Summary: Depression disrupts the body’s stress systems, causing physical health risks like heart disease, diabetes, and stroke, and reducing life expectancy by 7-10 years. The condition triggers brain structure changes,…
Category: Neuroscience
Mapping Protein Changes Across Aging
Summary: Researchers have developed the Mouse Aging Proteomic Atlas, a comprehensive database detailing protein changes in major tissues as mice age. By analyzing proteomes and transcriptomes across tissues like the…
How Stressful Events Alter Memories
Summary: Researchers have discovered how stress disrupts memory specificity, leading to generalized aversive memories—a hallmark of PTSD. Stress increases endocannabinoid release, enlarging memory engrams in the brain, which triggers fearful…
How Decision-Making Improves with Age
Summary: Adolescents are known for making less optimal, noisy decisions, but a recent study reveals that these tendencies decrease with age and are linked to improvements in complex decision-making skills.…
Schizophrenia Risks Tied to Psychedelic Use
Summary: A new study links hallucinogen-related emergency department visits to a 21-fold increased risk of schizophrenia compared to the general population. Even after accounting for other mental health disorders and…
Huntington’s Gene Enhances Early Brain Growth and Intelligence
Summary: A study reveals that the genetic mutation causing Huntington’s disease (HD) enhances brain development and intelligence in early life, but leads to degeneration in adulthood. Children with the HD…
Glial Cells May Influence Depression and Schizophrenia
Summary: New research highlights neuroglia (or glia cells) as critical players in mental health, potentially influencing conditions like depression and schizophrenia. Glia cells, long considered “support cells” in the brain,…
Astrocytes Play Role in Deciding the Fate of Memories
Summary: Researchers have uncovered a surprising role for astrocytes—cells surrounding neurons—in deciding which memories are kept or forgotten. By manipulating astrocytes in mice using optogenetics, scientists found that acidifying these…
Stable Bedtime Boosts Kids’ Behavior and Emotional Control
Summary: Children with regular bedtimes exhibit better emotional control and behavior than those with irregular sleep patterns. Researchers found that consistency in sleep times helps children handle stress and regulate…
