Summary: A new study reveals that young adults show the strongest empathic responses to others in physical or social pain, compared to adolescents and older adults. Researchers measured brain activity…
Category: Life
Oral Microbiome May Influence Cognitive Decline and Brain Health
Summary: The microbial ecosystems in our mouths may impact cognitive function as we age, with pathogenic bacteria linked to cognitive decline. Researchers found that beneficial bacteria, such as Neisseria, are…
Cannabis Use Reduces Brain Activity in Key Memory Regions
Summary: A study of over 1,000 young adults reveals that both recent and heavy lifetime cannabis use reduce brain activity in regions critical for working memory, including the prefrontal cortex…
Like flyways for birds, we need to map swimways for fish
For almost a century, migratory flyways have been a cornerstone of bird conservation. Knowing where these aerial highways are helps protect habitats and monitor species through carefully mapped routes that…
Opioid Dysregulation in the Brain Tied to Eating Disorders
Summary: Elevated opioid neurotransmission in the brain may underlie appetite loss and emotional symptoms in anorexia nervosa. Compared to healthy controls, patients with anorexia had increased opioidergic tone, which regulates…
Dopamine Clock May Drive Bipolar Mood Swings
Summary: New research suggests that mood swings in bipolar disorder are regulated by two clocks: the body’s 24-hour circadian rhythm and a dopamine-based clock that influences alertness. When these clocks…
Cricket frogs belly flop their way across water
Cricket frogs were once thought to hop on the water’s surface. They actually leap in and out of the water in a form of locomotion called porpoising.
Fever’s link with a key kind of immunity is surprisingly ancient
When sick, Nile tilapia seek warmer water. That behavioral fever triggers a specialized immune response, hinting the connection evolved long ago.
European farmers concerned about climate change push to ground EU’s ‘Green Deal’ because of it restricts crop gene editing
Leveraging the proposed European Green Deal (EGD) announced in December 2019, the EU aims to become the first climate-neutral continent by 2050. Growing evidence of a more unstable climate is…
