HEALTH & SCIENCE REPORT: Multiple Topics

[Rob Longo]

The following articles are from multiple resources:

 

BRAIN

1) Computer brain games may boost white matter after chronic traumatic brain injury

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-brain-games-boost-white-chronic.html

 

2) Second pregnancy uniquely alters the female brain, study shows

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-pregnancy-uniquely-female-brain.html

 

3) Five-Year Follow-Up of Work Disability After Traumatic Brain Injury

https://www.neurology.org/doi/10.1212/WNL.0000000000214674

 

4) What brain waves tell us about the link between exercise and mood

https://www.psypost.org/what-brain-waves-tell-us-about-the-link-between-exercise-and-mood/

 

5) Childhood trauma changes how the brain processes caregiver cues

https://www.psypost.org/childhood-trauma-changes-how-the-brain-processes-caregiver-cues/

 

6) New psychology research reveals how repetitive thinking primes involuntary memories

https://www.psypost.org/new-psychology-research-reveals-how-repetitive-thinking-primes-involuntary-memories/

 

7) Neuroscientists identify a unique feature in the brain’s wiring that predicts sudden epiphanies

https://www.psypost.org/neuroscientists-identify-a-unique-feature-in-the-brains-wiring-that-predicts-sudden-epiphanies/

 

8) Pancreatic and ‘Skinny Fat’ Linked to Brain Risks

https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/pancreatic-and-skinny-fat-linked-brain-risks-2026a10003yr?ecd=mkm_ret_260222_mscpmrk_MOB_e70_C2_etid8120671&uac=528002PJ&impID=8120671

 

9) Key alterations discovered in the cerebral cortex of people with psychosis

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-key-cerebral-cortex-people-psychosis.html

 

10) Brainwaves of mothers and children synchronize when playing together—even in an acquired language

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-brainwaves-mothers-children-synchronize-playing.html

 

11) Our brains may learn more from rare events than from repetition

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-brains-rare-events-repetition.html

 

12) Q&A: Why are a child's first 1,000 days so critical for brain building?

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-qa-child-days-critical-brain.html

 

13) Caffeine might ease anxiety and depression by calming brain inflammation

https://www.psypost.org/caffeine-might-ease-anxiety-and-depression-by-calming-brain-inflammation/

 

14) Brain may reinforce seizures during sleep, suggests study

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-brain-seizures.html

 

15) Grandiose narcissists tend to show reduced neural sensitivity to errors

https://www.psypost.org/grandiose-narcissists-tend-to-show-reduced-neural-sensitivity-to-errors/

 

16) Why do falls rise with age? Study points to cerebellar neuron firing

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-falls-age-cerebellar-neuron.html

 

17) How blast waves can damage the brain without a head injury

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-blast-brain-injury.html

 

18) Brain injury is almost ten times more common in unhoused people. Addressing it is key to reducing homelessness

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-brain-injury-ten-common-unhoused.html

 

19) Expert birders show more compact attention brain areas, study finds

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-expert-birders-compact-attention-brain.html

 

20) The 'first-night effect': Why it's hard to sleep when you're somewhere new

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-night-effect-hard-youre.html

 

21) Gut microbes can affect the heart via the brain

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-gut-microbes-affect-heart-brain.html

 

22) Dysregulation of the immune system differentiates depression and psychosis in young adulthood

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-dysregulation-immune-differentiates-depression-psychosis.html

 

23) Ultrasound gives the brain a nudge in the right direction

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-ultrasound-brain-nudge.html

 

24) 'Sensory checkpoint' in adult brain keeps remodeling itself long after adolescence, scientists find

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-sensory-checkpoint-adult-brain-remodeling.html

 

25) New Guidance Released on 'Whether and When' to Stop Psychotropic Meds — New recommendations detail key points of deprescribing

https://www.medpagetoday.com/psychiatry/generalpsychiatry/120044?mh=b472702379519ab6c5a3eb368b1e37ec&xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2026-02-25&zdee=gAAAAABm4vkSlHpatgJA9AhGC93ytnmIdH-i7GN6G83LoYaCXzzN3GR13pz08dfUAsGcfRwkA6zRU5qff2DB2Sn7gqSHqv0DW1XSfoM8sHdL5vtF6nsNhwI%3D

 

