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  • Eye-tracking training hints at new ways to build social skills in children with multiple disabilities

    Researchers at the University of Geneva say eye-tracking tools may help children and teenagers with multiple disabilities strengthen key social and emotional abilities. The findings challenge the long-held assumption that many of these patients are effectively untestable with standard methods.

    Multiple disabilities typically combine severe intellectual and motor impairments and can leave a person profoundly dependent on caregivers. Communication is often limited to subtle cues such as changes in muscle tone, eye movements, or facial expressions, which can be difficult to interpret consistently.

    What the study tested

    Building on earlier work showing that some patients demonstrate clear visual preferences, the team partnered with the University of Lille to test a year-long, personalised training approach. The study, published in Acta Psychologica, followed nine participants aged 7 to 18 through 40 to 100 individual sessions.

    The training relied on eye-controlled educational video games, allowing participants to interact without speech or hand movement. Researchers used several software tools, including the open-source Gazeplay platform alongside custom-built programmes designed to target specific socio-emotional skills.

    Early gains, careful conclusions

    By the end of the programme, all participants improved their visual exploration patterns, a basic skill that can support more complex communication. Each participant also progressed in at least one measured area, such as social orientation, joint attention, emotion discrimination, or socio-moral judgement.

    Scientists emphasised that the results are preliminary given the small sample, but they argue the improvements point to learning capacities that may be overlooked in clinical practice. The researchers say the work could inform new assessment and support methods, especially where traditional testing fails.

    Why it could matter next

    Assistive technologies are increasingly used to help non-speaking or motor-impaired people express choices and engage with others, but evidence for training specific social skills remains limited. The researchers say eye-tracking offers a measurable, low-demand way to personalise interventions and track change over time.

    Further studies with larger groups will be needed to confirm how durable these gains are and which training elements matter most. Still, the team says the approach could broaden access to communication and learning opportunities for a population often excluded from research and tailored therapies.

  • Researchers move closer to an early Parkinson’s blood test, with a five-year timeline in sight

    Researchers move closer to an early Parkinson’s blood test, with a five-year timeline in sight

    Scientists in Sweden and Norway say they have identified early biological signals of Parkinson’s disease that can be detected in blood, potentially years before the hallmark movement symptoms appear. The work points to a narrow early window when the disease may be easier to spot and, in the long run, easier to target with treatments.

    The study, led by researchers at Chalmers University of Technology with collaborators at Oslo University Hospital, focuses on changes linked to DNA repair and cellular stress response. These processes appear to leave short-lived traces in blood during the prodromal phase, when brain damage is still limited.

    Why early detection is difficult

    Parkinson’s affects more than 10 million people worldwide, and prevalence is expected to rise sharply as populations age. Yet most diagnoses still come after motor symptoms begin, when substantial loss of dopamine-producing nerve cells has often already occurred.

    Because the disease can develop gradually over many years, researchers have been searching for practical screening tools that work before disability sets in. Approaches such as brain imaging and cerebrospinal fluid testing can be informative, but they are harder to use broadly for early screening than a routine blood draw.

    Machine learning spots a distinct signature

    Using advanced analytics, including machine learning, the team reported a pattern of gene activity tied to DNA repair and stress response that appeared in people at an early stage of Parkinson’s. The same pattern was not observed in healthy controls or in patients with established motor symptoms, suggesting it may be time-sensitive.

    The researchers argue that this time-limited signal could be useful in identifying people at risk before tremor, rigidity, or slowed movement become obvious. They also say the biology behind the signature could help guide the search for therapies, including evaluating existing drugs for repurposing.

    What comes next for a blood test

    The team says the next steps include validating the findings in additional patient groups and refining tools to measure the signature reliably in clinical settings. They estimate that blood tests based on this approach could begin to be trialed in healthcare within about five years, though broader rollout would depend on further evidence.

    Experts generally caution that promising biomarkers must clear major hurdles, including accuracy across diverse populations and the ability to distinguish Parkinson’s from other neurodegenerative conditions. Still, a scalable blood test remains one of the most sought-after developments in Parkinson’s research because it could enable earlier monitoring and, eventually, earlier intervention.

    The findings were published in npj Parkinson’s Disease, and the research was supported by several funders, including the Michael J. Fox Foundation and national research bodies in Sweden and Norway. If confirmed, the work could add momentum to the global push for practical biomarkers that shift Parkinson’s care toward prevention and earlier treatment decisions.

