https://neurosciencenews.com/neuroscience-topics/featured/ NeuroscienceNews.com provides breaking news from the cutting edge of neuroscience. Thu, 07 May 2026 22:38:20 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 https://neurosciencenews.com/files/2020/08/cropped-Neuroscience-News-Site-Icon-512-comp-32x32.jpg https://neurosciencenews.com/neuroscience-topics/featured/ 32 32 66008408 https://neurosciencenews.com/aging-regret-emotional-resilience-30649/ https://neurosciencenews.com/aging-regret-emotional-resilience-30649/#respond Thu, 07 May 2026 22:38:17 +0000 https://neurosciencenews.com/?p=116711 New research shows that as we age, our brains become better at processing past mistakes, reducing the anger and intensity associated with "long-term" regrets and shifting our perspective toward reflection and meaning.]]> https://neurosciencenews.com/aging-regret-emotional-resilience-30649/feed/ 0 116711 https://neurosciencenews.com/brain-fog-depression-relapse-paradox-30648/ https://neurosciencenews.com/brain-fog-depression-relapse-paradox-30648/#respond Thu, 07 May 2026 22:25:08 +0000 https://neurosciencenews.com/?p=116707 A new study involving 1,800 UK participants has found that while "brain fog" predicts a first episode of depression in healthy adults, those with a history of the disorder are actually more likely to relapse if their cognitive scores are high.]]> https://neurosciencenews.com/brain-fog-depression-relapse-paradox-30648/feed/ 0 116707 https://neurosciencenews.com/brain-wiring-speech-evolution-30647/ https://neurosciencenews.com/brain-wiring-speech-evolution-30647/#respond Thu, 07 May 2026 21:07:51 +0000 https://neurosciencenews.com/?p=116703 The complex vocal duets of Alston’s singing mice are powered by a simple tripling of existing neural connections, rather than a larger brain. This "evolutionary hack" offers a new playbook for understanding how human speech emerged through targeted wiring changes.]]> https://neurosciencenews.com/brain-wiring-speech-evolution-30647/feed/ 0 116703 https://neurosciencenews.com/lifespan-optimization-brain-health-30646/ https://neurosciencenews.com/lifespan-optimization-brain-health-30646/#respond Thu, 07 May 2026 20:48:07 +0000 https://neurosciencenews.com/?p=116699 Adults from ages 19 to 94 can measurably improve brain performance through consistent micro-training, proving that cognitive decline is not an inevitable part of the aging process.]]> https://neurosciencenews.com/lifespan-optimization-brain-health-30646/feed/ 0 116699 https://neurosciencenews.com/psilocybin-brain-entropy-neural-integrity-30645/ https://neurosciencenews.com/psilocybin-brain-entropy-neural-integrity-30645/#respond Thu, 07 May 2026 20:16:47 +0000 https://neurosciencenews.com/?p=116694 New research from UCSF shows that a single high dose of the psychedelic compound creates lasting anatomical changes in brain tracts and "loosens" rigid thought patterns, leading to significant improvements in psychological insight and well-being that persist for over a month.]]> https://neurosciencenews.com/psilocybin-brain-entropy-neural-integrity-30645/feed/ 0 116694 https://neurosciencenews.com/hil-6-gene-therapy-spinal-cord-30644/ https://neurosciencenews.com/hil-6-gene-therapy-spinal-cord-30644/#respond Thu, 07 May 2026 19:48:29 +0000 https://neurosciencenews.com/?p=116690 Researchers have used a designer cytokine, hIL-6, to "rewire" the spinal cord by stimulating the sprouting of new connections from intact nerve fibers. This approach successfully restored coordinated walking in paralyzed mice, highlighting a powerful new strategy for treating spinal cord contusions.]]> https://neurosciencenews.com/hil-6-gene-therapy-spinal-cord-30644/feed/ 0 116690 https://neurosciencenews.com/psilocybin-aggression-behavior-30643/ https://neurosciencenews.com/psilocybin-aggression-behavior-30643/#respond Thu, 07 May 2026 18:55:12 +0000 https://neurosciencenews.com/?p=116686 New research shows that low doses of the psychoactive compound can reduce high-energy aggressive behaviors in mangrove rivulus fish while keeping social communication intact, offering a new vertebrate model for studying the drug's impact on social conflict.]]> https://neurosciencenews.com/psilocybin-aggression-behavior-30643/feed/ 0 116686 https://neurosciencenews.com/glp-1-brain-reward-circuits-motivation-30642/ https://neurosciencenews.com/glp-1-brain-reward-circuits-motivation-30642/#respond Thu, 07 May 2026 18:40:15 +0000 https://neurosciencenews.com/?p=116682 Researchers have discovered a neural pathway connecting the amygdala to dopamine neurons that allows these weight-loss medications to reduce the desire for rewarding foods, offering a new explanation for their effectiveness and their impact on addictive behaviors.]]> https://neurosciencenews.com/glp-1-brain-reward-circuits-motivation-30642/feed/ 0 116682 https://neurosciencenews.com/tms-depression-dendritic-spines-30642/ https://neurosciencenews.com/tms-depression-dendritic-spines-30642/#respond Thu, 07 May 2026 18:24:08 +0000 https://neurosciencenews.com/?p=116677 Researchers have discovered that accelerated magnetic stimulation selectively targets IT neurons to regrow lost synaptic connections, providing the first cellular-level evidence of how TMS repairs the stress-damaged brain in just 24 hours.]]> https://neurosciencenews.com/tms-depression-dendritic-spines-30642/feed/ 0 116677 https://neurosciencenews.com/sexual-arousal-distorted-perception-romantic-interest-30641/ https://neurosciencenews.com/sexual-arousal-distorted-perception-romantic-interest-30641/#respond Thu, 07 May 2026 18:01:33 +0000 https://neurosciencenews.com/?p=116673 New research shows that when faced with ambiguous romantic cues, aroused individuals are significantly more likely to overestimate a partner's interest, potentially leading them to ignore mixed signals in early courtship.]]> https://neurosciencenews.com/sexual-arousal-distorted-perception-romantic-interest-30641/feed/ 0 116673 https://neurosciencenews.com/ketamine-antidepressant-mechanism-30640/ https://neurosciencenews.com/ketamine-antidepressant-mechanism-30640/#respond Fri, 01 May 2026 20:03:57 +0000 https://neurosciencenews.com/?p=116668 By "reverse engineering" ketamine, Weill Cornell investigators have identified a specific opioid receptor pathway and a unique receptor "cross-talk" that drives rapid antidepressant effects.]]> https://neurosciencenews.com/ketamine-antidepressant-mechanism-30640/feed/ 0 116668 https://neurosciencenews.com/auditory-repair-noise-damage-30639/ https://neurosciencenews.com/auditory-repair-noise-damage-30639/#respond Thu, 30 Apr 2026 16:48:49 +0000 https://neurosciencenews.com/?p=116664 Researchers have discovered that within just 24 hours of noise-induced hearing damage, the brainstem reorganizes its inhibitory circuits to restore "sound offset" signals, the critical markers that tell us when a sound has ended.]]> https://neurosciencenews.com/auditory-repair-noise-damage-30639/feed/ 0 116664