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A moody gut often accompanies depression: New study helps explain why

A new study suggests that depression and GI trouble sometimes spring from the same source — low serotonin — and identifies a potential treatment that could ease both conditions simultaneously.

A brain region for Pokémon characters?

Adults who played Pokémon videogames extensively as children have a brain region that responds preferentially to images of Pikachu and other characters from the series.

Transplanting gut bacteria alters depression-related behavior, brain inflammation in animals

Scientists have shown that transplanting gut bacteria, from an animal that is vulnerable to social stress to a non-stressed animal, can cause vulnerable behavior in the recipient. The research reveals details of biological interactions between the brai…

New molecule maps cerebrovascular system

A peptide is capable of binding to the blood-brain barrier that protects the central nervous system and could help create novel imaging tests to diagnose Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.

Understanding of atrial fibrillation-related dementia

Researchers have determined that atrial fibrillation (Afib) is independently associated with changes that occur with aging and dementia.

Levels of autism: Everything you need to know

Doctors can diagnose three different levels of autism, which vary in their severity. Getting the correct diagnosis can help ensure that a person receives the right treatment and support. Learn more here.

Is procrastination friend or foe to health and creativity?

In this Spotlight feature, we explore the reasons behind procrastination, look at its effects on health, and ask whether procrastination has any benefits.

Hotspot in the genome may drive psychosis in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder

A newly identified epigenetic hotspot for schizophrenia and bipolar disorder may give scientists a fresh path forward for devising more effective treatments and biomarker-based screening strategies. More than 100 million people worldwide have either sc…

Brain imaging lie detector can be beaten with simple techniques

Researchers have shown that a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) ‘lie detector’ test, which measures brain activity, can be ‘deceived’ by people using mental countermeasures. The study suggests that more should be done to detect mental counte…

The sense of touch is formed in the brain before birth

All the surface of the human body is represented in the cerebral cortex in a transversal band localized at the external part of the cerebral hemispheres: the somatosensory cortex. Each body region occupies in that band a distinct extension depending on…