According to a new study published in Brain, Behavior, and Immunity, disrupting circadian rhythms during adolescence may alter how the brain responds to prenatal infections, which are known risk factors for disorders such as schizophrenia and autism. 

Using mice, researchers found that each factor alone changed behavior and brain activity, but their combination produced unique effects – sometimes even counteracting one another.

The research team is now investigating the gene changes they saw in mice to see what they might reveal about how the human brain develops.  Here’s more: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0889159125001084?via%3Dihub

The Shanghai-based Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology announced that it launched the country's first ever clinical trial of a high-throughput wireless invasive brain-computer interface (BCI). Through minimally invasive surgery, doctors successfully implanted China's first wireless invasive BCI system in a patient with tetraplegia. This is a condition characterized by paralysis in all four limbs and the torso.

According to a statement from the center, after just three weeks of post-operative training, the patient was able to control electronic devices with his mind, skillfully operating racing games, chess and other programs.

The patient involved in the trial lost all his four limbs in a high-voltage electrical accident 13 years ago. Since the device was implanted, it has operated stably in his brain, with no infection or electrode failure reported to date.  This particular BCI system is expected to gain regulatory approval and enter the market by 2028. Check it out: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-06-16/china-joins-us-in-brain-implant-race-with-clinical-trial

A new study published in the journal Behaviour Research and Therapy has found that evidence-based psychological treatments often fail to deliver lasting results because people forget much of what they learn and struggle to build new habits. Essentially there’s a disconnect between what patients remember from therapy sessions and what they implement in real life.

According to the study, most people retain only about 30% of clinical information, and habit formation can take months without the right support. So researchers are now suggesting that these treatments can be more effective if timely reminders and behavior cues can be integrated into a treatment program.  Here’s more: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0005796725000890?via%3Dihub

Did you know that ear wax can reveal Parkinson’s Disease biomarkers?

Researchers have discovered that four specific volatile organic compounds in ear wax are significantly different in people with Parkinson’s Disease.  With this knowledge, a new screening method has been developed that analyzes those volatile compounds to detect early signs of the disease - with 94% accuracy.

The next step for researchers now is to conduct further studies at different stages of the disease, in multiple research centers and among multiple ethnic groups, in order to determine whether this method has greater practical application value. Check it out: https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.analchem.5c00908