26) You’ll likely move on in 47 seconds. Can I hold your attention a little longer?

https://www.cnn.com/2026/02/27/health/attention-span-improvement-wellness-vis?bt_ee=T9mN97mvxevr%2F1qI1lfwlC1HO3w8PYeQieKPxE5sAiKxoNHKoKXdVc%2Fvr264FDyB&bt_ts=1772227083603

 

 

ALZHEIMER’S / DEMENTIA

1) Soda consumption and risk of dementia: The Northern Manhattan study

https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/13872877251411414

 

2) Alzheimer's Dementia Risk Nearly 40% Lower With Lifelong Learning

— Intellectual enrichment throughout the lifespan tied to higher cognitive function

https://www.medpagetoday.com/neurology/dementia/119891

 

3) Alzheimer's Disease Advances Differently in Women - Women experience more aggressive brain pathology than men

https://www.medpagetoday.com/neurology/alzheimersdisease/119919

 

4) Air pollution may directly contribute to Alzheimer's disease—new study

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-air-pollution-contribute-alzheimer-disease-1.html

 

5) Daily exercise and protein drinks may cut care needs for dementia patients, study finds

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-daily-protein-dementia-patients.html

 

6) Dementia: How brain resilience, immune health and the menopause play a role in women's risk

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-dementia-brain-resilience-immune-health.html

 

7) Your morning coffee might protect your brain as you age. Here's the sweet spot

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-morning-coffee-brain-age-sweet.html

 

8) How urinary tract infections can trigger delirium and worsen dementia

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-urinary-tract-infections-trigger-delirium.html

 

9) Study identifies medical conditions that could predict future Alzheimer's disease

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-medical-conditions-future-alzheimer-disease.html

 

10) Tiny Blood Smidges in the Brain: Amount and Location Tied to Dementia — Neuroimaging findings believed to arise from distinct pathologies

https://www.medpagetoday.com/neurology/dementia/120086?mh=b472702379519ab6c5a3eb368b1e37ec&xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2026-02-27&zdee=gAAAAABm4vkSlHpatgJA9AhGC93ytnmIdH-i7GN6G83LoYaCXzzN3GR13pz08dfUAsGcfRwkA6zRU5qff2DB2Sn7gqSHqv0DW1XSfoM8sHdL5vtF6nsNhwI%3D

 

 

GENERAL & MENTAL HEALTH

1) Tetris gameplay treatment helps reduce traumatic flashbacks for frontline health care workers

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-tetris-gameplay-treatment-traumatic-flashbacks.html

 

2) Persistent depression linked to resistance in processing positive information about treatment

https://www.psypost.org/persistent-depression-linked-to-resistance-in-processing-positive-information-about-treatment/

 

3) FDA to Drop Two-Study Requirement for New Drug Approvals

— Announcement is the latest example of shifts in longstanding FDA standards and procedures

https://www.medpagetoday.com/publichealthpolicy/clinicaltrials/119944?mh=b472702379519ab6c5a3eb368b1e37ec&xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2026-02-19&zdee=gAAAAABm4vkSlHpatgJA9AhGC93ytnmIdH-i7GN6G83LoYaCXzzN3GR13pz08dfUAsGcfRwkA6zRU5qff2DB2Sn7gqSHqv0DW1XSfoM8sHdL5vtF6nsNhwI%3D

 

4) 16 NIH Institutes Have No Permanent Directors — Former NIH institute director calls vacancies a slower version of feared purge

https://www.medpagetoday.com/washington-watch/washington-watch/119955?mh=b472702379519ab6c5a3eb368b1e37ec&xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2026-02-19&zdee=gAAAAABm4vkSlHpatgJA9AhGC93ytnmIdH-i7GN6G83LoYaCXzzN3GR13pz08dfUAsGcfRwkA6zRU5qff2DB2Sn7gqSHqv0DW1XSfoM8sHdL5vtF6nsNhwI%3D

 

5) Alcohol drinking habits predict long-term anxiety differently across age groups

https://www.psypost.org/alcohol-drinking-habits-predict-long-term-anxiety-differently-across-age-groups/

 

6) Scientists have found a fascinating link between breathing and memory

https://www.psypost.org/scientists-have-found-a-fascinating-link-between-breathing-and-memory/

 

