Summary: Researchers have uncovered how visual information is processed across the brain’s complex and flexible networks. One study showed visual signals are selectively targeted or broadly broadcast, challenging the idea…
Category: Life
Teen Brain’s Blunted Reward Response Predicts Depression Onset
Summary: A new study reveals that a reduced neural response to rewards in teens predicts the first onset of depression, but not anxiety or suicidality. Researchers used EEG scans to…
Ketamine Reduces “Giving Up” by Targeting Brain Support Cells
Summary: Researchers have found that ketamine’s antidepressant effects target astroglia, a type of brain support cell, rather than neurons, challenging conventional views. Using zebrafish, scientists observed that ketamine suppressed the…
AI Tweaks Personality Tests to Appear More Likable
Summary: Large language models (LLMs) can identify when they are being given personality tests and adjust their responses to appear more socially desirable. Researchers found that LLMs, like GPT-4, showed…
Sheep earwax can record a dangerous diet
A bit of ear goop can reveal if sheep are eating dangerously poisonous plants. Earwax from sheep that have eaten death camas contains the plants’ toxins within a few days…
Being Watched Changes How Your Brain Processes Faces
Summary: A new study shows that knowing you’re under surveillance triggers a faster, automatic brain response to detect faces and gaze direction. Researchers found that participants monitored via CCTV became…
Twin Dynamics: How Developmental Differences Shape Dominance Roles
Summary: A new study reveals that developmental differences strongly influence dominance roles in twin relationships, with typically developing twins perceived as dominant over their nontypically developing siblings. This dominance imbalance…
Visual Silence: Exploring Aphantasia – Neuroscience News
Summary: A new study reveals that aphantasics, people unable to visualize, are more resistant to involuntary visual thoughts, such as imagining a pink elephant. While vivid visual imaginations often lead…
Positive Attitude Boosts Passion and Determination
Summary: New research links a positive attitude, or “growth mindset,” to higher levels of passion and determination. A study of over 1,500 participants aged 13 to 77 found that those…
Moms Carry 71% of the Mental Load
Summary: New research shows that mothers take on 71% of household mental load tasks, including planning, scheduling, and organizing, while fathers manage just 45%. This imbalance often leads to stress,…
