Articles tagged with Behavioral Neuroscience
Research suggests that policy strategies such as nutrition labeling, taxing sugar sweetened beverages, and promoting healthy environments can improve diets. The American College of Cardiology recommends these policies to address the complex dietary risk factor modification needed to reduce cardiovascular disease prevalence.
Researchers link vocal repertoire to brain region size in primates, finding a positive correlation between cortical association areas and vocal complexity. The study reveals the importance of specific brain regions in controlling vocal production, providing insight into human speech evolution.
Scientists discovered a link between polysialic acid and aggressive behavior in mice with psychiatric disorders. The absence of the enzyme ST8SIA2 reduced fear processing and anxiety, leading to abnormal aggression.
A study published in Cell Reports found that a child's brain can reorganize its visual system after losing parts of the visual cortex. The child, UD, had nearly half of his right hemisphere removed due to epilepsy, but his brain compensated by using the intact left hemisphere for tasks like facial recognition and object analysis.
Researchers found that the left hemisphere of the boy's brain compensated for visual tasks, but he couldn't see the left half of the world. Despite losing parts of his visual system, UD performed normally on pattern perception and had age-appropriate intellect and language skills.
Researchers developed a gene therapy that restored function to the olfactory system in genetically modified mice. The therapy increased cilia and sensory neuron responses, leading to restored connections between neurons and behaviors in odor-guided tasks.
New studies demonstrate that chemical exposure can alter animal behaviour, impacting food chains. Researchers designed experiments using amphipods to investigate effects of tank size and shape on exploratory behaviours, finding variations between species in response to light stimuli.
A world-first study by QUT researchers concludes that men can experience Postcoital Dysphoria (PCD), leading to feelings of sadness and irritability following sex. The study found that 41% of participants reported experiencing PCD in their lifetime, with 20% reporting it in the previous four weeks.
A study by University of Bonn researchers found that the 'anterior insular' brain region is more active in risk-averse individuals and less active in experienced stock traders. Risk optimism and tolerance also play a significant role in stock purchase decisions.
Researchers discovered that brain microglia clearance activity in different regions goes hand in hand with natural neuronal degeneration. Microglia can mistakenly attack healthy neurons if their 'eating' behavior is turned on inappropriately, leading to cellular changes associated with neurodegenerative diseases.
New research on the Neohelice granulata crab reveals that it combines visual information from both eyes to track moving targets. This complex binocular processing may be essential for capturing prey and interacting with other crabs.
Researchers found that the elephant-nose fish generates negative images to filter out its own electrical interference, enabling it to better detect external signals and navigate its environment. This ability was demonstrated through neural recordings and behavioral experiments.
Researchers at Columbia University identified neural-circuit activity in electric fish that enables the brain to tune out self-generated signals, allowing animals to focus on external stimuli. This mechanism may inform studies of sensory disorders like tinnitus, which disrupts the brain's ability to cancel out self-generated sounds.
Research suggests that antidepressant Prozac can alter brain circuit development in mice, leading to social and repetitive behaviors reminiscent of autism. Reversibility of these changes is uncertain, with some alterations permanently changed by fluoxetine exposure.
Researchers studied barn owls' brain and behavior while tracking dark dots on a screen, finding evidence of perceptual grouping. This ability, crucial for vision-based species, was previously only studied in primates.
Researchers at Salk Institute discovered a hierarchical system in the brain that organizes learned behavior, offering new insight into neurological diseases. The study found three levels of control in neuronal activity, providing potential therapeutic targets for disorders like Parkinson's disease and obsessive-compulsive disorder.
Researchers developed a computational model that found serotonin boosts learning rates in mice, particularly in slow decision-making systems. The study suggests a possible link between serotonin and cognitive behavioral therapy, which is often effective when combined with SSRIs.
A Baylor University study found that negative behavior has a greater impact on individuals' well-being and relationship satisfaction during stressful life events. The research suggests that low doses of negative behavior can have a significant effect, while further increases in negativity have less impact.
Researchers discovered that worms' behavior at the time of experiencing stimuli influenced how their brains interpreted information, leading to a more sophisticated understanding of mechanosensory circuitry. The study paves the way for further investigations into how simple brains interpret sensory signals and turn them into actions.
A recent study published in Nature Communications reveals that serotonin plays a crucial role in learning by influencing an animal's decision-making strategies. When the interval between trials was short, mice relied on their working memory, while longer intervals activated their long-term memory, allowing them to learn from past rewar...