7) The EPA Just Made Our Air Less Safe to Breathe — Repealing the Endangerment Finding will shape our clinical reality for years to come

https://www.medpagetoday.com/opinion/climate-checkup/119860?mh=b472702379519ab6c5a3eb368b1e37ec&xid=nl_secondopinion_2026-02-17&zdee=gAAAAABm4vkSlHpatgJA9AhGC93ytnmIdH-i7GN6G83LoYaCXzzN3GR13pz08dfUAsGcfRwkA6zRU5qff2DB2Sn7gqSHqv0DW1XSfoM8sHdL5vtF6nsNhwI%3D

 

8) Standard mental health tests may be inaccurate for highly intelligent people

https://www.psypost.org/standard-mental-health-tests-may-be-inaccurate-for-highly-intelligent-people/

 

9) A one-month behavioral treatment for social anxiety lowers hostile interpretations of others

https://www.psypost.org/a-one-month-behavioral-treatment-for-social-anxiety-lowers-hostile-interpretations-of-others/

 

10) Anxiety and depression are widespread in adults with disabilities. What the data show

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-anxiety-depression-widespread-adults-disabilities.html

 

11) Mindfulness practices found to significantly reduce depression symptoms, especially for those with early-life adversity

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-mindfulness-significantly-depression-symptoms-early.html

 

12) Over 40% of musicians experience tinnitus; hearing loss and hyperacusis also significantly elevated

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-musicians-tinnitus-loss-hyperacusis-significantly.html

 

13) OCD is often missed: screen for obsessions and compulsions to improve treatment access

https://ntk-institute.org/article/obsessive-compulsive-disorder-ocd-often-a-missed-diagnosis-and-misdiagnosed

 

14) Adding extra salt to your food might increase your risk of depression

https://www.psypost.org/adding-extra-salt-to-your-food-might-increase-your-risk-of-depression/

 

15) RFK Jr. May Eliminate the USPSTF, Original Task Force Members Warn — Dismantling the task force would be "an existential threat to clinical practice," they said

https://www.medpagetoday.com/primarycare/preventivecare/120005?mh=b472702379519ab6c5a3eb368b1e37ec&xid=nl_mpt_Onthecase_2026-02-23&zdee=gAAAAABm4vkSlHpatgJA9AhGC93ytnmIdH-i7GN6G83LoYaCXzzN3GR13pz08dfUAsGcfRwkA6zRU5qff2DB2Sn7gqSHqv0DW1XSfoM8sHdL5vtF6nsNhwI%3D

 

16) Study of 65,000 college students links 16 hours a week on social media to higher loneliness

https://phys.org/news/2026-02-college-students-links-hours-week.html

 

17) Youth Alcohol Cravings May Rise While Scrolling Social Media, Study Suggests — Avoiding alcohol-related content may be particularly important for those in recovery, says expert

https://www.medpagetoday.com/psychiatry/addictions/120009?mh=b472702379519ab6c5a3eb368b1e37ec&xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2026-02-23&zdee=gAAAAABm4vkSlHpatgJA9AhGC93ytnmIdH-i7GN6G83LoYaCXzzN3GR13pz08dfUAsGcfRwkA6zRU5qff2DB2Sn7gqSHqv0DW1XSfoM8sHdL5vtF6nsNhwI%3D

 

18) Anxiety, Depression, and Care Barriers in Adults With Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities

https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2845321?resultClick=3

 

19) Millennium bug: Psychosis growing more common among young adults

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-millennium-bug-psychosis-common-young.html

 

20) Many neurological conditions are more frequent among individuals with severe mental illness

https://www.psypost.org/many-neurological-conditions-are-more-frequent-among-individuals-with-severe-mental-illness/

 

21) Exclusive: Key US infectious-diseases centre to drop pandemic preparation - Staff members have been instructed to scrub this topic and ‘biodefense’ from the agency’s website.

https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-026-00468-1

 

22) How Nighttime Light Quietly Became a Serious Health Threat

https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/how-nighttime-light-quietly-became-serious-health-threat-2026a10005w7?ecd=WNL_trdalrt_pos1_260226_etid8141010&uac=528002PJ&impID=8141010

 

