Summary: The removal of excitatory synapses by astrocytes, triggered by stress hormones, can lead to mental illnesses induced by childhood neglect or abuse. The study reveals that synthetic glucocorticoids, or…
Category: Life
How Insulin-Like Growth Factors Bolster Brain Plasticity
Summary: Researchers discovered a mechanism linking insulin-like growth factors (IGF) to brain plasticity. This study uncovers how IGF1 and IGF2 promote brain health and functionality, including learning and memory, through…
How Our Own Sleep Ratings Shape Our Next-Day Mood
Summary: According to a recent study people’s feelings about their sleep have a stronger influence on their well-being than data from sleep-tracking technology. Over 100 participants kept daily sleep diaries…
A Fresh Look at Free Will: Challenging the Libet Paradigm
Summary: A recent study challenges the long-standing Libet paradigm about free will. The team discovered that the EEG activity, dubbed readiness potential, registered before decision-making in Libet’s original experiment has…
Meet the beetles: Mealworms could be a food of the future
I have a special fondness for the yellow mealworm, Tenebrio molitor. As a child, I fed the mealworm stage of this beetle to my pet chameleon. As a teen, I…
Adolescence’s Impact on Adult Dopamine Function and Impulsivity
Summary: In a novel study, researchers reveal a sensitive developmental phase during adolescence that significantly influences adult impulsivity, aggression, and dopamine function in mice. This study highlights the implications of…
Microchip Links Brain, Spine and Body, Allowing Paralyzed Man to Move and Feel
Summary: In a historic clinical trial, researchers successfully implanted microchips into the brain of a paralyzed man. This pioneering procedure, combined with developed AI algorithms, has established a “double neural…
Bridging the Sex Gap: Personalizing Treatments for Mood Disorders
Summary: Researchers explore the advancements made in understanding sex differences in mood disorders since the 2016 NIH mandate to include sex as a biological variable in basic research. Their review…
GLP podcast and video: Dunning-Kruger debunked? The evil industry, noble activist myth; The real Vandana Shiva
The less informed someone is about a topic, the more likely they are to overestimate their knowledge of it. This is a cognitive bias known as the Dunning-Kruger effect; it’s…
