Keyword: brain
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Creatine is often linked to gym performance, but its real impact goes much deeper. Creatine is widely recognized as a supplement used by athletes and fitness enthusiasts to improve performance. But its effects extend beyond the gym. Scientists have been studying how this naturally occurring compound influences both physical and mental function, revealing a more complex picture than many people expect. From supporting energy production to its possible role in future medical treatments, creatine continues to attract attention from researchers. Dr. Mehdi Boroujerdi, a pharmaceutical researcher and former professor, conducted a detailed review of creatine in the Handbook of Creatine...
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The neurotransmitter serotonin, best known for its role in regulating mood, may also influence the severity of tinnitus, new research has found. According to a mouse study by scientists in the US and China, increasing serotonin signaling in a specific brain circuit increased behaviors associated with the neurological disorder. Since serotonin is often targeted to alleviate symptoms of depression and anxiety, this finding could help guide the development of treatments that relieve these conditions without exacerbating tinnitus. "We've suspected that serotonin was involved in tinnitus, but we didn't really understand how. Now, using mice, we've found a specific brain circuit...
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(Photo credit: Exclusive Image for Unsplash+) Research Shows That Avoiding Eggs Entirely Linked To 22% Higher Risk Of Memory-Stealing Disease In A Nutshell People who ate eggs regularly had lower Alzheimer’s diagnosis rates over 15 years. The lowest risk appeared in those eating eggs five or more times per week. Eggs provide nutrients linked to brain health, including choline and vitamin B12. The study shows a connection, not proof that eggs prevent Alzheimer’s disease. Eggs have spent decades bouncing between dietary hero and villain, praised for their protein one year and vilified for their cholesterol the next. A new study...
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Some people reach their 80s with memories sharper than many 50-year-olds. Scientists now think they know why: Their brains never stopped growing new cells. Scientists studying a rare group of older people known as superagers—those aged 80 and over whose memory rivals someone 30 years younger—have found that their brains produce new neurons at twice the rate of typical older adults. “For most of the last century, the prevailing belief was that brain cells only die as you age—you were born with what you had, and that was that,” Jordan Weiss, professor at the Optimal Aging Institute at NYU Grossman...
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Research suggests compounds in foods like blackberries and kale can influence brain chemistry tied to motivation and activity — another reminder that what we eat affects more than we realize.Key Takeaways: -A 2025 study suggests that astringent, flavanol-rich foods like berries and red wine may stimulate the nervous system through their puckering taste, potentially triggering physiological responses similar to moderate exercise. -In the study, mice given oral doses of flavanols exhibited increased physical activity, greater exploration, and improved learning and memory compared to a control group. -Researchers also observed elevated levels of dopamine, norepinephrine, and related compounds associated with motivation,...
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Jerusalem, 25 January 2026 (TPS-IL) - Scientists have uncovered a rare, sharply defined neural circuit that behaves like an “on/off” switch, showing striking differences between males and females. The discovery, made by researchers in Israel and Canada, could transform our understanding of how sex, experience, and hormones interact in the brain, and eventually inform approaches to social behavior, mental health, and parenting, the Hebrew University of Jerusalem announced. The study, led by Dr. Tamar Licht and Dr. Dan Rokni from the Institute of Medical Research Israel-Canada (IMRIC) at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, identified a previously unknown group of neurons...
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A team of scientists has uncovered a new way to slow the growth of glioblastoma, the most aggressive and currently incurable form of brain cancer—and identified an existing medication that could treat it. The research shows that certain brain cells—once thought to simply support healthy nerve function—actually help glioblastoma grow and spread. The researchers discovered that these cells send signals that strengthen the tumor, but when they blocked this harmful communication in lab models, the cancer slowed its growth significantly. Even more promising, the study suggests that an existing HIV medication could be repurposed to target this process and offer...
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Abnormal clumps of proteins like α-synuclein, amyloid beta and tau are associated with neurodegenerative conditions like Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease, but a waste removal mechanism called the glymphatic pathway can clear these proteins and other metabolic byproducts from the brain. Now, a team is exploring whether intentionally raising and lowering blood levels of carbon dioxide (CO2) through rhythmic CO2 exposure or controlled breathing might boost the glymphatic system's effectiveness and improve brain health. Sephira Ryman, Ph.D. led studies to evaluate how intermittent breathing of CO2 could be used to dilate and constrict brain arteries and drive the movement of cerebrospinal...
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Many people who successfully lost weight on Ozempic and other GLP-1 agonist drugs are having trouble weaning themselves off the injectables, according to the BBC, because the hunger for food comes roaring back with a vengeance — and hence the pounds start creeping up again, hinting that patients are likely to develop life-long dependencies on the substances. “For the first 38 years of my life, I was overweight — now I’m six stone (38kg) [83 pounds] lighter,” Tanya Hall, a Wegovy user who can’t get off the drug, told the news organization. “Therefore, there’s part of me that feels like...
