Articles tagged with Behavioral Neuroscience
A new UCLA-led study found that people's political affiliations significantly impact their perception of credible information about potential hazards. Conservatives were more likely to find false statements about threats believable than liberals. The research suggests that liberals are less likely to dismiss warnings, while conservativ...
Duke University researchers identified the caudate nucleus as the brain structure responsible for forming direct links between environmental stimuli and enhanced focus. By repeating exposure to specific faces, participants could trigger automatic focus and bypass distractions.
Researchers find a positive correlation between belief in free will and happiness among Chinese teenagers, contrasting with previous Western studies. The study suggests that believing in free will may lead to increased perceived autonomy, self-control, and deliberate effort to achieve goals, ultimately contributing to happiness.
A new optogenetic tool has been developed to inhibit neural activity in the Drosophila model, allowing researchers to study the relationship between neural circuits and behavior. This breakthrough could accelerate the development of therapies for neurological and psychiatric disorders.
A new study found that viewing vape pen use increases the urge to smoke in young adults, similar to watching someone smoke a cigarette. The study's results suggest that vape pens can be a potent trigger for smoking, despite their design differences from traditional cigarettes.
A study by University of Florida researchers found that people generally believe in free will despite physical constraints, and this belief influences their opinions on policy. The findings support the philosophy of libertarian paternalism, which balances individual freedom with gentle nudges towards better behavior.
A recent study published in Cell Reports reveals that microglia turnover is 10 times faster than previously thought, allowing for multiple renewal cycles throughout a person's life. This groundbreaking finding has significant implications for understanding the role of microglia in neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's.
Researchers at Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) identify distinct neural ensembles controlling reward-seeking and suppression behaviors. The study sheds light on the brain's storage of opposing memories, a long-debated topic in neuroscience.
A study by UMass Amherst researchers found that bisphenol S (BPS) exposure during pregnancy and lactation impaired maternal behavior in mice, including increased infanticide rates. The compound also affected brain regions sensitive to estrogen, leading to changes in nesting behavior and care of offspring.
A new imaging genetics study has linked dopamine genes to music's impact on mood and emotions. The study found that a functional variation in the DRD2 gene affects how music influences mood states and brain activity.
Jörg Vogel, a leading RNA researcher, has been awarded the €2.5m Leibniz Prize for his seminal contribution to understanding regulatory RNA molecules in infection biology. His research could lead to new ways to fight pathogens.
Researchers found that drivers experience a period of adjustment when transitioning from autonomous to manual driving, affecting steering performance. The study highlights the importance of acknowledging this physical change and its potential impact on driving conditions.
A Yale-NUS professor has discovered an 'alarm response' in medaka fish to a semiochemical released due to physical injuries, providing insights into the brain's processing of danger. This finding will facilitate comparative neural circuit analysis between medaka and zebrafish, shedding light on fear mechanisms.
Researchers found that exposure to simple perceptual features in dilapidated buildings, overgrown lots, and littered streets can make rule-breaking more likely. The study shows that visually disordered stimuli increase cheating by 35% and average magnitude of cheating by 87%.
A mouse study reveals that prenatal stress can alter the microbiome, leading to anxiety and learning difficulties in offspring. Researchers found lasting changes in the gut bacteria of stressed mothers and their female offspring, which persisted into adulthood.
A neural circuit in the amygdala processes pain-related signals to set emotional memory strength and expectation levels. Disrupting this circuit can lead to hyper-emotional memories, such as those experienced by individuals with PTSD. The study suggests that similar circuits may perturb expectations in anxious people.
Researchers used fruit flies to investigate the genetic and neural bases of detecting painful or harmful cold stimuli. The study found that cold-sensing neurons activate specific aversive behaviors and are linked to a gene implicated in autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease.
Neuroscientists propose a collaborative approach to understanding the brain, combining experimentalists and theorists to tackle the great mysteries of consciousness. By sharing data and resources, researchers aim to make progress in neuroscience research using principles similar to those used in particle physics.
A new model of brain dynamics, extending balanced network theory, provides deep predictions linking brain circuits to activity. The model accurately explains experimental findings on neuronal variability in living animals, enabling potential discovery of neural signatures associated with learning or disease.
A new paper from Northwestern University researcher Adam Safron suggests that orgasm is linked to synchronized brain activity and neural entrainment, producing a sensory absorption and trance-like state. This understanding could change the way people view their sexuality, emphasizing the role of rhythmic aspects in sexual experiences.
