People who gain excess weight from their 20s onwards have less healthy hearts by the time they are in their 60s, according to research published in the European Heart Journal [1]. Scientists found links between weight gain in young and middle-aged adults and enlarged hearts that pump blood less well. This is over and above […]
2024
Amnesia caused by sleep deprivation could be reversed with existing drugs
Vienna, Austria: The loss of social memories caused by sleep deprivation could potentially be reversed using currently available drugs, according to a study in mice presented at the Federation of European Neuroscience Societies (FENS) Forum 2024. Lack of sleep is known to affect the brain, including memory, in mice and in humans, but research is […]
Researchers discover how nerve cells in bat brains respond to their environment and social interactions with other bats
First study of social groups of wild bats in a laboratory ‘bat cave’ Vienna, Austria: Researchers have found that nerve cells in the hippocampus region of the brain encode complex information on numerous characteristics of other individuals in the same social group. The work, which is being carried out in bats, is the first to […]
Specific bacteria in your gut are involved in compulsive eating and obesity
New research shows how your brain and gut talk to each other Vienna, Austria: An international team of researchers has identified specific bacteria in the gut that are associated with both mice and humans developing an addiction to food that can lead to obesity. They have also identified bacteria that play a beneficial role in […]
Mouse studies reveal possible benefits of CBD and metformin for treating behavioural difficulties
Vienna, Austria: Studies of mouse models of Fragile X syndrome and Phelan-McDermid syndrome show that treatment with cannabidiol (CBD) and the diabetes drug metformin can alleviate behavioural difficulties, according to research presented at the Federation of European Neuroscience Societies (FENS) Forum 2024. Fragile X syndrome and Phelan-McDermid syndrome are two genetic conditions that cause a […]
New research questions safety of cannabidiol for pregnant women
Mouse studies show alterations in brains and behaviour in offspring exposed to CBD during gestation Vienna, Austria: Cannabidiol (CBD), one of the active ingredients in cannabis, is thought to be safe as it does not cause a “high”. Increasing numbers of pregnant women take CBD, believing that it can help alleviate symptoms such as morning […]
Our brains respond differently to human and AI-generated speech, but we still struggle to tell them apart
— happy voices assumed to be real whereas ‘neutral’ voices assumed to be AI – Vienna, Austria: People are not very good at distinguishing between human voices and voices generated by artificial intelligence (AI), but our brains do respond differently to human and AI voices, according to research presented today (Tuesday) at the Federation of […]
Women who experience depression during pregnancy or after birth have higher risk of cardiovascular disease
Women diagnosed with perinatal depression are more likely to develop cardiovascular disease in the following 20 years compared to women who have given birth without experiencing perinatal depression, according to research published in the European Heart Journal [1]. Perinatal depression, meaning depression during pregnancy or after birth is believed to affect one in five women […]
Discovery of shared genetic links between sleep, neurodevelopmental, and neuropsychiatric conditions may lead to the development of new treatments
Berlin, Germany: Disturbed sleep is very common in almost all neuropsychiatric and neurodevelopmental conditions (NDPCs), such as autism, attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder, schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder. While it is understandable that the symptoms of such conditions would lead to sleep disruption and also that sleep disruption would worsen symptoms in these conditions, Irish researchers […]
New biomarkers will enable personalised influenza vaccination schedule
Berlin, Germany: While influenza infection is a significant public health threat, causing serious illness in between three and five million people worldwide per year and leading to about up to 650,000 deaths, the effectiveness of influenza vaccines varies considerably between individuals depending on vaccine types and individual circumstances. A person’s ability to resist infection (host […]