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Scientists have discovered that sleep disorders are associated with structural changes in brain regions that control attention, decision-making, and emotions, potentially explaining why disrupted sleep can affect everyday thinking and behavior. The findings, drawn from 57 brain imaging studies, reveal both shared and disorder-specific patterns that could lead to more targeted treatments.
A surprising discovery reveals how psilocybin, the active compound in magic mushrooms, rapidly reshapes the brain by creating new neural connections and strengthening them. Researchers found that the drug behaves differently in healthy and chronically stressed mice, potentially helping repair brain circuits damaged by prolonged stress. Most intriguingly, they identified a way to trigger this brain rewiring without the behavioral response associated with psychedelic effects.
Scientists have uncovered a surprising link between Alzheimer’s-related protein buildup, disrupted brain waves during deep sleep, and fading memory. The findings suggest that hidden changes in how the brain processes memories overnight may contribute to age-related memory loss long before Alzheimer’s symptoms appear.
A surprising new discovery suggests that fear may cause the brain to blur the line between danger and safety rather than distinguish them more clearly. By observing brain activity in mice using augmented reality, scientists found that memories of threatening and harmless environments began to overlap, potentially allowing faster responses to danger. This "better safe than sorry" survival mechanism could help explain why people with anxiety or PTSD sometimes experience intense fear in completely safe situations.
A surprising new study suggests that eating peanuts every day could help support brain health and memory in older adults. Researchers found that consuming about two servings of unsalted, skin-roasted peanuts daily for 16 weeks improved insulin responsiveness in brain regions important for memory, a function that often weakens with age and has been linked to Alzheimer's disease.
Scientists have identified a weakened brain signal that may connect several seemingly unrelated symptoms of schizophrenia, including sensory processing difficulties, disorganized speech, and greater symptom severity. The surprising discovery could help explain the disorder's underlying mechanisms and potentially lead to earlier detection and new treatments.
Finlay O'Neill thought his sporting days were over when his dislocated a knee at the age of 16. Now he is preparing to play a part in England's bid to retain the Wheelchair Rugby League World Cup.
A major new study reveals that autistic children’s brains process faces differently, and those differences may begin earlier than scientists previously thought. Researchers found that brain signals associated with recognizing faces become more specialized as neurotypical children grow older, but show much less change in autistic children. The discovery could help explain why some autistic people have difficulty recognizing faces and reading emotions.
Scientists discovered that the thick, sticky fluid surrounding glioblastoma tumors can make brain cancer cells smaller, more flexible, and better at invading surrounding tissue. Even more troubling, some of these changes persist after the cells leave the thick fluid, revealing a previously overlooked mechanism that could help this deadly cancer spread.
A surprising two-year clinical trial found that fish oil supplements successfully delivered omega-3s to the brain but failed to improve memory or protect against Alzheimer's-related brain shrinkage. Researchers suspect that getting these nutrients through a healthy diet may offer benefits that supplements alone cannot provide.
The aging brain may be undergoing a remarkable transformation rather than simply losing its abilities, shifting its focus from remembering details to understanding the bigger picture. Scientists suggest this change could be an evolutionary adaptation that helps older adults develop wisdom and share decades of knowledge with younger generations.
Researchers have uncovered three brain pathways linked to lasting improvements in people receiving deep brain stimulation for severe, treatment-resistant depression. They also discovered that patients who failed to improve after two years shared a striking pattern: insufficient stimulation of a crucial brain connection. The findings suggest that millimeters in electrode placement could make a major difference in treatment outcomes.
Scientists have uncovered a surprising cause of age-related cognitive decline involving brain cells previously thought to be entirely beneficial. As these cells become dysfunctional, they can produce abnormal amounts of myelin, disrupting nerve fibers and potentially contributing to worsening memory and thinking skills.
Even under general anesthesia, the human brain can analyze language, recognize different types of words, and predict what comes next in a story, according to a surprising discovery by Baylor researchers. The findings challenge our understanding of consciousness and suggest that the unconscious brain is far more capable than scientists previously realized.
The TV presenter says she suffered memory loss following her operation to remove a benign tumour.
Scientists have uncovered a hidden layer of organization in the brain by creating the first detailed 3D map of its lipids, the fatty molecules essential for brain structure and communication. By analyzing millions of measurements from mouse brains, researchers identified 539 distinct chemical zones, revealing patterns and boundaries that traditional brain maps have missed. Surprisingly, even white matter, once thought to be relatively uniform, contains a complex patchwork of chemically distinct regions.
Depression may not be one biological condition, but several distinct patterns of brain activity hiding under the same diagnosis. Researchers studying 263 people with depression identified five brain profiles, each showing different patterns of communication between brain regions and associations with symptoms such as anxiety, trauma, and substance abuse.
Blocking a receptor called P2X7 significantly reduced inflammation in human brain tissue, revealing a potential new treatment strategy for neurological and psychiatric disorders. The discovery could help researchers repurpose existing drugs for conditions including traumatic brain injury, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, depression, and schizophrenia.
Cannabinoids may intensify anxiety by removing a natural brake on specific neurons in the brain’s fear center, particularly during stressful situations. In mice, shutting down those neurons sharply reduced cannabinoid-related anxious behavior.
The Nobel medicine prize was awarded Monday to US psychiatrist and neurologist Karl Deisseroth and German scientists Peter Hegemann and Georg Nagel for their pioneering work in the neuroscience field of optogenetics. In optogenetics, scientists control neurones by stimulating them with light -- potentially unlocking breakthroughs for conditions such as dementia, depression and blindness. FRANCE 24's Monte Francis reports.
