Novel Antibody Repairs Acute Spinal Cord Lesions

Summary: A multinational clinical trial demonstrated that a novel antibody, NG101, successfully preserves existing nerve tissue and accelerates the regression of spinal cord lesions following acute injury. The antibody operates…

Harsh Parenting Biologically Distorts Child Stress Regulation

Summary: A new study provides biological proof for how aggressive parenting alters a child’s ability to handle stress. Investigating the theory of “co-regulation”, where a parent’s calm physiological state helps…

Crabs’ sideways walk may have evolved just once

The iconic sideways walk of crabs may have evolved just once, in an ancestor that roamed Earth roughly 200 million years ago. That conclusion, published April 21 in eLife, comes…

Single Psilocybin Dose Sparks Rapid Depression Remission

Summary: A Phase 2 randomized clinical trial demonstrates that a single 25 mg dose of psilocybin, combined with psychotherapeutic support, provides rapid, statistically significant, and clinically meaningful reduction in symptoms…

Brain-Stimulating Contact Lenses Match Prozac in Depression Study

Summary: Materials scientists have developed a “wearable, drug-free” contact lens capable of treating depression by delivering mild electrical signals through the retina. The study demonstrates that these specialized lenses are…

Female rats like a different kind of tickling than males

For nearly a decade, Vincent Bombail has been tickling rats. It’s been a standard technique used in the study of animal happiness. But not all rats particularly enjoy the experience,…

Paul Jans van Rensburg | Can other beetles replace lost cycad pollinators? Searching for clues in plant traits – Functional Ecologists

In this ‘Behind the Paper’ blog post, author Paul Jans van Rensburg – a postdoctoral at Stellenbosch University – discusses his article “Pollinator diversity and host specificity in threatened Encephalartos…

Genetic Pathways Link Cannabis Use to Psychosis Risk

Summary: New research provides a breakthrough in understanding the biological mechanisms linking Cannabis Use Disorder (CUD) and psychosis. By conducting a large-scale genetic meta-analysis, researchers identified over 500 genetic loci…

Hantavirus questions grow in the wake of a cruise ship outbreak

As public health officials around the world monitor dozens of former passengers and crewmembers of the MV Hondius for signs of hantavirus infection, scientists are hoping to learn more about…

Territorial conflict may explain male primates’ large size

It’s a game of monkey mean, monkey grew. Territorial tension may be behind the size of male primates. In many primate species, males have evolved to be bigger than their…