Summary: New research using human brain organoids shows that early neural activity follows structured, time-based patterns long before sensory experience begins. These findings suggest the human brain comes preconfigured with…
Tag: neurodevelopment
What Triggers Tantrums? Sensory Overload May Be To Blame
Summary: New research reveals a distinct brain activity signature in children who become overwhelmed by sensory input such as noise, touch, or bright lights. Using functional MRI, scientists found that…
Maternal Stress Speeds Up Baby Teething
Summary: New research shows that infants whose mothers had higher cortisol levels during late pregnancy experience significantly earlier eruption of primary teeth. Babies of mothers with the highest cortisol levels…
Early Trauma Hardwires the Brain for Aggression and Self-Harm
Summary: A new study reveals that aggression and self-harm share a biological foundation in the brain’s response to early-life trauma. Researchers discovered that trauma increases activity in calcium channels within…
Why Kids Still Struggle With Capital Letters After Grade School
Summary: New research reveals that English-speaking children continue to refine their capitalization skills well past the early grades, despite being taught the rules early. Across two studies, students in Grades…
Toddler Gut Bacteria Linked to Childhood Anxiety and Depression
Summary: A new study suggests that a child’s gut microbiome at age 2 may influence their emotional health years later. Researchers found that higher levels of bacteria from the Clostridiales…
Lack of Sleep in Teens Linked to Higher Suicide Risk
Summary: Teenagers who sleep less or experience frequent night awakenings are significantly more likely to attempt suicide later in adolescence, according to a major longitudinal study. Researchers analyzed data from…
Why Teenage Songs Define Us: The Science of Musical Memory
Summary: A global study reveals that our most emotionally resonant music tends to come from our teenage years—typically peaking around age 17. This “reminiscence bump” marks the period when our…
Child Abuse Leaves Lasting Biological Scars on the Brain and DNA
Summary: New research reveals that child maltreatment leaves measurable biological “scars” on DNA, altering brain structure and function. Using a genome-wide epigenetic analysis, scientists identified four key methylation sites—ATE1, SERPINB9P1,…
