Summary: Infants’ heart rate rhythms are closely linked to their early vocalizations, including coos, babbles, and emerging words. Researchers found that babies were most likely to produce sounds when their heart rate reached a peak or trough, with speech-like sounds occurring during heart rate deceleration.This connection highlights how heart rate...

Summary: A new study reveals that a reduced neural response to rewards in teens predicts the first onset of depression, but not anxiety or suicidality. Researchers used EEG scans to measure “reward positivity” in at-risk adolescents and found that those with blunted responses were more likely to develop depression.This neural...

Summary: Researchers have found that ketamine’s antidepressant effects target astroglia, a type of brain support cell, rather than neurons, challenging conventional views. Using zebrafish, scientists observed that ketamine suppressed the “giving up” behavior caused by futility signals, an effect linked to astroglial activation.Whole-brain imaging revealed ketamine overstimulated astrocytes, reducing their...

Summary: Researchers have developed lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) that cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and precisely target brain cells, a major step toward treating neurological diseases like Alzheimer’s. By attaching short peptides to LNPs, scientists achieved targeted mRNA delivery to neurons and endothelial cells, avoiding invasive procedures.Peptides are smaller, more stable,...

Summary: Large language models (LLMs) can identify when they are being given personality tests and adjust their responses to appear more socially desirable. Researchers found that LLMs, like GPT-4, showed exaggerated traits such as reduced neuroticism and increased extraversion when asked multiple test questions.This “social desirability bias” emerges because LLMs...

Summary: A Phase I clinical trial has demonstrated the long-term safety of neural stem cell transplantation for chronic spinal cord injuries. Researchers followed four patients for five years, with two showing sustained neurological improvements, including better motor function and sensory responses.Neural stem cells, derived from human cells, can integrate into...

Summary: Researchers have developed lab-grown neurons that behave more like real brain networks, advancing the study of learning and memory. Using microfluidic devices, the neurons formed diverse and functional networks, resembling those seen in living nervous systems.These networks exhibited complex activity patterns and showed neural plasticity, reconfiguring in response to...

Summary: New research shows that breathing rhythms during sleep synchronize brain waves in the hippocampus, a region essential for memory consolidation. These brain waves—slow waves, spindles, and ripples—occur at specific points in the breathing cycle, suggesting breathing plays a key role in memory processing.Disordered sleep breathing, like sleep apnea, could...

Summary: A new study shows that knowing you’re under surveillance triggers a faster, automatic brain response to detect faces and gaze direction. Researchers found that participants monitored via CCTV became hyper-aware of facial stimuli nearly a second faster than those not being watched, even without realizing it.This involuntary effect impacts...

Summary: A new study reveals that developmental differences strongly influence dominance roles in twin relationships, with typically developing twins perceived as dominant over their nontypically developing siblings. This dominance imbalance persists throughout childhood, even if developmental challenges improve.Genetic similarity also impacts dynamics, as monozygotic twins exhibit more symmetrical relationships than...