Neuroscience News

Bilingual Brains Build Stronger Connections Learning a second language, especially in childhood, can boost brain connectivity and support lifelong cognitive flexibility. New research shows bilingual brains have more efficient networks, benefiting attention and brain health.

New research links metabolic syndrome in midlife to a higher risk of young-onset dementia. Healthy lifestyle changes in your 40s could be crucial for protecting brain health later. https://lnkd.in/ej6akb-W

AI Uncovers New Cause of Alzheimer’s New research shows a gene thought to be a biomarker for Alzheimer’s actually causes the disease through a hidden function. Using AI, scientists identified a drug candidate that blocks this pathway and reverses symptoms in mice. A major step toward new treatments. https://lnkd.in/e3fguTDZ

What Makes Dreams Memorable? Study Reveals Three Key Predictors Not everyone remembers their dreams, and a new study reveals why. Researchers found that dream recall is most strongly influenced by a person’s attitude toward dreams, their tendency to mind-wander, and specific sleep characteristics. https://lnkd.in/eDyaWJnW

Flexibility Beats Instinct: How Adaptable Learning Drives Success New research shows adaptability is key to success: humans flexibly balance social and individual learning based on context, outperforming rigid strategies. Insights from Minecraft reveal how intelligence thrives in dynamic environments. https://lnkd.in/efTn3GsY

Only Children Face Unique Struggles as Parental Caregivers As single-child families rise in the U.S., more adults are navigating the intense responsibility of caregiving without the support of siblings. A new study reveals that only children experience greater emotional and financial stress when caring for aging parents, and support from friends or extended family doesn’t offer the same relief it does for those with siblings. https://lnkd.in/eHHKv8DV

Infant Social Skills Thrive Despite Hardship Even in the face of war, poverty, and trauma, babies show remarkable resilience. A global study finds infants in insecure environments follow social cues just as well as those in secure homes. Hope lives in early human connection. https://lnkd.in/eXRScMTu

Facts Can Heal Divides, Not Just Deepen Them A new study challenges the belief that exposure to facts only deepens political divisions. Researchers found that when Americans were presented with balanced, credible information about gun control, and incentivized to engage with it, they retained the facts and even revised their views. https://lnkd.in/e6-7K9hd

Autistic Traits Don’t Increase Memory Decline in Older Adults A large longitudinal study found that older adults with high levels of autistic traits experience no greater decline in spatial working memory than their neurotypical peers. https://lnkd.in/ezPYWG2W

Blue Brain Marker Peaks in Midlife, May Predict Cognitive Aging In a diverse group of participants aged 19 to 86, they found an inverted U-shaped pattern: LC signal peaked in late middle age, then declined. https://lnkd.in/eyY-rfG9