Mind & Brain News

August 3, 2025

Top Headlines

Pain Relief Without Pills? VR Nature Scenes Trigger the Brain’s Healing Switch

July 31, 2025 — Stepping into a virtual forest or waterfall scene through VR could be the future of pain management. A new study shows that immersive virtual nature dramatically reduces pain sensitivity almost as ...

Why Cold Feels Good: Scientists Uncover the Chill Pathway

July 30, 2025 — A newly mapped neural circuit shows how our skin senses cool temperatures and sends that info to the brain, revealing an unexpected amplifier in the spinal cord and offering insight into cold-related ...

The Pandemic’s Secret Aftershock: Inside the Gut-Brain Breakdown

July 30, 2025 — A new global study reveals a striking post-pandemic surge in gut-brain disorders like IBS and functional dyspepsia. Researchers compared data from 2017 and 2023 and discovered sharp increases—IBS up 28% and dyspepsia nearly 44%. Those suffering ...

Science Tested 64 Natural Remedies for Depression—only a Few Actually Work

July 28, 2025 — Over-the-counter (OTC) products like St John’s Wort and omega-3s have long been touted for helping with depression, but new research reveals that 64 different OTC products have been tested in ...

Think It’s Just Aging? Why Dementia Is Missed for 3.5 Years on Average

July 28, 2025 — Many people with dementia endure long delays often over 3 years before receiving a diagnosis, with even longer waits for younger patients. A global review of over 30,000 cases reveals that age, dementia type, and systemic healthcare issues like ...

Scientists Discover the Receptor That Helps Your Brain Clean Itself—and Fight Alzheimer’s

July 27, 2025 — Scientists at UCSF have uncovered how certain immune cells in the brain, called microglia, can effectively digest toxic amyloid beta plaques that cause Alzheimer’s. They identified a key receptor, ...

Four Hidden Types of Autism Revealed — and Each Tells a Different Genetic Story

July 24, 2025 — Scientists at Princeton and the Simons Foundation have identified four biologically distinct subtypes of autism, using data from over 5,000 children and a powerful new computational method. These ...

Even Without Catching COVID, the Pandemic May Have Quietly Aged Your Brain

July 24, 2025 — Even people who never caught Covid-19 may have aged mentally faster during the pandemic, according to new brain scan research. This large UK study shows how the stress, isolation, and upheaval of lockdowns may have aged our brains, especially in ...

People With Eating Disorders Say Cannabis and Psychedelics Help More Than Antidepressants

July 24, 2025 — A massive global survey has revealed that people with eating disorders often turn to cannabis and psychedelics like magic mushrooms and LSD to ease their symptoms, rating them more effective than ...

Magic Mushrooms Rewind Aging in Mice—could They Do the Same for Humans?

July 22, 2025 — A surprising discovery from Emory University shows that psilocin, the active metabolite of psychedelic mushrooms, can delay cellular aging and extend lifespan. Human cells lived over 50% longer, and mice treated with psilocybin not only lived 30% ...

July 19, 2025 — Erythritol, a widely used sugar substitute found in many low-carb and sugar-free products, may not be as harmless as once believed. New research from the University of Colorado Boulder reveals that even small amounts of erythritol can harm brain ...

Doctors Used Music Instead of Medication—what They Saw in Dementia Patients Was Remarkable

July 19, 2025 — A groundbreaking pilot in NHS dementia wards is using live music therapy—called MELODIC—to ease patient distress without relying on drugs. Developed by researchers and clinicians with input from ...

Latest Headlines

updated 2:03am EDT

This Brain Circuit May Explain Fluctuating Sensations—and Autism

July 30, 2025 — Sometimes a gentle touch feels sharp and distinct, other times it fades into the background. This inconsistency isn’t just mood—it’s biology. Scientists found that the thalamus doesn’t just ...

Scientists Analyzed 100,000 Exams and Found the Best Time to Take One

July 24, 2025 — Italian students taking oral exams have a better shot at success if they’re scheduled around midday, according to new research. Analyzing over 100,000 assessments, scientists found a clear bell ...

Your Brain Sees Faces in Everything—and Science Just Explained Why

July 24, 2025 — You may be seeing faces in clouds, toast, or cars—and it turns out your brain is wired to notice them. A fascinating new study shows how our attention is hijacked not just by real faces, but by ...

Optimists Think Alike—and Brain Scans Just Proved It

July 23, 2025 — When imagining the future, optimists' brains tend to look remarkably alike, while pessimists show more varied neural activity. This neurological alignment could explain why optimists are often more ...

The Silent Threat: How Hearing Loss and Loneliness Are Fueling Memory Decline

July 18, 2025 — A massive European study has uncovered a powerful connection between hearing loss, loneliness, and memory decline. Researchers at the University of ...

Not Just Hot Flashes: The Hidden Depression Crisis in Early Menopause

July 17, 2025 — Premature menopause isn t just a hormonal issue it s a deeply emotional one for many women. A new study reveals that almost 30% experience depression, and it s not just about hormone loss but also ...

Tai Chi, Yoga, and Jogging Rival Pills for Beating Insomnia

July 17, 2025 — Yoga, Tai Chi, walking, and jogging may be some of the best natural remedies for improving sleep and tackling insomnia, according to a large analysis comparing various treatments. While cognitive ...

It’s Not That You Look—it’s When: The Hidden Power of Eye Contact

July 17, 2025 — A groundbreaking study from Flinders University reveals that it's not just making eye contact that matters, but precisely when and how you do it. By studying interactions between humans and virtual ...

Can’t Sleep, Can’t Focus, Can’t Thrive? ADHD and Insomnia May Be a Vicious Cycle

July 16, 2025 — Struggling to sleep might be the hidden reason why adults with ADHD traits often feel less satisfied with life. New research reveals a strong link ...

