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Screens are rewriting childhood: a new framework says the developing brain integrates experience until age 25, with profound stakes for mental illness

A new framework, criticome, integrates experience until age 25, reframing autism, schizophrenia, depression, and trauma as developmental disorders. The study suggests that screen-saturated childhoods may produce adult dysfunction, highlighting the importance of early experience in brain development.

SourceGenomic Press·TypeLiterature review·DateJun 2, 2026

New research reveals how the brain turns experience into memory — with help from a tiny protein

A new study from the Stowers Institute has identified a mechanism that makes fleeting moments unforgettable, revealing a critical step in forming long-lasting memories. The research discovered a specific type of chaperone protein that allows proteins to change shape and form functional amyloids that house long-term memory.

SourceStowers Institute for Medical Research·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateJan 26, 2026

Centenarian neuroscientist inspires blueprint for vibrant longevity through mentorship and connection

A study by Dr. Esther Sternberg highlights the importance of social engagement, intellectual stimulation, purposeful activity, humor, and spiritual exploration in achieving exceptional cognitive and social functioning in advanced age. Dr. Reichlin's example challenges conventional assumptions about aging trajectories.

SourceGenomic Press·JournalBrain Medicine·TypeNews article·DateSep 9, 2025

The next evolution of AI begins with ours

Researchers at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory have devised a potential solution to the paradox of animal innate abilities using artificial intelligence. The genomic bottleneck algorithm allows for compression levels unseen in AI, enabling faster runtimes and potentially leading to more evolved AI systems.

SourceCold Spring Harbor Laboratory·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateNov 25, 2024

Human proteins identified that explain inter-individual differences in functional brain connectivity

Researchers identified hundreds of brain proteins associated with inter-individual differences in functional connectivity and structural covariation. The proteins were enriched for those involved in synapses, energy metabolism, and RNA processing, providing insights into the mechanistic basis of human cognition and behavior.

SourceUniversity of Alabama at Birmingham·JournalNature Neuroscience·TypeExperimental study·DateOct 31, 2024

Common brain network detected among veterans with traumatic brain injury could protect against PTSD

Researchers at Brigham and Women's Hospital have identified a specific brain circuit that may protect against post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in veterans with traumatic brain injury. The study suggests using neurostimulation therapies on this circuit could treat PTSD, offering a new potential non-invasive treatment option.

SourceBrigham and Women's Hospital·JournalNature Neuroscience·TypeObservational study·DateSep 24, 2024

New study reveals how the brain integrates pain prediction and stimuli

Researchers used fMRI to observe brain activity in participants exposed to varying levels of pain stimuli, manipulating their expectations about the level of pain. The study found that higher-level networks integrated pain-related signals into the experience of pain by adding preserved expectation and stimulus information together.

SourceInstitute for Basic Science·JournalScience Advances·TypeExperimental study·DateSep 23, 2024

Global taskforce of scientists develop a unifying framework for the human affectome

A global task force of scientists created an integrative framework to study emotions and moods, situating experiences within a single theoretical framework. This framework helps understand mental disorders like depression and anxiety, as well as decision-making and human behavior.

SourceThe Mount Sinai Hospital / Mount Sinai School of Medicine·JournalNeuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews·TypeContent analysis·DateFeb 12, 2024

Brain connectivity is disrupted in schizophrenia

Researchers found that hierarchical cortical organization is impaired in people with schizophrenia, leading to disruptions in processing stimuli from the external world. This disruption affects secondary processing of sensorimotor-visual gradients, explaining behavioral and clinical symptoms of the disease.

SourceElsevier·JournalBiological Psychiatry Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuroimaging·TypeImaging analysis·DateOct 17, 2023

Human Brain Project celebrates successful conclusion

The Human Brain Project has achieved major breakthroughs in understanding the complex structure and function of the brain, enabling novel medical and technological applications. The project's digital atlas and personalized virtual models have provided unprecedented insights into brain conditions such as epilepsy and Parkinson's disease.

Integrative neuro-oncology for brain tumor patients

Neurologist Soma Sengupta introduces the concept of integrative neuro-oncology, combining conventional treatments with alternative therapies to enhance patient well-being. Her approach prioritizes the unique needs of brain tumor patients and their caregivers, promoting a holistic understanding of medicine.

SourceUniversity of Cincinnati·JournalJournal of Neuro-Oncology·TypeCommentary/editorial·DateApr 26, 2023

The science of mindfulness -- What do we really know and where do we go?

A special issue of Current Opinions in Psychology maps the state of mindfulness research, exploring its historical foundations, clinical applications, and social implications. The study reveals that mindfulness can be learned and applied uniquely across different contexts, with mobile apps emerging as a promising platform for deliverin...

SourceVanderbilt University Medical Center·JournalCurrent Opinion in Psychology·DateOct 1, 2019

How the brain merges the senses

Scientists propose a computational model explaining multisensory integration in humans, utilizing a Multisensory Correlation Detector. The brain detects similarity across visual and auditory signals to integrate stimuli, opening new clinical perspectives for neurological syndromes like Autism Spectrum Disorder and Dyslexia.

SourceBielefeld University·JournalNature Communications·DateJun 6, 2016

A vision for revamping neuroscience education

Experts in neuroscience education call for reinvestment in graduate training to prepare students for the challenges of brain science and disease. The paper proposes creating two types of training programs: those that extend traditional neuroscience training and those that engage students with backgrounds in other disciplines.

SourceCell Press·JournalNeuron·DateJun 1, 2016

Attention's place in the human cognitive architecture

Attention plays a critical role in structuring the internal world, prioritizing relevant thoughts and emotions for goal-oriented processing. The integrated theory proposes that attention is a cascade of effects beginning with stimulus detection, suppressing competing stimuli, and resetting upon completion.

SourceCell Press·JournalNeuron·DateOct 7, 2015

Intervention in first 1,000 days vital to fulfilling childhood potential

The special issue emphasizes the importance of combining intervention strategies focusing on both nutrition and early learning to support healthy development. The research reveals that 200 million children under five are not reaching their developmental potential due to poverty, nutritional deficiencies, and lack of responsive caregiving.

SourceWiley·JournalAnnals of the New York Academy of Sciences·DateFeb 6, 2014

Major step taken toward an open and shared digital brain atlasing framework

A new open digital brain atlasing framework, combining Waxholm Space and Digital Atlasing Infrastructure, facilitates the integration of genetic, anatomical, and functional imaging studies. This framework is expected to catalyze both basic and medical neuroscience research by linking genetic studies with large-scale brain structure and...

SourceINCF - International Neuroinformatics Coordinating Facility·JournalPLOS Computational Biology·DateFeb 8, 2011