Why this common gene variant is bad for your brain
At least one-fifth of all people on the planet are carrying a gene variant that predisposes them to…
Eye Movements Reveal Hidden Memories Beyond What People Report
Summary: A new study demonstrated that eye movements can serve as a powerful tool for detecting memory, even…
Dementia Prevention Must Begin in Childhood, Not Just Midlife
Summary: A large international study shows that the accumulation of social hardships across life—known as the social exposome—has…
Neural Control of Balance and Motion Revealed
Summary: Researchers studying fruit flies discovered that nerve cells sensing limb motion are turned off when the insect…
Brain Balances Rhythms to Switch Between Memory Recall and Novelty
Summary: Researchers discovered how the brain flexibly switches communication pathways depending on context, balancing between memory recall and…
Stress Relief Brain Circuit May Drive Alcohol Relapse
Summary: A new study highlights how the brain learns to keep alcohol addiction going, not for pleasure but…
Brain Iron Levels Predict Cognitive Decline Risk
Summary: A new study demonstrates that brain iron levels, measured with a special MRI technique, can predict cognitive…
REM Sleep Reactivation Locks Memories in Place
Summary: Rare adult-born neurons in the hippocampus are reactivated during REM sleep, locking waking experiences into long-term memory.…
Attention and Focus Abilities Peak Between Ages 27 and 36
Summary: Researchers analyzed 139 neuroimaging studies spanning ages 5 to 85 to map the brain’s activity in cognitive…
Genetics Reveal How Human Contact Shapes Language Evolution
Summary: A new study shows that genetic evidence of historical contact between populations reveals consistent patterns of language…
The unexpected value of communicating science to the public
Rust, N. C. Our memory is even better than experts thought. Sci. Am. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/our-memory-is-even-better-than-experts-thought/ (2021). Sutton, R. S.…
The Midlife “Unhappiness Hump” Has Vanished, But at a Cost
Summary: A new large-scale study finds that the long-observed “unhappiness hump,” where mental distress peaked in midlife, has…