Facial Expressions Reveal Hidden Cognitive States

Summary: New research shows that facial expressions can reveal internal cognitive states, accurately predicting task performance across both macaques and mice. By analyzing facial features during a foraging task in…

Wellbeing May Help Protect Memory in Middle Age

Summary: A new 16-year study of over 10,000 adults finds that higher wellbeing is linked to better memory performance in middle age. Researchers tracked participants’ psychological wellbeing and memory recall,…

AI Generates Relatable Empathy Experiences

Summary: Researchers have developed an AI tool called EmoSync that boosts empathy by tailoring emotional analogies to each user’s personality and life experiences. Unlike traditional empathy tech that assumes uniform…

Gut Microbiome May Influence Bipolar Medication Response

Summary: A new review has examined how bipolar disorder medications interact with the gut microbiome, revealing important links between treatment response and gut microbial composition. Researchers analyzed 12 studies comparing…

Low Sodium Linked to Anxiety Through Brain Chemistry Disruption

Summary: Chronic hyponatremia—long viewed as symptomless—is now shown to disrupt brain chemistry and cause anxiety-like behaviors, according to a new study in mice. Researchers found that prolonged low sodium levels…

Neglecting Dads’ Mental Health May Harm Kids’ Development

Summary: Experts urge healthcare providers to screen new fathers for mental distress, citing strong evidence that paternal mental health affects child development. Depression, anxiety, and stress in new dads are…

Across Generations, Humans Are Driven to Keep Culture Alive

Summary: A new paper proposes the cultural continuity hypothesis, suggesting that humans are universally driven to preserve essential aspects of their culture across generations. Drawing on psychology, sociology, and anthropology,…

ECT Cuts Suicide Risk by 34% in Severe Depression

Summary: A new meta-analysis reveals that Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT) reduces suicide risk by 34% and all-cause mortality by 30% in individuals with severe depression. The study, which pooled data from…

No Link Found Between Preterm Siblings and Child Behavior Issues

Summary: A large-scale European study found no evidence that having a sibling born preterm leads to more behavioral problems in children born at term. Researchers analyzed data from over 65,000…

Your Unique Breathing Patterns May Reveal Your Identity and Mental Health

Summary: New research reveals that each person has a unique breathing “fingerprint” that can be used to identify them with nearly 97% accuracy. By continuously monitoring nasal airflow over 24…