Researchers say children who start reading for pleasure early in life could end up with better test scores and mental health outcomes as teenagers.

The next time you whisper sweet-nothings into someone's ear, you might want to target their left side.

The more vividly a person imagines something, the more likely it is that they believe it’s real, finds a new study by UCL researchers.

Depression is becoming increasingly prevalent, with an estimated 5% of adults suffering from this mental health condition globally. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) sets out multiple criteria for clinical depression. These include persistent low mood nearly every day for a period longer than 2 weeks and diminished ability to concentrate.

OUR WORLD IS populated by hundreds of thousands of cyborgs. Some are Parkinson’s patients, who can shut off their tremors by activating metal electrodes implanted deep within their brains. Others—albeit far fewer—are completely paralyzed people who can move robotic limbs with their minds, thanks to their own implants. Such technologies can radically improve someone’s quality of life. But they have a major problem: Metal and the brain get along very, very poorly.

Poor sleep in middle age can have a negative impact on brain health, according to a study by researchers at The Australian National University. The study looked at the sleep habits of over 29,000 people aged between 37 and 73 and could provide the basis for helping to combat major diseases like dementia.

Researchers have discovered that psychedelics can activate 5-HT2A receptors inside of cortical neurons, a possible cause of their therapeutic effects.

Psychedelic drugs have shown promise as therapies for hard-to-treat depression. Now, scientists have a potential explanation for why: The drugs may be able to slip through the outer membranes of brain cells and essentially flip switches inside the cells that other depression treatments can't.

Research shows that bacteria hijack crosstalk between nerve and immune cells to cause meningitis

An experimental study found that exercising in the presence of nature — even virtual nature — offers psychological benefits compared to exercising without. The study, published in the International Journal of Psychophysiology, further pinpointed areas of the brain that may be responsible for these effects.

An ancient human foraging instinct, fueled by fructose, may hold clues to the development of Alzheimer’s disease, according to researchers.

Being the most talkative person in the room may be a good way to get people’s attention, but it doesn’t necessarily mean you have the best ideas. As a neuroscientist, I’ve worked with large companies like Google and Deloitte on how to attract and retain top talent, and I’ve found that employers tend to favor extroverts.

A new study has found that children from disadvantaged families tend to sleep less, and that this lack of sleep is linked to reduced cortical thickness in areas related to language, self-control, and movement. Cortical thickness refers to the measurement of the thickness of the cerebral cortex, the outermost layer of the brain. It is often used as an indicator of brain development and maturation, and can be measured using imaging techniques such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Parkinson's disease may start in the gut and spread to the brain, a new study from the University of Surrey suggests.

Learning to program can accelerate knowledge acquisition by developing cognitive skills. As a result, we remember the information much better, and the brain subjected to constant exercise is much healthier.

More and more pro and college athletes are trying on the Q-Collar as they search for something, anything, that might keep their brains safe. But does it work?

New research provides evidence that narcissism moderates the relationship between testosterone and generosity in men. The study, published in Hormones and Behavior, found that the most generous men tended to be low in endogenous testosterone and simultaneously low in narcissism. Unexpectedly, however, the researchers also found that heightened testosterone levels in combination with heightened narcissism was a significant positive predictor of generosity. ...

A new study of alpha leaders underscores a strange link between entrepreneurship and an infection caused by cat poop

During a show and tell, Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk showed off what his brain computer interface (BCI) startup Neuralink has been working on.

A new bit of research has discovered several puzzling changes in the brains of individuals that suffer from migraines