Consumer Behavior News

November 23, 2025

Top Headlines

Scientists Reveal a Hidden Hormone Switch for Learning

Nov. 21, 2025 Researchers uncovered how estrogen subtly reshapes learning by strengthening dopamine reward signals in the brain. Rats learned faster when estrogen levels were high and struggled when the hormone’s activity was blocked. The findings help explain ...

How to Keep Ozempic/Wegovy Weight Loss Without the Nausea

Nov. 18, 2025 Scientists are uncovering how GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy act on brain regions that control hunger, nausea, pleasure-based eating, and thirst. These discoveries may help create treatments that keep the benefits of weight loss while reducing ...

A Surprising CBD Advance Calms Pain Without Side Effects

Nov. 18, 2025 Researchers developed a new nano-micelle formulation, CBD-IN, that finally gets CBD into the brain effectively. In mice, it relieved neuropathic pain quickly and didn’t cause the usual movement or memory side effects. Surprisingly, the pain relief ...

Running Fixes What Junk Food Breaks in the Brain

Oct. 21, 2025 New research reveals that exercise counteracts the mood-damaging effects of a Western-style diet through specific gut and hormonal mechanisms. Running restored metabolites tied to mental well-being and balanced key hormones like insulin and leptin. ...

Oct. 13, 2025 Finasteride, a common hair-loss drug, has long been tied to depression and suicide, but regulators ignored the warnings. Prof. Mayer Brezis’s review exposes global data showing psychiatric harm and a pattern of inaction by Merck and the FDA. ...

Breakthrough Compounds May Reverse Nerve Damage Caused by Multiple Sclerosis

Oct. 11, 2025 Researchers have identified two compounds, K102 and K110, that could repair the nerve damage from multiple sclerosis. These drugs help regenerate the protective myelin sheath and balance immune ...

Why the Brain’s GPS Fails with Age, and How Some Minds Defy It

Oct. 5, 2025 Stanford scientists found that aging disrupts the brain’s internal navigation system in mice, mirroring spatial memory decline in humans. Older mice struggled to recall familiar locations, while a few “super-agers” retained youthful brain ...

Why Ultra-processed Foods Aren’t the Real Villain Behind Overeating

Oct. 5, 2025 Researchers from Leeds found that overeating is driven more by what people believe about food than by its actual ingredients or level of processing. Foods perceived as fatty, sweet, or highly processed were more likely to trigger indulgence. ...

Poor Sleep Speeds Brain Aging and May Raise Dementia Risk

Oct. 2, 2025 New research shows that poor sleep could make the brain appear years older than it really is. Using MRI scans and machine learning, scientists found a clear link between unhealthy sleep patterns and accelerated brain ...

Cocoa Supplements Show Surprising Anti-aging Potential

Sep. 27, 2025 Daily cocoa extract supplements reduced key inflammation markers in older adults, pointing to a role in protecting the heart. The findings reinforce the value of flavanol-rich, plant-based foods for healthier ...

Scientists Reveal the Everyday Habits That May Shield You from Dementia

Sep. 21, 2025 New studies reveal that lifestyle changes—such as exercise, healthy eating, and social engagement—can help slow or prevent cognitive decline. Experts say this low-cost, powerful approach could transform dementia care and reduce its crushing toll ...

Semaglutide May Silence the Food Noise in Your Head

Sep. 16, 2025 People taking semaglutide report far fewer obsessive thoughts about food, with cravings dropping sharply and mental health improving. This new research hints the drug may offer freedom from the constant distraction of food ...

Latest Headlines

updated 3:58pm EST

Supercomputer Creates the Most Realistic Virtual Brain Ever

Nov. 18, 2025 Researchers have created one of the most detailed virtual mouse cortex simulations ever achieved by combining massive biological datasets with the extraordinary power of Japan’s Fugaku ...

The Hidden Brain Bias That Makes Some Lies So Convincing

Nov. 17, 2025 People are more likely to believe lies when there’s the possibility of a reward. Neuroimaging shows that the brain shifts into reward or risk mode depending on whether the context involves a gain ...

Chimps Shock Scientists by Changing Their Minds With New Evidence

Nov. 16, 2025 Chimps may revise their beliefs in surprisingly human-like ways. Experiments showed they switched choices when presented with stronger clues, demonstrating flexible reasoning. Computational modeling ...

What Brain Scans Reveal About Soccer Fans’ Passion and Rage

Nov. 11, 2025 Researchers scanning soccer fans’ brains found that wins trigger bursts of reward activity while losses dampen control signals. The results show how loyalty and rivalry can override logic, turning ...

Common Antidepressant Found to Work in Just Two Weeks

Nov. 8, 2025 Sertraline (Zoloft) may relieve emotional symptoms of depression and anxiety within two weeks, while physical side effects stabilize later. The research highlights how antidepressants can act on ...

