Summary: Parkinson’s disease affects more than 10 million people worldwide and is second only to dementia among major neurodegenerative disorders. Pathologically, it is defined by progressive loss of dopamine-producing neurons, which leads to tremor, impaired movement, stiffness, balance problems and cognitive decline. Until now, most animal models have relied on genetic manipulation or injections of … Read more

Summary: When someone close to us is visibly upset, we often assume that the natural response is to comfort them and try to remove their distress. A major international study challenges that assumption, showing that the impulse to make others “feel better” is shaped strongly by cultural values rather than being a universal human instinct. … Read more

Summary: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and intellectual disability (ID) can present with similar behaviors and even share identical genetic mutations, making early and accurate diagnosis difficult for pediatric neurologists. Because blood-based biomarkers are often unreliable for brain conditions due to the blood-brain barrier, clinicians usually depend on months or years of behavioral observation—delaying interventions during … Read more

Summary: Spend now or save for later? Indulge in a treat today or put it aside for tomorrow? Choices that pit immediate pleasure against larger, delayed rewards are a central tension in human behavior. These trade-offs influence personal finances, career decisions, public health compliance, and environmental choices. Despite their broad impact, the psychological mechanisms driving … Read more

Summary: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is highly variable. Some people remain clinically stable for decades while others develop rapid, disabling progression. Predicting these divergent courses has been difficult. A large study combining pathology, clinical history, and genetics from 287 donated MS brains at the Netherlands Brain Bank reveals distinct tissue patterns that map to different disease … Read more

Summary: When does a child begin to reason? When do they develop self-control? Are some mental abilities present at birth while others require life experience? These fundamental questions about the origins and growth of the human mind have long fascinated philosophers, educators, and scientists. Yet surprisingly little empirical work has examined how everyday people across … Read more

Summary: Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) is increasingly recognized as a complex, systemic illness rather than merely a behavioral issue. Chronic alcohol exposure disrupts the brain’s neuroimmune system, triggering cells to release inflammatory signals that reshape neural circuits and undermine the brain’s natural inhibitory controls. A new translational study from Scripps Research shows that an FDA-approved … Read more

Summary: Adolescence is a highly plastic period of brain development across mammals and a crucial time for shaping the social brain. Although the long-term emotional and behavioral effects of youth isolation are well documented, the precise developmental window that governs our ability to perceive and respond to others’ emotions has been unclear. A recent neuroscience … Read more

Summary: Alzheimer’s disease is defined by the gradual buildup of the protein Tau, which folds into toxic tangles inside neurons. As these Tau tangles spread through connected brain networks, cognitive abilities decline. Scientists long suspected that Tau moves from diseased to healthy cells, but the molecular carrier responsible for this intercellular transmission remained unclear. A … Read more

Summary: Hearing loss is widely acknowledged as a major modifiable risk factor for dementia, but whether hearing aids can reduce the risk of cognitive decline in the real world remains debated. A large retrospective analysis of electronic health records has now revealed a highly specific protective link: hearing aid use was associated with substantially lower … Read more