Summary: Researchers have discovered that a gene previously seen as a biomarker for Alzheimer’s disease, PHGDH, actually plays a causal role by disrupting gene regulation in the brain. Using AI, the team revealed that PHGDH has a hidden DNA-binding function unrelated to its known enzymatic activity.This malfunction triggers early Alzheimer’s...
Summary: Humans have an exceptional ability to learn socially, but most studies have focused on overly simplified tasks. In a new study using Minecraft, researchers found that the most successful participants dynamically balanced individual exploration and social learning. Adaptability, rather than relying solely on one strategy, predicted better performance across...
Summary: A large international study finds that babies living in insecure conditions, including as refugees, display key social skills on par with children raised in more stable environments. Using eye-tracking technology, researchers found that over 800 children from Sweden, Uganda, Bhutan, and Zimbabwe equally followed social cues like shared attention,...
Summary: New findings from the EXERT study reveal that both low and moderate-high intensity exercise may help preserve cognitive function in older adults with mild memory problems—a major risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease. Over 12 months, participants who engaged in either form of exercise showed significantly less cognitive decline and...
Summary: Serotonin neurons in the brainstem are not independent, as once thought, but interact to influence decision-making. Researchers found that clusters of serotonin neurons compete and collaborate, shaping when and how serotonin is released throughout the brain.This discovery challenges older views of a uniform serotonin signal and may have major...
Summary: Not everyone remembers their dreams, and a new study reveals why. Researchers found that dream recall is most strongly influenced by a person’s attitude toward dreams, their tendency to mind-wander, and specific sleep characteristics.People who value dreams more, daydream frequently, and experience longer sleep with less deep sleep are...
Summary: A large longitudinal study found that older adults with high levels of autistic traits experience no greater decline in spatial working memory than their neurotypical peers. Researchers tracked cognitive performance over seven years in more than 10,000 UK adults aged 50 and older.The findings challenge concerns that autistic individuals...
Summary: Researchers have mapped age-related changes in the brain’s locus coeruleus (LC), a region linked to cognition and Alzheimer’s risk, by tracking neuromelanin, a pigment that gives it its signature blue hue. In a diverse group of participants aged 19 to 86, they found an inverted U-shaped pattern: LC signal...
Summary: A new study challenges the belief that exposure to facts only deepens political divisions. Researchers found that when Americans were presented with balanced, credible information about gun control, and incentivized to engage with it, they retained the facts and even revised their views.Instead of becoming more polarized, participants shifted...
Summary: As single-child families rise in the U.S., more adults are navigating the intense responsibility of caregiving without the support of siblings. A new study reveals that only children experience greater emotional and financial stress when caring for aging parents, and support from friends or extended family doesn’t offer the...
