Articles tagged with Behavioral Neuroscience
A study found a potential link between autistic-like behaviour in adult mice and exposure to fluoxetine, a common antidepressant, in the womb. The researchers identified a treatment that improved memory loss and social interactions.
Scientists at UCSF have discovered a type of neuron called VIP interneurons that play a crucial role in anxiety-driven decision-making. By shutting off signals from these cells, researchers found they can reduce anxious behavior, offering potential insights into treating brain disorders.
Researchers at Purdue University have developed a process to use magnetics with brain-like networks to program and teach devices to better generalize about different objects. The technology has the potential to improve object recognition tasks, enabling robots to distinguish between thousands of products in a store.
Researchers used deep brain imaging to study amygdala activity in mice, revealing two large antagonistic sets of neurons that encode opposing moment-to-moment state changes. The findings suggest a complex neural basis for internal states like anxiety, which may have implications for understanding human anxiety disorders.
Researchers at Yale University identified a possible biological cause for behavioral disorders in kids with autism: altered emotion regulation. They found reduced brain connectivity between the amygdala and prefrontal cortex in autistic children exhibiting disruptive behavior.
Researchers identified the posterior tail of the dorsal striatum as a critical region for integrating sound and reward signals. The study found that signals from two parallel pathways are combined to guide behavior towards the best reward, with enhanced integration in the posterior striatum.
A major study by the Ontario Child Health Study found that one in five Ontario children and youth suffer from a mental disorder, with a significant increase in anxiety and depression. The study also revealed that many children have contact with other health providers and settings, often through schools.
A recent study from Binghamton University found that negative behaviors like substance abuse can lead to a cycle of poor lifestyle choices, mental distress, and low grades. Positive behaviors, on the other hand, support brain chemistry profiles that promote mood maturity and rational thinking.
A new study found that female rats exposed to maternal immune activation during pregnancy exhibit autism- and schizophrenia-like behaviors, similar to their male siblings. The researchers argue that this limitation may contribute to conflicting results in the field of psychiatric disorders.
Research on Caenorhabditis elegans reveals dopamine's role in sex-specific behaviors, such as food finding and mating strategies. The study demonstrates how dopamine acts through different molecular pathways to give rise to these differences.
Researchers at Duke University have developed an AI-powered algorithm that can accurately identify and segment neurons from video recordings in minutes, comparable to human experts. This breakthrough has significant implications for real-time behavioral studies and could accelerate progress in neuroscience experiments.
Researchers found that sensory cortex signals can cause mice to stop actions, while motor cortex signals can enhance performance. This discovery sheds light on abnormal signaling in neurological and psychiatric disorders.
Researchers found that a protein implicated in migraine symptoms caused pain responses only in female rodents, but not males. This discovery may help explain why migraine is three times more common in women than men.
Scientists have identified a crucial role for GDNF in regulating the length of the ureter, a tube connecting the kidneys to the bladder. Excessive GDNF production can lead to reproductive organ malformations and infertility in males and females.
Researchers mapped brain connectivity in 30 people to understand how different regions coordinate during tasks. The study aims to create novel strategies for AI-powered teaming environments, where robots can dynamically assist soldiers in completing tasks.
Researchers found that docile societies outperform aggressive ones when resources are scarce, while the opposite occurs when aggression dominates. This trade-off suggests a balance between domination and survival is key to successful spider societies.
A study by WVU researchers found that suicide rates among Medicaid-insured youth, including girls and young women, are significantly higher than those with private insurance. The researchers also discovered a higher proportion of Medicaid recipients died by hanging compared to non-Medicaid peers.
New research by McMaster behavioural scientists reveals evolution can work backwards to benefit related members of the same group. Selfless traits like sharing food and keeping watch are mathematically equivalent to decreased evolution of individually beneficial traits.
A team of researchers at the Medical University of South Carolina has identified a critical brain circuit involved in cocaine-seeking behavior during relapse. Targeting neurons in this circuit could offer a new approach to treating cocaine addiction.
A recent study by WVU researchers found that stroke patients' microbiomes may still be out of balance a month after the stroke has passed. The team discovered changes in the structure of their guts, including less prominent beneficial bacteria and increased inflammation.
Qi Wang, a neural engineer at Columbia University, has won a $500,000 NSF CAREER Award to develop closed-loop peripheral neural stimulation technology for enhancing perception and cognition. His project aims to use vagus nerve stimulation to control arousal levels and minimize side effects.
A team of neuroscientists found that the brain's pathways play a crucial role in shaping speech rhythms, with some people synchronizing their speech to match external rhythms while others do not. High synchronizers have more white matter volume in key brain pathways and better language learning abilities than low synchronizers.
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 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.
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.
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 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 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...
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.
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 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.
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.
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.
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.
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 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.