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The human brain is the center of the human nervous system and is a highly complex organ. Enclosed in the cranium, it has the same general structure as the brains of other mammals, but is over three times as large as the brain of a typical mammal with an equivalent body size.

Quitting smoking linked to slower memory decline in midlife and older adults

The study, published in The Lancet Healthy Longevity, looked at data from 9,436 people aged 40 or over (with an average age of 58) in 12 countries, comparing cognitive test results among people who quit smoking with those of a matched control group who kept smoking.

13 Oct 2025

PTSD following sexual assault linked to profound fronto-limbic brain changes

Around 70% of women who suffer a sexual assault develop PTSD; now scientists have shown that many of these women show a marked reduction in the usual communication between two important brain areas involved in processing and control of emotions, the amygdala and the pre-frontal cortex.

13 Oct 2025

Daytime sleepiness in older adults linked to cognitive decline after surgery

People 60 and older who are excessively sleepy during the day may have more problems with memory and thinking after surgery, suggests a study presented at the ANESTHESIOLOGY 2025 annual meeting.

13 Oct 2025

Brain activity reveals sound outperforms touch in sensing musical rhythm

How do people keep the beat to music? When people listen to songs, slow waves of activity in the brain correspond to the perceived beat so that they can tap their feet, nod their heads, or dance along.

13 Oct 2025

Scientists explore natural hypothermic states as therapy for brain injury

Hypothermia can preserve neuron health following brain injury, but complications from external cooling make it less promising therapeutically.

13 Oct 2025

Trial examines slow-tempo music as a strategy to reduce delirium in critically ill older adults

A multi-center randomized controlled trial with critically ill adults aged 50 years and older admitted to intensive care units (ICUs) found that twice-daily slow-tempo music (60 to 80 beats per minute) did not shorten the duration of delirium or coma, or reduce delirium severity, pain or anxiety compared with a silence-track control.

13 Oct 2025

Genetic study reveals links between cannabis use and mental health

University of California San Diego of Medicine researchers, in collaboration with the genetic testing company 23andMe, have identified regions of the human genome associated with cannabis use, uncovering new relationships with psychiatric, cognitive and physical health.

13 Oct 2025

Study offers new models for understanding the causes of chemo brain

Cancer is a challenging enough diagnosis, but many patients are dealt a second blow, even as they heal: "chemo brain."

13 Oct 2025

Maternal PFAS levels can predict children's brain structural and functional outcomes

Researchers from the University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Finland, and örebro University, Sweden, have discovered that the levels of PFAS in mothers' blood during pregnancy is associated with their children's brain structure and function.

13 Oct 2025

Dermatological symptoms could signal higher risk in psychiatric patients

Scientists have discovered that mental health patients who have skin conditions may be more at risk of worse outcomes, including suicidality and depression.

13 Oct 2025

Brain serotonin levels linked to sexual side effects from antidepressants

Researchers have discovered that the ability to have an erection or to orgasm is related to the levels of serotonin in the brain, but this relation only applies to depressed patients taking SSRI antidepressants.

13 Oct 2025

Artificial intelligence enhances safety and precision in pediatric anesthesia

Artificial intelligence (AI) could soon help anesthesiologists keep children safer in the operating room and improve their recovery with better pain management, suggests a systematic review presented at the ANESTHESIOLOGY® 2025 annual meeting.

12 Oct 2025

From stress to susceptibility: how COVID lockdowns shaped teen vaping risk

Teenagers who experienced higher COVID-19 stress during remote schooling were more likely to become open to trying vaping, which significantly increased their odds of using e-cigarettes and cannabis two years later. The study reveals that susceptibility, not immediate use, was the critical pathway linking early stress to later vaping behaviors.

12 Oct 2025

Could belonging be a biological shield? Researchers uncover aging clues

Researchers analyzing over 2,100 adults from the MIDUS cohort found that individuals with higher cumulative social advantage, spanning community ties, family relationships, and religious support, showed slower biological aging and lower systemic inflammation. The findings suggest that long-term social resources may become biologically embedded, influencing molecular pathways linked to longevity.

12 Oct 2025