Who hasn’t been there? The big meal is over, you’re full, but the craving for sweets remains. Researchers from the Max Planck Institute for Metabolism Research have now discovered that what we call the “dessert stomach” is rooted in the brain. The same nerve cells that make us feel full after a meal are also responsible for our craving for sweets afterwards.
To find the cause of the “dessert stomach,” the researchers investigated the reaction of mice to sugar and found that completely satiated mice still ate desserts. The paper is published in the journal Science.
Investigations of the brain showed that a group of nerve cells, the so-called POMC neurons, are responsible for this. These neurons became active as soon as the mice were given access to sugar, which facilitated their appetite.
Scientists have discovered a natural compound that can halt a key process involved in the progression of certain cancers and demyelinating diseases—conditions that damage the protective myelin sheath surrounding neurons, such as multiple sclerosis (MS).
A study published in the Journal of Biological Chemistry identified a plant-derived flavonoid called sulfuretin as an inhibitor of an enzyme linked to both MS and cancer. The research, conducted in cell models at Oregon Health & Science University, demonstrated that sulfuretin effectively blocked the enzyme’s activity. The next phase of research will involve testing the compound in animal models to evaluate its therapeutic potential, effectiveness, and possible side effects in treating cancer and neurodegenerative diseases like MS.
For decades, scientists have relied on electrodes and dyes to track the electrical activity of living cells. Now, engineers at the University of California San Diego have discovered that quantum materials just a single atom thick can do the job—using only light.
A new study, published in Nature Photonics, shows that these ultra-thin semiconductors, which trap electrons in two dimensions, can be used to sense the biological electrical activity of living cells with high speed and resolution.
Scientists have continually been seeking better ways to track the electrical activity of the body’s most excitable cells, such as neurons, heart muscle fibers and pancreatic cells. These tiny electrical pulses orchestrate everything from thought to movement to metabolism, but capturing them in real time and at large scales has remained a challenge.
Summary: A new international study reveals that schizophrenia manifests differently in the brain, reflecting the wide range of symptoms among patients. Researchers analyzed imaging data from over 6,000 individuals and found that while some brain structures vary significantly, others remain highly uniform.
Brain folding patterns in the mid-frontal region were consistently similar across patients, suggesting a less flexible developmental process in early childhood. These findings highlight the need for precision medicine approaches tailored to each patient’s neurobiological profile.
Summary: A new study reveals how prenatal infections followed by early-life stress—known as “two-hit stress”—can lead to brain dysfunction and psychiatric-like behaviors. Researchers found that affected mice showed abnormal cerebellar activity, increased microglial turnover, and impaired brain-wide connectivity.
Notably, microglia replacement therapy successfully reversed these effects, offering a potential new approach for mental health treatments. The findings suggest that sex differences may influence stress resilience, highlighting the need for personalized treatments for psychiatric and neurodegenerative disorders.
WBE is a potential technology to generate software intelligence that is human-aligned simply by being based directly on human brains. Generally past discussions have assumed a fairly long timeline to WBE, while past AGI timelines had broad uncertainty. There were also concerns that the neuroscience of WBE might boost AGI capability development without helping safety, although no consensus did develop. Recently many people have updated their AGI timelines towards earlier development, raising safety concerns. That has led some people to consider whether WBE development could be significantly speeded up, producing a differential technology development re-ordering of technology arrival that might lessen the risk of unaligned AGI by the presence of aligned software intelligence.
Whether this is a viable strategy depends on. (1) AGI timelines not being ultra-short. (2) whether WBE development can be speeded up significantly by a concerted effort, (3) this speedup doesn’t introduce other risks or ethical concerns.
This two-day event invites leading researchers, entrepreneurs, and funders to drive progress. Explore new opportunities, form lasting collaborations, and join us in driving cooperation toward shared long-term goals. Including mentorship hours, breakouts, and speaker & sponsor gathering.
Unravel the mysteries of the human brain with this captivating video! Discover the incredible complexity of neurons, explore the quest for a connectome, and dive into the challenges and potential breakthroughs in understanding the human mind.
