Animals
Crows Perform Yet Another Skill Once Thought Distinctively Human
Scientists demonstrate that crows are capable of recursion—a key feature in grammar. Not everyone is convinced
Stories by Diana Kwon
Neurology
A Supersmeller Can Detect the Scent of Parkinson’s, Leading to an Experimental Test for the Illness
This Scottish woman’s hypersensitive nose picked up a chemical signature of Parkinson’s disease that has been used to develop a skin-swab diagnostic
Memory
Eye Tests May Help Diagnose Alzheimer’s Disease
A host of different retinal exams are being evaluated as potential Alzheimer’s screening methods
Psychology
Why Thinking Hard Wears You Out
Concentrating for long periods builds up chemicals that disrupt brain functioning.
Medicine
Newly Recognized Dementia Called LATE May Hit 40 Percent of Older People
The pathological buildup of a protein known as TDP-43 can lead to an Alzheimer’s-like disorder
Neuroscience
How the Brain Curbs Overeating
A structure known as the cerebellum acts as a brake on consumption
Psychology
Borderline Personality Disorder May Be Rooted in Trauma
A focus on the traumatic origins of an often stigmatized psychiatric diagnosis is inspiring new treatments
Medicine
Genetic Therapies for Brain Diseases
Hopes are high for a class of drug that could treat neurodegenerative conditions—but a recent clinical trial has brought the field up short
Mental Health
Governments Worldwide Consider Ditching Daylight Saving Time
A pushback has arisen to seasonal clock changes that affect mood, sleep and general well-being
Neurology
Can Intense Exercise Lead to ALS?
New studies show a possible connection. But debate over such an association will continue
Medicine
Rogue Antibodies Involved in Nearly One Fifth of COVID Deaths
Self-targeting antibodies attack part of the immune system that plays a key role in fighting infection
Policy
Weed Shouldn’t Be Banned for Elite Athletes, Some Experts Say
The disqualification of a leading U.S. Olympics candidate has brought the World Anti-Doping Agency’s marijuana prohibition under fire
Mental Health
Gray Hair Can Return to Its Original Color—and Stress Is Involved, of Course
The universal marker of aging is not always a one-way process
Neurology
Could Mitochondria Be the Key to a Healthy Brain?
Some researchers suspect these bacterial ancestors living within our cells may contribute to a wide range of neurological and psychiatric disorders
Medicine
Failure of Genetic Therapies for Huntington’s Devastates Community
Hopes were high for drugs designed to lower levels of a mutant protein, but development has stalled
Behavior
Our Brain Typically Overlooks This Brilliant Problem-Solving Strategy
People often limit their creativity by continually adding new features to a design rather than removing existing ones
Behavior
Home Advantage Doesn’t Require Crowds, COVID Pro Soccer Matches Show
An assessment of games before and during the pandemic suggests that teams play better on their own turf even without crowd support
Neuroscience
People Answer Scientists’ Queries in Real Time while Dreaming
Researchers demonstrate that during REM sleep, people can hear—and respond to—simple questions such as “What is eight minus six?”
Public Health
The Pandemic Has Caused a Steep Decline in Living Standards
A survey of more than 30,000 households in developing countries shows increased food insecurity
Neuroscience
Electrical Brain Stimulation May Alleviate Obsessive-Compulsive Behaviors
Noninvasive electrical zaps, tuned specifically to individual brain-activity patterns, appear to reduce checking, hoarding and other compulsions for up to three months