  • American Heart Association warns sleep is more than hours: Why timing and regularity may shape cardiovascular risk

    Sleep health is not just about getting enough hours, according to a new American Heart Association scientific statement that reviews how multiple sleep traits may influence cardiometabolic risk. The statement was published in Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes.

    The authors describe sleep as a multidimensional pattern that includes duration, continuity, timing, satisfaction, regularity and daytime functioning. They argue that focusing only on total hours can miss key signals tied to blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol and body weight.

    Why sleep timing and regularity matter

    The statement notes that most adults generally need 7 to 9 hours of sleep, but both short sleep and long sleep have been linked in studies to higher cardiometabolic risk. Research summarized in the review also connects late bedtimes and inconsistent sleep schedules with outcomes such as obesity, elevated blood pressure and insulin resistance.

    Regularity is highlighted as a growing area of concern because weekday-weekend swings can create social jetlag. Large population studies have associated more consistent sleep-wake timing with lower cardiovascular mortality risk, though the authors stress that more trials are needed.

    Beyond hours: continuity and daytime function

    Sleep continuity, including difficulty falling asleep or repeated awakenings, is also discussed as a possible contributor to cardiovascular disease risk. Disturbed sleep continuity has been associated in research with higher risks that include hypertension, myocardial infarction and atrial fibrillation.

    Daytime functioning, such as excessive sleepiness, may reflect poor sleep quality or sleep disorders like obstructive sleep apnea. The statement links daytime sleepiness to higher rates of cardiovascular disease and stroke, and notes that addressing underlying causes can be part of risk reduction.

    Gaps in sleep health across communities

    The authors also review evidence that sleep health differs across populations due to social and environmental conditions. Noise, light exposure, housing and neighborhood safety, as well as socioeconomic stressors, have all been associated with poorer sleep patterns.

    The statement calls for clinicians to ask more detailed sleep questions and document problems that may warrant screening or treatment. It also urges more research to determine whether improving sleep dimensions beyond duration leads to measurable cardiometabolic benefits.

    Sleep is already included in the American Heart Association Life’s Essential 8 framework, but only sleep duration is currently scored. The authors say validated methods for assessing other sleep dimensions could eventually refine how cardiovascular risk is evaluated and managed.

  • Why US Midlife Is Getting Harder: Rising Loneliness, Memory Decline, and a Weaker Safety Net

    Why US Midlife Is Getting Harder: Rising Loneliness, Memory Decline, and a Weaker Safety Net

    Middle age is increasingly emerging as a pressure point in the United States, with Americans born in the 1960s and early 1970s reporting more loneliness and depression than earlier generations. Researchers also see declines in episodic memory and physical strength that appear more pronounced than in many other high-income countries.

    The pattern was outlined in cross-national research led by Arizona State University psychologist Frank J. Infurna, which compared survey data across 17 countries. The analysis suggests the US is diverging from peers where midlife health and well-being have generally improved over recent decades.

    Why the US stands out

    A key difference identified by the researchers is the level of public support for families. Many European countries expanded family benefits since the early 2000s, while US spending on comparable supports has been far more limited.

    That gap matters during midlife, when many people are simultaneously managing full-time work, raising children, and helping aging parents. In countries with stronger benefits, midlife loneliness tended to be lower and rose more slowly over time.

    Healthcare costs and financial strain

    Healthcare affordability also appears to play a central role in the US midlife squeeze. Even as the United States spends more per person on healthcare than other wealthy nations, individuals often face higher out-of-pocket costs and more financial exposure.

    The research links these pressures to delayed or skipped care, reduced preventive visits, and higher stress from medical bills and debt. Those dynamics can compound other midlife burdens, including work instability and caregiving responsibilities.

    When education protects less

    Income inequality was another factor associated with worse midlife outcomes, aligning with broader evidence that inequality can weaken health and social ties. The researchers noted that inequality has risen in the United States since the early 2000s, while it has been steadier in much of Europe.

    One of the more striking findings is cognitive: despite higher educational attainment over time, US middle-aged adults showed declines in episodic memory not widely seen in peer countries. The authors suggest chronic stress, financial insecurity, and cardiovascular risk factors may be eroding the protective effect education once provided.

    The study argues these trends are not inevitable, pointing to personal buffers such as stronger social connections and a sense of control over daily life. But it also concludes that policy choices, including paid leave, childcare support and more affordable access to care, are closely tied to how well midlife populations fare.

