Articles tagged with Behavioral Neuroscience
A study from the Smithsonian suggests that female Cope's gray treefrogs are susceptible to choice overload when confronted with multiple mating calls, leading to reduced ability to select a suitable mate. The research found that cognitive limits play a significant role in sexual selection among animals, highlighting the importance of u...
A study in mice found that the prefrontal cortex can block flexible thinking, but silencing this region allows for faster learning of a new strategy. This discovery may provide insights into human neurodiversity and cognitive disorders.
A recent study by Nagoya University researchers found that orexin neurons play a crucial role in regulating motivated behavior. Using novel rat models, they discovered that activity in orexin neurons increases with effort, helping drive motivated behavior.
A new study reveals that ketamine enhances neuroplasticity in female mice by activating the FKBP51 protein, but has no effect on male mice. This finding could lead to better treatments for depression and highlight the importance of sex differences in drug effects.
A new study in mice reveals that brain cells in the orbitofrontal cortex respond differently when animals expect information versus no information. The researchers identified a unique neural signature associated with the intrinsic value of knowledge, which could guide animals in pursuing knowledge.
Researchers at Emory University developed an AI system, CapuchinAI, to automate cognitive studies of capuchin monkeys in the wild using facial recognition and real-time testing. The system identifies individual capuchins with 97% accuracy and provides a scalable field method for cognitive testing.
A study found that patients with proximal humerus fractures often avoid movements due to fear of re-injury or discomfort, leading to chronic pain and impaired mobility. Early identification and targeted interventions can help boost confidence and facilitate faster recovery.
Researchers at Kyoto University developed a new training method to study habit formation in mice, revealing two distinct brain circuits managing different aspects of habits. The first circuit determines whether behavior becomes a habit, while the second controls execution levels.
Researchers discovered that brain regions switch between shared and independent timing, allowing for flexibility in coordination. This finding provides a new framework for understanding how brain regions communicate and enables the development of brain-inspired artificial intelligence and robotic control systems.
Researchers discovered branched O-mannose glycans play a crucial role in maintaining nodes of Ranvier and efficient nerve signaling. The study found that these sugar structures help preserve the narrow architecture required for fast and reliable communication.
Researchers discovered that random sounds played during sleep can disrupt the consolidation of new memories by altering the composition of sleep stages. Participants who heard randomly played sounds spent less time in deep sleep and experienced poorer memory performance.
The Neuroscape Technology for Aging Health - Digital Approaches (TAH-DA) longitudinal study aims to identify biometric predictors of cognitive decline over a year. Participants will use Samsung wearable technology and digital interventions to assess brain health.
The study found that during surprising events, the brain allocates more energy to sensory information, leading to better memory recall. In contrast, predictable situations stimulate faster responses but less detailed encoding.
Researchers at Johns Hopkins University have identified a region in the brainstem that controls attention by suppressing distractions and directing focus. This discovery could lead to more targeted treatments for attention disorders like ADHD.
Researchers at MIT found that people expect generosity to flow one way in asymmetric relationships, and follow precedent to maintain equal relationships. In symmetric relationships, such as friendships or family ties, reciprocity is expected, but not in asymmetric ones.
A study led by Raül Andero at the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona found that the ratio of progesterone to estradiol hormones in saliva can predict memory performance, including fear extinction in both mice and humans. This hormonal balance may help identify optimal times for learning and memory tasks.
A Virginia Tech study found that female brains use a molecular process not seen in male brains to form fear memories. The researchers suggest that treatments for PTSD may need to be tailored differently for men and women. The discovery could lead to better understanding of PTSD and more effective treatments.
Researchers found that pregnant Pacific pocket mice trained to fear snakes produce more vigilant offspring, which survive better in the wild. This method of antipredator training may improve conservation breeding and reintroduction programs.
A new study reveals how Philip Morris Companies Inc. used cigarette research and flavor engineering to design Lunchables, a successful ultra-processed food for children. The company's strategy was based on optimizing 'technical synergies' between tobacco and food divisions.
Researchers found habits transition from goal-directed to habitual behavior in a matter of seconds, contrary to the long-held theory of gradual strengthening. This rapid transition suggests a brain region plays a key role in altering entrenched habits.
Scientists have identified dopamine as a key player in mediating stress-induced courtship suppression in male Drosophila fruit flies. The duration of stress exposure significantly influenced the persistence of suppressed courtship behavior, highlighting the importance of dopamine signaling in this process.
