Neuroscience

A groundbreaking study by a Japanese research team has revealed that optimists’ brains display strikingly similar patterns of neural activity when imagining the future, while pessimists’ neural signatures are much more unique and individualistic. Published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), the findings illuminate how our outlook on life is physically manifested in the mind—and may help explain why optimists excel at building social relationships (medicalxpress.com).

A Japanese study reveals that optimistic people exhibit remarkably similar brain activity when imagining the future, while pessimists display more individualized patterns. The findings, published in a premier scientific journal, suggest our outlook is rooted in brain function and may illuminate why optimists often build stronger social ties.

In Thai life, the idea of “being on the same wavelength” resonates through family chats, classrooms, and workplace teamwork. This Kobe University project provides scientific backing for that everyday sense, linking social psychology with neuroscience. It offers clear evidence that how we picture the future shapes our ability to relate to others.

A groundbreaking new study has revealed that older adults with extensive musical training maintain brain functions more akin to younger individuals, offering fresh hope for combatting age-related cognitive decline—especially when it comes to understanding speech in noisy environments. The research, conducted by scientists from the University of Toronto, Baycrest Academy, and the Chinese Academy of Sciences, was published recently in the journal PLOS Biology and is attracting international attention for its implications on healthy aging and lifelong learning (Earth.com).

A recent study indicates that older adults with extensive musical training show brain activity closer to that of younger people, especially in processing speech amid background noise. Conducted by researchers from the University of Toronto, Baycrest, and the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the work highlights lifelong learning as a potential defense against age-related cognitive decline. The findings appear in PLOS Biology and emphasize the value of sustained musical engagement for brain health.

A new study in PLOS ONE shows that people’s judgments about tears depend more on the situation and who is crying than on tears alone. Thousands of participants across five countries evaluated digitally altered faces to decide if tears indicated honesty. The findings challenge the assumption that crying is a universal sign of truthfulness and highlight how context shapes perception. For Thai readers, the research offers timely insight into how emotional displays are interpreted in politics, media, and everyday life.

A new study published in PLOS One reveals that whether we interpret someone’s tears as sincere or manipulative depends greatly on the situation—and who is shedding them. The research, involving thousands of participants across five countries, challenges the common assumption that crying is always seen as a mark of honesty. Instead, the perceived genuineness of tears hinges on nuanced contextual factors—findings that have significant implications for how Thais navigate emotional expression and social trust.

A three-year, $1.2 million study conducted by a leading U.S. university is examining how nightmares relate to anxiety and trauma-related disorders. The researchers seek to determine if disturbing dreams are a symptom, a cause, or a warning sign for conditions such as PTSD and anxiety disorders. The insights could influence prevention and treatment approaches worldwide, including in Thailand.

Nightmares occur in humans and animals, yet their origins remain a scientific puzzle. The project brings together neuroscience teams to map the brain mechanisms behind nightmare production and what they reveal about mental health. Researchers say understanding these processes could change how clinicians approach early intervention and care.

A groundbreaking research initiative at Penn State University is poised to unlock new secrets about nightmares and their intricate relationships with anxiety-related mental health disorders—a move that could ultimately shape how conditions like PTSD are predicted, prevented, and managed worldwide, including in Thailand.

Nightmares, those unsettling nocturnal experiences, are a nearly universal phenomenon among humans and many animals. Yet, the question of why dreams—especially bad ones—occur and what purpose they serve has eluded scientists for centuries. Now, thanks to a three-year, US$1.2 million grant from the W.M. Keck Foundation, an interdisciplinary neuroscience team is taking aim at this enduring mystery. According to principal investigators at Penn State, the study aims to illuminate how nightmares emerge and whether they are a symptom, a cause, or even a warning sign for serious mental health conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and anxiety disorders (psu.edu).

A large international study maps how the brain switches from dream to day, revealing a precise sequence that shapes morning alertness. Using high-density EEG across more than 1,000 awakenings, researchers from neuroscience institutes in Europe show how waking begins in the frontal cortex and moves backward toward visual and sensory regions. For Thai readers, the finding offers a clearer picture of why some mornings feel energetic while others are foggy.

Every day, Thais and people across the world experience the magical yet mysterious transformation from the depths of sleep to waking consciousness—a process that remarkably shapes our mood, alertness, and even safety. A groundbreaking new study published in Current Biology by the Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience and the University of Lausanne has, for the first time, mapped this journey in striking detail. Using over 1,000 awakenings recorded second by second with high-density EEG technology, the international research team has unraveled the choreography of the awakening brain, offering tantalizing clues to why some mornings we feel energetic and others groggy—and new hope for millions struggling with sleep disorders.