Researchers have discovered a subcellular mechanism by which the brain classifies threat levels and decides when to escape, involving connections between two brain regions. The 'threshold computation' process is weak and unreliable, but becomes sufficient when threat levels rise, enabling animals to make instinctive decisions.
A new study by Dickinson College researchers found that estradiol, a naturally occurring female sex hormone, can contribute to anxiety-like behavior in mice withdrawing from methamphetamine. This suggests the hormone may exacerbate drug relapse in women by worsening anxiety-related symptoms during withdrawal.
A recent study published in Biology of Sex Differences found no significant association between cannabis use and suicidal behavior in people with psychiatric disorders. However, the study did suggest that heavy cannabis use may increase risk of suicidal behavior in men.
A study by Hiroshima University found a link between the protein RGS8 and depression behaviors in mice. RGS8 may be a promising candidate for developing new antidepressant drugs.
Researchers identified a neural strategy that enables the brain to rapidly select and perform different mental operations. The brain uses a combination of internal cues and external inputs to control movement times flexibly, allowing for novel computations on the fly.
Researchers found that binding to MUNC 13-1 reduces tolerance to alcohol, making it harder to become addicted. By inhibiting this protein, a pill could be developed to reduce the formation of tolerance and alleviate alcoholism.
Researchers at Karolinska Institutet discovered a previously unknown group of brain cells responsible for initiating and organizing aggressive behavior in mice. By stimulating or inhibiting these cells, the team was able to control aggression and even invert hierarchical status between dominant and submissive males.
Researchers studied rats' performance in a cognitive effort task, finding that brain regions involved in emotional responses and translating emotions into actions play key roles in decision-making. The study's findings have implications for understanding psychiatric disorders associated with defects in decision making.
Researchers manipulated brain activity and stress hormone levels to control self-inflicted bite wounds in rats, identifying key brain regions involved in self-injurious behavior. The study provides new insights into the regulation of compulsive self-biting and its relationship with stress and reward processing.
New technology tracks brain cell interactions in mice, shedding light on neuronal activity and potential insights into brain disorders such as autism and schizophrenia. The device captures three-dimensional images of neurons flashing on and off as they communicate with each other.
A study published in Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience found that people are willing to sacrifice themselves for others, consider victim age, and swerve onto sidewalks to minimize lives lost, contradicting ethically acceptable behavior and political guidelines. Researchers aim to initiate discussions on how self-driving vehicles sho...
A new study from Columbia University uses an AI algorithm to analyze the full range of behaviors exhibited by the tiny pond-dwelling creature Hydra. By comparing its movements to neural firing patterns, researchers hope to gain insights into how its nervous system works.
A new NIA Research Centers Collaborative Network will foster interdisciplinary aging research through conferences, pilot programs, and web-based resources. The network brings together six NIA center programs to address common issues affecting older adults.
Researchers at KAIST have identified a neural circuit in the hypothalamus governing obsessive behavior towards non-food objects in mice. The MPA-PAG circuit modulates object craving and facilitates hunting behavior, allowing for controlled mammalian behavior with optogenetics.
Scientists have identified distinct subclasses of pyramidal cells in the subiculum, a region crucial for memory and navigation. These subclasses are associated with processing local and global cues, shedding light on the neural mechanisms underlying spatial recognition.
Researchers discovered that dopamine drives animals to avoid unpleasant situations, including electric shocks. This finding expands the role of dopamine in aversively motivated behaviors and sheds light on brain disorders such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression. The study also highlights the potential benefits of i...
Researchers isolated striosome neuron activity using optical neural imaging technology to shed light on their role in reinforcement learning. The study found that striosomal neurons fire more actively in response to odor cues associated with water rewards, indicating they are involved in anticipating the outcome of a stimulus.
A study by UCLA researchers found that sedentary behavior is a significant predictor of thinning in the medial temporal lobe, a region critical for memory formation. Regular physical activity, even at high levels, is insufficient to offset the harmful effects of prolonged sitting.
Researchers have identified a network of brain cells that orchestrate parental behavior in mice, including hormonal changes and altered social behaviors. The discovery could one day help develop treatments for postpartum depression and other related conditions.
