Neuroimaging

A large analysis of children's brain scans reveals that socioeconomic status is the primary factor shaping brain organization. The findings suggest that brain patterns previously linked to intelligence actually reflect environmental factors like stress and sleep deprivation.

A sweeping new study of nearly 8,700 brain scans found that subtle structural differences in people taking antidepressants are mostly explained by the severity of their illness and their age, rather than the medications themselves.

Getting to know someone can ease loneliness, but new research shows it physically alters brain alignment in surprising ways. When people of different generations make art together, their neural synchronization takes a completely unexpected path.

A recent study reveals how the developing brain processes facial expressions based on gender and emotion, finding that elevated anxiety alters how children react to threatening faces.

A large study found that a history of multiple depressive episodes is tied to heightened brain activity during emotional processing. The findings suggest each episode leaves a biological signature, increasing vulnerability to future relapses.

Heavy drinking changes how the brain fuels itself. But new research shows this metabolic shift is highly reversible, with the brain’s energy system returning to near-normal within just one month of abstinence.

Researchers found that altering a small group of dopamine-producing neurons in fruit flies fragments their sleep. This sleep deprivation prevents the insects from forming long-term memories, highlighting a crucial neural link between rest and learning.

A study of over 5,600 teenagers links video gaming to differences in brain structure, like a thinner cerebral cortex. However, these associations vary depending on whether adolescents engage in solo, social, or mature-rated gaming.

A new mouse study indicates the common artificial sweetener aspartame could exacerbate stroke-related brain damage. The sweetener suppresses protective cellular signals and increases oxidative stress, leading to higher rates of brain cell death.

A new study reveals that during REM sleep, the brain uses repeating chains of rapid electrical waves to replay and organize memories. The findings highlight how different sleep stages work together to store our daily experiences.

Researchers have identified a specific brain circuit that drives increased alcohol intake following social isolation. The findings provide a biological mechanism for how a negative social environment changes what the brain treats as a valuable reward.

Scientists have uncovered a surprising twist in how our minds age. A new brain scanning study shows that a mechanism designed to protect our memories eventually begins to blend them together, leading to everyday confusion.

Scientists have mapped the reading brain, finding that genetics set the foundation for processing sounds and meaning. Meanwhile, the physical act of reading practice actually thickens specific brain regions and optimizes communication pathways.

A new study reveals that the psychedelic drug DMT pushes brain waves into a highly random, structureless state. This biological shift directly correlates with the intense sensation of ego dissolution, shedding light on how human consciousness is maintained.

Alzheimer's disease and frontotemporal dementia share overlapping symptoms, making early diagnosis difficult. A new study reveals that tiny brain-derived vesicles carry distinct genetic markers for each condition, offering a potential new avenue for early detection.