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.