Evolution of Human Brain May Explain High Autism Rates
Summary: A new study suggests that autism may be linked to the rapid evolution of brain cell types…
Environment Shapes Autism-Linked Social Behaviors
Summary: A new study shows that environment significantly affects social behavior in zebrafish carrying a mutation linked to…
Autism Gene Found to Alter Brain’s Social Hormone Signals
Summary: A new study reveals how a mutation in the Shank3 gene, associated with autism, alters social behavior…
Chronic Stress Sends Immune Cells to Brain, Driving Depression
Summary: A new study shows that chronic stress causes immune cells called neutrophils to leave bone marrow in…
Alzheimer’s Linked to Epigenomic Breakdown, Not Just Plaques
Summary: A new large-scale study shows that Alzheimer’s disease is marked by the erosion of epigenomic control, where…
Depression Disrupts Learning to Avoid Unpleasant Events
Summary: Depression specifically impairs the ability to learn how to actively avoid unpleasant events, though it does not…
Extreme Heat Makes People More Negative
Summary: A large-scale global study shows that extreme heat affects not just our bodies, but also our emotions.…
Could a Common Virus Help Drive Parkinson’s?
Summary: New research suggests a previously harmless virus may be linked to Parkinson’s disease. Scientists detected Human Pegivirus…
“Junk DNA” Plays Key Role in Brain Development and Disease
Summary: A new study shows that repetitive DNA, once dismissed as “junk,” plays a critical role in shaping…
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…
Gut Immune Cells Found Migrating to Alzheimer’s Brain
Summary: Researchers have uncovered a surprising link between gut immune cells and the brain in Alzheimer’s disease. In…
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…