Summary: A new study reveals that GPT-4o, a leading large language model, displays behavior resembling cognitive dissonance—a core human psychological trait. When asked to write essays either supporting or opposing…
Category: neurobiology
Boredom Is Good for You: Why Embracing It Calms the Brain
Summary: Boredom, often seen as a negative state to avoid, may actually serve an important role in emotional regulation and brain health. When we’re bored, the brain shifts away from…
Married Minds: Oral Microbiota May Mediate Shared Anxiety
Summary: A new study suggests that oral microbiota transmission between newlywed couples may influence the onset of depression and anxiety symptoms. Researchers observed that healthy spouses of partners with insomnia,…
Long COVID Is Fueling a Mental Health Crisis in Children
Summary: A new study reveals that nearly 40% of children with long COVID are experiencing significant symptoms of anxiety or depression, many for the first time. Using validated mental health…
Vitamin B1 Derivative Sparks Dopamine, Boosts Wakefulness
Summary: Thiamine derivatives, once developed to treat nutrient deficiencies, are now being explored for their potential effects on brain function and energy. A new study shows that TTFD, a thiamine…
How Music Can Emotionally Reshape Your Memories
Summary: A new neuroscience study reveals that music can alter the emotional content of our memories when played during recollection. Participants who listened to emotionally charged music while recalling neutral…
Psychedelics May Shift Brain Power to the Right Hemisphere
Summary: A new theory suggests that psychedelics promote empathy, insight, and psychological flexibility by making the brain’s right hemisphere temporarily dominant over the left. Known as HEALS—Hemispheric Annealing and Lateralization…
Early Bonding Buffers Kids from Lasting Effects of Maternal Depression
Summary: A new study highlights the lasting impact of postpartum maternal depression and mother-to-infant bonding on children’s emotional and behavioral outcomes. Researchers found that early bonding can partially offset the…
Why OCD, Tics, and ADHD Keep You Up at Night
Summary: People with obsessive-compulsive spectrum disorders (OCSDs), chronic tic disorders (CTDs), and ADHD often suffer from significant sleep disturbances, and a new review suggests that disruptions in the cortico-striatal-thalamo-cortical (CSTC)…
Verbal Abuse in Childhood Rewires the Developing Brain
Summary: New neuroscience research highlights how verbal abuse in childhood can alter brain development and increase the risk of mental health issues later in life. Children who are routinely shamed,…