  • Brain generosity study points to the basolateral amygdala as a key social-distance switch

    Neuroscientists investigating why people are generous to some but not others have identified a brain region that appears to fine-tune giving based on emotional closeness. The work, published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, focuses on the basolateral amygdala, part of the limbic system linked to emotion and social learning.

    The international team studied people with Urbach-Wiethe disease, an extremely rare condition that can cause selective damage to the basolateral amygdala while leaving much of the brain intact. Fewer than 150 cases have been documented worldwide, with one of the larger patient groups living in Namaqualand in northern South Africa.

    A natural experiment in social decisions

    Because the disease affects a specific region, researchers describe it as a quasi-natural experiment for probing prosocial behaviour. Previous research has connected the amygdala to processing emotional cues such as facial expressions, but its role in generosity has been harder to pin down.

    To test generosity in a controlled way, participants took part in dictator games, a standard tool in behavioural economics. They were asked to divide money between themselves and another person, with the recipient varying from close friends to acquaintances, neighbours, or strangers.

    Generous to friends, not strangers

    People with basolateral amygdala damage were as generous as healthy comparison participants when deciding about close friends. However, when the recipient was socially more distant, they tended to keep more money for themselves than the control group.

    The researchers conclude that the basolateral amygdala is not required for altruism in general, but helps calibrate how generous someone is depending on social distance. When that calibration is impaired, self-interest appears to dominate unless a strong emotional bond is present.

    Why the findings may matter

    By linking social-distance sensitivity to a specific brain circuit, the study adds context to how biology and lived experience jointly shape social behaviour. The authors say the results could also inform research into conditions where social decision-making differs from typical patterns, including autism spectrum disorder and psychopathy.

    They caution that the findings come from a rare patient group and do not imply that one brain area single-handedly determines moral choices. Still, the work suggests that therapies aimed at improving social functioning may benefit from targeting how people evaluate emotional closeness and context during decisions.

  • Reelin protein study hints at new way to strengthen leaky gut and reduce depression symptoms

    Reelin protein study hints at new way to strengthen leaky gut and reduce depression symptoms

    Researchers at the University of Victoria in Canada say a naturally occurring protein called Reelin may help explain how chronic stress can affect both the gut and the brain. Their findings, published in the journal Chronic Stress, point to Reelin as a potential target for future treatments aimed at gut barrier damage and depression-related symptoms.

    The study focuses on the gut barrier, the lining that controls what passes from the intestines into the bloodstream. Under prolonged stress, that barrier can become more permeable, a process often described as leaky gut, which may allow bacterial components to enter circulation and trigger immune inflammation.

    How stress may lower Reelin

    In preclinical experiments, the team observed that chronic stress was associated with reduced Reelin levels in intestinal tissue. When researchers administered a single small dose of Reelin, levels in the intestine returned to what the scientists described as normal ranges in their model.

    The authors argue the result matters because gut inflammation is increasingly studied as a contributor to mood disorders through the gut-brain axis. In this framework, immune signals and inflammatory processes can influence brain function, potentially worsening depression in vulnerable people.

    Why the gut-brain link matters

    Previous research has reported lower Reelin levels in brain tissue among people diagnosed with major depressive disorder, and similar patterns have been seen in stressed animal models. In earlier preclinical work cited by the team, Reelin administration was linked with antidepressant-like effects, though this does not yet demonstrate clinical benefit in humans.

    The researchers also highlight that the intestinal lining typically renews rapidly, roughly every few days, to maintain an effective barrier. They suggest Reelin may support this renewal process, which could help prevent barrier breakdown and reduce inflammation-driven effects that can intersect with depression.

    What comes next for Reelin research?

    Scientists caution that translating these findings into a therapy would require extensive follow-up, including safety studies, dosing work, and eventually human clinical trials. For now, the study adds to growing evidence that treating depression may, in some cases, involve addressing biological processes outside the brain, including gut integrity and immune activation.

    The research was supported by funding from Canada’s federal granting agencies, including the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada. The authors say further studies will be needed to clarify how Reelin works across tissues and whether it can be developed into a practical medical intervention.

  • Cornell study suggests scent can predict platonic chemistry in minutes, and conversations may reshape what we smell

    New research from Cornell University suggests that scent plays a measurable role in how quickly strangers decide whether they could become friends. The study found that, within minutes, people’s reactions to another person’s everyday smell aligned with their impressions after a brief face-to-face chat.

