If you want to know more about how the human brain matures and changes over time, you can now consult the first comprehensive atlas that maps brain organization from infancy all the way through to advanced old age. To create this comprehensive guide, researchers analyzed brain scans from 3,556 healthy individuals, ranging from newborns who were just 16 days old to centenarians. They used a technique called resting-state fMRI to see which parts of the brain communicate with each other while a person is lying still.

Young adults who heavily use substances may report significantly poorer memory decades later, a new University of Michigan study suggests. Researchers tracked how frequently participants reported binge drinking and daily—or near-daily—use of alcohol, cannabis and cigarettes between the ages of 18 and 30. They then compared those patterns with self-reported poor memory at ages 50 to 65.

Our date of birth doesn't always match the age of our brain. How old our brain really is depends on our biological age, shaped by the wear and tear our cells experience over time. Genetics, environmental factors, and lifestyle choices all play a role in shaping how young or old our body's components are. A biological age higher than your actual chronological age can signal an increased risk of age-related diseases and health problems.

The origin of neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's or dementia isn't limited to the brain. The state of your gut can quietly set off a cycle of chronic, system-wide inflammation that nudges the brain toward cognitive decline. But how does the pathogenesis of a disease that seems purely brain-based begin in the gut—an organ that is mostly busy producing chemicals for digesting food?

Crying is often seen as a healthy emotional release. However, a new study suggests that the picture is more complex. In a four-week smartphone-based study, researchers found that crying did not generally make people feel better. Instead, its short-term emotional impact varied depending on the reason for crying. Crying after situations of emotional strain or feeling overwhelmed was linked to lower positive affect and higher negative affect, while crying in response to moving media content was associated with a reduction in negative affect.

New research suggests that babies take part in simple, story-like interactions with their parents long before they learn words, helping to build emotional connection and early social skills. The "Narrative Development in Infant–Mother Interaction" paper, published in the Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, shows that everyday exchanges between infants and their mothers follow a clear pattern that looks like a very short story, with a beginning, a build-up, a peak moment, and a natural ending.

Endometriosis is a devastating chronic pain condition caused by uterine-like cells growing where they aren't supposed to. People with endometriosis can develop extremely painful periods, bladder issues, and even infertility. Most people who are diagnosed with endometriosis are first treated with progesterone-based birth control. But a third of all patients fail this therapy because it is ineffective for them while many others stop taking it due to side effects.

For decades, Chicago's South Side neighborhoods have experienced high rates of firearm violence, making speedy access to expert trauma care a matter of life and death. A recent study in JAMA Surgery helps quantify the impact of critical care: the opening of the University of Chicago Medicine's Level 1 trauma center in 2018 was associated with a nearly 4% reduction in firearm mortality, thanks to faster and closer emergency treatment.

Millions of people in the United States have chronic wounds, including those living with diabetes, patients recovering from burns, post-surgical patients and other people with injuries. For clinicians, early detection of infection, inflammation or other recovery setbacks can be challenging to detect, primarily because patients may be self-reporting or awaiting lab results. This can result in a worsening infection, long-term damage and, in some cases, amputation.

It's a Friday evening and you pour a glass of wine while your teenager sits at the kitchen bench scrolling through their phone. They barely look up. But they notice more than you think. My new study found the drinking habits parents model at home carry over to their children.