MentalHealthDaily

bvFTD MRI Atrophy Ratings: Left Orbitofrontal Score Predicted 3.77x Odds

by GLOOM

A 2026 behavioral-variant frontotemporal dementia MRI study found that simple visual ratings of orbitofrontal and frontoinsular brain atrophy helped separate probable from possible bvFTD, with baseline left orbitofrontal atrophy predicting 3.77-fold higher odds of probable bvFTD classification.1 Research Highlights 143 people were rated: the study included 93 probable bvFTD cases, 15 possible bvFTD cases, and …

Brain Lymphatic MRI Shows Aging-Linked Drainage Changes

by GLOOM

MHD featured image for brain lymphatic MRI and aging-linked drainage changes.

A 2022 Nature Communications study used non-contrast 3D T2-FLAIR magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to map human brain lymphatic signals in living people, including apparent channels from cranial nerves and skull-base structures toward cervical lymph nodes. Research Highlights Non-contrast MRI visualized lymphatic-like brain drainage: Albayram et al. identified dorsal dural signals near venous sinuses and ventral …

Coffee, Gut Microbes, Memory, and Impulsivity in 62 Adults

by GLOOM

Stylized illustration of a coffee cup overlaid with gut bacteria silhouettes and brain neurons with neurotransmitter symbols, representing the gut-brain axis effects of habitual coffee intake.

Coffee is widely framed as cognitively friendly, but a 2026 prospective study from Boscaini et al. published in Nature Communications used shotgun metagenomics, metabolomics, and cognitive testing in 62 healthy adults to show that coffee drinkers and non-coffee drinkers differ on the gut microbiome, key neurotransmitter-related metabolites, and behavioral measures — with coffee drinkers showing …

Small-Vessel Disease MRI Score Predicted 90-Day Cognition After Stroke

by GLOOM

MHD featured image for composite small-vessel disease MRI and post-stroke cognitive recovery.

A 2026 medRxiv preprint involving 65 early subacute stroke survivors found that a composite cerebral small-vessel disease MRI score predicted 90-day cognitive recovery more reliably than any single input marker.1 Lower baseline burden predicted higher follow-up Montreal Cognitive Assessment scores (β = −0.19; p = 0.009) and remained associated after baseline cognition was included (β …

DNA Methylation Biological Age Slope Raised Mortality Risk 28%

by GLOOM

MHD featured image for DNA methylation biological age and mortality risk.

A 2026 Clinical Epigenetics study tracked DNA methylation biological age in 894 older adults and found that each 1-SD higher biological-age slope predicted 17-28% higher all-cause mortality risk across 5 epigenetic clocks.1 The clocks moved more slowly than calendar time over 8.1 years, but participants with higher methylation-age slopes had worse survival than participants with …

qMRI Brain Aging Maps Myelin, Iron, and Water in 138 Adults

by GLOOM

MHD featured image for qMRI brain aging maps of myelin, iron, and water.

A 2026 quantitative MRI preprint reanalyzed 138 healthy adults and found that multivariate modeling detected coordinated age-related shifts across myelin-sensitive, iron-sensitive, and water-sensitive brain maps.1 The signal was broad, but split-half validation weakened the result enough to keep it in the measurement-method lane rather than the clinical-test lane. Research Highlights 138 adults were reanalyzed: The …

rTMS Plus Risperidone Improved Schizophrenia Cognition

by GLOOM

A 2026 randomized study involving 80 people with schizophrenia found that adding high-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation to risperidone improved PANSS cognitive-factor scores and aggressive-behavior ratings more than risperidone alone over 4 weeks.1 Research Highlights Design was randomized but short: 80 patients were assigned to risperidone alone or risperidone plus rTMS, 40 per group, with …