Summary: A novel study finds a link between childhood physical fitness and cerebellar grey matter volume in adolescents. The research, part of the FitBrain study, shows that adolescents with better…
Category: neurodevelopment
Cognitive Maturity: 18 is the Threshold of Cognitive Adulthood
Summary: A new study sheds light on when adolescents start thinking like adults. Researchers found that executive function, critical for task-switching and focus, typically matures around 18 years old. Drawing…
Innocent Faces of Fentanyl: Opioid Use Linked to Distinct Birth Anomalies
Summary: Researchers have identified a potential new syndrome in babies born to mothers who used fentanyl during pregnancy. The infants displayed distinctive facial features, small heads, short stature, and various…
Dad Time Boosts Kids’ School Success
Summary: A new study reveals that fathers engaging in interactive activities with their children, such as reading and playing, significantly improve their kids’ primary school performance. Analysis of the Millennium…
Linking Childhood Trauma to Mental Illness: Astrocytes Key to the Puzzle
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…
Perceptions of Past Abuse: Memory of Childhood Trauma Impact Mental Health More Than Abuse Itself
Summary: he recollection and processing of childhood abuse or neglect can significantly impact mental health in adulthood, more than the experiences themselves. The research revealed that self-reported experiences of early…
Shaping Young Minds: Neurodevelopment Interventions for Psychiatric Disorders
Summary: Researchers explored potential treatments for neuropsychiatric disorders like schizophrenia and autism that act during critical windows of brain development. They specifically targeted underperforming dopamine neurons, which connect to the…
Youth Alcohol Dependency Could Signal Future Depression Risk
Summary: Adolescents with signs of alcohol dependency are more likely to suffer from depression in their mid-20s. The research, involving 3,902 participants from the ALSPAC study, examined the correlation between…
Child’s Play: Kids as Young as Six Consider Choices in Moral Judgments
Summary: Children as young as six factor in past choices when making moral judgments. Involving children aged four to nine, the study revealed that younger children’s judgments were mainly influenced…
