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Diabetes medications may help shield the brain from cognitive decline

A study led by researchers in the University of Florida College of Pharmacy has found that a pair of popular glucose-lowering medications may have protective effects against the development of Alzheimer's disease and related dementias in patients with Type 2 diabetes.

16 Apr 2025

Digital technology use linked to lower risk of cognitive decline

As the first generation that interacted with digital technology reaches an age where dementia risks emerge, scientists have asked the question: Is there a correlation between digital technology use and an increased risk of dementia?

15 Apr 2025

New study examines how obesity alters brain's reward circuits

Obesity is on the rise. Among U.S. adults aged 20 or older, 4 in 10 met the criteria for obesity in the most recent National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, up from roughly 3 in 10 two decades earlier.

15 Apr 2025

Breakthrough retina mapping sheds light on visual processing pathways

Vision is one of the most complex functions of our brain and requires a seamless interaction between many different brain structures to decode shapes, colours, depths, and movements and turn them into a meaningful whole.

15 Apr 2025

Scientists trace social challenges in autism to specific brain circuit

UNIGE scientists identified a brain circuit where lies the origin the social difficulties experienced by people with autism spectrum disorders.

14 Apr 2025

Stress and depression help explain intertwined alcohol, sleep problems

Insomnia and hazardous drinking are so closely intertwined that estimates suggest at least one-third, and as many as 91%, of people who have a hard time with sleep also misuse alcohol.

14 Apr 2025

Psychologists explore ethical issues associated with human-AI relationships

It's becoming increasingly commonplace for people to develop intimate, long-term relationships with artificial intelligence (AI) technologies.

11 Apr 2025

Northwestern scientists identify key genes behind Parkinson's development

A longstanding mystery in Parkinson's disease research has been why some individuals carrying pathogenic variants that increase their risk of PD go on to develop the disease, while others who also carry such variants do not.

11 Apr 2025

Apathy and lack of motivation are symptoms of cancer cachexia, research suggests

Cancer ravages both body and mind. If you've ever lost loved ones to the disease, you might recognize the physical and emotional changes cancer patients often endure during their final months.

10 Apr 2025

Probiotics improve emotional state in healthy adults, study finds

A randomized controlled trial in 88 healthy adults found that probiotics reduced negative mood when assessed using daily self-reports, though traditional questionnaires failed to detect significant changes. These findings suggest that daily mood tracking may offer a more sensitive way to capture subtle emotional effects of probiotics in non-clinical populations.

10 Apr 2025

Study reveals brain circuit behind apathy in advanced cancer

The fatigue and lack of motivation that many cancer patients experience near the end of life have been seen as the unavoidable consequences of their declining physical health and extreme weight loss.

10 Apr 2025

Epigenetic discovery offers hope for reducing addiction relapse

New research on the biological basis of addiction has found that the critical epigenetic enzyme histone deacetylase 5 (HDAC5) limits the expression of the gene Scn4b, regulating neuronal activity and thereby the formation of strong drug-related memories, which can trigger relapse in individuals with substance use disorders (SUDs).

10 Apr 2025

Sleep enhances memory for life events over the long term

While sleep's positive impact on cognition has long been recognized, Baycrest researchers have revealed that a good night's sleep may actively enhance memory rather than simply protect it from decline.

10 Apr 2025

Heavy drinking linked to increased risk of brain lesions

Heavy drinkers who have eight or more alcoholic drinks per week have an increased risk of brain lesions called hyaline arteriolosclerosis, signs of brain injury that are associated with memory and thinking problems, according to a study published on April 9, 2025, online in Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

9 Apr 2025

Study explores impact of parental Alzheimer’s on tau protein spread in the brain

While some studies have suggested that having a mother with Alzheimer's disease may put you more at risk of developing the disease, a new study finds that having a father with the disease may be tied to a greater spread of the tau protein in the brain that is a sign of the disease, according to a study published on April 9, 2025, online in Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

9 Apr 2025

Cannabis users have elevated dopamine levels associated with psychosis

A McGill University-led study found that people with cannabis use disorder (CUD) had elevated dopamine levels in a brain region associated with psychosis.

9 Apr 2025

Cell-by-cell analysis reveals brain changes in Tourette syndrome

In the first comprehensive, cell-by-cell analysis of brain tissue from individuals with Tourette syndrome, researchers have pinpointed exactly which cells are perturbed and how they malfunction, revealing how different types of brain cells are affected by the condition.

9 Apr 2025

Neural organoids offer insight into mechanisms of dementia

Researchers at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center and College of Medicine have discovered a new way that neurons act in neurodegeneration by using human neural organoids – also known as "mini-brain" models – from patients with frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD).

9 Apr 2025

Male-female pairs of mice show resilience in coordinating fear responses

When faced with a potential threat, mice often freeze in place. Moreover, when two animals are together, they typically freeze at the same time, matching each other's periods of immobility.

9 Apr 2025

New award to recognize contributions linking neuroscience to psychiatric diagnosis and treatment

Mental health is in crisis worldwide. While the neurosciences are advancing rapidly, psychiatry still struggles to diagnose and effectively treat many disorders. The Synapsy Center for Neuroscience and Mental Health Research at the University of Geneva, Switzerland, is launching a new international prize to reward those who bring these two worlds closer together.

9 Apr 2025