A new study from Karolinska Institutet, published in Nature Communications, reveals how rhythmic brain waves known as alpha oscillations help us distinguish between our own body and the external world. The findings offer new insights into how the brain integrates sensory signals to create a coherent sense of bodily self.

Childhood exposure to air pollution linked to poorer cognitive performance in later life. A new study shows that childhood exposure to indoor air pollution may have long-term effects on brain health, with possible cognitive impairment appearing decades later.

People across the globe, especially in low-income countries, continue to use solid fuels like coal, wood and plant waste for cooking and heating. The resulting indoor air pollution exposes children to smoke and particles at key stages of brain development.

“Nearly 30% of the global population, roughly 2.4 billion people, still cook without clean fuels. Our findings indicate that growing up in a smoke-filled household may impair brain health and cognitive abilities throughout life,” says University of Helsinki researcher Xu Zong.

Published in Social Science & Medicine, a leading international journal on health and social medicine, the study is the first to investigate how early-childhood exposure to indoor air pollution affects cognitive performance in adulthood. It analysed nationally representative data from over 7,000 Chinese adults aged 45 and above , using advanced machine learning techniques.

Researchers at the University of Bath in the UK are proposing thresholds for safe – or at least safer – cannabis use and hope their findings will help people monitor consumption and keep it within recommended limits – similar to how alcohol units guide safer drinking.