Tag

Brain

All articles tagged with #brain

science11 hours ago•18 min saved

Five psychedelics converge on a common brain pattern, despite different chemistries

A multi-dataset analysis of over 500 brain scans from 267 participants shows psilocybin, LSD, mescaline, DMT, and ayahuasca produce a shared brain-state: weakened within-network connections and increased cross-network communication. This common neural signature could help standardize psychedelic research and guide future mental-health therapies, though the study used healthy adults and variations across datasets mean more work is needed.

via Earth.com|

#brain #functional-connectivity #mental-health

health13 hours ago•29 min saved

Creatine Could Give Your Brain an Edge in Extreme Outdoors

Outside Online weighs evidence that creatine monohydrate, widely used for muscle performance, may also support brain function under stress and fatigue by replenishing ATP, potentially helping decision-making and vigilance in extreme environments (sleep deprivation, high altitude). A 2025 review notes memory and attention gains in older adults; a 2024 study links creatine to reduced tiredness under stress; however, evidence is mixed and not all studies show cognitive benefits, especially in everyday or high-stress settings. In practical terms, 3–5 g/day is considered safe for most people (kidney disease patients should consult a doctor), though initial water retention can occur. While creatine could offer a mental edge during long expeditions or backcountry challenges, researchers emphasize that the brain-benefit remains not fully proven and more research is needed to confirm its impact in extreme conditions.

via Outside Magazine|

#altitude #brain #brain-health

science1 day ago•5 min saved

New brain pathway linked to hypertension could be targeted through carotid sensors

An animal study from Brazil and New Zealand implicates the lateral parafacial (pFL) brain region in some forms of high blood pressure, showing that pFL activity can link breathing patterns to sympathetic drive and vascular constriction; turning pFL on raises BP while inactivating it lowers BP in hypertensive rats. The findings suggest a neurogenic component in about half of hypertension cases and point to carotid-body–targeted therapies as a potential route to control BP without brain-penetrant drugs, though relevance to humans remains to be proven. The work also helps explain the sleep apnea–hypertension link but remains based on animal models."

via ScienceAlert|

#brain #carotid-bodies #hypertension

science1 day ago•6 min saved

Hidden brain drainage path revealed along a major artery

Real-time MRI captured slow, lymphatic-like fluid flow along the middle meningeal artery in healthy volunteers, revealing a brain drainage hub and challenging the view of a brain isolated from the body's lymphatic system. The finding could reshape understanding of aging, brain injury, and neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's.

via ScienceDaily|

#alzheimers-disease #brain #lymphatic-system

health11 days ago•28 min saved

Chronic cannabis use linked to thinner frontal brain region and reduced motivation, study finds

A study of 46 adults with long-term daily cannabis use (average about a decade; at least five years of daily use) found thinning of the right rostral middle frontal cortex on MRI, a region involved in planning and executive function. Researchers say such changes may be tied to reduced motivation and difficulty with complex tasks, but caution that causation isn’t proven and more research is needed to determine permanence or reversibility after stopping use.

via Daily Mail|

#brain #cannabis #executive-function

health11 days ago•57 min saved

New Findings Question Brain-Supportive Grain Claims: Whole Grains Linked to Faster Brain Aging

A decade-long Framingham Heart Study analysis using MRI scans of 1,647 adults found that higher intake of whole grains (like oats and brown rice) and cheese was associated with faster gray-matter decline, while berries and poultry were linked to slower decline. Although the MIND diet has previously shown dementia risk reductions with long-term adherence, these results suggest the relationship between diet and brain aging is more nuanced and calls for more research to understand which foods help or harm brain health.

via The Bobby Bones Show|

#brain #dementia #diet

science12 days ago•2 min saved

Frozen Brain Fragments Raise Hopes and Questions About Revival

Biogerontologist L. Stephen Coles’ brain was cryopreserved after death and stored for over a decade at -146°C. Greg Fahy later biopsied the preserved tissue and found the fragments to be surprisingly well preserved, suggesting future studies might learn from the brain; however, experts caution the brain is not alive and revival remains unproven, with a peer‑reviewed report still forthcoming.