Feeling Stressed? Science Finds a Simple Way to Take Back Control

Oct. 20, 2025 Feeling in control may be the key to conquering daily stress. Penn State researchers found that people were 62% more likely to resolve everyday hassles on days when they felt greater control. This ...

Why Gen X Women Can’t Stop Eating Ultra-Processed Foods

Sep. 29, 2025 Researchers found that middle-aged adults, especially women, are far more likely to be addicted to ultra-processed foods than older generations. Marketing of diet-focused processed foods in the 1980s ...

Experts Warn: Smartphones Before 13 Could Harm Mental Health for Life

Sep. 6, 2025 Getting a smartphone before age 13 may drastically increase the risk of poor mental health later in life, according to data from more than 100,000 people. Early use is linked to suicidal thoughts, ...

Why Listening May Be the Most Powerful Medicine

Aug. 20, 2025 In a health system where speed often replaces empathy, researchers highlight the life-changing power of listening. Beyond simple questions, values-driven listening—marked by presence, curiosity, ...

Scientists Just Found the Brain’s Secret GPS System

Aug. 20, 2025 Researchers discovered two brain regions that work as a “neural compass,” keeping people oriented in virtual city navigation. These areas tracked direction consistently, hinting at new ways to ...

Global Study Reveals the Surprising Habit Behind Tough Decisions

Aug. 13, 2025 A sweeping international study has revealed that when faced with complex decisions, people across cultures—from bustling megacities to remote Amazon communities—tend to rely on their own judgment ...

The Surprising Brain Chemistry Behind Instant Friendships

Aug. 13, 2025 UC Berkeley scientists found oxytocin is key for quickly forming strong friendships, but less critical for mate bonds. In prairie voles, a lack of oxytocin receptors delayed bonding and reduced ...

Trapped in Guilt and Shame? Science Explains Why You Can’t Let Go

Aug. 11, 2025 Flinders University researchers found that forgiving yourself isn’t just about letting go. People stuck in guilt and shame often feel trapped in the past, and true healing comes from addressing ...

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

July 30, 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 ...

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 ...

Scientists Discover the Pancake Secret That Makes Vegan Eggs Irresistible

Aug. 12, 2025 A study finds that people are more open to plant-based eggs when they’re part of familiar foods, like pancakes, rather than served plain. While taste and appearance still favor regular eggs, vegan ...

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 Geneva found that older adults with hearing ...

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 ...

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 ...

Is Cheese Secretly Fueling Your Nightmares? Science Weighs in

July 1, 2025 Over a thousand students revealed a striking link between lactose intolerance and nightmare-filled nights, hinting that midnight stomach turmoil from dairy can invade dreams. Researchers suggest ...

New IQ Research Shows Why Smarter People Make Better Decisions

July 4, 2025 Smarter people don’t just crunch numbers better—they actually see the future more clearly. Examining thousands of over-50s, Bath researchers found the brightest minds made life-expectancy ...

MIT Uncovers the Hidden Playbook Your Brain Uses to Outsmart Complicated Problems

June 17, 2025 When faced with a tricky maze task involving hidden information, humans instinctively toggle between two clever mental strategies: simplifying in steps or mentally rewinding. MIT researchers showed ...

Sugar Shield Restored: The Breakthrough Reversing Brain Aging and Memory Loss

June 13, 2025 A protective sugar coating on brain blood vessels, once thought to be insignificant, turns out to play a vital role in preventing cognitive decline. Restoring this layer reversed damage and memory ...

The Dopamine Clock: How Your Brain Predicts When You'll Feel Good

June 9, 2025 Deep within the brain, the ventral tegmental area does more than signal when we re rewarded it forecasts exactly when we ll be rewarded. This discovery came from an elegant collaboration between ...

Cutting Sugar Won’t Curb Your Sweet Tooth, Scientists Say

Aug. 12, 2025 A six-month randomized trial challenges the idea that eating more sweet foods increases a person’s preference for sweetness. Participants on diets with high, low, or mixed sweetness levels showed ...

Sustained in the Brain: How Lasting Emotions Arise from Brief Stimuli, in Humans and Mice

May 29, 2025 Humans and mice share persistent brain-activity patterns in response to adverse sensory experience, scientists find, opening a window to our emotions and, perhaps, neuropsychiatric ...

Mother's Warmth in Childhood Influences Teen Health by Shaping Perceptions of Social Safety

May 28, 2025 Parental warmth and affection in early childhood can have life-long physical and mental health benefits for children, and new research points to an important underlying process: children's sense ...

Five Things to Do in Virtual Reality -- And Five to Avoid

May 28, 2025 A review of experimental research reveals how VR is best used and why it's struggled to become a megahit with ...