Shingles Vaccine Linked to 20% Lower Dementia Risk
Summary: A large population analysis found that older adults who received the shingles vaccine were significantly less likely to develop dementia over the following seven years. The study exploited a rare age-based rollout policy that closely mimicked a randomized trial, allowing researchers to isolate the vaccine’s true effect. Beyond prevention, the vaccine was also linked […]
Beautiful Images Feel Effortless to the Brain
Summary: New research suggests that what humans experience as visual beauty may actually be rooted in energy efficiency. Images that require fewer neurons and less metabolic work to process are consistently rated as more aesthetically pleasing. Using computer modeling, human ratings, and brain imaging, scientists found that the visual system favors a balance between stimulation […]
Smelling Fatty Foods in Pregnancy May Raise Obesity Risk in Children
Summary: New research shows that exposure to the smell of fatty foods during pregnancy and early life can reprogram the developing brain and increase the risk of obesity and insulin resistance in adulthood. Even when mothers consumed a healthy low-fat diet, the presence of fatty food odors altered how offspring responded to high-fat foods later. […]
AI Watches Pianists and Reconstructs Their Muscle Signals
Summary: Researchers developed an AI system that can reconstruct fine hand muscle activity using only standard video footage. Traditionally, this type of measurement required intrusive electrodes attached to the skin, but the new method eliminates that need entirely. The system was trained on high-precision recordings of expert hand movements, allowing it to infer hidden muscle […]
Scientists Achieve Sustained HIV Control Without Lifelong Drugs
Summary: Scientists tested a multi-step immune-based therapy designed to retrain the body to control HIV without continuous antiviral treatment. After stopping standard HIV drugs, seven out of ten participants maintained low viral levels for extended periods, and one showed no viral rebound at all. The therapy worked by stimulating powerful virus-targeting T cells while simultaneously […]
Insomnia Keeps the Brain Stuck in Daytime Mode
Summary: People with chronic insomnia show a delayed and weakened daily rhythm of mental activity, keeping the brain in a more alert, daytime-like state at night. Under tightly controlled conditions, individuals with insomnia failed to show the normal nighttime drop in goal-directed thinking seen in healthy sleepers. Their peak cognitive activity also shifted roughly six […]
Singing Mice Reveal How Brains Evolved for Vocal Speech
Summary: Alston’s singing mice produce loud, rhythmic songs that scientists can clearly hear, alongside ultrasonic calls used for close-range communication. Researchers discovered that both types of vocalizations are generated through a whistle-like airflow mechanism rather than vibrating vocal cords. Surprisingly, the same brain region used for everyday squeaks in ordinary mice also controls both songs […]
The Way You Drive Might Signal Mild Cognitive Impairment
Summary: Researchers found that long-term driving behavior can reveal early signs of cognitive decline years before clinical diagnosis. Older adults who later developed impairment showed gradual reductions in trip frequency, night driving, and route variety compared to cognitively healthy peers. Machine learning models using GPS data predicted cognitive impairment more accurately than age, genetics, or […]
Neural Ultrasound Boosts Learning in 60 Seconds
Summary: Researchers have successfully altered human reward learning using non-invasive transcranial ultrasound stimulation directed at a deep brain structure linked to motivation. After brief stimulation, participants learned faster from positive feedback and repeated rewarding choices more consistently. The effects mirrored key aspects of surgical deep brain stimulation but without implants or incisions. The findings suggest […]
CBD Can Reduce Aggression in Dogs
Summary: A massive multi-year analysis of tens of thousands of dogs reveals that CBD use is becoming increasingly common among aging companion animals. While dogs given CBD initially showed higher aggression, their aggression decreased below average levels with long-term use. The strongest links to CBD use were found in dogs with dementia, joint disease, and […]