THE LATEST RESEARCH
New findings about the brain, behavior and mental health—with the evidence and limits in view.
TL;DR: In mice with tau-driven brain damage, removing a type of immune "scout" cell outside the brain cut the number of killer T cells reaching the brain and protected against brain shrinkage. Tau tangles themselves barely changed. Key Findings Less brain dama…
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TL;DR: Among nearly 3,000 adults aged 70 and older in Japan, 8% of those who had eaten dark chocolate weekly for more than 2 years showed signs of depression, versus 12% of those who rarely ate chocolate. After adjusting for other factors the gap was borderlin…
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TL;DR: Scanning 8 people during hours of real conversation, Japanese researchers found that speaking and listening share some brain patterns for words and sentences. But when speaking, brain activity best matched the last few seconds of talk, while listening m…
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TL;DR: In mice, strengthening the body's daily clock starting three days after a stroke, with an experimental clock drug or by limiting meals to the animals' active hours, led to smaller brain injuries and better walking. This is early animal research, not a t…
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TL;DR: Nesting chinstrap penguins sleep in thousands of naps lasting just a few seconds each. A math model suggests this choppy pattern can make sense as a trade-off between getting rest and staying alert at a crowded nest. Key Findings Real penguins: An estim…
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TL;DR: Among 378 stroke patients treated with clot removal, two simple blood-count measures linked to inflammation were slightly lower in those who recovered poorly. But they predicted recovery only a little better than a coin flip, and the link faded after ac…
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TL;DR: In a survey of 333 doctors, pediatricians and pharmacists in Azerbaijan, most said they routinely use general painkillers and the antidepressant amitriptyline for headaches. Only about 1 in 7 routinely prescribe triptans, and none reported using beta-bl…
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TL;DR: A review of 16 reviews found the strongest evidence for medicines in smoking and opioid addiction, and smaller effects for alcohol. Varenicline made people 2.3 times as likely to quit smoking as a dummy pill. Key Findings Smoking: Varenicline strongest…
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TL;DR: In 3,718 adults with diabetes, those in the highest quarter of blood uric acid had about 3 times the stroke risk of those in the lowest quarter. This shows a link, not that uric acid causes strokes. Key Findings Highest vs. lowest quarter: After adjusti…
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TL;DR: In 741 adults with frequent migraine, quality of life rose a bit more on rimegepant than placebo at 12 weeks (18.6 vs 15.0). The next year had no comparison group, so it can't show the drug helped. Key Findings Quality of life at 12 weeks: 0–100 scale o…
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