A team of neuroscientists studied fruit flies' behavior when deprived of specific nutrients, discovering that their brain mechanisms influence food choices and exploration patterns. The findings suggest individual variability in metabolism and feeding behavior may be linked to physiological and neural characteristics.
Researchers at Wayne State University will use a new $3.2 million NIH grant to investigate impaired learning and memory in schizophrenia from the perspective of brain plasticity, function and network dynamics. The study aims to explore interventions that may normalize abnormal markers of the illness.
Researchers at the University of Oregon found that mice rely on their vision to catch prey, providing a new model for understanding complex brain-vision interactions. This discovery may also shed light on human conditions such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), where focusing on a single task is challenging.
Research at University College London reveals that small lies desensitize our brains to associated negative emotions and may encourage us to tell larger lies. The study found that the brain's response to lying declines with each lie, predicting bigger lies in the future.
A new Dartmouth study demonstrates a causal relationship between imbalanced brain activity and behavioral control during adolescence. Researchers found that an imbalance in prefrontal cortex and nucleus accumbens activity disrupts inhibitory control, leading to delayed learning and increased risk-taking behavior.
Researchers identify two distinct genetic markers, Rspo2 and Ppp1r1b, corresponding to negative and positive neurons in the basolateral amygdala of mice. These neurons regulate behaviors tied to negative and positive stimuli, respectively.
A study using genetically altered female mice found that a mutation in the histone deacetylase 4 (HDAC4) gene causes feeding and behavior abnormalities similar to those seen in patients with eating disorders. The research also identified a biological pathway associated with the risk of developing an eating disorder, which could lead to...
Scientists discovered that female brain structures change monthly in response to hormonal fluctuations, particularly the hippocampus which plays a crucial role in memories and emotions. The study aims to better understand premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) by examining the brain's monthly rhythm.
A recent study published in Neuron found that hunger is a strong motivational force that can curb rival drives states like thirst, anxiety, and social needs. In the presence of food, activated neurons mimic the state of hunger, suppressing competing systems and guiding motivated behavior.
Children with emotionally invested parents tend to be more successful due to their enhanced cognitive control, including improved memory, impulse resistance, and social behavior. This study suggests that a caring and emotionally attentive environment can have long-lasting benefits for children's future life skills.
Stanford researchers have identified a key brain circuit that regulates both sleep-wake cycles and the reward system, providing potential new therapeutic avenues for insomnia and other disorders. The discovery sheds light on how dopamine plays a crucial role in these processes.
A new research study has found a connection between chronic pain and anxiety disorders, with increased PACAP expression contributing to symptoms. Blocking this regulator could lead to a new approach in treating chronic pain and stress-related behavioral disorders.
Researchers at Georgia State University are investigating how the human brain has evolved to support technological learning. The study aims to identify unique aspects of the human brain and understand the factors that cause individuals to acquire technological skills differently.
A TSRI study found that a compound blocking the activity of brain-cell receptors can reverse signs of cocaine dependency in rodents, supporting a new therapeutic strategy against addiction. The treatment reduced behavioral measures of cocaine use and dependency, accompanied by normal TrkB signaling activity.
Researchers found that personality measures, charitable-giving behavior, and aging converge in the brain to reflect pure altruistic tendencies. General benevolence increases with age, particularly after 45, suggesting life experiences may plant seeds of pure altruism.
A new study from the University of Cincinnati found that 66.9% of college-aged women engaged in unprotected sex during their last encounter involving alcohol. The study suggests that stronger beliefs about alcohol promoting sexual risk-taking and motivation for sex to satisfy personal needs contribute to decreased condom use.
The NIDA grant will fund a new center combining behavioral neuroscientists, computational biologists, and geneticists to study addiction mechanisms. Researchers will analyze mouse populations with high genetic variation to identify predisposing traits, correlating them with human genomes.
Researchers identified a neural circuit that inhibits binge-like eating behavior in mice, suggesting a potential treatment for humans. A specific serotonin receptor, 2C, expressed by dopamine neurons, is crucial in suppressing binge eating.
Scientists have developed a rapid and robust protocol to generate functional human GABAergic neurons from stem cells in a single step. This allows for the creation of high-quality neuron populations for studying psychiatric disorders and rapidly screening drugs.
