Summary: A new study reveals that the thalamus, long overshadowed by the cortex and hippocampus, plays a crucial role in shaping and updating brain connections. Researchers observed plasticity in thalamic neurons in response to visual experiences, independent of the cortex—an unexpected finding.These changes, especially pronounced during development but also present...

Summary: A new study shows that background music in workplaces can harm employee mood, energy, and job performance when it doesn’t match individual needs. This “music misfit” effect leads to mental fatigue, decreased focus, and even counterproductive behaviors.The negative impact is especially pronounced for workers who struggle to ignore background...

Summary: A new study finds that mothers’ adverse childhood experiences (ACEs)—including abuse, neglect, or household dysfunction—may affect children diagnosed with ADHD or autism. Mothers who faced early trauma were more likely to have children who reported similar experiences and to exhibit traits of neurodevelopmental conditions themselves.No such link was found...

Summary: A new study reveals that infants as young as three months can perceive their own heartbeat, and their awareness of breathing develops during the second year of life. This early body awareness is closely linked to emotional development, identity, and interactions with caregivers.Using eye-tracking to detect infants’ attention to...

Summary: New research reveals that the immune molecule IL-17 can influence behavior by acting directly on specific regions of the brain. IL-17 reduces neuron excitability in the cortex to enhance sociability, while in the amygdala, it increases excitability and induces anxiety.These findings demonstrate that cytokines can act like neuromodulators, linking...

Summary: A new study finds that spontaneous mind wandering may actually boost learning during tasks that require minimal attention. Researchers recorded brain activity while participants completed a simple, low-effort learning task based on probability.Surprisingly, participants who let their minds drift performed just as well—if not better—than when fully focused. This...

Summary: New research shows that difficult early-life experiences are linked to weaker white matter connections across the adolescent brain, which may lead to lower cognitive performance. These “communication highways” in the brain are essential for functions like language and mental arithmetic and are shaped by early environmental influences.Using brain imaging...

Summary: A new study explored whether young adults with ADHD are more likely to listen to background music during daily tasks. The survey, involving over 400 participants, found that individuals with ADHD prefer listening to music—especially stimulating music—while studying or playing sports.This contrasts with neurotypical individuals, who tend to listen...

Summary: A new study reveals how a single food poisoning experience creates long-lasting aversive memories in the brain. Researchers found that mice developed strong aversions to a flavored drink after getting sick, even with a 30-minute delay between consumption and illness.The central amygdala, a brain region tied to fear and...

Summary: A large new analysis of 102 clinical trials finds that ADHD medications have overall small effects on blood pressure and heart rate in both children and adults. These cardiovascular effects—mostly modest increases—were consistent across stimulants and non-stimulants, with guanfacine being the exception, lowering these parameters.While concerns have been raised...