A new study in mice shows how the immune system may play a role in the early gastrointestinal symptoms of Parkinson’s disease, decades before movement problems develop. Researchers found that injecting a specific piece of the alpha-synuclein protein into genetically modified mice triggered inflammation and loss of nerve cells in the gut, leading to constipation …
Researchers have found that more intelligent narcissists are less likely to exhibit rivalry and aggression. This suggests higher intelligence may help mitigate some of the negative interpersonal behaviors associated with narcissism. Key Facts: Narcissism has two main dimensions – admiration and rivalry. Admiration involves self-promotion, while rivalry involves aggression and devaluation of others. These two …
Researchers have uncovered an important new mechanism that causes inflammation and damage to the brain’s white matter in Alzheimer’s disease. This discovery about how brain cells called microglia die could lead to new Alzheimer’s treatments. Key Facts: The study found that microglia, which are immune cells in the brain, die through a process called “ferroptosis” …
A new large genetics study has discovered new clues into how levels of a protein called apolipoprotein E (ApoE) in the blood may influence a person’s risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. Key facts: Researchers found 9 new genetic variants that influence ApoE levels in the blood. Some raise levels, while others lower levels. People with …
A new study provides unprecedented insights into the brains and cognitive capabilities of dinosaurs and other prehistoric reptiles. The key takeaways: Many theropod dinosaurs like T. rex had brains as large and complex as monkeys and primates. This suggests they were likely as intelligent as modern primates. However, other dinosaurs like sauropods had much smaller, …
Researchers studied if drinking alcohol makes people rate others as more attractive, which is sometimes called the “beer goggles effect”. They had male friends who regularly drink together rate attractiveness of photos after drinking alcohol vs. a non-alcoholic drink. Drinking didn’t affect attractiveness ratings of the photos. But when asked to pick people from the …
New research reveals that the timing of our heartbeats relative to external events distorts our perception of how much time has passed. The study provides evidence that cardiac signals directly impact time perception on a moment-to-moment basis. Key Facts: Time perception was shown to contract during heart systole (when the heart contracts) and expand during …
A new study published in Nature Medicine has identified two biological profiles, based on routine blood tests during COVID-19 hospitalization, that can predict patients’ risk of developing post-COVID brain fog months later. Key Facts: The study analyzed data from over 1,800 COVID-19 patients hospitalized in the UK. It linked certain patterns of blood biomarkers during …
Groundbreaking new research challenges decades of accepted neuroscience dogma on how memories are formed in the brain. The study provides strong evidence that the induction of long-term potentiation (LTP), widely believed to be the cellular mechanism underlying memory formation, relies on structural changes in neurons rather than enzymatic activity as long thought. Key Takeaways: LTP …
Researchers have reconstructed a recognizable version of the Pink Floyd song “Another Brick in the Wall” directly from recorded brain activity. Using advanced machine learning techniques, the team was able to extract enough acoustic information from listeners’ brain signals to identify the song and recreate an intelligible version. Key highlights: Researchers recorded brain activity via …
