Summary: New research proposes a unified theory of brain function based on criticality—a state where the brain teeters between order and chaos, allowing it to learn, adapt, and process information…
Category: Neurology
Pain Perception in Babies Develops in Stages After Birth
Summary: A new study shows that the networks responsible for processing pain in infants develop gradually, with emotional and cognitive pain responses maturing only after birth. Researchers scanned the brains…
3D-Printed Brain Model Mimics Neural Damage
Summary: Researchers have developed a groundbreaking 3D brain model that closely mirrors the architecture and function of the human brain. Built using biomimetic 3D printing, the Bioengineered Neural Network (BENN)…
Chronic Stress Quietly Raises Your Stroke Risk
Summary: Chronic stress is increasingly recognized as a contributor to stroke risk by intensifying conditions like high blood pressure, inflammation, and unhealthy lifestyle habits. While stress isn’t as easily measured…
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…
Clues in Spinal Fluid Could Unlock Early FTD Diagnosis
Summary: Frontotemporal dementia (FTD), a common form of early-onset dementia, is often misdiagnosed due to its overlapping symptoms with psychiatric and neurological disorders. In a new NIH-funded study, researchers identified…
Knowing Alzheimer’s Risk Lowers Anxiety, But Motivation Fades
Summary: A new study shows that learning about amyloid beta buildup — a risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease — does not increase emotional distress, but motivation to maintain healthy habits…
Emotional Regulation Offers a New Path to Relief
Summary: A new study shows that improving emotional processing can significantly reduce chronic pain and improve quality of life. Researchers developed Pain and Emotion Therapy, an online intervention teaching emotional…
Negative Expectations Worsen Pain More Than Positive Ones Ease It
Summary: New research shows that negative expectations, known as nocebo effects, exert a stronger and longer-lasting impact on pain perception than positive expectations, or placebo effects. In a two-session study,…
Disrupted Myelin Protein Implicated in Schizophrenia
Summary: A new study has identified the protein hnRNP A1 as a key player in the production and maintenance of myelin, the fatty sheath that insulates nerve fibers in the…