    The work, published in Scientific Reports, examined how odor-based preferences interact with early social encounters. Researchers focused on friendship formation rather than romantic attraction, an area that has historically dominated social olfactory research.

    How the speed-friending test worked

    The study recruited heterosexual women who took part in four-minute speed-friending conversations. Participants also evaluated the everyday scent of other participants using T-shirts that had absorbed their normal, day-to-day odor.

    Researchers reported that individual, highly personal scent preferences predicted how much participants liked their interaction partners after the short conversations. Those patterns were not driven by a single universally appealing or unpleasant smell, but by idiosyncratic taste that varied by person.

    Everyday odor, not lab-made purity

    Instead of isolating a so-called natural body odor, the research leaned into what the authors describe as a signature scent shaped by daily life. That includes choices such as hygiene products, household environment, pets, and other common exposures that can influence how someone smells in real settings.

    In that sense, the study frames scent as part of a broader social signal people carry into first meetings, even if they are not consciously aware of it. The findings suggest smell is registered alongside conversation cues, body language, and other first-impression factors.

    Can a chat change how someone smells?

    One of the most notable findings was that the interaction appeared to work both ways. Participants’ ratings from the live conversation predicted shifts in how they later judged that same person’s T-shirt scent.

    That pattern suggests social experience can reshape odor perception, linking a person’s smell to the quality of the encounter. The researchers argue this feedback loop may help explain why people sometimes warm to someone over time, including on a sensory level.

    While the study focuses on a specific group and a controlled experimental design, it adds to evidence that scent influences social bonding beyond dating. The authors say future work could test whether similar effects appear across broader populations and in more natural social settings.

  • Penn State wearable sticker pairs biosensors and AI to spot genuine emotions, even behind a calm face

    Researchers at Penn State say they have developed a stretchable, rechargeable sticker designed to detect genuine emotions by combining facial movement data with physiological signals such as skin temperature and heart rate.

    The team argues the approach could help clinicians understand what patients feel in real time, especially when facial expressions alone are misleading or emotions are intentionally concealed.

    In a study published in Nano Letters, the researchers describe a BandAid-sized patch that measures several body signals linked to emotional states, including temperature, humidity, heart rate and blood oxygen levels.

    The device is built from thin, flexible layers of metals such as platinum and gold, shaped to remain sensitive even when bent, pulled or twisted during natural facial movement.

    How the emotion-tracking patch works

    To reduce measurement errors, the sensors are arranged so they operate independently, with protective layers intended to prevent stretching or moisture from distorting readings from neighboring components.

    Alongside the biosignals, facial strain sensors capture subtle changes in expression, and the system fuses those inputs to separate acted emotions from those tied to physiological responses.

    AI training and early accuracy results

    The researchers trained an AI model using repeated facial-expression performances across six categories: happiness, surprise, fear, sadness, anger and disgust.

    In the reported tests, the model classified performed facial expressions with 96.28% accuracy, based on data collected while participants repeatedly displayed each expression.

    To probe real emotions, participants watched video clips intended to elicit feelings while the patch tracked physiological changes associated with emotional arousal.

    The system identified emotions with 88.83% accuracy in those tests, with sensor readings aligning with known links between emotions and changes in metrics such as skin temperature and heart rate.

    Potential uses in telemedicine care

    The patch wirelessly transmits measurements to mobile devices and cloud systems, which the researchers say could support remote monitoring in telemedicine settings.

    The team also says the device is designed to avoid collecting personal information beyond sensor signals, aiming to reduce privacy risks while still enabling clinical interpretation.

    While the work remains at a research stage, the authors suggest the platform could eventually support broader health applications, including monitoring non-verbal patients and tracking conditions where behavioral signals are difficult to assess.

    The project was supported by funding from the U.S. National Institutes of Health and the U.S. National Science Foundation, according to the researchers.

  • MIT researchers map how focused ultrasound could test the brain circuits behind consciousness

    MIT researchers map how focused ultrasound could test the brain circuits behind consciousness

    Scientists at MIT are advancing plans to use transcranial focused ultrasound, a noninvasive technique that can modulate activity in deep brain regions, to study how conscious experience arises. The approach is laid out in a recent roadmap paper that argues the technology can move consciousness research beyond observation and toward direct tests of cause and effect.

