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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

What does caffeine do to our sleep?

Research using EEG reveals that caffeine can reduce slow-wave activity and shift brain patterns towards wakefulness, even if sleep duration appears normal. This can lead to a vicious cycle of fatigue and poorer sleep quality, highlighting the need for personalized approaches to caffeine consumption.

SourceWroclaw Medical University·JournalNutrients·TypeSystematic review·DateMay 27, 2026

Genomic Press launches Brain Health, a new peer-reviewed journal of lifelong brain resilience, with inaugural interview featuring Luísa Pinto on glial plasticity

Genomic Press launches Brain Health, a new peer-reviewed journal dedicated to the science of lifelong brain resilience, featuring research on glial plasticity and recovery from depression. The inaugural issue explores the intersection of fields including cognitive reserve, sleep, aging biology, nutritional psychiatry, and social sciences.

Fruit flies teach us how to appreciate flavor

Scientists at RIKEN Center for Brain Science found that fruit flies use separate circuits to compute pleasant and unpleasant odors, challenging the idea that 'good' is the opposite of 'bad'. The discovery may contribute to a better understanding of human brain's flavor appreciation mechanisms.

SourceRIKEN·JournalCell·DateOct 8, 2025

Brain organoids could unlock energy-efficient AI

The team will study neurons within a brain organoid, a millimeter-sized, three-dimensional structure grown in the lab from adult stem cells, to design smarter and more sustainable artificial intelligence. They aim to replicate complex computations that occur in the human brain to improve AI efficiency.

Memory consolidation requires reactivation of only three neurons during sleep

A study found that memories acquired while awake are stored in a more permanent form during REM sleep, requiring the reactivation of only three adult-born neurons involved in memory formation. This process is synchronized with theta rhythm activity and essential for proper memory function.

Scaffold-free cartilage produced using embryonic-derived mesenchymal stem cell spheroids

A new study demonstrates the potential to produce cellular spheroids from clinically relevant embryonic stem cells to generate scaffold-free chondrogenic or osteochondrogenic graft tissues. The researchers successfully cultured ES-MSC cellular spheroids, which matured into neocartilage tissues expressing cartilage-associated genes.

SourceMary Ann Liebert, Inc./Genetic Engineering News·JournalTissue Engineering Part A·TypeExperimental study·DateAug 13, 2025

Researchers at university hospitals and the Cleveland VA say long-term exercise programs may restore neural connections in Parkinson’s patients

Researchers found measurable changes in brain signals responsible for motor control and movement after 12 dynamic cycling sessions. The study suggests long-term exercise programs could have wider restorative effects on the brain signals of Parkinson's Disease patients.

SourceUniversity Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center·JournalClinical Neurophysiology·DateJul 30, 2025

Your memories create time

The brain segments and organizes events into experiences by placing unique bookmarks on them, allowing us to revisit and learn from our lives. The lateral entorhinal cortex creates a signal that constantly drifts in a pattern never repeating itself, marking the beginning and end of an experience.

SourceNorwegian University of Science and Technology·JournalScience·TypeExperimental study·DateJul 4, 2025

Transforming immunotherapy design

Assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering Natasa Miskov-Zivanov is receiving a $581,503 NSF CAREER Award for her project that leverages AI to design more effective lymphocytes for cancer immunotherapies. The system aims to accelerate the process of designing new therapeutic cell designs.

Decoding the brainstem: A new window into brain–body–mind interactions

Researchers developed a live brainstem imaging method to study the nucleus tractus solitarii's role in emotion regulation and body-brain interactions. The D-PSCAN technique enabled high-resolution visualization of NTS neural activity in response to vagus nerve stimulation and gut hormone cholecystokinin, shedding light on potential the...

SourceNational Institutes of Natural Sciences·JournalCell Reports Methods·TypeExperimental study·DateMay 2, 2025

Major themes and growth areas in the application of AI in the neurosciences shown in inaugural issue of AI in neuroscience

A new review article identifies major themes in AI application to neurosciences, including a 5-fold increase in AI-related publications. The study also notes a surge of over 13-fold in clinical neurology AI-related publications in the past decade.

