Social Brain: Neurons That Decide Who Wins and Who Yields

Summary: Researchers have pinpointed specific brain cells that control how animals react to social defeat, offering new insight into the biology of dominance and submission. In male mice, neurons in…

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…

Misophonia Might Be a Brain Regulation Disorder

Summary: A new study shows that misophonia, strong negative reactions to certain sounds, is closely linked to cognitive and emotional inflexibility. Participants with high misophonia severity struggled to shift between…

How Growing Up Changes the Way We Hear, and Feel, Music

Summary: Our music preferences evolve across life — from youthful exploration to nostalgic reflection. A large-scale analysis of 40,000 users’ streaming data over 15 years revealed that young listeners engage…

Sugar Chains in the Brain: New Pathway Behind Depression Found

Summary: Scientists have discovered that depression can be driven by abnormal sugar modifications on proteins in the brain, offering a new molecular pathway for understanding the disorder. Chronic stress was…

Motherhood Flips Brain Switch That Triggers Aggression

Summary: Researchers discovered that female mice gain access to aggression after giving birth through a brain circuit usually dormant in non-pregnant females. The same neurons drive aggression in males but…

When Mom Struggles to Bond, Babies Sleep Worse

Summary: A large Finnish study has found that mothers who struggle to bond with their infants are more likely to have children with sleep problems that persist into toddlerhood. Difficulties…

Psilocybin Rewire Brain Circuits Tied to Pain and Mood

Summary: New research shows that psilocybin, the active compound in psychedelic mushrooms, can reduce both chronic pain and pain-related depression by modulating brain circuits rather than acting at the site…

Dietary RNA Molecules May Hold the Key to Slowing Cellular Aging

Summary: Living longer doesn’t always mean living healthier, and researchers are exploring how diet can extend healthspan. A study in worms shows that specific dietary RNA molecules protect cells from…

Psilocybin Worsens Postpartum Depression Symptoms

Summary: New research shows psilocybin, often studied as a treatment for mental health disorders, may worsen symptoms of postpartum depression in mice. Mothers given the drug showed more anxiety, avoidance…