Loss, return of consciousness linked to same network of brain regions

A popular fitness trend among young people may be quietly undermining their sleep. A new study led by researchers at the University of Toronto has found that teenagers and young adults who use pre-workout supplements are significantly more likely to experience extremely short sleep durations.

Exercise may sharpen the mind by repairing the brain's protective shield. Researchers found that physical activity prompts the liver to release an enzyme that removes a harmful protein, causing the blood-brain barrier to become leaky with age.

Human evolution has long been tied to growing brain size, and new research suggests prenatal hormones may have played a surprising role. By studying the relative lengths of the index and ring fingers, a marker of prenatal exposure to oestrogen and testosterone, researchers found that higher prenatal oestrogen exposure was associated with larger head size in newborn boys.

New research suggests that consistent aerobic exercise can help keep your brain biologically younger. Adults who exercised regularly for a year showed brains that appeared nearly a year younger than those who didn't change their habits.

The scientists have discovered that the adolescent brain does more than prune old connections. During the teen years, it actively builds dense new clusters of synapses in specific parts of neurons.