A comprehensive study analyzing data from two million individuals across 168 countries, challenges the widely held belief about the negative psychological impact of internet technologies. Researchers found only small and inconsistent changes in global well-being and mental health over the last two decades, despite extensive internet adoption.

A new study challenges prevailing assumptions about food preferences, particularly regarding ultra-processed foods (UPFs). Engaging 224 adults, the study analyzed responses to images of 52 familiar foods, assessing factors like energy density, processing level, and carbohydrate-to-fat ratio.

Researchers revealed that newborn babies inherently perceive musical beats, a skill separate from their statistical learning ability. The study involved 27 newborns and used EEG brain wave measurements to differentiate between beat perception and statistical learning of sound sequences. Results showed that babies could detect a regular pulse in music when timing between beats was consistent.

Researchers discovered that the neuropsychiatric symptoms in Alzheimer’s disease, such as irritability, agitation, and depression, primarily stem from brain inflammation rather than amyloid and tau proteins. This study involved 109 elderly individuals and found a strong correlation between neuroinflammation and these challenging symptoms.

Researchers discovered that chronic stress induces depression-like behaviors in fruit flies, Drosophila melanogaster, affecting their motivation and activity. The study found that Ayurvedic medicinal plants, particularly Withania somnifera (ashwagandha) and Centella asiatica, can improve the flies' resilience to chronic stress when used prophylactically.

A new study reveals that discrimination and acculturation experiences during pregnancy uniquely impact the brain development of children, distinct from general stress or depression effects. Using MRI, researchers analyzed brain connectivity in infants of 165 pregnant participants, mostly Hispanic, from New York City's Washington Heights.

Researchers uncovered a crucial role of the ventrolateral prefrontal cortex (VLPFC) in processing social cues, expanding our understanding of this brain region beyond working memory and multisensory integration. Using a novel approach, the study found that while individual neurons in the VLPFC of macaques showed complex responses to social stimuli, their collective activity could be decoded by a machine learning model to identify expressions and identities in videos.

A new study reveals that personalized health and lifestyle changes can significantly delay or prevent memory loss in older adults at high risk of Alzheimer's. The study, involving 172 participants, showed that those receiving personalized coaching to manage risk factors like uncontrolled diabetes and physical inactivity had a 74% cognitive improvement compared to the control group.

An international team has conducted a groundbreaking study on stem cell therapy for progressive multiple sclerosis (MS). The therapy, involving the injection of neural stem cells into patients' brains, was found to be safe and potentially effective in preventing further brain damage.

A new study delves into the intricate nature of sexual motivation, emphasizing its complexity as both an abstract concept and a tangible physiological phenomenon. It underscores the significant role of gonadal hormones in modulating sexual behavior, particularly highlighting specific brain structures in rats.

Researchers explore how chronic caffeine consumption potentially impacts brain plasticity and the effectiveness of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS). The research indicates that regular caffeine users might experience diminished long-term potentiation (LTP), a crucial process for learning and memory.

New research reveals that moderate exercise improves cognitive performance (CP) even under conditions of sleep deprivation and low oxygen levels. The study involved two experiments with 24 participants in total, examining the effects of partial and total sleep deprivation, as well as hypoxia, on CP.