The Language of Lies: How Hate Speech Engages Our Neural Wiring to Foster Division

Summary: Researchers analyze the language of dictators and hate groups, uncovering a common use of dehumanizing metaphors to fuel hatred. Such metaphors ‘switch on’ neural pathways in the brain, bypassing…

Decoding Repetitive Negative Thoughts: Machine Learning Predicts Rumination

Summary: A team of researchers developed a predictive model to recognize patterns of persistent negative thinking, or rumination, using machine learning. Researchers hypothesized that the variance of dynamic connectivity between…

Childhood Reading Habits Boost Brain and Mental Health in Teens

Summary: Encouraging children to indulge in reading for pleasure can enhance their cognitive and mental health during adolescence, a recent study reveals. The research, involving over 10,000 young adolescents from…

COVID-19 Worries Influence Emotional Quality of Daydreams

Summary: A new study investigated the connection between COVID-19-related anxieties and the emotional content of daydreaming and nighttime dreaming. It found a significant correlation between daily COVID-19 worries and the…

Sense of Purpose May Shield Against Loneliness

Summary: A sense of purpose in life, irrespective of its nature, can be a robust defense against loneliness. A new study, involving over 2,300 Swiss adults, found fewer instances of…

Six Degrees of Connection: A Mathematical Take on Social Ties

Summary: Scientists used mathematics to explain the social phenomenon of six degrees of separation. Their work suggests that the balance between the cost and benefit of maintaining social connections shapes…

Adolescent Stress Shapes Motherly Behavior

Summary: Stress during adolescence alters brain functions, influencing postpartum social behavior in mammals. The research utilizes optogenetics and calcium imaging techniques to understand neuronal communication in mice that experienced psychosocial…

Neuroscience, Artificial Intelligence, and Our Fears: A Journey of Understanding and Acceptance

Summary: As artificial intelligence (AI) evolves, its intersection with neuroscience stirs both anticipation and apprehension. Fears related to AI – loss of control, privacy, and human value – stem from…

Early Life Loss Impacting Immune System in Later Life

Summary: Losing a parent or caregiver early in life can adversely affect immune health in later life. Researchers investigated how such losses impact the body’s response to cytomegalovirus (CMV), a…

Stress Neurons Mapped the Brain, Exposing Estrogen Link

Summary: Researchers pinpointed a specific group of nerve cells in the mouse brain that play a role in negative emotional states and chronic stress. The neurons, which were mapped using…