For the first time, scientists have confirmed a neurobiochemical link between dopamine and cognitive flexibility, according to new research published in the March issue of The Journal of Nuclear Medicine. PET imaging shows that the brain increases dopamine production when completing cognitively demanding tasks, and that the more dopamine released, the more efficiently the tasks are completed. Armed with this information, physicians may soon be able to develop more precise treatment strategies for neurological and psychiatric disorders.

In a new Nature Microbiology study, University of Pittsburgh researchers show that a cocktail of growth factors reversed would-be lethal cell damage in mice with anthrax, suggesting that this approach could be adapted for use in patients.

Migraine is a common neurological disease with a significant global prevalence and socioeconomic burden. Acupuncture, a nonpharmacologic intervention, has been widely used for its treatment due to its effectiveness and safety. However, the controversy surrounding the use of sham acupuncture as a control in clinical trials has led to inconsistent conclusions about the effectiveness of acupuncture. This systematic review and network meta-analysis aimed to investigate whether the outcome of acupuncture for migraine is affected by sham intervention at the same acupuncture points as those in verum acupuncture or at non-indicated sham points.