News
General news from neuroscience, education, and cognitive science.
NFL Players Show Fourfold Increase in Neurodegenerative Death Risk
A new study of 19,824 NFL players finds they are four times more likely to die from neurodegenerative diseases like dementia and Parkinson's, with younger players facing even higher risks.
17 New Brain Regions Found to Process Language
MIT researchers analyzed fMRI data from over 700 people and discovered 17 hidden brain regions that process language, including areas in the cerebellum and deep subcortical structures.
New Soft Exoskeleton Glove Restores Grasp in Paralysis Using Faint Muscle Signals
A low-cost pneumatic glove reads weak forearm muscle signals with 97% accuracy, enabling an ALS patient to hold a fork for the first time in four years.
Mice Use Strategic Infotaxis to Overcome Poor Vision
A new study from EPFL shows that mice actively use visual infotaxis—moving strategically to maximize information gain—to identify partially hidden objects, revealing that even poor-sighted rodents rely on internal models of space.
Cognitive Training Boosts Cognition and Mood in Brain Tumor Patients
A new trial shows that multidimensional cognitive training improves cognition, mood, and quality of life in postoperative glioma patients.
Hearing Aids Linked to 23% Lower Dementia Risk in Epilepsy
A massive study of 250 million health records finds hearing aids cut dementia risk by 23% in epilepsy patients with hearing loss, likely by preserving cognitive reserve.
AI Cracks 80-Year-Old Math Problem That Stumped Mathematicians
OpenAI's model disproved Paul Erdős' 1946 unit distance conjecture, finding a better arrangement of points. Mathematicians call it a milestone for AI-driven discovery.
Concussion Turns Brain's Immune Stabilizer Into a Destroyer
A new study reveals that after a concussion, the brain's own immune receptor TLR4 triggers an enzyme that degrades neural scaffolding, causing long-term memory loss and cognitive noise.
AI Stumbles on Classic Attention Test: Why Humans Still Outperform Machines
Top AI models like GPT-4o dropped from 91% to 15% accuracy on a simple color-word test. The study reveals a fundamental gap in machine attention.
Irregular Sleep Hurts Kids’ Vocabulary and Memory, Study Finds
A new study shows that irregular sleep patterns lower receptive vocabulary and visuospatial memory scores in preschool children, independent of total sleep duration.
Irregular Sleep Patterns Linked to Brain Tissue Damage in Large Study
A study of 23,000 adults found that short sleep, frequent napping, and sleeplessness are linked to increased white matter lesions, a marker of brain aging.
AI Maps Glymphatic System Speed to Combat Alzheimer's
New AI reveals brain's waste-clearing fluid moves 50x faster on outer surfaces than deep inside, offering a diagnostic tool for Alzheimer's and concussion recovery.
Neutrophils Produce Schizophrenia Risk Protein C4A, Study Finds
White blood cells called neutrophils act as hidden factories for C4A, the strongest common genetic risk protein for schizophrenia, driving excessive synaptic pruning.
Brain-Controlled Hearing Aid Solves Cocktail Party Problem
Columbia researchers developed a real-time brain-controlled hearing system that amplifies a chosen voice in a crowd, offering a breakthrough for hearing aids.
Simple Amino Acid Arginine Shows Promise Against Alzheimer's Damage
Researchers found that arginine, a low-cost amino acid, reduced toxic amyloid buildup and brain inflammation in animal models of Alzheimer's disease.
Tightening Your Abs May Trigger a Brain-Cleaning Effect
New research reveals that contracting your abdominal muscles pushes fluid through the brain, potentially flushing out waste. Just moving your body might quietly 'rinse' your brain.
Single-Cell Learning: How a Brainless Organism Uses Neuron-Like Machinery
New research reveals that the giant single-celled Stentor coeruleus uses calcium signaling and the enzyme CaMKII to learn and remember, suggesting learning predates the evolution of brains.
ADHD Traits Found in 25% of Chronic Pain Patients: Hidden Link
A study of nearly 1,000 patients reveals that 25% of chronic pain sufferers exhibit ADHD traits, which amplify pain through anxiety and depression.
IISc Launches Rs 2 Crore AI Challenge for Early Cognitive Decline Detection
IISc's Centre for Brain Research has launched a Rs 2 crore AI challenge to detect early signs of cognitive decline, aiming to develop accessible screening tools for Alzheimer's and dementia.