How Estrogen Shapes the Female Brain
Most people associate estrogen with ovaries, puberty, periods, or hot flashes, but what if I told you this hormone shapes how you think, feel, and even connect with others?
Health
The Invisibility of Women’s Health in Neuroscience
From the design of seatbelts to the symptoms of a heart attack, the average male body has long served as the default model for research and development across society. Fortunately, efforts are now underway to better represent others, including women. But where do we currently stand in neuroscience?
Highly sensitive and sensation seeking: How to find balance
Being highly sensitive and having a high level of sensation-seeking may feel like living life with one foot on the gas and the other on the brake – but this paradox can be your greatest strength. When you accept and respect both sides, highly sensitive sensation seekers can truly thrive.
The brain’s illusion of what belongs to you
Look in a mirror. The face you see feels completely like your own. You rarely question it. But what if your brain could be convinced that another face also belongs to you?
Ramadan: What does fasting do to your brain?
Ramadan is a holy month in Islam, focused on introspection. A key part is fasting between sunrise and sunset. What effect does this have on the brain? Esther Aarts, scientist and research program leader in Nutrition & Cognition, explains.
Is your social anxiety actually coming from your gut?
New research reveals a surprising connection between gut bacteria and social fear
The language of depression isn’t universal
Scroll through any social media feed and you’ll find people sharing their highs and lows, sometimes openly, sometimes between the lines. For years, researchers have hoped that artificial intelligence (AI) could learn to recognize early signs of depression from our words. The idea is simple and powerful: if language carries emotional fingerprints, algorithms might one day detect distress before it becomes a crisis.
But what if these systems end up hearing some experiences more clearly than others?
The hidden link between autism and epilepsy
It was only halfway through the twentieth century that autism was given a clear name and definition. Yet doctors at that time already noticed that some autistic children also had epileptic seizures. Today we know that this connection is no coincidence: autism and epilepsy have more in common than once thought.
From your coffee cup to your brain: the hidden journey of microplastics
Microplastics from everyday containers can harm not only the environment but also the human brain by triggering inflammation and disrupting cognitive and emotional functions. While complete avoidance is difficult, switching to reusable alternatives like glass or stainless steel can help reduce exposure and protect brain health.
Neurofeedback: Train your brain like a muscle
In recent years, many cool techniques have been developed for brain research and for the treatment of all kinds of psychological and neurological disorders — such as focused ultrasound, deep brain stimulation, or laminar fMRI. Another brand-new method is neurofeedback, where you receive direct feedback about your brain activity and can thus create immediate connections between the inside and outside of your skull. This offers a new way to gain direction and control in your brain.