Summary: Researchers report that a repeated DNA sequence in the C9orf72 gene produces toxic protein when cells are exposed to starvation, environmental toxins, viral infection or other stresses. Source: University of Michigan University of Michigan-led team advances understanding of how stress-driven translation of repeat sequences may contribute to neurodegenerative diseases such as ALS and frontotemporal … Read more

McGill research reveals how motor networks help us know whether we’ve previously heard a tune. Researchers at McGill University report that the brain’s motor network helps people recognize music they have performed more effectively than music they have only heard. The study, led by Prof. Caroline Palmer of McGill’s Department of Psychology, offers new evidence … Read more

When it comes to the core molecular biology of aging, mammals and the tiny worm Caenorhabditis elegans share many similarities. Researchers often favor these worms because they are simple and easy to study, but one important difference — their ability to reproduce asexually and generate genetically identical offspring — has unintentionally introduced conflicting results across … Read more

Summary: Oxytocin, often called the “love hormone,” helps shape how young male zebra finches learn to sing by guiding which adult tutors they pay attention to and ultimately imitate. This research sheds light on the neurochemical mechanisms behind social vocal learning and offers parallels to human language acquisition. The findings may also inform studies of … Read more

Summary: When small groups with clear hierarchies undergo bonding activities, leaders and followers show greater alignment in brain activity and communicate more quickly and fluidly. Researchers used functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) to measure brain activity in 176 three-person groups while members interacted. The study found that groups who took part in a short bonding session … Read more

Summary: A recent study finds that childhood emotional trauma increases the likelihood of social avoidance and distress during adolescence, while psychological resilience can reduce these negative effects. Surveying 577 junior high students, researchers report that resilience served as a protective factor, helping many teens engage more confidently with peers following early emotional adversity. The study … Read more

Summary: Both children and adults are more likely to see villains as having some inner goodness than to see heroes as having hidden bad qualities. Source: University of Michigan We’ve always been fascinated by villains. From television dramas to blockbuster films, audiences often find themselves drawn to antagonists. Even when villains display selfishness, cruelty, or … Read more

Summary: Researchers have introduced DELTA, a powerful imaging approach that maps synaptic changes across the entire brain during learning. By labeling synaptic proteins before and after behavioral training, scientists can now visualize where and how neural connections are remodeled over time. Using DELTA, the team tracked changes in the synaptic protein GluA2 and identified brain … Read more

Summary: Cluttered memory traces and difficulty suppressing irrelevant information make older adults less confident in their recollections, which may increase their vulnerability to persuasion and fraud, a new study reports. Source: Georgia Institute of Technology New research from the Georgia Institute of Technology shows that older adults often struggle to recall specific details because their … Read more

Summary: UPDATE – Researchers report that people with a history of chickenpox have about a 21% lower risk of developing glioma, a form of brain cancer. The study’s authors suggest that the biology behind this association deserves further investigation and that, in the future, varicella (chickenpox) vaccination research could inform brain cancer studies. Having had … Read more