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Simple pharmaceutical interventions could help older brains cope with memory impairment and recovery after surgery, new studies in mice suggest. The first paper examined the problem of post-surgical cognitive impairment. Immediately after surgery, cognitive impairment is common, but studies have found that 10% of adults over the age of 60 still have deficits to learning, memory and executive function three months after surgery, Rudolph said. Propofol is a common anesthetic agent that has shown promise in other mouse studies for improving cognition in Alzheimer's disease models, though in high doses it may harm the brain, Rudolph said. To study whether...
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“Neuroscientists who stand up and say ‘we have souls’ are few and far between,” says pediatric neurosurgeon Dr. Michael Egnor. “But when you look carefully at the neuroscience—the best neuroscience over the past century—it clearly points to the existence of the soul and to the existence of aspects of our mind that don't come from the brain.” Egnor himself started off as a materialist and atheist. But 40 years and more than 7,000 brain surgeries later, he concluded that reason and free will do not reside in the brain. In this episode, he reveals what he’s found. “Neuroscience is just...
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Kim Kardashian revealed her latest brain scan show she has “low activity.” In her visit to Dr. Daniel Amen — who previously scanned Khloé Kardashian and Kendall Jenner’s brains in 2022 — the doctor brought some “holes” in her brain scan to her attention, which indicated “low activity.” “The front part of your brain is less active than it should be,” the doctor explained on Thursday’s episode of “The Kardashians.”
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A team has revealed how hydralazine, one of the world's oldest blood pressure drugs and a treatment for preeclampsia, works. In doing so, they made a surprising discovery—it can also halt the growth of aggressive brain tumors. In their paper the team uncovered the method of action of hydralazine, and in doing so, revealed an unexpected biological link between hypertensive disorders and brain cancer. The findings highlight how long-established treatments can reveal new therapeutic potential and could help in the design of safer, more effective drugs for both maternal health and brain cancer. The team found that hydralazine blocks an...
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A new study explores a radical idea: instead of killing cancer, what if we could heal it? In glioblastoma patients, a simple nutraceutical combination of resveratrol and copper appeared to reduce tumor aggressiveness and key cancer hallmarks without side effects. A new study indicates that glioblastoma becomes less aggressive after treatment with resveratrol and copper, a potentially game-changing finding that could pave the way for a radically new approach to cancer therapy. Treatments such as chemotherapy, radiotherapy and immunotherapy are all designed with a single goal in mind: to destroy cancer. However, what if this long-standing approach is wrong, and...
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People with anxiety disorders have lower levels of choline in their brains, according to research. The study analyzed data from 25 studies. The researchers compared the levels of neurometabolites—chemicals produced during brain metabolism—in 370 people with anxiety disorders to 342 people without anxiety. They found the level of choline—an essential nutrient—was about 8% lower in those with anxiety disorders. The evidence for low choline was especially consistent in the prefrontal cortex, the part of the brain that helps control thinking, emotions and behavior. "This is the first meta-analysis to show a chemical pattern in the brain in anxiety disorders," said...
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This ancient fossil holds the oldest intact brain ever discovered, and it looks strikingly like that of a spider, © Credit: Nicholas Strausfeld Share this post A fossil found in southern China has revealed something scientists rarely get to see: the incredibly well-preserved brain and nervous system of a 520-million-year-old creature. It belonged to a now-extinct marine animal with big front claws and a body that shares surprising similarities with today’s spiders and scorpions. The fossil, part of the Alalcomenaeus genus, offers a detailed snapshot of early arthropod evolution. Researchers discovered that its nervous system, especially the brain and nerve...
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A new study shows that the widely used antidepressant fluoxetine does more than boost serotonin levels: it changes how brain cells manage their energy and rebuild their connections, potentially helping the brain "loosen up" and adapt during depression treatment. Using cell type–specific transcriptome profiling, researchers found that after two weeks of treatment, a special class of brain cells, called parvalbumin interneurons, which help keep brain activity balanced, became less rigid in the prefrontal cortex. Their mitochondria showed reduced expression of genes linked to energy production, while genes related to plasticity were upregulated. At the same time, the protective perineuronal nets...
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Revenge is an act designed to inflict harm on someone because they’ve inflicted harm on us. We could yearn for anything after we’ve been mistreated, like a scoop of ice cream, a nap, or a relaxing massage. But what most of us really want is the other person’s pain—and for them to know that their pain is because of the pain they’ve caused us. The desire for revenge is the root motivation for almost all forms of human violence. From childhood bullying to intimate partner violence, urban violence, police brutality, mass shootings, violent extremism, genocide, and even war, perpetrators of...
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On Sept. 10, 2025, Charlie Kirk was shot in the neck at Utah Valley University during the first stop of his “American Comeback” tour. I was in my audition seminar class when I absentmindedly checked my phone and audibly gasped as my eyes glanced over the Washington Post notification. I followed the story into my next class, refreshing my laptop for updates and texting my friends. I was vaguely familiar with Kirk for his controversial right-wing extremist takes, and his murder came as a shock to me and many others, most likely because we tend to view public figures as...
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St.Jude researchers revealed that midkine blocks amyloid beta from forming harmful clumps linked to Alzheimer’s. Without it, the damaging assemblies accelerate, but with it, growth halts. The finding could inspire new drugs that harness midkine’s protective power.
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