Scientists found that larger rewards can increase dopamine signals and lead to faster learning. Mice learned a task in one day with fewer large rewards compared to thousands of small ones. The study's findings have implications for neuroscience research and could lead to new discoveries on learning and cognition.
A team of researchers has developed a flexible neural sheet device that can record and stimulate neural activity across multiple sensory cortices in mice. The device, which is thinner than a human hair, is inserted into the epidural space to avoid brain penetration, allowing for wide-area coverage of the temporal and deep cortical areas.
A study found that singing mice didn't evolve a bigger brain or new neural connections to produce complex songs. Instead, their brains roughly tripled the number of neurons connecting the mouth-movement control center with target regions for hearing and vocalizations.
A recent NIH-funded study reveals that oral small-molecule GLP-1 drugs can suppress eating for pleasure and reduce cravings by targeting a deeper brain region, potentially treating other dysfunctions in reward processing. The findings provide insight into the neural mechanisms underlying the effects of these medications.
Genomic Press launches Brain Health, a new peer-reviewed journal dedicated to the science of lifelong brain resilience, featuring research on glial plasticity and recovery from depression. The inaugural issue explores the intersection of fields including cognitive reserve, sleep, aging biology, nutritional psychiatry, and social sciences.
Researchers subjected fruit flies to extreme gravitational forces and found they adapted and recovered, showing resilience in movement and energy use. The study suggests the brain makes energy trade-offs based on gravity levels, with moderate increases pushing for more movement and higher energy demands.
The University of Oldenburg is building a unique research facility to study animal navigation and magnetoreception. The NaviGate building will offer conditions worldwide for addressing current questions in animal navigation research, sensory biology, and neurosensorics.
A new study from Center for BrainHealth researchers found that declining slow-wave activity during sleep explains why anxiety rises in older adults. Participants who generated fewer slow waves woke up more anxious the next morning, while those with stronger slow-wave sleep did not show the same pattern.
Researchers found that building everyday behavioral skills in early childhood can shield young brains from the detrimental effects of prenatal stress. Children with stronger adaptive skills showed comparable brain activation patterns to their unexposed peers, suggesting these skills may protect brain function.
A new paper in Neuroscience & Biobehavioural Review proposes a comprehensive neurobiological model of affective tactile memory, suggesting that emotionally meaningful touch is stored in the brain in powerful and lasting ways. This research opens a new window into how early and everyday tactile experiences influence our emotional lives.
The 2026 cohort of Leon Levy Scholars in Neuroscience will pursue research projects addressing neurological disorders and developing new treatments. The program provides scientific and professional career development opportunities, including mentorship and networking.
Inhibitory neurons, once thought to suppress movement, actively generate and coordinate rhythmic limb movements required for grooming in fruit flies. This discovery challenges traditional views of neural circuitry and has potential implications for robotics and biomimetic design.
A study found divergent neural pathways for drinking patterns in young men and women, highlighting the importance of sex-specific prevention strategies. Amygdala reactivity was associated with depressive symptoms in males, while females showed a 'threat-avoidance' profile with lower alcohol risk scores.
Researchers from UMBC discover that inputs from the dorsal and ventral hippocampus interact closely on the same neurons in the nucleus accumbens, integrating memories of places and contexts with drive to pursue rewards. This convergence may help animals form associations between rewarding outcomes and environments, essential for survival.
Cichlids use a specific sequence of behaviors to build nests, involving digging, grasping, and sand-flicking. Practice and repeated exposure solidify these skills, even after long periods without access to shells.
Researchers at MIT's Picower Institute mapped the neural circuits that enable C. elegans worms to navigate towards attractive odors and avoid unappealing ones. The study revealed a specific sequence of neural activation, involving key neurons and the neuromodulator tyramine.
Researchers investigated brain mechanisms that maintain balance between intimidation and physical aggression in mice. Projections from the lateral hypothalamus to the dorsal raphe nucleus play a critical role in preserving this balance. Increasing pathway activity led to increased attacks, while inhibiting it decreased attack bites.
Researchers have mapped a brain circuit specific to chronic pain, suggesting a promising route to treatment. Silencing this circuit eased chronic pain while preserving acute pain responses in mice. The discovery raises the possibility of developing drugs that target this circuit to ease chronic pain without impacting acute pain.
A study published in PNAS found that the brain's social perception is more inclusive when a shared national identity is made salient. The research suggests that this neural flexibility can help bridge divisions and foster harmonious intergroup relations. By emphasizing common identities and shared goals, social cohesion can be improved.
