Summary: A large Swedish study of 1.8 million pregnancies found that mental ill health around pregnancy has risen in recent years, with risks spiking after childbirth. While depression and psychosis…
Tag: brain research
Sugary Drinks Linked to Depression Through Gut Microbiome
Summary: A new study shows that sugary drinks don’t just affect physical health—they may also raise the risk of depression in women by disrupting the gut microbiome. Researchers found that…
Positive Memories Boost Musicians’ Performance by Reframing Stress
Summary: A new study reveals that recalling positive memories before stepping on stage can significantly boost musicians’ performance. Professional wind instrumentalists who reflected on positive experiences showed higher nervous system…
Early Clues to Autism and Schizophrenia Risk Found in DNA
Summary: Researchers have built a detailed map of DNA methylation changes in nearly 1,000 human brains from six weeks after conception to old age. The work reveals dramatic epigenetic shifts…
Brain Reveals Attention Works Like a Zoom Lens
Summary: A new study shows that our brain’s attention system first prepares broadly, then zooms in on specific details within fractions of a second. Using EEG and machine learning, researchers…
Most Daily Actions Run on Habit, Not Conscious Choice
Summary: New research shows that nearly two-thirds of daily behaviors are triggered by habit rather than conscious decision-making. Participants often acted automatically in familiar settings, reflecting learned associations. Almost half…
Mini Brains Expose Neural Signatures of Schizophrenia and Bipolar
Summary: For the first time, lab-grown mini brains have revealed how neurons misfire in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Using machine learning to analyze electrical activity, researchers identified distinct firing patterns…
AI Reveals Bitter Taste Receptors’ Hidden Role in Gut-Brain Health
Summary: Researchers used AlphaFold3, the latest AI-based protein modeling system, to predict the structures of all 25 known human bitter taste receptors (T2Rs). Compared with AlphaFold2, AF3 consistently generated more…
How Neurons Pick Just One Scent Receptor
Summary: Researchers studying clonal raider ants have uncovered how each sensory neuron manages to express just one odorant receptor gene from a library of hundreds. Unlike fruit flies or mammals,…
