Empathy, Unique Genes, Dry Mouth Relief, and Yawning Psychopaths

Today, you’ll learn about the 139 genes that set the human mind apart from our primate cousins, a new gel that could change the game for those suffering from dry mouth, and why psychopaths could be immune from the contagious yawn. 

Human Genes  

• “139 Genes Set Human Cognitive Ability Apart From Other Primates.” by Sarah Whelan, PhD. 2023.  
• “Comparative single-cell transcriptomic analysis of primate brains highlights human-specific regulatory evolution.” by Hamsini Suresh, et al. 2023.  
• “Middle Temporal Gyrus.” by Kostas Konstantopoulos & Dimitrios Giakoumettis. 2023.  

Dry Mouth Relief  

• “New Microgel Lubricant Could Provide Relief From Dry Mouth.” by Alexander Beadle. 2023.  
• “How Common is Dry Mouth? Systematic Review and Meta-Regression Analysis of Prevalence Estimates.” by Bernardo Antonio Agostini, et al. 2018.  
• “Benchmarking of a microgel-reinforced hydrogel-based aqueous lubricant against commercial saliva substitutes.” by Olivia Pabois, et al. 2023.  

Yawning Psychopaths  

• “Why Psychopaths Are Immune to Contagious Yawning.” by Gary Drevitch. 2015.  
• “Psychopathy.” n.a. N.d.  
• “Contagious and spontaneous yawning in autistic and typically developing children.” by Fiorenza Giganti & Maria Esposito Ziello. 2009.  

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