophrenia-related behaviors in mice. The mutation led to higher levels of glycine decarboxylase (GLDC), an enzyme that degrades glycine, reducing NMDA receptor activation.

This shows a child sitting alone on a bench while others play around him.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·January 9, 2025·7 min read

Physical Neglect Causes Lifelong Social Challenges in Children

A new study highlights how childhood physical neglect disrupts social development more than physical, emotional, or sexual abuse. Neglected children were less social, less popular, and less connected to cohesive friend groups, facing stigmatization and withdrawal.

This shows a cartoon of older people in a lab.

Featured Neuroscience

·October 7, 2024·5 min read

Life Expectancy Growth Slows, Focus Turns to Healthier Aging

Despite rapid advancements in medicine, a new study indicates that human life expectancy is approaching a biological ceiling, with gains in longevity slowing since the 1990s. Researchers argue that medical progress is providing diminishing returns in extending life expectancy, as age-related deterioration becomes the primary hurdle.

Featured Neuroscience

·July 30, 2024·7 min read

Flu During Pregnancy Linked to Neurodevelopmental Risks

New research shows that severe flu in pregnancy can increase the risk of neurodevelopmental disorders in offspring due to the mother’s immune response. Using live influenza virus in mice, researchers found significant fetal brain changes only when maternal infection reached a certain severity. This study highlights the importance of flu vaccination during pregnancy to reduce risks. It also suggests a threshold of infection severity for fetal brain impact.

This shows a woman lifting two brains as weights.

Featured Neuroscience

·May 6, 2024·5 min read

Exercise Enhances Brain Function Through Muscle-Nerve Interaction

Researchers uncovered a critical link between exercise, muscle function, and brain health. Their study reveals that nerves activating muscles during exercise also trigger the release of molecules that enhance brain function.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·April 9, 2024·3 min read

Why We Fail to Spot Our Own Conspiracy Beliefs

A new study suggests the difficulty in recognizing one’s own beliefs as conspiracy theories contributes to the stigma around "conspiracy theorists." Despite many Americans holding beliefs that could be classified as conspiratorial, the study found that individuals struggle to label these beliefs accurately, especially without reflection or a clear understanding of what constitutes a conspiracy theory.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·April 3, 2024·5 min read

Bridging Motivation Gaps: LLMs and Health Behavior Change

A new study explores how large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT, Google Bard, and Llama 2 address different motivational states in health-related contexts, revealing a significant gap in their ability to support behavior change.