Category: Brain
Poor Oral Health Linked to Brain Damage Markers
A new study finds that older adults with gum disease are more likely to show signs of white matter damage in the brain — a change tied to memory decline, balance issues, and higher stroke risk. MRI scans revealed that participants with gum disease had significantly more white matter hyperintensities than those without, even after accounting for age and other health factors.
Brain’s Waste System Breakdown Linked to Dementia Risk
Researchers have discovered that problems with the brain’s waste-clearing system—the glymphatic system—may significantly raise the risk of developing dementia. In one of the largest studies to date, MRI data from 40,000 adults revealed that impaired cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) flow predicts dementia risk years before symptoms appear.
Hearing Voices May Stem from the Brain Misreading Its Own Inner Speech
A new study reveals that auditory hallucinations in schizophrenia may arise when the brain fails to recognize its own inner voice as self-generated. Normally, the brain predicts the sound of one’s inner speech and dampens auditory responses accordingly, but this prediction breaks down in people who hear voices.
When a Hug Turns Dark: How Manipulative Partners Use Touch
Touch can strengthen bonds and calm stress, but not all affection is sincere. A new study reveals that people with “dark triad” traits—narcissism, psychopathy, and Machiavellianism—often use physical touch to control or manipulate their romantic partners.
What Makes Certain Memories Impossible to Forget?
Scientists are asking the public to share their most vivid memories to uncover why some moments feel as fresh as the day they happened. The project blends cognitive neuroscience with literature, examining how vivid memories are experienced, evolve with age, and even differ across centuries.
Our Brains Evolved Thanks to… Lead? New Study Surprises Scientists
Scientists found that ancient lead exposure shaped early human evolution. The toxin may have played a surprising role in the development of modern cognition and language. An international team of scientists has challenged the long-held belief that exposure to lead is primarily a modern, post-industrial issue. Their findings show that human ancestors encountered this toxic […]
