Articles tagged with Behavioral Neuroscience
A new computer model has been developed to map mental valuation processes in the brain, enabling accurate predictions of food choices. The model takes into account individual valuations and efficiency principles, allowing for the prediction of decision behavior.
Researchers found significant changes in smokers' ability to discriminate contrast levels and colors compared to non-smokers. The study suggests that cigarette smoke's neurotoxic chemicals may cause overall color vision loss and visual processing impairments.
Researchers at Karolinska Institutet have mapped brain networks that control the habenula, a structure linked to feelings of discomfort and aversion. The study suggests a specific pathway that can be modulated using optogenetics, offering hope for developing new treatments for depression and anxiety disorders.
Researchers studied tool-related decision-making in orangutans and found they carefully considered factors like tool functionality and food quality. The apes chose the tool when it worked with the apparatus, but prioritized immediate food rewards if the tool was non-functional.
A team of researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital has identified brain cells in the dorsolateral septum that regulate fearful behavior in mice. Activation of these cells predicts how an animal will behave when faced with a threatening situation, and targeting them may help treat post-traumatic stress disorder.
Researchers found that increasing glutamate levels in the hippocampus normalized anxious monkeys' threat responses, with effects dependent on area 25. This study suggests targeting the brain region and its connection to reduce anxiety.
A new Cornell study reveals that serotonin neurons play a crucial role in the brain's ability to make appropriate decisions during emergency situations. In high-threat situations, stimulating these neurons elicits escape attempts, while in lower threat environments, they cause pausing.
A male mouse can quickly identify a stranger's sex without prior experience, thanks to hard-wired brain circuitry. This ability is likely to apply to humans, as we share similar brain structure and function for recognizing a stranger's sex.
Researchers have identified distinct brain patterns that respond differently to learning danger and safety in individuals with varying levels of PTSD symptom severity. The study found that more severely symptomatic veterans exhibited greater corrections in physiological arousal and brain activity when faced with unexpected stimuli.
A new brain pathway has been discovered that triggers impulsive behavior when dopamine signals are passed to an unexpected area of the brain. The pathway involves the amygdala and the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, a complex brain structure involved in emotional and behavioral responses to stress.
Researchers mapped inputs to ventral tegmental area dopamine neurons and found highly similar inputs across different cell populations. The study suggests a more random connectivity logic where inputs connect semi-randomly in regions to which the neurons project.
A team of neuroscientists has identified two distinct types of neurons in the lateral horn (LH) of fruit flies that are responsible for the innate insect's aversion to carbon dioxide. The study reveals a complex neural circuit underlying olfactory responses, with one type of neuron projecting connections out of the LH and another havin...
A study published in eNeuro found that neurons in the hippocampus inhibit future eating behavior by consolidating memories of preceding meals. The findings suggest that techniques promoting hippocampal-dependent memories could be promising strategies for reducing eating and promoting weight loss.
A Vanderbilt University team has deciphered the circuitry of the medial frontal cortex, allowing for more efficient diagnoses of mental illnesses. The findings could also guide medications to target specific receptors in the cerebral cortex for better effectiveness.
Researchers at Numenta describe a framework for understanding how the brain produces intelligence based on grid cells in the neocortex. They propose that cortical grid cells allow the neocortex to learn models of objects, enabling generalization and compositionality.
Russian neuroscientists discovered that early stress in mice impacts both the individual and their offspring, affecting memory, learning, and maternal behavior. The study found that separated mice showed reduced hippocampus neurons and altered exploratory behavior, while their offspring exhibited behavioral changes related to sex.
Researchers found that frequency affects neural activation during electrical stimulation, contrary to previous assumptions. This discovery opens up new possibilities for activating different neural circuits with the same implant, which could lead to improved neuromodulation therapy.
A study using monkeys with the breast cancer drug letrozole found significant behavioral changes and impaired brain function, including hot flashes, increased anxiety, and spatial memory issues. The research highlights the importance of studying the effects of estrogen-reducing treatments on the nervous system.
Researchers at the University of Michigan have developed a new memristor that can model synaptic behavior in hardware, allowing for exploration of competition and cooperation among neurons. The device enables controlled changes in conductance, mimicking the strengthening or weakening of connections between neurons.
Researchers at Sainsbury Wellcome Centre found that male mice recognize pups through a mixture of pheromones and multisensory cues, but distinct signals trigger infanticide and parental behavior. This discovery advances our understanding of social cue recognition in animals.
