ScienceDaily: Mind & Brain News

'Feel-good films' are usually dismissed by film critics as being sentimental and without intellectual merit. But their popularity with audiences, who seek them out precisely because of their 'feel-good' qualities, tells a more favorable story. Now, for the first time, this popular movie genre has been examined scientifically.

Successful navigation requires the ability to separate memories in a context-dependent manner. For example, to find lost keys, one must first remember whether the keys were left in the kitchen or the office. How does the human brain retrieve the contextual memories that drive behavior?

Researchers have identified and mapped a diverse spectrum of motor neurons along the spinal cord.

An experimental treatment produced improvements in cognitive function and language in patients with fragile X syndrome, according to new study results.

A third of children and adolescents develop a mental health problem after a concussion, which could persist for several years post-injury, according to a new literature review.

Children born preterm (before 37 weeks of pregnancy) remain at high risk of developmental difficulties that can affect their behavior and ability to learn, finds a new study.

Adverse environmental exposures during pregnancy -- including those that occur before pregnancy is recognized -- have a sizable effect on risk for psychiatric symptoms in childhood. Researchers are working to discover, develop and implement early life interventions that can mitigate some of these risks.

Using naturalistic driving data and machine learning techniques, researchers have developed highly accurate algorithms for detecting mild cognitive impairment and dementia in older drivers. Naturalistic driving data refer to data captured through in-vehicle recording devices or other technologies in the real-world setting. These data could be processed to measure driving exposure, space and performance in great detail.

Across fruit flies, rodents and humans, levels of glutamate transporter in dopamine neurons determine the individual's vulnerability to age-related neurologic disorders.

Researchers have discovered an explanation for why cerebral cavernous malformations (CCMs) -- clusters of dilated blood vessels in the brain -- can suddenly grow to cause seizures or stroke. Specifically, they found that a specific, acquired mutation in a cancer-causing gene (PIK3CA) could exacerbate existing CCMs in the brain. Furthermore, repurposing an already existing anticancer drug showed promise in mouse models of CCMs in improving brain-vascular health and preventing bleeding into the brain tissue.

Researchers argue that advanced tech, especially CRISPR, demands more robust and thoughtful public engagement if it is to be harnessed to benefit the public without crossing ethical lines.

Gossip is often considered socially taboo and dismissed for its negative tone, but a new study illustrates some of its merits. Gossip facilitates social connection and enables learning about the world indirectly through other people's experiences.