via Futurism|

#biotech #brain #cryonics

science15 days ago•98 min saved

Epigenetic drift linked to brain aging in mice

A mouse study maps epigenetic changes in the aging brain, finding widespread loss of DNA methylation, activation of transposons, and chromatin remodeling that disrupts gene regulation, suggesting brain aging arises from a breakdown of epigenetic control.

via Live Science|

#aging #brain #epigenetics

science16 days ago•6 min saved

Lifespan Atlas Maps How Brain Networks Evolve Across Life

Researchers publish the first lifespan atlas of brain functional connectivity, using fMRI data from about 3,600 people aged from infancy to 100 years to chart how brain networks reorganize from sensory processing to higher‑order cognition and relate to cognitive performance in young adults.

via Nature|

#brain #fmri #functional-connectivity

science16 days ago•6 min saved

Metformin’s brain pathway unlocked: Rap1 in the hypothalamus drives glucose control

Scientists reveal metformin lowers blood sugar by acting in the brain, specifically by suppressing Rap1 in the ventromedial hypothalamus and activating SF1 neurons, with brain effects at far lower drug levels than previously thought, opening possibilities for brain-targeted diabetes therapies and potential brain-health benefits.

via ScienceDaily|

#brain #glucose #hypothalamus

science16 days ago•6 min saved

Metformin's Brain Pathway Unveiled, Paving Way for Next-Gen Diabetes Treatments

New research shows metformin can act in the brain, reaching the ventromedial hypothalamus and inhibiting Rap1 signaling in SF1 neurons to help regulate glucose in mice, a mechanism distinct from its liver and gut effects. When Rap1 was removed, metformin no longer helped diabetes-like symptoms, suggesting a brain pathway. This could lead to brain-targeted diabetes therapies and broaden metformin’s uses, though human studies are needed and side effects like GI distress and kidney risk remain concerns; the drug is also linked to aging benefits.

via ScienceAlert|

#brain #metformin #rap1

psychology20 days ago•10 min saved

Reading Before Bed Rewires the Brain More Than Watching TV

Neuroscience suggests reading before bed actively engages the brain, boosting language connectivity and even leaving ‘shadow activity’ into the next morning, while watching TV delivers passively processed content that can reduce language skills and impair sleep. Over weeks and months, regular reading strengthens neural networks tied to language, memory, empathy, and cognitive control, whereas late-night screen use can hinder sleep quality and cognitive function. The practical takeaway: swap 10 minutes of screen time for reading to foster calmer sleep and long-term brain benefits.

via Silicon Canals|

#brain #neuroscience #psychology

science20 days ago•5 min saved

Brain Biophotons: A Possible Light Pathway to Consciousness

Scientists propose that brain tissue emits biophotons (light particles) that could carry quantum-like information, suggesting a potential third signaling pathway alongside electrical impulses and chemical synapses. While some experiments show entangled photons can retain correlations through thin brain tissue, the idea is highly speculative and would require more research with specialized detectors and modeling to determine if it influences neural activity or consciousness.

via Indian Defence Review|

#biofield #biophotons #brain

science-and-technology21 days ago•6 min saved

Music and the brain: benefits for beginners too

The article argues that playing music positively affects brain health and cognitive function, debunking old phrenology ideas and indicating that even amateur musicians can gain neural benefits from making music.

via The Economist|

#brain #cognition #music

neuroscience22 days ago•7 min saved

Anti-Aging Drug Duo Triggers Brain Myelin Loss in Mice, Study Finds

University of Connecticut researchers report that the anti-aging drug combination dasatinib and quercetin (D+Q) causes significant myelin loss and corpus callosum damage in mice, with younger animals affected more. The oligodendrocytes shift to a less mature, energy-stressed state, suggesting safety concerns for preventive use and offering new clues for understanding multiple sclerosis.

via SciTechDaily|

#anti-aging #brain #multiple-sclerosis