23) Majority of Americans say government is not protecting them from toxic chemicals

https://www.cnn.com/2026/02/26/health/toxic-chemicals-pew-survey-wellness?bt_ee=D1Kvfu%2Fe4WAxfiAIgrgyz8h4p%2B8YEh1fmHpzm65XQS%2BscfNEw8ihjTgR5jiPk9Iv&bt_ts=1772107129915

 

24) Dream Orgasms: Clinical Insight or Emerging Phenomenon?

https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/dream-orgasms-clinical-insight-or-emerging-phenomenon-2026a10004q5?ecd=wnl_sci_tech_260225_MSCPEDIT_etid8135744&uac=528002PJ&impID=8135744

 

25) Early healthy eating shapes lifelong brain health, new research finds

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-early-healthy-lifelong-brain-health.html

 

26) How parent-child political disagreements harm relationships and individual mental health

https://www.psypost.org/how-parent-child-political-disagreements-harm-relationships-and-individual-mental-health/

 

27) FDA to Offer Bonus Payments to Staffers Who Complete Speedy Drug Reviews

https://www.medpagetoday.com/publichealthpolicy/fdageneral/120078?mh=b472702379519ab6c5a3eb368b1e37ec&xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2026-02-27&zdee=gAAAAABm4vkSlHpatgJA9AhGC93ytnmIdH-i7GN6G83LoYaCXzzN3GR13pz08dfUAsGcfRwkA6zRU5qff2DB2Sn7gqSHqv0DW1XSfoM8sHdL5vtF6nsNhwI%3D

 

28) Heightened anxiety sensitivity linked to memory issues in late-life depression

https://www.psypost.org/heightened-anxiety-sensitivity-linked-to-memory-issues-in-late-life-depression/

 

 

SARS-CoV-2

1) Booster shots reduce the risks of COVID-19 deaths, study finds

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-booster-shots-covid-deaths.html

 

2) COVID Tied to New Sleep Apnea Diagnosis Up to More Than 4 Years Later — A causal link is plausible, researchers say

https://www.medpagetoday.com/pulmonology/sleepdisorders/119968?mh=b472702379519ab6c5a3eb368b1e37ec&xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2026-02-22&zdee=gAAAAABm4vkSlHpatgJA9AhGC93ytnmIdH-i7GN6G83LoYaCXzzN3GR13pz08dfUAsGcfRwkA6zRU5qff2DB2Sn7gqSHqv0DW1XSfoM8sHdL5vtF6nsNhwI%3D

 

3) Over 43% of health care professionals suffered insomnia during and after COVID-19, study reveals

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-health-professionals-insomnia-covid-reveals.html

 

 

YOUTH

1) Daily soda consumption linked to cognitive difficulties in teens

https://www.psypost.org/daily-soda-consumption-linked-to-cognitive-difficulties-in-teens/

 

2) Sugary drinks linked to anxiety in young people

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-sugary-linked-anxiety-young-people.html

 

3) Study suggests toddlers' ultraprocessed diets at age two linked to lower IQ

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-toddlers-ultraprocessed-diets-age-linked.html

 

4) Social Media Companies Face Legal Reckoning Over Mental Health Harms to Children — The outcomes could challenge the companies' First Amendment shield

https://www.medpagetoday.com/publichealthpolicy/publichealth/119973?mh=b472702379519ab6c5a3eb368b1e37ec&xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2026-02-22&zdee=gAAAAABm4vkSlHpatgJA9AhGC93ytnmIdH-i7GN6G83LoYaCXzzN3GR13pz08dfUAsGcfRwkA6zRU5qff2DB2Sn7gqSHqv0DW1XSfoM8sHdL5vtF6nsNhwI%3D

 

5) Maternal infections during pregnancy increase the risk of suicidal behaviors in their offspring, study finds

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-maternal-infections-pregnancy-suicidal-behaviors.html

 

6) Big feelings: Five ways parents can help kids learn to regulate their emotions

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-big-ways-parents-kids-emotions.html

 

7) Adolescent social health may foretell loneliness and aggressive behavior

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-adolescent-social-health-loneliness-aggressive.html

 

