Stories by Ingrid Wickelgren

A small section of the mouse brain’s hippocampus uses specific neural codes to denote social familiarity and identity

A concept called the “p factor” attempts to explain why psychiatric disorders cannot be clearly separated

Stimulating the sleeping brain may ease suffering from memory loss, stroke or mental health problems

Virtual-reality could assist researchers in decoding how emotions spur a decision to commit a crime

Counter to the conventional wisdom, suppression of distressing thoughts could be an invaluable addition in treating depression, anxiety and trauma

Implanted electrodes pick up a pattern of brain waves that can signal the presence or absence of depression and perhaps predict its relapse

The ability to conjure up possible futures or alternative realities is the flip side of memory. Both faculties cohabit in the brain region called the hippocampus

Channeling Thomas Edison and Salvador Dalí, researchers show that shaping dream imagery could spark creative ideas to target a specific problem

This novel injection system could help advance gene therapy by nimbly inserting gene-editing enzymes into a variety of cell types

Despite the stream of “good news” about vitamin D, the supplement’s prospects to prevent mental health disorders in adults remain dim

A new finding that humans can correctly interpret the gestures of chimps and bonobos adds togrowing research that suggests that human language may have evolved from a dictionary of hand and body signals

Suppressing memories using an “amnesic shadow” could someday lead to a gentler therapy for post-traumatic stress disorder

A woman during pregnancy shows changes in a key brain network that may be important for bonding with her new child

A standard diagnostic test may be one reason autism research includes so few female participants

Suppressing the flow of unwanted thoughts is possible and can help people cope with difficult memories

A molecule tells the brain whether to put a positive or negative spin on events. Mental disorders may result when the up/down labeling goes awry

A large colony may provide clues about the biology of traumatic stress resulting from climate change and war

Opinion among physicians and scientists still ranges widely on how quickly to proceed

Creative people are better at rationalizing small ethical lapses that can spiral out of control

An interactive parent-training program can stamp out behavior problems in kids—and abuse from parents

Scientists have concocted mental fitness regimens to strengthen weak thinking skills in students—in effect, making kids smarter

The Sunday after Thanksgiving last year proved tragic for family and friends of 22-year-old Kosta Karageorge. The defensive tackle for the Ohio State Buckeyes was found dead that day after apparently shooting himself in the head.

Scientists have concocted mental fitness regimens to strengthen weak thinking skills in students—in effect, making kids smarter

Levels of a protein fragment in the blood paralleled how long head injuries benched hockey players. Ingrid Wickelgren reports