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Could targeting Parkinson’s outside of the brain improve symptoms?

Parkinson’s doesn’t just affect movement and the brain — it may also impact the heart, according to new research. Scientists suggest that targeting a key protein outside of the brain could help manage Parkinson’s-related heart issues.

17 modifiable risk factors shared by stroke, dementia, and late-life depression

In a new extensive systematic review, researchers identified 17 modifiable risk factors that are shared by stroke, dementia, and late-life depression. Modifying any one of them can reduce your risk of all three conditions. The findings provide evidence…

How the brain evaluates rewards

Researchers have gained a new understanding of how the brain processes reward and risk information. Neuroscientists show how nerve cells in the so-called amygdala not only encode the probability and magnitude of rewards, but also dynamically process th…

Exposure to air pollution in childhood is associated with reduced brain connectivity

A new study has found that children exposed to higher levels of air pollution in early and mid childhood have weaker connections between key brain regions. The findings highlight the potential impact of early exposure to air pollution on brain developm…

New study links lower proportions of certain sleep stages to brain changes associated with Alzheimer’s disease

New research reveals that lower proportions of specific sleep stages are associated with reduced brain volume in regions vulnerable to the development of Alzheimer’s disease over time.

Discrimination-related depression, anxiety pronounced among multiracial, White, Asian populations

A new study found that over half of US adults experienced some form of discrimination, and individuals with high exposure to discrimination have more than five times the chances of screening positive for depression, and five times the chances of screen…

PET imaging confirms direct involvement of dopamine in cognitive flexibility

Scientists have confirmed a neurobiochemical link between dopamine and cognitive flexibility. PET imaging shows that the brain increases dopamine production when completing cognitively demanding tasks, and that the more dopamine released, the more effi…

Early signs of heart problems linked to smaller brain volumes

People who have early signs of heart problems may also have changes in brain health that can be early signs of dementia, such as loss of brain volume, according to a meta-analysis. The meta-analysis does not prove that early heart problems cause loss o…

Study unlocks how diabetes distorts memory and reward processing

A research team says high blood sugar levels appear to weaken function in key part of brain, mimicking Alzheimer’s.

How did the large brain evolve?

Two specific genes that evolve exclusively in humans jointly influence the development of the cerebrum. Researchers have provided evidence that these genes contribute together to the evolutionary enlargement of the brain.