A growing body of research now points to a troubling reality for millions worldwide: exposure to artificial light after dark—whether from smartphones, bright hospital lamps, or night shifts—may be fundamentally rewiring the human brain, with ripple effects throughout the body. New findings highlight the health risks tied to Thailand’s own rapidly urbanizing, brightly lit environment, raising concerns for workers and families across the nation.

Rapid urbanization in Thailand has brought the glow of artificial light to every corner, from Bangkok’s neon-lit streets to rural provinces seeing a surge in 24-hour service culture. While most Thais associate bright lighting with modern comfort and safety, scientists are finding that our brains remain hardwired for ancient, natural cycles of light and darkness—a system increasingly disrupted by modern habits. According to recent research by leading neuroscientists at West Virginia University, the effects extend well beyond sleeplessness: chronic exposure to artificial light at night has been shown to disturb our body’s master clock, or circadian rhythm, which in turn can weaken the immune system, increase inflammation, change appetite-regulating hormones, and disrupt mood.

A new study suggests lifelong musical training helps the aging brain hear and comprehend speech more clearly in noisy settings. Researchers from the University of Toronto, Baycrest, and the Chinese Academy of Sciences found that older musicians process sounds in ways similar to younger adults, supporting the idea that picking up an instrument at any age can benefit brain health.

In daily life, aging often brings declines in thinking and listening. Many seniors struggle to understand speech in crowded environments, a challenge familiar to Thais at bustling markets, family gatherings, or temple events. The research explores the Posterior-Anterior Shift in Aging (PASA), where older adults recruit more frontal brain areas to compensate for aging. This compensation can demand extra mental effort and reduce efficiency.

New research shows that exposure to artificial light after dark can disrupt the body’s natural rhythms, affecting sleep, metabolism, mood, and immune function. In Thailand’s fast-urbanizing landscape, bright night lighting is common in homes, workplaces, and public spaces, making these findings highly relevant for Thai health.

Urban growth has brought constant illumination from Bangkok’s neon streets to smaller cities embracing 24-hour services. Although bright lighting is convenient, experts warn that the body still responds to circadian cues. Researchers explain that chronic nighttime light can disturb the circadian rhythm, potentially weakening immunity, triggering inflammation, altering hunger hormones, and influencing mood.

New research underscores that lifelong musical training offers powerful protection for the brain as we age, helping older adults to hear and process speech more efficiently—especially in challenging, noisy environments. Published in PLOS Biology and led by researchers from the University of Toronto, Baycrest Academy, and the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the study reveals that older musicians’ brains function in ways remarkably similar to those of much younger individuals, bolstering the argument for picking up an instrument at any age (PLOS Biology).

A groundbreaking new study is challenging the conventional wisdom about dopamine, a crucial brain chemical long believed to broadcast broad, sweeping signals throughout the brain. Using advanced microscopy techniques, researchers have revealed that dopamine may actually operate with remarkable surgical precision, finely targeting specific brain cells rather than acting as an indiscriminate messenger. This discovery offers significant new insights into how the brain controls movement, motivation, and learning—areas that are especially relevant to Thai readers interested in neurological health and the future of treatments for conditions such as Parkinson’s disease, addiction, and depression.

A new study upends the idea that dopamine acts as a broad brain messenger. Using advanced microscopy, researchers show dopamine can target specific neurons, signaling with surgical precision rather than spreading across large brain regions. The finding deepens understanding of movement, motivation, and learning and points to future therapies for Parkinson’s disease, addiction, and depression—issues of growing interest to Thai audiences concerned with neurological health.

Historically, dopamine has been described as the brain’s reward signal. Thai education and media have often echoed this simplified view, portraying the chemical as a widespread driver of happiness and, at times, unhealthy cravings. The latest research, reported by MedicalXpress, suggests dopamine’s reach is more refined. It appears to be released directly onto particular cells that need the message, rather than diffusing indiscriminately through tissue.

Artificial lighting shapes daily life across Thailand, from bustling Bangkok streets to quiet rural towns. New findings from a leading U.S. neuroscience center show that nighttime light exposure can alter the brain, affecting immune function, metabolism, mood, and even the reliability of scientific results.