A Caltech-led team of researchers has identified individual neurons that monitor our behavior, catching errors and correcting them quickly. The study provides rare recordings of these neurons, which are involved in error monitoring and have implications for psychiatric diseases like obsessive-compulsive disorder.
Hunger increases risk-taking behavior in snails by altering brain control mechanisms, allowing them to ingest potentially harmful substances. The study's findings have major societal relevance, highlighting the importance of motivation in controlling feeding behavior.
A study published in eNeuro found that percussionists outperformed brass players and color guards in detecting the order of moving stimuli. Musical training was shown to shape cortical areas responsible for synchronizing rhythm and behavior.
A UCSF study found that kindergarten friendships can promote better behavior in children with harshly parented backgrounds. Warm relationships with peers and teachers also mitigate adverse effects, suggesting that treating oppositional defiant disorder outside the family environment may be helpful.
A study by researchers at Linköping University found that human pharmaceuticals altering serotonin levels change cricket activity and aggression. Crickets exposed to these drugs showed decreased activity and aggression compared to those with no exposure.
A new study reveals that coral reef fish employ a sequence of well-defined decision rules to generate evasion behavior in complex natural environments. The escape response is influenced by the perceived size and expansion rate of the threat stimulus, as well as the location of nearby safe shelter.
Researchers found orangutans spontaneously manufactured hook tools out of straight wire, solving a complex problem that eludes young human children. The apes' innovation abilities were tested using a hook-bending task, where they successfully bent and unbent wires to retrieve rewards.
Spikeling, a low-cost DIY kit, simulates how nerve cells in the brain compute information, allowing for hands-on learning of neuroscience. The kit's open design and free availability aim to level the playing field in global science education, making complex concepts accessible to students worldwide.
New analysis improves knowledge of physical, biological systems by studying time that components take to influence each other. Researchers developed formulas to understand how this affects synchronization in oscillator systems, which are common in nature and technology.
New findings from Neuroscience 2018 present promising avenues for early treatment of mental illness and alcohol/substance use disorders in adolescents. Childhood trauma and genetic variants affecting reward response are identified as key factors impacting adolescent brain development and susceptibility to addiction.
Marley Kass, PhD, of Rutgers University, has been awarded the $2,500 Donald B. Lindsley Prize in Behavioral Neuroscience for her thesis on experience-dependent plasticity of early sensory processing in mice.
Researchers identified a link between MIR-137 and complex brain disorders like autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and schizophrenia. Mice lacking MIR-137 displayed learning and memory deficits, repetitive behaviors, and impaired sociability, suggesting potential treatment targets.
William Muñoz has been awarded the Nemko Prize for his innovative method of recording cortical neurons, which allows scientists to examine the functional architecture of the cortex in awake, behaving mice. His work reveals a new mechanism by which the cerebral cortex processes and integrates information.
Postdoctoral fellows Vikram Gadagkar and Johannes Kohl have been awarded the $25,000 Peter and Patricia Gruber International Research Award for their innovative contributions to neuroscience. Their research focuses on trial-and-error learning mechanisms and neural circuits that control behavior.
A neuronal circuit in nematode worms modulates locomotion by dopamine and neuropeptide signaling, findings that may provide insights into food-motivated behavior in humans. The study suggests that similar inhibitory balancing mechanisms may be present in mammals.
Llinás' research on membrane biophysics and the active neuron concept has significantly advanced our knowledge of neuronal function and behavior. He was recognized for his work on dendritic calcium spikes, electrotonic coupling, and subthreshold oscillations in mammalian neurons.
Researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center are part of a national effort to understand the neural circuits behind learning, memory, and behavior. Four scientists have received grants to study topics ranging from mental health to opioid addiction.
Researchers discovered a new brain mechanism underlying salience processing that facilitates associative learning and survival. The periventricular nucleus of the thalamus (PVT) is activated by salient stimuli, including novel stimuli and reinforcing cues.
A new study suggests that our brains can rewire and change in response to new experiences, even when we're not consciously forming new memories. This process of plasticity enables us to better perceive and interpret the world, with potential implications for brain disorders such as autism and schizophrenia.
Researchers found that the brain's premotor cortex uses a 'neural scratch pad' to calculate fine adjustments, eliminating the need for physical change in the brain. This discovery may simplify the development of brain-computer interfaces controlling prosthetic limbs.