Six-Hour ‘undo’ Button: GAI-17 Rewinds Stroke Damage and May Beat Alzheimer’s

July 15, 2025 — Stroke kills millions, but Osaka researchers have unveiled GAI-17, a drug that halts toxic GAPDH clumping, slashes brain damage and paralysis in ...

One Shot, Seven Days: Long-Acting Levodopa Gel Tackles Parkinson’s Tremors

July 14, 2025 — Researchers in Australia have created a biodegradable gel that delivers Parkinson’s medications through a single weekly shot, replacing the need for multiple daily pills. Injected just under the ...

Scientists Just Found 200+ Hidden Proteins That May Drive Alzheimer’s

July 12, 2025 — A surprising new study has uncovered over 200 misfolded proteins in the brains of aging rats with cognitive decline, beyond the infamous amyloid and tau plaques long blamed for Alzheimer’s. These ...

This Tiny Brain Molecule Could Hold the Key to Learning, Memory—and Alzheimer’s Treatment

July 12, 2025 — A team of researchers has discovered that a protein called cypin plays a powerful role in helping brain cells connect and communicate, which is crucial for learning and memory. By uncovering how ...

Researchers Grow 400+ Brain Cell Types—a Leap for Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s Research

July 12, 2025 — Scientists at ETH Zurich have broken new ground by generating over 400 types of nerve cells from stem cells in the lab, far surpassing previous efforts that produced only a few dozen. By ...

How a Hidden Brain Circuit Fuels Fibromyalgia, Migraines, and PTSD

July 10, 2025 — What if your brain is the reason some pain feels unbearable? Scientists at the Salk Institute have discovered a hidden brain circuit that gives pain its emotional punch—essentially transforming ...

Your Brain’s Hidden Defenses Against Alzheimer’s

July 10, 2025 — Scientists at UCSF combined advanced brain-network modeling, genetics, and imaging to reveal how tau protein travels through neural highways and how certain genes either accelerate its toxic journey ...

This Muscle Supplement Could Rewire the Brain—and Now Scientists Can Deliver It

July 9, 2025 — Creatine isn’t just for gym buffs; Virginia Tech scientists are using focused ultrasound to sneak this vital energy molecule past the blood-brain barrier, hoping to reverse devastating creatine ...

Not All Exercise Boosts Mental Health — It’s the Why That Matters Most

July 13, 2025 — Movement helps your mood, but it's not one-size-fits-all. Exercising for fun, with friends, or in enjoyable settings brings greater mental health benefits than simply moving for chores or ...

No Training Needed: How Humans Instinctively Read Nature’s Signals

July 10, 2025 — People can intuitively sense how biodiverse a forest is just by looking at photos or listening to sounds, and their gut feelings surprisingly line up with what scientists ...

Alzheimer’s Doesn’t Strike at Random: These 4 Early-Warning Patterns Tell the Story

July 7, 2025 — UCLA scientists mined millions of electronic health records and uncovered four distinct “roadways” that funnel people toward Alzheimer’s—ranging from mental-health struggles to vascular ...

Frozen Light Switches: How Arctic Microbes Could Revolutionize Neuroscience

July 5, 2025 — In the frozen reaches of the planet—glaciers, mountaintops, and icy groundwater—scientists have uncovered strange light-sensitive molecules in tiny microbes. These “cryorhodopsins” can ...

New Research Shows Monday Stress Is Etched Into Your Biology

July 7, 2025 — Feeling jittery as the week kicks off isn’t just a mood—it leaves a biochemical footprint. Researchers tracked thousands of older adults and found those who dread Mondays carry elevated cortisol ...

Multisensory VR Forest Reboots Your Brain and Lifts Mood—study Confirms

July 6, 2025 — Immersing stressed volunteers in a 360° virtual Douglas-fir forest complete with sights, sounds and scents boosted their mood, sharpened short-term memory and deepened their feeling of ...

The Surprising Link Between Hearing Loss, Loneliness, and Lifespan

July 5, 2025 — People who treat hearing loss with hearing aids or cochlear implants regain rich conversations, escape isolation, and may even protect their brains and lifespans—proof that better hearing ...

New Research Confirms That Neurons Form in the Adult Brain

July 4, 2025 — Researchers from Sweden have discovered that the human brain continues to grow new cells in the memory region—called the hippocampus—even into old age. Using advanced tools to examine brain ...

Why Anger Cools After 50: Surprising Findings from a New Menopause Study

July 3, 2025 — Anger isn’t just a fleeting emotion—it plays a deeper role in women’s mental and physical health during midlife. A groundbreaking study tracking over 500 women aged 35 to 55 reveals that anger ...

The Fatal Mutation That Lets Cancer Outsmart the Human Immune System

July 2, 2025 — Scientists at UC Davis discovered a small genetic difference that could explain why humans are more prone to certain cancers than our primate cousins. The change affects a protein used by immune ...

Parkinson’s Reversal? One Drug Brings Dying Brain Cells Back to Life

July 3, 2025 — Stanford researchers discovered that dialing down an overactive enzyme, LRRK2, can regrow lost cellular “antennae” in key brain cells, restoring vital dopamine communication and neuroprotective ...

A Midlife MRI That Spots Rapid Aging and Signals Disease Long Before Symptoms

July 2, 2025 — A new brain scan tool shows how quickly your body and mind are aging. It can spot early signs of diseases like dementia, long before symptoms begin. The scan looks at hidden clues in your brain to ...

The Pandemic Pet Boom Was Real. The Happiness Boost Wasn’t

July 2, 2025 — Locked-down Hungarians who gained or lost pets saw almost no lasting shift in mood or loneliness, and new dog owners actually felt less calm and satisfied over time—hinting that the storied “pet ...