Summary: Reading stories that employ “internal focalization”, granting readers direct access to a character’s private remorse, sparks genuine empathy that leads to forgiveness of fictional misdeeds. Researchers found that this…
Category: Ohio State University
Prenatal Stress Alters the Placenta to Shape Fetal Brain Development
Summary: Chronic stress during pregnancy fundamentally shifts how the placenta communicates with the fetus, altering vital antiviral immune signaling, cellular energy metabolism, and gene-regulatory programs. These placental changes, confirmed across…
Psilocybin Therapy Drives 75% PTSD Remission
Summary: The first U.S. clinical trial evaluating psilocybin-assisted therapy in military veterans with treatment-resistant post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has demonstrated significant safety and clinical efficacy. The 11-week pilot trial combined…
Brain Conductors Find Precise Connection to Target Cells via Protein Handshake
Summary: Researchers have identified two specific proteins, gliomedin and CNTNAP4, that act as a “handshake” mechanism allowing inhibitory chandelier cells to connect precisely with excitatory pyramidal neurons. This connection is…
Doubting Your Doubts Can Boost Motivation
Summary: When people facing uncertainty about an important identity goal are nudged to question the validity of their own doubts, their commitment to that goal actually increases. The research demonstrates…
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…
25% of Adults Suspect Undiagnosed ADHD
Summary: A new survey reveals that 25% of adults in the U.S. suspect they may have undiagnosed ADHD, though only 13% have consulted a doctor. Social media has driven greater…
Why We’re Confident with Only Half the Story
Summary: A new study reveals that people often overestimate the amount of information they have when making decisions, a phenomenon researchers call the “illusion of information adequacy.” Participants who were…
