Magnetoencephalography reveals adaptive neural reorganization maintaining lexical-semantic proficiency in healthy aging

Although semantic cognition remains behaviorally stable with age, neuroimaging studies report age-related alterations in response to semantic context. We aimed to reconcile these inconsistent findings

Excitatory nicotinic signaling drives action potential bursting in dopaminergic axons

Axons of dopamine (DA) neurons express nicotinic receptors (nAChRs) that have been shown to both facilitate and suppress striatal DA release, but the mechanisms underlying

Why motor learning involves multiple systems: an algorithmic perspective

The initial stage of learning motor skills involves exploring vast action spaces, making it impractical to learn the value of every possible action independently. This

Dual cholinergic mechanisms for sculpting striatal dopamine in vivo

Striatal dopamine (DA) and acetylcholine constitute a computationally powerful neuromodulatory dyad that orchestrates action selection, motivational vigor, and reward learning. Striatal cholinergic interneurons (CINs) synapse

Real-Time Segmentation and Classification of Birdsong Syllables for Learning Experiments

Songbirds are essential animal models for studying neuronal and behavioral mechanisms of learned vocalizations. Bengalese finch (Lonchura striata domestica) songs contain a limited number of

Using the Social Ecological Model to explore policy and institutional aspects of the school environment in relation to healthy eating and physical activity: An audit of female-only high schools in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

December 20, 2025

Objective: In the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), non-communicable diseases (NCDs) cause 73% of deaths, with high body mass index (BMI) as the leading risk factor. Among adolescents, 79% reported physical inactivity (PA), 30% and 10% were living with overweight/obesity and prediabetes, respectively. Little is known about the influence of school environments in shaping healthy eating (HE) and PA behaviours. This study addressed this gap through two steps: (1) Documentary review of obesity prevention policies, (2) Assessing the school environment in relation to HE and PA. Design: The documentary review consisted of two parts; Part 1: Web-searching literature, hand-searching targeted websites, and stakeholder consultations to confirm the literature findings. Part 2: School-based environmental audit employing the ISCOLE tool and the Saudi Ministry of Education Regulations for School Canteens policy. Setting: Three female high schools were selected from differing economic deprivation levels in Riyadh, KSA. Participants: ISCOLE questionnaires were completed by the researcher in conjunction with a staff member; photo-documentation and observations were made. Results: Seventeen obesity prevention policies were identified; stakeholder consultations identified one additional policy document, and assessment highlighted challenges in policy implementation. The audit revealed notable differences between schools in HE and PA provisions Conclusion: In KSA, female high schools face significant challenges regarding a school environment that supports both HE and PA. These challenges include the absence of HE provisions and lack of suitable PA facilities, coupled with a gap between policy and practice. Understanding the school context will help support the development of future obesity prevention school-based interventions.

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