SourceMary Ann Liebert, Inc./Genetic Engineering News·JournalAI in Neuroscience·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateMar 22, 2025

Newfound circuit better explains how the brain recognizes what is familiar and important

Researchers at NYU Langone Health identified a new direct feedback loop in the brain that mixes sensory information, memories, and emotions to label sights and sounds as more important. This discovery may lead to new solutions for problems like post-traumatic stress disorder and autism.

SourceNYU Langone Health / NYU Grossman School of Medicine·JournalNature Neuroscience·TypeExperimental study·DateFeb 18, 2025

uOttawa study unveils new insights into how neural stem cells are activated in the adult human brain

A University of Ottawa neuroscientist has led a Canadian research team to discover how neural stem cells integrate signals from different cell types and decode them. The study found that low daughter cell numbers trigger activation, while high numbers keep them in quiescence, offering new insights into cellular relationships and potent...

SourceUniversity of Ottawa·JournalCell Stem Cell·DateFeb 6, 2025

First map of every neuron in an adult brain

Researchers from the FlyWire Consortium have created a detailed wiring diagram of every neuron in the adult fly brain, revealing substantial similarities between individual brains. The map includes 50 million connections between neurons, providing insights into neural circuits and their functions.

SourceUK Research and Innovation·JournalNature·TypeImaging analysis·DateOct 2, 2024

Neuroscience breakthrough: A Princeton-led research team has mapped the entire brain of an adult fruit fly for the first time

A Princeton-led research team has built the first neuron-by-neuron and synapse-by-synapse roadmap through the brain of an adult fruit fly. The map reveals connections within the brain at every scale, enabling researchers to better understand its underlying logic and potentially develop tailored treatments for brain diseases.

SourcePrinceton University·JournalNature·TypeImaging analysis·DateOct 2, 2024

New brain-computer interface allows man with ALS to ‘speak’ again

Researchers developed a new brain-computer interface that translates brain signals into speech with up to 97% accuracy, enabling a man with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) to communicate with friends and family. The system was tested in real-time conversations with continuous updates, achieving high word accuracy rates.

SourceUniversity of California - Davis Health·JournalNew England Journal of Medicine·DateAug 14, 2024

Sport or snack? How our brain decides

Studies in mice reveal that orexin plays a key role in deciding between physical activity and consuming food, particularly when both options are available. By understanding this process, scientists aim to develop strategies to overcome exercise barriers and address the global obesity epidemic.

SourceETH Zurich·JournalNature Neuroscience·TypeExperimental study·DateAug 6, 2024

Neuroscience research leverages stem cells to understand how neurons connect and communicate in the brain

Researchers at Colorado State University used human stem cells to study synaptic connections in the brain, focusing on GABAergic synapses. They found that Gephyrin promotes autonomous assembly of these synapses, which can develop independently of neuronal communication. This understanding could lead to new treatments for neurological d...

SourceColorado State University·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateJun 26, 2024

Decoding the principle of functional brain development: thalamocortical connectivity and the formation of functional networks

This study reveals that thalamocortical connectivity plays a vital role in the formation of functional brain networks. The researchers used advanced neuroimaging techniques and computational models to map changes in thalamocortical connectivity across different age groups, from infancy to adulthood.

SourceInstitute for Basic Science·JournalNature Neuroscience·TypeExperimental study·DateJun 18, 2024

Artificial intelligence resolves conflicts impeding animal behavior research

Researchers developed AI software to analyze animal behavior, enabling precise linking of brain circuits and neurons. The program reconciles differing results by providing transparent explanations for machine-learning predictions, facilitating cross-lab comparisons and reproducibility in behavioral research.

SourceUniversity of Washington School of Medicine/UW Medicine·JournalNature Neuroscience·TypeExperimental study·DateMay 23, 2024

A new approach to fine motor skills assessment: EIT-based tactile sensor breakthrough

A groundbreaking system utilizing a flexible tactile sensor based on electrical impedance tomography (EIT) offers significant advantages in terms of flexibility and sensitivity compared to conventional methods. The system achieved high classification accuracies, with reconstructed images and measured voltage vectors.

SourceShibaura Institute of Technology·JournalIEEE Access·TypeExperimental study·DateMay 21, 2024