In a study of three groups — individuals with autism, fetal alcohol syndrome and a “neurotypical” control group — researchers found that cognitive ability was significantly associated with how well the participants, all with typical hearing, processed speech in noisy environments. 

“The relationship between cognitive ability and speech-perception performance transcended diagnostic categories. That finding was consistent across all three groups,” said the study’s lead investigator, Bonnie Lau. She is a research assistant professor in otolaryngology-head and neck surgery at the University of Washington School of Medicine and directs lab studies of auditory brain development.  

One of the first randomized controlled trials assessing the effectiveness of a large language model (LLM) chatbot ‘Amanda’ for relationship support shows that a single session of  chatbot therapy can be as beneficial as a evidence-based journaling in assisting with relationship conflict resolution, according to a study published September 24, 2025 in the open-access journal PLOS Mental Health by Dr Laura Vowels from the University of Lausanne, Switzerland, and the University of Roehampton, United Kingdom, and colleagues.

It is highly likely that the female menstrual cycle was originally synchronized with the lunar cycle. This has changed significantly with the rise of artificial light and smartphones, as a new study by the University of Würzburg shows.

More than 4 million people worldwide have end-stage kidney disease that requires hemodialysis, a treatment in which a machine filters waste from the blood. Hemodialysis is a precursor to kidney transplant. To prepare for it, patients typically undergo surgery to connect an artery and a vein in the arm, creating an arteriovenous fistula (AVF) that allows blood to flow through the vein for treatment. However, AVF fails about 60 percent of the time due to vein narrowing. This is a major barrier to effective treatment. Mayo Clinic researchers found that transplanting patients' own stem cells from fat cells into the vein often helped prevent inflammation and vein narrowing. This could help millions of people with end-stage kidney disease tolerate dialysis longer, extending the time before they require a kidney transplant.