Summary: New research reveals that politicians with narcissistic, psychopathic, or Machiavellian traits significantly increase affective polarization among voters. When citizens identify ideologically with such leaders, they become more hostile toward political opponents.This polarization is driven not by opposing politicians but by the actions and rhetoric of the leaders they support....
Summary: Our brains can adapt to filter out repeated distractions, according to a new EEG study. Participants learned to ignore frequent visual distractions, such as a red shape in the same location, while searching for a target.Over time, brain activity showed reduced visual processing for these learned distractions — and...
Summary: Signs of autism may be detectable as early as 9 months of age, well before the typical diagnosis window of 3 to 5 years. Researchers found that infants who were described by parents as fussy, slow to adapt, or delayed in development were more likely to show autism-related traits...
Summary: New research reveals how our brains coordinate with others during dancing, highlighting the importance of shared rhythm and visual contact. When dancers moved to the same song and could see each other, unique neural signals emerged to support social coordination.Surprisingly, the brain responded most to subtle knee-bouncing movements—suggesting these...
Summary: New research has uncovered a disrupted brain communication pathway in children with autism that impairs their ability to quickly shift attention—an essential skill for social interaction. This discovery was made by studying both children with autism and genetically modified mice lacking the Shank3 gene, a common cause of ASD.The...
Summary: A new study shows that transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), a non-invasive brain stimulation method, can influence how quickly and flexibly people make decisions. Researchers targeted the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex—key in planning and action—while participants performed simultaneous visual and auditory tasks.Anodal stimulation, which enhances brain activity, led to quicker...
Summary: A new study reveals that adults with autism process active and passive touch similarly, unlike neurotypical individuals whose brains reduce activity during self-initiated touch. This finding may help explain repetitive behaviors like stimming, which are common in autism and can serve as emotional regulation or sensory coping mechanisms.Using EEG,...
Summary: Listening to nostalgic music activates key brain regions tied to memory and emotion, according to a new brain imaging study. Researchers found that songs linked to personal memories engage both the default mode network and the brain’s reward circuitry.This neural activity may explain why music is such a powerful...
Summary: A new study highlights how controlled exposure to natural light before waking can improve morning alertness and reduce sleepiness. Researchers tested three lighting conditions using light-shielding curtains and sensors to determine the effects of early morning light on 19 participants.The group exposed to 20 minutes of natural light just...