8) Youth Alcohol Cravings May Rise While Scrolling Social Media, Study Suggests — Avoiding alcohol-related content may be particularly important for those in recovery, says expert

https://www.medpagetoday.com/psychiatry/addictions/120009?mh=b472702379519ab6c5a3eb368b1e37ec&xid=nl_mpt_Psychiatry_update_2026-02-25&zdee=gAAAAABm4vkSlHpatgJA9AhGC93ytnmIdH-i7GN6G83LoYaCXzzN3GR13pz08dfUAsGcfRwkA6zRU5qff2DB2Sn7gqSHqv0DW1XSfoM8sHdL5vtF6nsNhwI%3D

 

9) Scientists trace a neurodevelopmental link between infant screen time and teenage anxiety

https://www.psypost.org/scientists-trace-a-neurodevelopmental-link-between-infant-screen-time-and-teenage-anxiety/

 

 

THC CBD PSYCHEDELICS

1) Natural compound derived from ashwagandha plant could benefit lymphoma patients

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-natural-compound-derived-ashwagandha-benefit.html

 

2) Surprising new research links LSD-induced brain entropy to seizure protection

https://www.psypost.org/surprising-new-research-links-lsd-induced-brain-entropy-to-seizure-protection/

 

3) Cannabis use associated with better decision-making skills in people with bipolar disorder

https://www.psypost.org/cannabis-use-associated-with-better-decision-making-skills-in-people-with-bipolar-disorder/

 

4) Compass Pathways Successfully Achieves Primary Endpoint in Second Phase 3 Trial Evaluating COMP360 Psilocybin for Treatment-Resistant Depression

https://ir.compasspathways.com/News--Events-/news/news-details/2026/Compass-Pathways-Successfully-Achieves-Primary-Endpoint-in-Second-Phase-3-Trial-Evaluating-COMP360-Psilocybin-for-Treatment-Resistant-Depression/default.aspx

 

5) A Single Dose of Short-Acting Psychedelic Rapidly Eases Major Depression

https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/single-dose-short-acting-psychedelic-rapidly-eases-major-2026a1000537?ecd=WNL_trdalrt_pos1_260219_etid8119727&uac=528002PJ&impID=8119727

 

6) Adolescent cannabis use linked to doubling risk of psychotic and bipolar disorders

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-adolescent-cannabis-linked-psychotic-bipolar.html

 

and

 

Adolescent Cannabis Use and Risk of Psychotic, Bipolar, Depressive, and Anxiety Disorders

https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama-health-forum/fullarticle/2845356

 

7) Single dose of a psychedelic drug can rapidly reduce depressive symptoms, clinical trial suggests

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-dose-psychedelic-drug-rapidly-depressive.html

 

8) Screaming, vomiting, and daily weed: The rise of 'scromiting' among chronic cannabis users

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-vomiting-daily-weed-scromiting-chronic.html

 

9) Psilocybin produces different behavioral and brain-altering effects depending on the dose

https://www.psypost.org/psilocybin-produces-different-behavioral-and-brain-altering-effects-depending-on-the-dose/

 

 

AI

1) Brain Rot in Medical Education — How low-quality AI training threatens clinical reasoning

https://www.medpagetoday.com/opinion/second-opinions/119886?mh=b472702379519ab6c5a3eb368b1e37ec&xid=nl_secondopinion_2026-02-17&zdee=gAAAAABm4vkSlHpatgJA9AhGC93ytnmIdH-i7GN6G83LoYaCXzzN3GR13pz08dfUAsGcfRwkA6zRU5qff2DB2Sn7gqSHqv0DW1XSfoM8sHdL5vtF6nsNhwI%3D

 

2) AI chatbots may worsen mental illness

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-ai-chatbots-worsen-mental-illness.html

 

3) AI and mental health: New research links use of ChatGPT to worsened psychiatric symptoms

https://www.psypost.org/ai-and-mental-health-new-research-links-use-of-chatgpt-to-worsened-psychiatric-symptoms/

 

4) Large Language Models Susceptible to Authoritative-Sounding Health Misinformation

https://ascoai.org/articles/2026/02/large-language-models-susceptible-to-authoritative-sounding-health-misinformation/?md5=99dc23a8347cb6ba72d9680271c2f963&mktId=25082578&segCode=

 

5) New research: AI models tend to reflect the political ideologies of their creators

https://www.psypost.org/new-research-ai-models-tend-to-reflect-the-political-ideologies-of-their-creators/

 

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END

Be Well, Stay Safe

 

Rob

 

(Retired)

 

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