Summary: A new study uncovers how brain anatomy relates to social dominance in primates. Researchers found that the uncinate fasciculus, a tract tied to emotion and memory, strongly correlated with dominance behaviors in squirrel monkeys.This link was especially pronounced in the right hemisphere, aligning with human findings on social aggression....
The mind is left a mark by dementia masking.
Summary: Some autistic teens mask their traits to “pass” as non-autistic in social settings, but a new study reveals the hidden cognitive toll. Using EEG, researchers found these teens show faster automatic responses to faces and dampened emotional reactivity, suggesting their brains may adapt to cope with social demands.This is...
Stress during pregnancy causes the mother’s bacteria to change, increasing the risk of depression.
Summary: Prenatal stress in mothers can leave a lasting imprint on their offspring, predisposing them to depression-like behaviors. Researchers found that maternal stress disrupts the gut microbiome and metabolite production, which are vertically transmitted to the young.This microbial dysbiosis was linked to neurotransmitter imbalances and inflammation in the offspring’s prefrontal...
Online social engagement is influenced by FOMO and black people.
Summary: A large cross-national study examined how psychopathy, narcissism, fear of missing out (FoMO), and cognitive ability influence online political participation. Across eight countries, people high in psychopathy and FoMO consistently engaged more in digital political activities, while narcissism predicted participation only in some contexts.Higher cognitive ability was associated with...
Young Heart Returns Aging Retina and Vision
Summary: Researchers demonstrated that systemic factors from young mice can rejuvenate the aging retina by alleviating cellular senescence and restoring function. Using heterochronic parabiosis and single-cell RNA sequencing, the study identified AdipoR1 and its downstream AMPK signaling as key drivers of retinal rejuvenation.Pharmacological activation of AdipoR1 with AdipoRon replicated these...
Baby Boy or Girl Odds: Evidence from a Study Finds Biological Bias
Summary: A massive study of over 58,000 women shows that families may have their own subtle biological bias toward having boys or girls, rather than offspring sex being purely random. Researchers found that older maternal age at first birth and specific maternal genetic variants were linked to having only sons...
How Memories Are Structured: The Ripple Influence of the Brain
Summary: Researchers have identified ripple-type brain waves as key to how humans segment and store memories. By recording brain activity in epilepsy patients watching a TV episode, they found ripples marked event boundaries in the hippocampus while supporting information processing in cortical areas.This segmentation acts like punctuation, helping organize experiences...
How Stress Sounds Increase Pain and Inflammation
Summary: Pain isn’t just physical—it can be socially and emotionally transmitted. New research shows that ultrasonic vocalizations emitted by mice in pain trigger hyperalgesia in nearby mice, even without direct injury.This “sound stress” response involves brain inflammation, gene activation, and heightened pain sensitivity, which can also worsen existing pain and...
Also Without Nicotine, Vapes Flavored Reward Centers Trigger Reward Centers
Summary: A new study shows that some e-cigarette flavorings, like vanilla and cherry, can trigger reward-seeking behaviors in adolescent mice even without nicotine. Researchers found that these flavors alone could activate the brain’s dopamine system, raising concerns about their potential for fostering addiction-like behavior.Vanilla-flavored vapor, in particular, significantly reinforced such...
Biological Connection Between Mental Health and Cannabis Use Condition
Summary: A large genetic study reveals that cannabis use disorder (CanUD) is strongly linked to increased risk for multiple psychiatric disorders, including depression, PTSD, ADHD, and schizophrenia. By analyzing global and local genetic correlations, colocalization, Mendelian randomization, and structural equation modeling, researchers showed CanUD has distinct genetic signatures compared to...