    Consciousness remains a central unsolved problem in neuroscience because most tools either record brain signals or reach only surface areas without surgery. Focused ultrasound can concentrate acoustic energy through the skull onto small targets, potentially enabling precise stimulation of subcortical structures that are difficult to access with other noninvasive methods.

    A tool for cause and effect

    Many studies link conscious perception to patterns seen in EEG or brain imaging, but those signals often show correlation rather than causation. By changing neural activity in a controlled way and tracking what a person reports experiencing, researchers hope to identify which circuits are necessary for awareness and which are downstream side effects.

    MIT researchers Daniel Freeman and Matthias Michel, along with collaborators at the University of Florida and Harvard-affiliated Brigham and Women’s Hospital, argue that focused ultrasound could help narrow the search for the neural substrate of conscious perception. Their paper, published in Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews, describes experimental designs intended for healthy volunteers.

    Testing rival theories of consciousness

    The roadmap highlights how the method could evaluate competing ideas about where consciousness is generated in the brain. Some accounts emphasize higher-level cognitive processes and the prefrontal cortex, while others suggest that specific perceptual regions, posterior networks, or deeper structures may be sufficient to generate conscious experience.

    Because the technology can target areas millimeters across, researchers say it may be possible to compare the effects of stimulating different nodes in these proposed networks. The goal is not only to see brain activity change, but to determine whether those changes reliably alter perception, awareness, or subjective reports.

    From vision to pain and beyond

    Early experiments are expected to start with the visual system, where researchers can tightly control stimuli and measure perception. Similar logic could be applied to pain, a domain where reflexive responses can occur before a person consciously feels discomfort, raising questions about which brain circuits produce the experience itself.

    While focused ultrasound has drawn growing interest for potential therapeutic uses, the authors frame it as a basic-science instrument for probing fundamental mechanisms. They also caution that, as with any emerging method, careful safety standards, calibration, and replication will determine how widely it can be adopted in mainstream neuroscience.

    At MIT, the work is part of a broader push to build a cross-disciplinary community around consciousness research, including regular discussions among neuroscientists and philosophers. For proponents, the appeal is straightforward: a noninvasive way to reach deeper brain targets could provide the most direct experimental leverage the field has had in decades.

  • Primary progressive aphasia study tests brain stimulation to boost speech therapy and what it could mean for patients

    Primary progressive aphasia, or PPA, is a neurodegenerative condition that gradually erodes a person’s ability to communicate, often affecting speech, writing, and word retrieval. There is currently no drug proven to halt or reverse the underlying progression, so care typically focuses on supportive speech-language therapy.

    Researchers at the University of Arizona are reporting encouraging results from an approach that pairs standard speech therapy with transcranial direct current stimulation, a noninvasive method that delivers a low electrical current through electrodes placed on the scalp. The goal is to amplify therapy gains by targeting brain networks involved in language.

    How the trial was designed

    The study, published in the Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, focused on logopenic PPA, a subtype often marked by difficulty finding words and repeating phrases. The team used neuroimaging to help identify stimulation targets while avoiding brain areas that were already significantly atrophied.

    Twelve participants with written language deficits completed two treatment phases in a randomized order, separated by a two-month break. In one phase, they received speech therapy plus active stimulation, and in the other, the same therapy paired with placebo stimulation.

    What improved after stimulation

    Participants improved after both phases, but the gains were stronger and lasted longer when active stimulation was added, the researchers reported. They observed clearer writing outcomes, including fewer spelling errors and better-formed, more meaningful sentences.

    Senior author Aneta Kielar said the team’s rationale reflects how language relies not only on meaning but also on retrieving a word’s sound structure during speaking and writing. Lead researcher Katlyn Nickels noted that PPA has only been widely characterized for several decades, leaving key aspects of treatment and recovery underexplored.

    Why neuroplasticity matters in PPA

    The researchers propose that stimulation may help promote neuroplasticity, the brain’s ability to reorganize and strengthen connections that support learning. In this view, brain stimulation does not replace therapy but may boost the effects of training by making language networks more responsive.

    They also emphasized that transcranial direct current stimulation is generally described in the field as relatively inexpensive and straightforward to administer under appropriate clinical protocols. Next, the group plans to study genetic, cognitive, and neural markers that could help predict which patients benefit most and how durable improvements can be in real-world care.

    The work was supported by multiple state and university health research programs, according to the authors. While larger studies are needed to confirm results and define best practices, the findings add to growing interest in combining rehabilitation with targeted neuromodulation for neurodegenerative language disorders.