Scientists have developed a specific mechanistic explanation of beta waves, suggesting that excitatory synaptic stimulation from the thalamus drives pyramidal neurons to produce these waves. The theory is supported by computer models and measurements in animal models.
A Duke University study found a single chemical receptor in the brain responsible for OCD symptoms in mice. The receptor, mGluR5, was found to be overactive in mice with Sapap3 gene deletion, which mimics human OCD. When blocked, symptoms abated immediately.
Researchers found that brain networks mediating comfort food-induced stress relief differ between males and females, with unique effects in the female brain across the hormonal cycle. Female rats experienced reduced stress hormone response to a sweet sugar drink only during the proestrus/estrus stage.
A new study by Michigan State University researchers found that obese mice are more likely to overeat in response to environmental cues, driven by changes in the brain. The study suggests a neurobiological account for why obese individuals may be particularly vulnerable to food signals.
A new study by Michigan State University neuroscientist Alexander Johnson finds that obese mice are more likely to overeat in response to environmental cues due to altered brain responses. The study suggests a psychological and neurobiological account for why obese individuals may be vulnerable to food triggers.
Scientists track brain-cell activity in mice to gain insight into how the brain creates a map to a destination. The study found that two sublayers of cells in the hippocampus process different types of learning, with one layer creating a stable internal map and the other layer updating it during navigation.
A study by researchers at the University of Michigan found that long-term marijuana users show a decreased response in their brain's reward system, making them more susceptible to addiction. This decrease can lead to a blunted emotional response, also known as anhedonia.
A new meta-analysis in Biological Psychiatry reports associations between sleep disturbances and long sleep duration with increased levels of inflammatory markers. Treatments targeting sleep behavior may be a strategy for reversing inflammation and reducing risk of inflammatory illnesses.
Scientists have pinpointed D2 neurons as key players in regulating drinking behavior, discovering they discourage action and inhibit excessive consumption. Activating these 'no-go' neurons could help prevent problem drinking behavior, paving the way for new treatments.
Researchers from UNC-Chapel Hill and NC State University developed a new technology to improve imaging of neuronal activity in the brain, capturing images up to 9.5 square millimeters - a 10 times larger area than previously possible.
Researchers mapped the brains of teenagers with serious antisocial behavior problems, finding significant differences in structure compared to peers. Childhood-onset and adolescent-onset conduct disorders showed distinct patterns of brain development, highlighting the importance of early interventions.
A study by Vanderbilt University neuroscientist Suzana Herculano-Houzel found that birds have more neurons packed into their small brains than mammals or primates. The avian brain's smaller and denser neurons enable complex cognitive behaviors, rivaling those of primates.
Researchers tracked macaque monkeys' neural activity as they weighed options for juice rewards, predicting their choices based on brain patterns. The study sheds light on internal decision-making processes and could lead to implants to treat addiction, anxiety, and depression.
Researchers studied children with ADHD playing a game with changing rules, finding they struggled to adjust their behavior. Typically developing children adapted quickly, while those with ADHD showed only slight changes.
Researchers monitored nerve impulses in awake mice to study the flow of information between sensory perception and behavior. They discovered that different layers of the cortex handle impulses in unique ways while remaining coordinated with each other.
Researchers identified the mediodorsal thalamus as a key brain area involved in rapid information processing and decision-making. The study found that monkeys with lesions to this area struggled to adapt their behavior and make informed choices.
A new study found that early exposure to nicotine can trigger genetic changes affecting brain cell connections, leading to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and other behavioral problems. Maternal smoking has been linked to these conditions, and the study provides a possible explanation for its long-term effects.
A new UCLA study found that teenagers' brains activate the same reward circuitry when seeing high and low social media likes, influencing their behavior. The study suggests that social media can have a significant impact on teens' willingness to conform and engage in risk-taking behavior.
Researchers discovered that endocannabinoids reduce activity in the OFC, promoting habit formation. This study suggests that targeting the brain's endocannabinoid system may alleviate suffering in disorders involving habitual control.
A study by Concordia University researchers found that cues associated with alcohol can trigger behaviors leading to addiction. The study used lab rats conditioned to associate a visual cue with ethanol, showing the rats began interacting with the cue rather than waiting for the reward.
Immune cells build a molecular memory of their first meal after eating a dying neighboring cell, shaping their inflammatory behavior. This discovery may lead to novel therapies for inflammatory disorders such as atherosclerosis, cancer, and arthritis.