Summary: A new longitudinal study reveals that the accumulation of visceral fat, the “hidden” fat stored deep within the abdominal cavity, is a primary driver of brain atrophy and cognitive…
Tag: hippocampus
Why Your Brain “Dreams” Even When You’re Awake
Summary: We usually think of wakefulness and sleep as two separate worlds, but new research proves the boundary is an illusion. Using an experimental setup inspired by Thomas Edison, researchers…
Estrogen Levels at the Moment of Trauma Predict PTSD
Summary: Why do two people experience the same traumatic event, yet only one develops PTSD? A new study suggests the answer lies in the brain’s “biological state” at the exact…
Brain’s Clogged Pipes: A Surprising New Link to Hallucinations
Summary: Schizophrenia and related psychotic disorders are often preceded by “silent” brain vulnerabilities long before symptoms like hallucinations emerge. A groundbreaking study has identified a potential culprit: the glymphatic system,…
Cocaine Addiction is a Biological Rewiring, Not a Choice
Summary: Relapse isn’t a failure of willpower—it’s a biological “rewiring” of the brain. A new study reveals how chronic cocaine use hijacks the connection between the brain’s reward center and…
Hippocampus Predicts Rewards by Reorganizing Memories
Summary: A new preclinical study reveals that the hippocampus does more than just store memories; it actively reorganizes them to predict future rewards. By tracking brain activity over several weeks,…
Stress-Like Behaviors Traced to a Single ATP Circuit in the Brain
Summary: New research reveals that reduced ATP signaling in the hippocampus plays a causal role in both depression- and anxiety-like behaviors. In stressed male mice, ATP levels and the ATP-releasing…
Do You Get Déjà Vu? Memory Glitches Make Time Feel Repeated
Summary: Déjà vu—the eerie feeling that a new moment has happened before—has puzzled scientists and philosophers for centuries. Neuroscientists now believe it’s a normal brain glitch tied to how memory…
Bipolar Mood Shifts Linked to Insulin Signaling in the Pancreas
Summary: A new study uncovers a pancreas–hippocampus feedback loop that may help explain mood swings in bipolar disorder. Using patient-derived pancreatic islets, researchers found reduced insulin secretion linked to elevated…
