Summary: A new randomized study found that when parents sing more frequently to their infants, both babies and caregivers experience measurable improvements in mood and wellbeing. The study involved 110 caregiver-infant pairs who participated in a four-week music enrichment intervention via smartphone.Results showed that singing increased significantly, especially in soothing...
LLMs mimic people mental disorder
Summary: A new study reveals that GPT-4o, a leading large language model, displays behavior resembling cognitive dissonance—a core human psychological trait. When asked to write essays either supporting or opposing Vladimir Putin, GPT-4o’s subsequent “opinions” shifted to align with its written stance, especially when it “believed” the choice was its...
Cats You Smell Together and Know Their Proprietors.
Summary: A new study has found that domestic cats can distinguish between their owner’s scent and that of a stranger using their sense of smell alone. When presented with scent samples from familiar and unfamiliar humans, cats consistently spent more time sniffing the unfamiliar scent.This behavior suggests cats may use...
Head cells move in a similar way to traffic lights, controlling every move.
Summary: New research reveals that neurons in the basal ganglia not only initiate movement but also suppress it with remarkable precision, challenging the traditional view that they merely act as a brake. Scientists studying mice found that individual neurons in the Substantia Nigra pars reticulata (SNr) switch dynamically between activation...
First Autism Tests Don’t Show Sexual Distinctions in Toddlers.
Summary: A large-scale study of over 2,500 toddlers found no significant clinical differences in autistic traits between males and females at the time of early diagnosis. Conducted over two decades, the study used comprehensive assessments across language, motor skills, cognitive traits, and social behaviors.The only noted difference was a slight...
Amygdala influences the cultural choices of fresh song-learning children.
Summary: Young zebra finches learn their birdsong by observing and imitating adult “tutor” birds, but they don’t follow just anyone. A new study shows that juvenile finches prefer tutors who sing longer but less often, suggesting social cues guide their choices.When researchers removed the amygdala, a brain region tied to...
For Safer Gene Delivery, Nitric Oxide Unlocks the Blood-Brain Barrier
Summary: Researchers have discovered that nitrous oxide can safely enhance the delivery of gene therapy to the brain by making the blood-brain barrier (BBB) more permeable when paired with focused ultrasound (FUS). This method required significantly lower concentrations of microbubbles and ultrasound pressure than conventional techniques, reducing the risk of...
Immune Defense is boosted by Daylight.
Summary: Researchers have discovered that daylight enhances the infection-fighting power of neutrophils, the most abundant white blood cells in the body. Using transparent zebrafish, scientists observed that these immune cells contain internal circadian clocks that are activated by light, boosting their bacterial-killing ability during the day.This synchronization between daylight and...
The brainstem’s cells are responsible for semaglutide’s weight-loss consequences
Summary: Researchers have identified a specific group of brainstem neurons that mediate the appetite-reducing and weight-loss effects of semaglutide without triggering side effects like nausea. In mice, activating these neurons led to reduced food intake and fat loss, mimicking the drug’s benefits.Conversely, disabling them diminished semaglutide’s effects on weight, but...
How Time Transforms Emotion in Memory: What Is the Nature of Sentimentality?
Summary: New research reveals that nostalgic memories don’t remain emotionally static, they evolve over time. While these memories are typically rich in positive feelings at the time they occur, those feelings tend to fade, making space for rising negative emotions like regret and loneliness.This bittersweet shift distinguishes nostalgic memories from...
