Brain Mapping Approach Reveals Hidden Clues to Schizophrenia

Summary: A new study identifies previously hidden brain network patterns in schizophrenia by focusing on nonlinear connectivity, offering potential biomarkers for early diagnosis. Traditional imaging methods often overlook these patterns,…

Immune System Gene Linked to Hyperactivity, ADHD and Autism

Summary: Researchers have uncovered a link between the immune gene regulator STAT1 and hyperactive behaviors in mice, offering new insights into neurodevelopmental disorders like autism and ADHD. STAT1, vital for…

Presence of white spots on MRI brain scans linked to genetic risk of dementia in older adults

Association between white matter hyperintensities and cortical thickness. Credit: Nature Communications (2024). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-53689-1 They show up as bright white spots when you get a brain MRI: lesions called white…

Doctor’s bills often come with sticker shock for patients − but health insurance could be reinvented to provide costs upfront

You have scheduled an appointment with a health care provider, but no matter how hard you try, no one seems to be able to reliably tell you how much that…

Major genetic defect linked to female infertility identified

Manhattan plots for female infertility. Credit: The American Journal of Human Genetics (2024). DOI: 10.1016/j.ajhg.2024.10.018 Up to 15% of all couples suffer from infertility at some point in their lives.…

Social connections change our microbiomes, study of isolated villages suggests

The researchers mapped the social networks and collected microbiome data of residents of 18 remote villages in Honduras. Credit: Human Nature Lab at Yale Friends tend to share common interests,…

Extensive Jewish quarter uncovered at Phanagoria

Archaeologists excavating at Phanagoria have uncovered an extensive Jewish quarter following the 2023 discovery of an ancient synagogue. Phanagoria was an Ancient Greek city, founded on the Taman peninsula around…

Archaeologists find traces of Roman aquaduct that supplied water to Durnovaria

Archaeologists from Bournemouth University have uncovered traces of the Dorchester aqueduct, one of the longest Roman watercourses in Britain that supplied water to Durnovaria (Roman Dorchester). Most major population centres…

War Impacts Child Development, Alters DNA

Summary: War exposure in Syrian refugee children triggered unique DNA methylation changes, marking genes involved in brain development and stress responses. These epigenetic changes suggest potential long-term effects on health…

Large-scale genetic study identifies 14 genes linked to neuroticism

Study overview. Credit: Nature Human Behaviour (2024). DOI: 10.1038/s41562-024-02045-w Neuroticism is a key personality trait described by well-established psychological theories, associated with a tendency towards emotional instability and negative emotions.…