Restoring Gamma Wave Signals Could Counter Depression

Summary: A new study found that restoring certain signals in the brain region that processes smell can counter depression. The study reported the timing and strength of gamma signals in…

Context Matters: Oxytocin Influenced by Context of Social Touch

Summary: The hormone oxytocin, which is released in social bonding and touch, functions like a dimmer switch, influenced by the situation, according to researchers. A study of 42 women found…

New Antidepressant Reduces Stress and Depression With Low Side Effects

Summary: Scientists developed a potential anti-depressant drug that exhibits anti-stressing and anti-depressant effects with minimal side effects. The drug, KNT-127 quickly acts on the patient without inducing resistance. Researchers found…

Pregnancy may hamper bats’ ability to ‘see’ in the dark

Pregnancy can do weird things to the body. For some bats, it can hamper their ability to “see” the world around them. Kuhl’s pipistrelle bats (Pipistrellus kuhlii) echolocate less frequently…

Study Using AI Reveals Secondary Bacterial Pneumonia, Not Cytokine Storm, Found as Key Factor in COVID-19 Fatalities

Summary: A recent study found that secondary bacterial pneumonia, rather than the much-discussed “cytokine storm,” is a significant factor in COVID-19-related fatalities. Almost half of the patients who required mechanical…

Cannabis Use Disorder Linked to Increased Schizophrenia Risk in Males

Summary: Young men who suffer from cannabis use disorder are more likely to develop schizophrenia, according to a new study. The study analyzed health records data of over 6 million…

Nourishing the Mind: Nutritional Interventions to Slow Alzheimer’s Disease

Summary: A new systematic review examined nutritional interventions for Alzheimer’s disease (AD). The review identified 38 studies, including randomized clinical trials, systematic reviews, and meta-analyses. The findings indicate that nutritional…

Interactive Art Exhibitions Can Improve Mood and Reduce Anxiety

Summary: Viewing interactive art online can improve our mood and reduce anxiety. People reported significant improvements in mood and anxiety after just a few minutes of viewing an interactive Monet…

Bees, flowers, and beyond—One researcher’s path to understanding and promoting pollinator health – Functional Ecologists

Dr. Laura Figueroa—currently an NSF Postdoctoral Research Fellow and incoming Assistant Professor in the Department of Environmental Conservation at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, USA—shares her recently accepted paper: “Sunflower…

Personalized genetic cancer treatments key in increasing longevity and quality of life

Many people think of cancer as a single disease, and for many years the only treatment was to cut out tumor tissue that could be seen.  However, the history of…