Sumary: A new study reveals that young mothers who feel emotionally connected to their unborn babies are more likely to form healthy, positive relationships with their children later. Researchers tracked 160 racially diverse, low-income mothers from pregnancy to their child’s toddler years, showing that prenatal bonding plays a key role...
Summary: New research reveals that Type 2 diabetes may impair the brain’s reward and memory processing in ways that mirror early Alzheimer’s disease. The study focuses on the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), a brain region responsible for motivation and emotional regulation, and its interaction with the hippocampus.In diabetic rodent models,...
Summary: The brain constantly evaluates whether stimuli are positive or negative, prompting approach or avoidance behaviors that are essential for survival. A new study reveals that two neuron types in the nucleus accumbens—D1 and D2 neurons—respond together to both rewarding and aversive stimuli, but in distinct ways.Using real-time imaging in...
Summary: New research finds that nearly any form of exercise can enhance brain function and memory across the lifespan. This large-scale umbrella review analyzed data from over 258,000 participants and found that low- to moderate-intensity activities like yoga, Tai Chi, and even exergames significantly benefit cognition.Children and teens saw the...
Summary: Pregnancy and lactation trigger major physiological changes, including shifts in body temperature and environmental preferences. Researchers have now discovered that postpartum female mice develop a long-term preference for cooler environments, driven by brain changes.These changes involve a specific group of neurons in the preoptic area (POA) that express estrogen...
Summary: A new study finds that adults with ADHD show brain changes similar to those seen in early-stage dementia, including higher iron accumulation and increased neurofilament light chain (NfL) levels in the blood. Using advanced MRI scans and blood tests, researchers identified elevated iron in key brain regions and signs...
Summary: A new study reveals how the brain reprocesses and refines memories during sleep, particularly those related to spatial learning. Researchers tracked rats’ hippocampal neuron activity for up to 20 hours and found that memory patterns first echoed the learning phase and then gradually shifted to match the recollection phase...
Summary: Researchers used a virtual reality game and functional MRI to uncover how children’s brains with ADHD respond differently during active tasks. Unlike traditional brain scans taken during rest, this immersive approach revealed distinct patterns of neural communication in ADHD, especially in deeper brain structures.The study shows that ADHD-related brain...
Summary: Rejuvenating the brain’s lymphatic vessels can enhance memory in aging mice by improving the removal of waste products from the brain. This research suggests that targeting the meningeal lymphatics—vessels outside the brain—could be a novel approach to treating age-related cognitive decline without directly crossing the blood-brain barrier.The treatment reduced...
Summary: A new study shows that our brains physically link memories formed close together in time through changes in the dendrites of neurons, rather than in the cell bodies. Using advanced imaging in mice, researchers found that the same dendritic branches are activated when closely timed experiences are encoded, effectively...
