Science News: Our Weekly Picks From Around the Web

The Teenage Brain: Why It’s OK That Teens Just Want To Have Sex, Drive Fast And Act Crazy
A recent National Geographic article explored the evolutionary logic of teenage thought, and why thrill-seeking and risk-taking may be beneficial.
www.huffingtonpost.com (01/04/2012)

Brain’s connective cells are much more than glue: Glia cells also regulate learning and memory
New research indicates that glia cells are “the brain’s supervisors.” By regulating the synapses, they control the transfer of information between neurons, affecting how the brain processes information.
www.sciencedaily.com (12/29/2012)

Brain function can start declining ‘as early as age 45’
The brain’s ability to function can start to deteriorate as early as 45, suggests a study in the British Medical Journal.
www.bbc.co.uk (01/05/2012)

More evidence that deep brain stimulation may help treat mental illness
A new study is advancing the possibility that mentally ill patients who do not respond to conventional therapies may benefit from battery-powered electrodes surgically implanted in their brains.
thechart.blogs.cnn.com (01/02/2012)

Study pinpoints Ritalin’s influence
Millions of individuals diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are helped by methylphenidate, the stimulant better known as Ritalin. Now researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison have pinpointed the area of the brain in which Ritalin does its work.
www.news.wisc.edu (01/05/2012)