Media coverage

"While this is interesting, one has to worry that these types of findings are artefactual,” said Professor John Hardy (UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology) about recent research finding a link between a common pain medication and dementia.

When people watch a live contemporary dance performance, their brainwaves sync up, signalling shared focus and attention, according to a new study by Dr Guido Orgs and Dr Laura Rai (both UCL Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience).

The largest review of ‘gold standard’ antidepressant withdrawal studies identified the type and incidence of symptoms experienced by people discontinuing antidepressants and found most do not experience severe withdrawal, finds study involving Dr Gemma Lewis (UCL Psychiatry).

The key to sticking to and reaping the rewards of exercise over the long term may be as simple as doing something you enjoy, say Dr Flaminia Ronca (UCL Surgery & Interventional Science) and Professor Paul Burgess (UCL Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience).

“Whatever the Send system’s problems, the answer is not to remove the rights of children and young people,” write Professors Angela Hassiotis (UCL Psychiatry) and Liz Pellicano (UCL Psychology & Language Sciences) in a letter to defending school education, health and care plans.

“How we experience and express our emotions is influenced by our biology and by how we’ve grown up,” said Professor Sophie Scott (UCL Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience) on some of the emotions that crying can convey.

“The real gift of this technology is not to computer science — at the moment. Rather, it is an enabling technology that allows scientists to perform experiments on a little brain,” said Professor Karl Friston (UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology) on a new biological computer.

Professor Jonathan Schott (UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology) has revealed six straightforward strategies to enhance your cognitive function this summer.

Dr Jen Dykxhoorn (UCL Psychiatry) believes regeneration programmes may be helpful. She said: 'There is some evidence that initiatives like planting trees, removing litter, and improving the physical quality of neighbourhoods can reduce rates of depression.'

Professor Dr Joanna Moncrieff (UCL Psychiatry) has questioned the method and the labelling of children as mentally ill. “Anyone scoring above the average in this survey is deemed to have a probable mental health problem – I mean that’s nuts,” she says.

A team led by Professor Hugo Spiers (UCL Psychology & Language Sciences) are investigating dementia and what shapes our sense of direction using a single mobile video game, Sea Hero Quest.

Professor Rob Howard (UCL Psychiatry) said the benefits of the Alzheimer’s drug lecanemab "were too small to be noticeable" to be adopted by the NHS, while the cost would "have been close to the cost of a nurse's salary for each treated patient."

Higher levels of wellbeing may help reduce the risk of memory loss in middle age, suggests a study led by Dr Amber John and Professor Joshua Stott (both UCL Psychology & Language Sciences), which tracked more than 10,000 over 50-year-olds across a 16-year span.

“Early intervention is something we really ought to be investing in,” said Professor Essi Viding (UCL Psychology & Language Sciences) on the importance of early treatment for kids who display psychopathic tendencies, before harmful tendencies become ingrained.

Stroke survivors with depression or anxiety who attend talking therapy sessions are more likely to recover from their psychological symptoms, finds a new study by Dr Jae Won Suh and Professor Joshua Stott (both UCL Psychology & Language Sciences).