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·June 29, 2023·4 min read

Decoding Repetitive Negative Thoughts: Machine Learning Predicts Rumination

A team of researchers have developed a predictive model to recognize patterns of persistent negative thinking, or rumination, using machine learning. Researchers hypothesized that the variance of dynamic connectivity between certain brain regions, such as the dorsal medial prefrontal cortex (dmPFC), could be associated with rumination.

Featured Genetics Neurology Neuroscience

·June 28, 2023·5 min read

Genetic Variant Linked to Faster Progression of Multiple Sclerosis Found

A new study involving over 22,000 people with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) has identified a genetic variant associated with the disease's faster progression. The research discovered a genetic variant that significantly affects disease severity.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·June 28, 2023·6 min read

Childhood Reading Habits Boost Brain and Mental Health in Teens

Encouraging children to indulge in reading for pleasure can enhance their cognitive and mental health during adolescence, a recent study reveals. The research, involving over 10,000 young adolescents from the US, discovered that an optimal reading duration of 12 hours per week contributed to improved brain structure and mental health.

Featured Neuroscience

·June 28, 2023·6 min read

In Dreams of Color: Octopuses Exhibit REM-Like Sleep Patterns

Octopuses, despite their completely different brain structures, display sleep cycles akin to humans. The research reveals octopuses enter an active sleep phase similar to REM sleep in humans, suggesting the existence of this sleep stage in complex cognition across species.

Featured Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles

·June 28, 2023·5 min read

Beyond Caffeine: How the Coffee Experience Enhances Brain Readiness

Drinking coffee increases alertness and prepares people to switch from rest to task mode more so than just consuming caffeine. Researchers found coffee drinking decreased the connectivity of the brain's default mode network - involved in introspection - indicating readiness to move on to tasks.

Featured Neuroscience

·June 28, 2023·5 min read

Cognitive Flexibility: Neural Connection Key to Adapting to Change Unearthed

A recent discovery identified a specific type of neuronal connection in the prefrontal cortex responsible for updating our understanding of the world and its rules. The connection, formed by inhibitory neurons, communicates with neurons located far away in the opposite hemisphere of the prefrontal cortex.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·June 28, 2023·4 min read

Key Brain Activity Absent in Borderline Personality Disorder

Researchers have identified a brain region, the rostro-medial prefrontal cortex, which reacts differently to social rejection in individuals with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). This region, typically more active during episodes of rejection, remains inactive in individuals with BPD, characterized by heightened sensitivity to rejection and emotional instability.

Featured Neuroscience

·June 27, 2023·3 min read

Obesity Alters Brain’s Response to Food Cues

New research using molecular imaging with 18F-flubatine PET/MRI shows a distinct response to food cues in the brains of obese individuals compared to those of normal-weight individuals. The study sheds light on the biological mechanisms of obesity and opens the door to potential targeted treatments.

Featured Genetics Neuroscience

·June 27, 2023·6 min read

Human Embryo-Like Model Derived from Stem Cells Opens New Avenues for Research

Researchers developed a stem cell-derived model of the human embryo in the lab. This innovative model, created from pluripotent stem cells, enables experimental modeling of embryonic development during the second week of pregnancy, a critical period often associated with pregnancy loss.

Featured Neuroscience

·June 27, 2023·4 min read

Orangutans Simultaneously Produce Dual Sounds: A Clue to Human Speech Evolution

Orangutans are capable of simultaneously producing two different sounds, akin to human beatboxers or songbirds. Through observations of vocalising orangutan populations in Borneo and Sumatra, researchers discovered this shared vocal phenomenon.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·June 27, 2023·4 min read

COVID-19 Worries Influence Emotional Quality of Daydreams

A new study investigated the connection between COVID-19-related anxieties and the emotional content of daydreaming and nighttime dreaming. It found a significant correlation between daily COVID-19 worries and the emotional quality of daydreaming.

This shows the outine of two kids and a brain.

Featured Neuroscience

·June 27, 2023·8 min read

Childhood Poverty’s Impact: Reshaping the Brain’s Communication Pathways

Growing up in poverty may impact a child’s brain development, specifically in the white matter tracts which facilitate communication between different brain regions. The research, part of the large-scale Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study, links neighborhood and household poverty to these crucial aspects of brain structure.