Turning Gray: Stuck Stem Cells Turn Hair Gray

Summary: A new study sheds light on why we tend to go gray as we age. Researchers found melanocyte stem cells get stuck as we grow older, losing the ability…

Mapping the Psyche of Extreme Altruists

Summary: While more altruistic people can be distinguished from typical adults by their unselfish traits and actions, they are generally not different in other ways. Altruistic people are no more…

How High Blood Pressure Affects Mental Health

Summary: Researchers have discovered high blood pressure, depression, and emotion-related brain activity are linked to the development of hypertension. Source: Max Planck Institute Our mental health and that of our…

To What Extent Are We Ruled by Unconscious Forces?

Summary: Unconscious mechanisms that occur as a result of neural activity set us up for actions we are going to take. This happens before we are consciously aware of the…

Probiotic Supplementation Reduces Inflammation and Oxidative Stress Caused by Chronic Sleep Loss

Summary: Probiotics have recently attracted increasing interest for their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Researchers tested the ability of probiotics to contrast oxidative stress and inflammation induced by sleep loss. Findings…

Disrupted Rhythms of Rest and Wakefulness Contribute to Worse Symptoms in Schizophrenia Patients

Summary: Those with schizophrenia who had more erratic sleep patterns, excessively rigid daily routines, and dysregulated patterns between sleep and wake transition had worse symptoms associated with schizophrenia and poorer…

Study Casts Doubt on Causal Link Between Cognitive Ability and Obesity

Summary: The associations between cognitive ability and body mass index (BMI) may largely reflect confounding by other factors related to family background. The study suggests that previous findings on the…

Personalized Immunotherapy to Fight Deadly Brain Tumors

Summary: Researchers are testing a new personalized immunotherapy approach that is designed to work similarly to a vaccine by training the immune system to fight glioblastoma brain cancer. Source: University…

Some People May Be Attracted to Others Over Minimal Similarities

Summary: Participants who scored high on self-essentialism, believing that attributes are driven by an “essence,” were more likely to be attracted to individuals who shared their views, the study found.…

Stop Signals Reduce Dopamine Levels and Dancing in Honeybees

Summary: Receiving a stop signal associated with negative food conditions can decrease brain dopamine levels in dancing honeybees. The study also discovered that artificially increasing dopamine levels in bees reduces…