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·September 25, 2025·4 min read

Prozac May Rewire the Brain by Loosening Rigid Neural Circuits

A new study shows that fluoxetine, better known as Prozac, does more than increase serotonin—it changes how brain cells handle energy and rebuild connections. After two weeks of treatment, parvalbumin interneurons in the prefrontal cortex became less rigid, with mitochondrial energy genes reduced and plasticity genes upregulated.

Featured Genetics Neurology Neuroscience

·September 25, 2025·4 min read

Infant Brain Gene Regulator May Predispose Adults to Dementia

A new study reveals that the brain’s vulnerability to disorders like multiple sclerosis and dementia may begin in early life. Researchers identified a developmental “switch” in astrocytes, the brain’s support cells, governed by the NR3C1 gene.

Featured Neuroscience

·September 25, 2025·4 min read

Dopamine Links Social Isolation to Brain Myelin Damage

A new five-year study explores how dopamine may drive changes in brain myelin during social isolation. Researchers will track how dopamine interacts with oligodendrocytes, the cells responsible for producing myelin and supporting neuron function.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·September 25, 2025·6 min read

Postpartum Depression and Psychosis Risks Surge After Childbirth

A large Swedish study of 1.8 million pregnancies found that mental ill health around pregnancy has risen in recent years, with risks spiking after childbirth. While depression and psychosis rates drop during pregnancy, postpartum depression is 20% more likely within weeks 5–15, and psychosis risk is up to seven times higher in the first 20 weeks.

This shows a brain and a person walking.

Featured Neuroscience

·September 25, 2025·5 min read

Healthy Habits Can Make Your Brain Up to 8 Years Younger

A new study shows that brain health is closely tied to lifestyle choices, with positive habits making brains appear years younger than their chronological age. Researchers followed adults, many with chronic pain, and found that optimism, restorative sleep, social connections, and stress management strongly protected against accelerated brain aging.

This shows a woman drinking soda and a shadow of a woman.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·September 24, 2025·5 min read

Sugary Drinks Linked to Depression Through Gut Microbiome

A new study shows that sugary drinks don’t just affect physical health—they may also raise the risk of depression in women by disrupting the gut microbiome. Researchers found that high consumption of soft drinks was linked to both a greater likelihood of major depressive disorder and more severe symptoms, particularly among women.

This shows a pregnant woman surrounded by viruses.

Featured Neuroscience

·September 24, 2025·6 min read

Severe Flu in Pregnancy Lets Harmful Molecules Reach Fetal Brain

A new study shows that severe flu infections in pregnant mice compromise both placental and brain barriers, allowing large molecules and fibrinogen to reach the fetal brain. These molecules accumulated in critical regions like the subventricular zone, where neural stem cells develop, raising concerns about long-term impacts on neurodevelopment.

Featured Neuroscience

·September 24, 2025·6 min read

Emotional Events Rescue Weak Memories, Making Them Last Longer

A new study reveals that emotionally charged or surprising events can retroactively and proactively rescue weak memories, ensuring they persist. The brain doesn’t just preserve the striking moment itself, but also mundane experiences connected to it, depending on timing and similarity.

Auditory Neuroscience Featured Neuroscience

·September 24, 2025·5 min read

Hearing Trouble in Crowds Linked to IQ, Not Ears

New research challenges the assumption that difficulty hearing in noisy places is always linked to hearing loss. Instead, the study found that cognitive ability is strongly tied to how well people process speech amid background chatter.

This shows a person playing an instrument.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·September 24, 2025·5 min read

Positive Memories Boost Musicians’ Performance by Reframing Stress

A new study reveals that recalling positive memories before stepping on stage can significantly boost musicians’ performance. Professional wind instrumentalists who reflected on positive experiences showed higher nervous system activity, greater emotional positivity, and stronger arousal compared to those recalling negative or no memories.

Autism Featured Genetics Neuroscience Psychology

·September 24, 2025·4 min read

Early Clues to Autism and Schizophrenia Risk Found in DNA

Summary: Researchers have built a detailed map of DNA methylation changes in nearly 1,000 human brains from six weeks after...

Featured Genetics Neuroscience

·September 24, 2025·3 min read

Unlocking How Early Life Shapes the Brain

The first major data release from the HEALthy Brain and Child Development (HBCD) Study has provided researchers with a groundbreaking resource to study early childhood brain development. This release includes detailed biomedical and behavioral data from more than 1,400 mothers and children, spanning pregnancy through nine months of age.