THEPSYCHOLOGYTURKEY

A 'biocomputer' powered by human brain cells could be developed within our lifetime, according to researchers who expect such technology to exponentially expand the capabilities of modern computing and create novel fields of study. http://dlvr.it/Sk8h0T

The behavioral disorders observed in autism are associated with a multitude of genetic alterations. Scientists have now found another molecular cause for this condition. The transcription factor MYT1L normally protects the molecular identity of nerve cells. If it is genetically switched off in human nerve cells or in mice, the functional changes and symptoms typical of autism occur. A drug that blocks sodium channels in the cell membrane can reverse the consequences of MYT1L failure and alleviate the functional and behavioral abnormalities in mice. http://dlvr.it/Sk8KGB

Researchers have developed small abiotic and drugable cyclic peptides that have proven effective in animal models in diagnosing early pre-symptomatic stage of Alzheimer's and treating the disease by targeting oligomers. When these molecules were combined in a test tube with the small protein amyloid beta, the generation of oligomers was completely blocked, and no subsequent aggregation occurred. http://dlvr.it/Sk7t5m

A new hybrid hydrogel that safely delivers stem cells to brain injury sites in mice has been developed. This solves a major challenge -- keeping stem cells alive for long enough to evolve into the cells required to create new tissue after insertion into a damaged part of the body. http://dlvr.it/Sk7Nlt

A new brain connection can explain how early-life stress and adversity trigger disrupted operation of the brain's reward circuit, offering a new therapeutic target for treating mental illness. Impaired function of this circuit is thought to underlie several major disorders, such as depression, substance abuse and excessive risk-taking. http://dlvr.it/Sk6BP4

Teens and young adults who reduced their social media use by 50% for just a few weeks saw significant improvement in how they felt about both their weight and their overall appearance compared with peers who maintained consistent levels of social media use, according to new research. http://dlvr.it/Sk5Lg5

Synthetic hydrogels were shown to provide an effective scaffold for neuronal tissue growth in areas of brain damage, providing a possible approach for brain tissue reconstruction. http://dlvr.it/Sk34j4

Previous studies have suggested a possible link between head injury and increased rates of brain tumors but evidence has been limited and often inconclusive. A team has now identified a possible mechanism to explain this link, implicating genetic mutations acting in concert with brain tissue inflammation to change the behavior of cells, making them more likely to become cancerous. Although this study was largely carried out in mice, it suggests that it would be important to explore the relevance of these findings to human gliomas. http://dlvr.it/Sk2cLL

A new study explores the interplay between the serotonin system and estradiol in the brain, showing that the central nervous system in patients with premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) seems to increase serotonin transporter density from the periovulatory phase (when estradiol levels are high) to premenstrual cycle phase (when both estradiol and progesterone are decreasing). The findings have the potential to advance the clinical treatment of PMDD. http://dlvr.it/SjynNr

To eat or to mate -- that is the question (and the answer is: moderately hungry mice choose to mate). Researchers show that hungry mice prioritize interacting with members of the opposite sex over eating and drinking when their brains are stimulated with leptin, an appetite-suppressing hormone. http://dlvr.it/SjyXHs

Researchers show that while strong distractions may automatically capture our attention, the trained brain can rapidly suppress such distractions to help us efficiently reach our goals. http://dlvr.it/Sjv6vy

A person's personality and psychopathology levels may be associated with how strongly they prefer to focus on human faces within images, according to a new study. http://dlvr.it/Sjnbqs

Researchers used the drug fasudil to restore neurons and improve methamphetamine-induced cognitive dysfunction in a mouse model of schizophrenia. http://dlvr.it/Sjk0Jk

Scientists have found how the human brain changes and adapts to weightlessness, after being in space for 6 months. Some of the changes turned out to be lasting -- even after 8 months back on Earth. http://dlvr.it/Sjc5WN

Researchers have solved an important puzzle in neurobiology: the wiring and the movement of nerve cells are interwoven, but separately controlled. http://dlvr.it/Sjb7B2

Psychostimulants interacting with the dopamine transporter are found in the therapy of neuro-psychiatric disorders, such as ADHD or depression, as well as on the illicit drug market. In order to better understand their exact mode of action and undesirable effects, a research team has been working on the question of why different substances in this group of substances have different effects: According to their results the answer lies in the respective binding time of the substances to the dopamine transporter. This study has just been published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS). http://dlvr.it/SjWqYV

In animal models, social isolation triggers memory and learning deficits that are mediated by hyperactivity of the most abundant brain cell, the astrocyte. Importantly, inhibiting this hyperactivity reversed the cognitive deficits associated with social deprivation. http://dlvr.it/SjV8PX

Scientists provide additional evidence that intracranial pressure plays an important role in normal-tension glaucoma, which accounts for up to 50 per cent of all glaucoma cases. A recent clinical study demonstrates that low intracranial pressure correlates with impaired patient visibility, especially in the nasal zone. http://dlvr.it/SjNdR0

An ancient human foraging instinct, fueled by fructose production in the brain, may hold clues to the development and possible treatment of Alzheimer's disease (AD). http://dlvr.it/SjMTfb

Children as young as 4 years old show evidence of a network in the brain found in adults that tackles difficult cognitive problems, a new study found. http://dlvr.it/SjM3s1