Mice fed on high-fat or chocolate-based diets exhibit abnormal feeding behaviors such as snacking and bingeing. The study reveals that extended access to hypercaloric diets impairs control of food seeking behavior, leading to negative effects on learning, motivation, and behavioral flexibility.
A study using electroencephalography found that brain activity in the precuneus region of the parietal cortex plays a crucial role in detecting changes in natural sounds. Participants who were exposed to a longer sound stimulus reacted faster and identified changes more accurately.
A study by researchers at Oregon Health & Science University has established a link between inflammation in pregnant women and the way the newborn brain is organized into networks. The results may provide promising avenues to explore treatments with potential to change negative impacts on newborn brain function.
Researchers found that a specific set of brain cell signals, involving dopamine and estrogen receptor alpha, trigger a mother's instinct to retrieve her offspring. The study's findings may explain human maternal behaviors like breastfeeding and could lead to new ways to support mothers with infant care challenges.
Researchers used a novel barcode-based tracing method to map the projection patterns of individual neurons in the visual cortex. The study found that most primary visual cortex neurons distribute information to multiple downstream areas, rather than projecting to a single target.
The 2018 Canada Gairdner Award laureates made significant discoveries in genomic imprinting and optogenetics, impacting human development and disease. Their work has led to a deeper understanding of gene expression, developmental biology, and neurological disorders.
Researchers propose a new concept to uncover connections between brain regions and cognitive functions, using a bottom-up approach. Recent advances in statistical methodology and brain imaging data provide the basis for this new method, which could help reveal the core functions of brain areas.
Research elucidates the neural basis of complex altruistic behavior, discovering two brain circuits that govern moral decisions in war veterans. The study used CT scans and an altruistic decision task to map brain damage and behavior, finding correlations between specific brain areas and punishment or donation behaviors.
Researchers discovered a highly specific neural circuit in mice that responds to hunger to create an analgesic effect, suppressing inflammatory pain and allowing the animals to seek food. The study found that acute pain can also suppress hunger, suggesting a hierarchy of needs prioritizing survival behaviors.
A new study reveals that rodents possess advanced object recognition strategies, comparable to those of primates. The research demonstrates the existence of rodent-specific recognition methods based on specific features and their spatial relationships.
Researchers identified the nerve cells responsible for a fly's escape response, providing clues into comparable survival mechanisms in humans. The study's findings shed light on conditions like allodynia, where gentle touch triggers pain-like sensations.
Researchers found a brain circuit in the primary visual cortex that combines head and visual movement signals, enabling appropriate behavioral responses. This circuit involves the retrosplenial cortex, which encodes spatial navigation information.
Researchers use optogenetic methods to control songbird neurons, prompting birds to change specific syllables in their songs. The study provides insight into how the brain guides the learning of vocal behaviors in humans.
A new study suggests that serotonin enhances active persistence in a task, even in the face of uncertainty. This challenges previous ideas about serotonin's role in behavior and may help understand depression treatment.
A new study by Duke University neuroscientists used electrical brain activity to predict depression vulnerability in mice, finding different networks of brain activity were linked to depression-like symptoms. The results may lead to a predictive test for mental illnesses like depression and could inform treatment strategies.
Researchers have discovered that bonobo and chimpanzee gestures share multiple meanings, with many gestures having similar functions across the two species. The study, published in PLOS Biology, defines the meaning of each bonobo gesture by analyzing reactions and satisfaction levels.
A new study at the University at Buffalo aims to measure the effects of PTSD symptoms on attention and cognitive control in police officers. The research, led by Janet Shucard, will examine brain structure and function in police officers using electrophysiological activity and psychological interviews.
A study by the Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona finds that D-galactose affects male and female brains differently as they age. In high doses, it accelerates ageing in males, while females experience alterations in learning and spatial memory. However, low doses show positive effects in males, including improved learning and memory.
Texas A&M researchers discovered that inducing persistent changes in drinking behavior by manipulating neural connections may hold the key to understanding and treating alcoholism. The study found that reversing these changes could potentially lead to a decrease in alcohol consumption.
A new review article provides a novice-level introduction to applying molecular genomics techniques to study complex behavior. The guide recommends specific tools and collaborations for behavioral ecologists, aiming to bridge the gap between behaviorists and genome annotators.
Researchers found neurons that fire at the beginning and end of a behavior, marking the start and end of habits. The study sheds light on how the brain groups behaviors together into routines.