Researchers found that mothers adjust their behavior when a mid-ranking male rapidly rises in rank, reducing association with him and seeking stable high-rank males for protection. This highlights the females' sensitivity to the relative risks posed by different males to their infants.
Researchers found greater nerve cell death in Cesarean-born mice, associated with reduced neurons and altered behavior, but no effect on overall brain size or development
Research by Johannes Kohl identified the medial preoptic area (MPOA) neurons bearing Galanin as critical for parental behavior in mice. The study found that individual pools of these neurons control specific components of parenting, such as motor control and natural reward circuitry.
A recent study by Johannes Kohl highlights the function of a small population of neurons in the medial preoptic area that control parenting behavior in mice. The research found that individual pools of these neurons were activated during discrete parenting events, suggesting they control specific components of parenting.
Scientists discovered a genetic mutation in the CHRNA5 gene that contributes to nicotine dependence and relapse. The study found that this mutation increases nicotine consumption and rates of relapse, offering hope for developing new therapies to combat tobacco addiction.
Dr. Hyungbae Kwon of Max Planck Florida Institute has received a $6.8 million Pioneer Award to study neuromodulators using light, aiming to understand internal brain state and its effects on sensation, perception, and cognition. The grant will help develop novel optogenetic approaches to dissect animal sensations and behaviors at highe...
Jonathan Kipnis, a UVA neuroscientist, receives $5.6 million in funding to advance his research on the relationship between the brain and immune system. His work aims to understand how the immune system interacts with the brain and potentially develop new treatments for neurological diseases.
A study by neurobiologists at UChicago sheds light on the grim final days of a female octopus after reproduction. The researchers found that the optic gland produces distinct molecular signals that control a mother octopus' behavior, leading to its decline and eventual death.
A new study explores why people keep eating despite feeling full, showing that two tiny clusters of cells battle for control and the opioid system gets involved. Researchers found that stimulating POMC neurons decreases appetite, while AgRP neurons drive eating when both are activated.
Scientists studied octopus genome and behavior in response to MDMA, finding similarities with human serotonin binding transporter. Octopuses exhibited pro-social behaviors when exposed to the drug, hugging cages and displaying affectionate tendencies similar to humans.
A new Oxford University study finds that parenting interventions are just as effective in school-age children as they are in younger children. The research, published in Child Development, analyzed data from over 15,000 families worldwide and found no evidence to support the common belief that earlier intervention is more powerful.
Researchers at Duke University discovered a neural circuit that enables the brain to predict motion based on past experiences and sensory inputs, mirroring Bayesian statistical inference. This discovery could improve our understanding of motor control and eye movements.
Researchers at UNIGE successfully resynchronized neurons to correct desynchronization in neural networks, suppressing behavioral symptoms associated with schizophrenia. The study, published in Nature Neuroscience, offers promising results for a new therapeutic approach targeting defective inhibitory neurons.
A new study published in Neurology shows that amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) affects the mind, especially later in the disease, leading to cognitive and behavioral problems such as apathy, changes in eating behaviors, and loss of sympathy or empathy. People with ALS are recommended to be routinely screened for these issues.
A new study reveals that OLM cells in the hippocampus play a key role in controlling anxiety and risk-taking behavior. The manipulation of these cells can modulate anxiety and may lead to breakthroughs in treating pathological anxiety.
A new study aims to tailor behavioral therapy for co-occurring depression and obesity by analyzing how the brain responds to the intervention. The researchers will adapt an integrated behavioral therapy to target changes in brain function and health behaviors associated with better weight loss and depression outcomes.
Keith E. Whitfield, PhD, is recognized for his contributions to the study of aging and health disparities among older African Americans. He has published extensively on biobehavioral aspects of cognitive aging and has received numerous awards for his mentorship and research.
A new study found that a parental training program improved toddlers' physiological regulation and sensitivity towards their children, which can lead to better emotional and social development. The study showed that the program reduced foster care placements and improved parents' behavior.
Attention is not a steady focus, but rather a pulsing rhythm that cycles between periods of maximum concentration and broader situational awareness. This rhythmic structure of perception allows the brain to sample the environment and allocate resources efficiently.
A team of researchers from the University of Oregon has made a groundbreaking discovery about the neural circuitry that controls movement in fruit flies. By mapping the communications between a pair of brain neurons and motor neurons, they found that a single neuron can trigger both forward and backward motion.