Brain

New research is offering some of the clearest insights into the physiological effect of loneliness ever gathered. The findings reveal a lack of social contact can shrink parts of your brain and flood your body with inflammatory proteins.

We've never been closer to accurately assessing whether someone is more susceptible to developing depression due to their biology, with 293 new gene variants found to play a role in ramping up the risk factor. That's 42% more than previously known.

Individuals who suffer head trauma from sports, accidents, or other causes often go on to develop neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson's or Alzheimer's. A new study sheds light on why that might be and offers a way to prevent it.

Among the important scientific discoveries made every year are some that reveal that the world is way weirder than we give it credit for. From bizarre biological quirks that cause demonic hallucinations, to sci-fi scenarios like brains piloting robots and full head transplants, here are the weirdest science stories of 2024.

Extensive brain cell mapping has revealed that not all cell types age in the same way and that some – found in a specific ‘hot spot’ – are more sensitive to the aging process. It opens the door to developing new treatments for age-related brain diseases.

While it might sound like a cute gift to buy for your pet mouse, a new set of virtual reality goggles have a much more serious purpose. The inventors say they should help advance research into Alzheimer's disease and other brain conditions.

A new study from Caltech calculates that our brains process information at the extremely slow speed of just 10 bits per second. This leisurely pace may have long evolutionary roots, despite our sensory systems gathering data 100 million times faster.

While electroencephalography (EEG) can provide a lot of information on the electrical activity of an individual's brain, that person is required to wear a clumsy skull cap. Such caps could soon be replaced, however, with inkjet-printed scalp tattoos.

Two patients with spinal injuries have seen improvements in their ability to walk again, thanks to deep brain stimulation. Intriguingly, the therapy targets a region of the brain that normally isn’t associated with motor skills.

While scientists seem to love giving cocaine to rats, 27 rodents getting high (for the first time) on the lab's supply uncovers intriguing insights into how some individuals appear wired for addiction, where 'averse cues' fail to deter drug use.

Researchers found that soccer players who use their head to control the ball show abnormalities in their brains similar to CTE – what we used to call "punch drunk" syndrome in boxers.

Binge-drinking in early adult years fundamentally changes how brain neurons communicate, in what scientists equate to a faulty gas pedal in a car that needs more pressure applied to "go." This type of dysfunction is also seen in Alzheimer's disease.