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This shows a couple, their brains and spines.

·September 23, 2025·9 min read

Spinal Cord Found to Shape Arousal and Sex

A new study overturns the traditional view that the brain solely directs male sexual behavior while the spinal cord executes ejaculation. Researchers identified Galanin-expressing spinal neurons that both drive ejaculation and regulate arousal, integrating sensory input, brain feedback, and internal states.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·September 22, 2025·5 min read

Most Daily Actions Run on Habit, Not Conscious Choice

New research shows that nearly two-thirds of daily behaviors are triggered by habit rather than conscious decision-making. Participants often acted automatically in familiar settings, reflecting learned associations.

Featured Neuroscience

·September 22, 2025·3 min read

Prenatal Endocannabinoid Disruption Impacts Brain Wiring, Behavior

A new study shows that prenatal disruption of the endocannabinoid system can have long-lasting effects on brain structure and behavior. When scientists lowered the activity of an endocannabinoid receptor in the developing mouse brain, neurons failed to migrate properly, and key genes involved in brain development were altered.

Featured Neurology Neuroscience

·September 22, 2025·4 min read

Oral Bacteria May Trigger Parkinson’s Disease

Scientists have uncovered a direct link between oral bacteria and Parkinson’s disease. They found that Streptococcus mutans, best known for causing cavities, can settle in the gut and release metabolites that reach the brain.

Featured Neuroscience Visual Neuroscience

·September 22, 2025·7 min read

Brain Waves Hand Off Visual Signals Across Hemispheres

A new study reveals how the brain unifies vision across its two hemispheres when objects cross the field of view. Researchers tracked neural spikes and brain wave frequencies, showing that different wave patterns anticipate, execute, and confirm the handoff of information from one hemisphere to the other. Gamma and beta waves managed sensory encoding, while alpha waves ramped up before the transfer and theta waves peaked after, signaling completion.

Featured Neuroscience

·September 22, 2025·1 min read

Brain Scans Reveal How Bullying Sparks Instant Alarm and Distress

A new study shows that bullying activates distress pathways in the brain within seconds. Tweens and adults who viewed first-person bullying videos displayed heightened activity in social and emotional brain networks, alongside strong autonomic threat responses.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·September 22, 2025·5 min read

Mini Brains Expose Neural Signatures of Schizophrenia and Bipolar

For the first time, lab-grown mini brains have revealed how neurons misfire in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Using machine learning to analyze electrical activity, researchers identified distinct firing patterns that served as biomarkers, distinguishing patient-derived organoids from healthy ones with over 90% accuracy.

This shows a man eating a lemon, and a brain.

Featured Neuroscience

·September 21, 2025·5 min read

AI Reveals Bitter Taste Receptors’ Hidden Role in Gut-Brain Health

Researchers used AlphaFold3, the latest AI-based protein modeling system, to predict the structures of all 25 known human bitter taste receptors (T2Rs). Compared with AlphaFold2, AF3 consistently generated more accurate structural predictions when benchmarked against experimentally determined data.

This shows a person running and a brain.

Featured Neuroscience

·September 21, 2025·5 min read

High-Intensity Exercise May Protect Against Cocaine Addiction

A new study shows that high-intensity interval training (HIIT) is more effective than moderate exercise at protecting adolescent lab animals from cocaine use. Animals exposed to HIIT developed a preference for non-drug environments and an aversion to cocaine, linked to increases in ΔFosB, a molecular switch involved in addiction.

This shows a boy and girl eating a snack.

Featured Neuroscience

·September 21, 2025·9 min read

Boys Adjust Calorie Intake After Snacks While Girls Keep Eating

A new study found that young boys adjusted their food intake at mealtime when they had already eaten a fruit snack, but girls did not. The findings suggest that boys are more likely to listen to their body’s signals of hunger and fullness, while girls may rely on social or environmental cues.

Featured Neuroscience

·September 20, 2025·6 min read

Cocoa Flavanols Show Anti-Inflammatory Effects

A large clinical trial found that cocoa flavanol supplements can lower age-related inflammation, potentially explaining their heart-protective effects. Researchers analyzed blood samples and discovered a consistent reduction in hsCRP, a biomarker tied to cardiovascular risk, among participants taking cocoa extract.

Featured Neurology Neuroscience

·September 20, 2025·5 min read

Dementia Prevention Must Begin in Childhood, Not Just Midlife

A large international study shows that the accumulation of social hardships across life—known as the social exposome—has lasting effects on the brain. Adverse exposures, including low education, food insecurity, and limited healthcare, were linked to cognitive decline, mental health issues, and altered brain structure and function.