Lithium Fails to Slow Cognitive Decline in Alzheimer’s
Summary: A new meta-analysis of six randomized controlled trials shows that lithium supplementation does not significantly slow cognitive decline in people with mild cognitive impairment or Alzheimer’s disease. While preclinical evidence suggests lithium supports resilience against amyloid and tau pathology, these benefits failed to translate to clinical outcomes using traditional lithium salts. Researchers suggest that […]
Brain’s “Hourglass Timer” Controls the Precise Timing of Movement
Summary: Researchers have discovered how the brain keeps time for precise movements, revealing a neural “hourglass” mechanism between the motor cortex and striatum. The motor cortex sends timing signals that accumulate in the striatum until they reach a threshold that triggers action. Temporarily disrupting either region pauses or resets this internal timer, directly altering movement […]
Maternal Stress Speeds Up Baby Teething
Summary: New research shows that infants whose mothers had higher cortisol levels during late pregnancy experience significantly earlier eruption of primary teeth. Babies of mothers with the highest cortisol levels had, on average, four more teeth by six months than those of mothers with the lowest levels. The findings suggest that prenatal stress may accelerate […]
Eyes Blink in Time With Music, Revealing Hidden Brain Rhythms
Summary: New research shows that spontaneous eye blinks naturally sync to the beat of music, revealing a hidden form of auditory-motor synchronization that occurs even without conscious movement. In more than 100 participants listening to steady-tempo classical music, both blinks and brainwaves aligned with the rhythm, even when songs were played backward or replaced with […]
Night-Vision Disorders Share a Surprising Cellular Trigger
Summary: New research reveals that the loss of a single ion channel, TRPM1, is enough to produce persistent rhythmic oscillations in the retina, a feature observed in both congenital stationary night blindness and retinitis pigmentosa. By comparing Trpm1 and mGluR6 knockout mice, researchers identified a disrupted circuit between rod bipolar cells and AII amacrine cells […]
Deep Brain Stimulation Promising for Severe, Resistant Depression
Summary: A new clinical trial shows that deep brain stimulation (DBS) improved symptoms in half of adults with treatment-resistant depression, with one-third reaching remission. Researchers found that theta-frequency brain activity in the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST) predicted how well each patient responded. Lower pre-surgery theta activity and stronger BNST–prefrontal cortex coherence were […]
Rare ADHD Gene Variants Linked to 15-Fold Higher Risk
Summary: A massive international genetic study has uncovered rare, high-effect variants in three specific genes—MAP1A, ANO8 and ANK2—that dramatically increase the likelihood of developing ADHD. These variants, though extremely uncommon, strongly affect genes expressed in dopaminergic and GABAergic neurons, influencing brain development from fetal life onward. Individuals with ADHD who carry these variants also show […]
Animal-Free Brain Tissue Breakthrough Could Transform Drug Testing
Summary: Researchers have created functional brain-like tissue without relying on any animal-derived materials, marking a major step toward more ethical and reproducible neurological research. By transforming a chemically inert polymer (PEG) into a porous, maze-like scaffold, scientists enabled donor brain cells to organize into active neural networks. The tissue grows without the need for biological […]
Next-Gen Wearable Lets You Control Machines with Simple Gestures
Summary: A new wearable system uses stretchable electronics and artificial intelligence to interpret human gestures with high accuracy even in chaotic, high-motion environments. Unlike traditional gesture-based wearables that fail under movement noise, this patch-based device filters interference in real time, allowing gestures to reliably control machines such as robotic arms. The technology has been validated […]
Quitting Impossible Goals May Actually Boost Wellbeing
Summary: A sweeping analysis of 235 studies shows that holding onto impossible goals harms mental and physical wellbeing, increasing stress and lowering life satisfaction. In contrast, releasing unachievable goals — and crucially, shifting toward new, attainable ones — improves mood, resilience, and overall psychological health. The study identifies a wide range of factors, from personality […]