Summary: Researchers showed that large language models use a small, specialized subset of parameters to perform Theory-of-Mind reasoning, despite activating their full network for every task. This sparse internal circuitry…
Category: brain research
Stress Undermines Brain Circulation, Increases Dementia Risk
Summary: Researchers found that a rare class of neurons—type-one nNOS neurons—plays a central role in regulating brain blood flow and coordinating neural activity in mice. Removing these stress-vulnerable cells caused…
Brain Decoder Translates Visual Thoughts Into Text
Summary: A new brain decoding method called mind captioning can generate accurate text descriptions of what a person is seeing or recalling—without relying on the brain’s language system. Instead, it…
New Therapy Reshapes Images That Fuel Psychosis
Summary: A new imagery-focused therapy called iMAPS may help people with psychosis gain control over disturbing mental images that fuel paranoia, fear, and hallucinations. In a feasibility trial of 45…
New Drug Exposes Hidden Subtypes of Psychosis
Summary: A new study examining real-world hospital data reveals early indicators of who is most likely to benefit from Cobenfy, the first new schizophrenia drug mechanism approved in 50 years.…
Early Trauma Hardwires the Brain for Aggression and Self-Harm
Summary: A new study reveals that aggression and self-harm share a biological foundation in the brain’s response to early-life trauma. Researchers discovered that trauma increases activity in calcium channels within…
Antibiotic Doxycycline May Cut Schizophrenia Risk
Summary: A large population-based study suggests that doxycycline, a common antibiotic, may reduce the risk of schizophrenia when prescribed to adolescents receiving mental health care. Researchers analyzed data from more…
AI Maps the Brain’s Hidden Bridge, Revealing Genetic Links to Mental Health
Summary: For the first time, scientists have mapped the genetic architecture of the brain’s communication bridge—the corpus callosum—using AI and MRI data from over 50,000 people. The study uncovered dozens…
Brain Circuit Found to Shape Risk and Impulse Differently by Sex
Summary: Researchers exploring risky decision-making in rats found that a specific reward-related neural circuit influences impulsivity and risk-taking in complex ways that depend on timing and biological sex. Manipulating the…
Rotating Brain Waves Help the Mind Refocus After Distraction
Summary: Neuroscientists have discovered that when the brain is distracted, coordinated “rotating” waves of neural activity help it steer back to focus. Using electrical recordings in animals, the team found…
