Summary: Social isolation has a direct causal impact on how quickly cognitive function declines in later life, independent of whether someone feels lonely. By analyzing more than 137,000 cognitive tests…
Tag: neurobiology
Second-Hand Gifts Are Becoming the New Status Symbol
Summary: New research shows that buying second-hand gifts is typically a thoughtful, intentional decision rather than an impulsive one. Consumers are motivated by fair prices, the thrill of finding rare…
Study Challenges Myths About Self-Centeredness
Summary: A large international study of more than 45,000 people shows that narcissism is a universal personality trait—not one concentrated in any single country. Although nations differed somewhat, the five…
AI Brain Model Reveals How Fear Works in Real Life
Summary: Researchers have developed an AI-driven brain model that can track fear as it unfolds in real-world situations, offering a major shift from traditional lab-based approaches. Classic fear studies often…
Stress Levels Predict Cannabis Use
Summary: New research shows that rats with naturally higher baseline stress hormone levels are significantly more likely to self-administer cannabis vapor. Over several weeks, rats were allowed to nose-poke for…
Anti-Inflammatory Treatments Show Promise for Depression
Summary: A new analysis shows that anti-inflammatory medications may help reduce symptoms for a subset of people with depression who also have chronic, low-grade inflammation. By reviewing randomized controlled trials…
Reading Habits Predict Hidden Biases Toward Autism
Summary: A new study shows that the newspapers people read are strong predictors of their automatic, unconscious biases toward autism—even after accounting for age, education, political views, and personal experience.…
Nicotine Withdrawal Makes Smokers More Sensitive to Pain
Summary: A new study shows that abstinent smokers experience heightened pain sensitivity linked to altered activity in specific brain regions. Compared to nonsmokers, abstinent smokers required more postoperative pain relief—especially…
PTSD Linked to Accelerated Brain Aging
Summary: A new study using advanced deep-learning brain age estimation shows that World Trade Center responders with PTSD exhibit signs of accelerated brain aging. Using BrainAgeNeXt, a model trained on…