Long-term studies indicate that light at night disrupts the body’s master clock. These circadian changes can trigger neuroinflammation, mood fluctuations, and metabolic issues such as diabetes. The research matters for Thai workers who perform night shifts, residents in neon-lit urban areas, and anyone relying on screens after dark.

In Thailand’s bustling cities and illuminated rural corners, the glow of artificial light around the clock has become an inseparable part of daily life—sometimes at the expense of our own biology. New research led by a senior neuroscientist in the United States underscores the profound impact of nighttime artificial light on the human brain, linking modern lighting habits to disruptions in immune function, metabolism, mood, and even the accuracy of scientific studies themselves (StudyFinds).

A new study explains how the brain manages multiple thoughts and keeps important details sharp. Researchers found that the visual cortex and frontal cortex coordinate to prioritize high-importance items in working memory, while less critical details fade slightly. Published in Science Advances, the findings suggest our minds allocate mental resources to maintain key information accurately and quickly. For Thai readers, the implications span classrooms and workplaces amid information overload.

Working memory acts as a small mental workspace for decisions and problem solving. Capacity is limited, and the brain does not treat all items equally. The study shows higher-priority content gets stronger neural signals, while lower-priority details are dampened. In the experiment, 11 adults viewed two colored lines and received a cue about which line would likely be tested. After a delay, they had to identify the remembered line. Participants consistently recalled the high-priority item more accurately and swiftly.

Neuroscientists have uncovered fresh insights into the brain’s remarkable ability to juggle several pieces of information at once, revealing that our minds selectively devote more resources to items deemed important. The latest research, published in Science Advances on July 8, 2025, demonstrates that two major brain regions—the visual cortex and the frontal cortex—coordinate to ensure sharper memory for high-priority contents, while de-emphasizing those considered less critical. This discovery opens intriguing avenues in understanding not only basic neuroscience but also practical strategies to boost personal and educational performance for Thais in an increasingly information-rich world (PsyPost).

A growing body of international research suggests that mild brain stimulation could help people learn mathematics more effectively. The technique, when paired with math tasks, has shown improvements in learning and retention for study participants.

This finding holds particular relevance for Thailand, where math performance remains a focus of national education reform. Thai educators continue to seek evidence-based methods to strengthen numeracy, especially as students face persistent challenges highlighted by international assessments.

A recent research breakthrough suggests that stimulating the brain with weak electric currents could significantly enhance a person’s ability to learn mathematics, offering hope for new approaches to supporting students and adults struggling with numeracy. According to a report by The Hindu, the study revealed that applying gentle electrical stimulation to specific areas of the brain led to noticeable improvements in math learning for participants.

This development matters to Thai readers, especially as mathematics education remains a challenge for many students nationwide. Despite ongoing curriculum reforms and teacher training efforts, Thailand consistently scores below global averages in international math assessments such as the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) (World Bank). Finding innovative, evidence-based methods to improve mathematics performance is a high priority across the Thai education system, making research into brain stimulation particularly relevant.

A wave of new research has reignited scientific and public debate on “dopamine deficits”—a phenomenon whereby modern lifestyles, shaped by omnipresent digital media and high-reward environments, dampen our capacity for pleasure and motivation. Experts now warn that this subtle neurological imbalance is widespread, with significant consequences for mental health, productivity, and daily happiness—even in thriving societies such as Thailand.

Dopamine, a neurotransmitter made in the brain, is central to how humans pursue pleasure and rewards. While it’s essential for motivation and goal-seeking, new studies suggest that an abundance of high-stimulation activities—ranging from social media scrolling to ultra-processed foods—hijacks this system, leading to a flatlining of mood and satisfaction. The result is a chronic state where familiar joys fade and ordinary accomplishments lose their spark, pushing individuals toward ever-greater stimulation just to feel “normal” CNN Health.

A growing body of research is sparking a vital discussion about dopamine deficits—where constant digital stimulation and high-reward environments may dull our capacity for pleasure and motivation. Experts warn this subtle shift is widespread and can influence mental health, productivity, and overall happiness, even in Thailand’s thriving communities.

Dopamine, a neurotransmitter tied to motivation and reward, is increasingly shaped by modern stimuli—from social media to ultra-processed foods. The result can be a flattened mood and a sense that ordinary joys no longer satisfy. This can drive people to seek ever stronger experiences to feel “normal.” Research from leading Western universities highlights the need for mindful lifestyle adjustments.