IQgenio Blog

Science-backed news on intelligence, neuroscience, and brain training

All Research Brain Training Famous IQs Nootropics Psychology Puzzles News
Single Brain Synapse Pinpointed as the Starting Point of Vocal Learning
Research

Single Brain Synapse Pinpointed as the Starting Point of Vocal Learning

Scientists found that a single type of synapse in the basal ganglia is the origin of vocal learning. Disabling it makes birds revert to babbling.

May 16, 2026
Neurofeedback Trains Brain to Stop Depressive Rumination
Research

Neurofeedback Trains Brain to Stop Depressive Rumination

Real-time fMRI neurofeedback gamifies brain training to reduce depressive rumination by targeting the neural coupling between self-referential and goal-directed brain regions.

May 16, 2026
Brain Signal Predicts and Restores Attention in Children
Research

Brain Signal Predicts and Restores Attention in Children

Researchers identified a neural signature that predicts attention lapses milliseconds before they occur. Targeted stimulation at that exact moment restored focus in children with ADHD and epilepsy.

May 16, 2026
Genetic Risk for Schizophrenia Alters Teen Brain Growth
Research

Genetic Risk for Schizophrenia Alters Teen Brain Growth

A new study of over 6,000 children shows that high genetic risk for schizophrenia causes frontal brain surface area to shrink in early adolescence, while peers' brains grow.

May 15, 2026
LinCx: Biological "Bypasses" Restore Brain Circuits
Research

LinCx: Biological "Bypasses" Restore Brain Circuits

Researchers engineered proteins that act as biological wires to reconnect broken brain circuits, altering behavior in mice without drugs or electrodes.

May 15, 2026
New Gene PTCHD1-AS Specifically Affects Autism Social and Repetitive Behaviors, Not Cognition
Research

New Gene PTCHD1-AS Specifically Affects Autism Social and Repetitive Behaviors, Not Cognition

Researchers identify PTCHD1-AS, a long non-coding RNA gene that regulates social interaction and repetitive behaviors without affecting learning or memory, offering a precision target for autism traits.

May 15, 2026
Three Genetic Pathways Link Cannabis Use Disorder to Psychosis Risk
Research

Three Genetic Pathways Link Cannabis Use Disorder to Psychosis Risk

New research identifies over 500 genetic markers and three distinct biological pathways that explain how cannabis use disorder may lead to psychosis, offering a foundation for risk prediction and targeted treatments.

May 15, 2026
How Hormones Shape Hearing: Why Men and Women Process Sound Differently
Research

How Hormones Shape Hearing: Why Men and Women Process Sound Differently

New research reveals that hormonal fluctuations cause sex-dependent differences in hearing, challenging male-centric medical models and calling for precision audiology.

May 15, 2026
How the Timing of Trauma Shapes Brain Development and Behavior
Research

How the Timing of Trauma Shapes Brain Development and Behavior

A new study reveals that when trauma occurs—childhood, adolescence, or young adulthood—determines which brain regions are affected and which behaviors emerge, opening doors for personalized treatments.

May 14, 2026
Spatiotemporal AI Reveals How Brain's Motion Maps Self-Organize
Research

Spatiotemporal AI Reveals How Brain's Motion Maps Self-Organize

New research shows that direction-selective maps in the brain's MT area emerge from a trade-off between task-driven learning and spatial smoothness, unifying visual stream theories.

May 14, 2026
Decoding Visual Neurons with Language: A New AI Method
Research

Decoding Visual Neurons with Language: A New AI Method

Researchers used AI to translate monkey visual neurons into human-readable descriptions, correctly predicting neuron responses 96% of the time.

May 14, 2026
Finding the Sleep Sweet Spot for Slower Biological Aging
Research

Finding the Sleep Sweet Spot for Slower Biological Aging

Sleeping less than 6 or more than 8 hours speeds aging across 17 organ systems, finds a new study of 500,000 people. The optimal sleep window is 6.4–7.8 hours.

May 14, 2026