A Tulane University study reveals how the brain regulates defensive behavior and fine-tunes fear responses as perceived threats diminish. Researchers identified distinct roles for neurons in the central amygdala, which help determine whether an animal responds with intense escape behavior or freezing.
A new book by Swansea University researchers argues that attention impairments, rather than memory dysfunction, are a key aspect of dementia. The authors suggest that recognizing these changes could lead to earlier identification, improved diagnosis, and better care for those affected.
Lawrence Toll has been named a senior member of the National Academy of Inventors for his pioneering work on pain pathways, reward systems, and potential treatments. His research focuses on identifying new drug targets and therapeutic strategies to combat chronic pain and addiction.
Research suggests that persistent pain drives progressive changes in the hippocampus, a brain region involved in emotional regulation. This can shape whether people develop depression or remain emotionally resilient. The study's findings challenge the idea that depression is an inevitable consequence of long-term pain.
Researchers tracked mouse groups during cold exposure and found that individual brain activity influences collective behavior, leading to self-correction when one member is compromised. The study highlights the importance of considering the whole group in understanding brain function.
Dr. Phillips's laboratory identifies abnormalities in prefrontal-striatal-limbic circuitry as biomarkers for bipolar disorder before symptoms appear. Her team tracks neural network development from infancy through young adulthood.
Dr. Cazares co-founded Colors of the Brain and advocated for GRE removal to support students from underprivileged backgrounds. He aims to bring neuroscience to underserved communities through portable, affordable, and non-invasive methods.
In a breakthrough study, researchers successfully integrated neuronal precursor cells into biobots, resulting in the formation of functional nervous systems. This development has significant implications for neuroscience, bioengineering, and regenerative medicine, enabling the investigation of fundamental questions about the origin of ...
A new study from Dartmouth College finds that social information can significantly impact how people experience negative events, including physical pain and mentally demanding tasks. When others describe an experience as painful, individuals tend to feel it that way, even when the actual experience is low in intensity.
Researchers used diffusion MRI to study the brains of seals, sea lions, and coyotes, finding a 'brain bypass' that allows for vocal flexibility. This discovery may hold the key to understanding the evolution of human language.
Researchers have found that zebra finches' brains respond more strongly to familiar calls, with inhibitory interneurons firing more intensely and for longer when the caller is known. This neural activity influences the bird's reply, suggesting that social context plays a crucial role in vocal communication. The study sheds light on why...
Researchers mapped GLP-1 expression in 25 brain regions in each sex, uncovering striking differences in key circuits. The atlas reveals sex-biased expression in certain medullary nuclei, with higher Glp1 densities and numbers of Glp1-expressing neurons in females compared to males.
Researchers analyzed brain activity of over 570 people in game situations to understand adaptive mentalization, a process where we infer others' thoughts and adjust our behavior. The study found that brain activity in specific regions, including the temporoparietal cortex, predicts how well people adapt to changing opponent behavior.
Researchers will investigate the role of interleukin-1 receptor type 1 (IL-1R1) in brain function, behavior, and psychiatric health. The study aims to define the physiological role of IL-1R1 in the brain and explore its influence on social behaviors.
A recent study in mice has identified the brain circuits responsible for why we help others, finding a common neural basis in parenting and prosocial behavior. The research suggests that evolution may have linked the biological drive to care for offspring with the urge to comfort distressed peers.
A new study suggests that over 40% of UK adults are happy to use ChatGPT for mental health support due to long waiting times for traditional services. However, experts caution that AI should not replace human healthcare professionals and raise concerns about the potential impact on education and physical health.
A recent study by the University of Konstanz investigated bumblebee decision-making behaviour, revealing that they take a 'shortcut' in information processing to save time. The insects primarily rely on flower colours to remember good food sources, but also recognize shapes and patterns.
Researchers found no clear link between brain structure and navigation ability in healthy young adults, challenging decades-long assumptions. The study used advanced AI tools to analyze brain scans and detect subtle patterns, but found no measurable connection between brain structure and navigation performance.
The Society for Brain Health is a new collaborative body dedicated to enhancing cognitive capacity, longevity, and proactive health optimization through cutting-edge research and tools. Its founding members include prominent neuroscientists and experts in the field of brain health.
Researchers developed a single-item hoarding screen to quickly identify hoarding behaviors in patients with memory and brain disorders. The tool shows promise in flagging potentially serious hoarding behavior, especially in patients with behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia.