Research on the brain basis of behavior. Covers reward and pleasure signals, attention in children, taste circuitry, and adaptive AI models.
Researchers at UC San Diego found that glutamate binding to NMDA receptors causes conformational changes leading to weakened synapses and impaired brain function. Beta amyloid peptide also weakens synapses by causing similar conformational changes.
Nicole Calakos studies synaptic defects in the basal ganglia that underlie compulsive behavior, including Huntington's and Parkinson's diseases. Mice with overactive metabotropic glutamate receptors exhibit impaired synaptic plasticity, leading to obsessive-like behaviors.
Researchers discovered a genetic mutation in CELF6 that disrupts serotonin signaling and leads to common autism behaviors like communication difficulties and resistance to change. The findings provide new insights into the biological pathways underlying autism.
A new study from the Scripps Research Institute found that a complex set of overlapping neuronal circuits in fruit flies drives temperature preferences. The research used imaging techniques to visualize neuron activity and showed that dopaminergic neurons process multiple inputs to generate outputs, influencing behavior.
New research reveals insulin's role in reducing desire for food after eating, impacting environmental triggers of overeating. The study found that insulin affects the ventral tegmental area, a region linked to reward-seeking behavior and addictive behaviors.
EPFL researchers find correlation between childhood psychological trauma and neurological changes similar to those found in violent humans. The study demonstrates that traumatic experiences in pre-adolescent rats lead to altered brain function, including reduced orbitofrontal cortex activation and increased aggression.
A study found that older brains struggle to filter out unnecessary information, leading to reduced learning and memory capabilities. The researchers discovered a link between the NMDA receptor and long-term depression, which is essential for sculpting memories and eliminating unnecessary information.
Research at George Washington University reveals that genetic lesions associated with autism disrupt cellular mechanisms for interneuron development. LaMantia found that the Cxcr4 cytokine receptor plays a crucial role in regulating interneuron migration.
A new study comparing neural responses of birds and humans to music suggests that both share a neural reward system, with females in the breeding state responding similarly to human music. Male birds also exhibit an amygdala response to discordant sounds.
A study published in Nature reveals that normalizing excessive protein synthesis in the brain can partially remedy autistic-like behaviors in laboratory mice. The researchers found that reducing protein production reversed behaviors such as repetitive actions and improved social interaction.
A new study found that even small strokes can harm neural tissue and alter behavior in rats. Blocking tiny blood vessels in the brain can lead to micro-lesions reminiscent of those seen in dementia patients. The FDA-approved drug memantine showed promise in mitigating these effects.
A group of parasites hijack their victims' nervous systems, reducing them to helpless zombies. These manipulators can have a significant impact on ecology, physiology, and evolution, orchestrating the behaviour of vertebrates and invertebrates.
Scientists have identified a 500 million-year-old genetic mutation that enabled complex thinking in humans and other mammals. This 'accident' provided the ability to learn and adapt, which is now associated with both intelligent behavior and brain diseases.
A new study from the University of Maryland School of Medicine has identified the orbitofrontal cortex as a critical brain area involved in value-guided behavior, decision-making, and learning. The research suggests that damage to this area can lead to decreased ability to use prior experience to make good decisions.
Researchers identified groups of neurons that encode specific behavioral rules by oscillating in synchrony with each other. The study found that the nature of conscious thought may be rhythmic, and that disruptions in brain waves could contribute to neurological disorders such as schizophrenia.
Classic studies on obedience and conformity have been revisited to show that people do not blindly conform but actively identify with and believe in the authority's actions. The authors' own prison experiment found that participants only acted in terms of group membership and empowered themselves to resist their assigned position.
Researchers found that brain activity oscillates in sync with sounds we hear, influencing our ability to detect fleeting gaps in music. The study's findings suggest that the brain uses rhythmic fluctuations to prepare for important incoming information, potentially aiding individuals with hearing loss or stuttering.
The University of Granada and the Michael J. Fox Foundation have developed advanced imaging techniques to diagnose Parkinson's disease, improving accuracy and reducing reliance on expert analysis. The new methods utilize machine learning algorithms to analyze brain function and image data, demonstrating promising results in diagnosis.
A new study from MIT neuroscientists has found that the brain's prefrontal cortex has a small region responsible for controlling which habits are switched on at a given time. The researchers used optogenetics to inhibit this region, allowing them to break and form new habits in rats.
A new study suggests that moderate drinking can decrease brain cell production by up to 40% in adults, leading to potential harm on learning and memory. Researchers found that rats exposed to low levels of alcohol showed reduced nerve cells in the hippocampus, a crucial area for new learning.
A researcher at Georgia State University is studying how the body's internal clock is reset, which could lead to a better understanding of sleep disorders and other health issues. The grant-funded project aims to uncover the chemical process involved in resetting the clock using light exposure.
A team of MIT neuroscientists has created a way to monitor brain-cell activity by detecting calcium ions, which could provide insights into the origins of autism and obsessive-compulsive disorder. The technique allows for pinpointing specific cell types involved in psychiatric diseases.
Researchers from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee have identified a critical brain receptor that regulates extinction learning, which helps addicts stop drug use. By stimulating this receptor, drugs or molecular pathways could boost the effectiveness of exposure therapies and reduce craving and relapse.
Researchers have found that abnormal eye movements in amblyopia are caused by changes in the brain's subcortical regions. The study, published in Restorative Neurology and Neuroscience, suggests that these changes may be an attempt to enhance contrast sensitivity in visually impaired eyes.
Research highlights sleep's role in shaping memory, learning, and behavior, with implications for dementia, obesity, and mental health. Sleep deprivation poses significant risks to these areas, emphasizing the importance of a good night's rest.
Researchers propose innovative treatments for alcohol dependence, including motor rehabilitation to increase inhibitory control and environmental enrichment to reduce craving. These approaches aim to improve treatment outcomes and reduce the health and social costs associated with addiction.
Adolescents are more likely to take risks when consequences are unknown, rather than being attracted to danger. Informing adolescents about likelihoods can reduce risky behaviors.
Researchers identified a new drug target for epilepsy in human brain tissue, which also shows promise for treating behavioral disorders. The study found that specific brain layers are activated during seizures and linked to increased synapses, leading to abnormal neuronal synchrony.
Researchers found that testosterone-treated subjects lied less frequently than placebo-treated subjects in a dice game experiment. This result challenges the common perception of testosterone as promoting aggressive behavior and suggests that it may increase pride and the need for self-image.
Cohen's research reveals that when the mind wanders, so too do our perceptual abilities, with a significant decrease in ability to detect subtle changes. Her method allows for measuring the effect of internal states on behavior, offering new insights into attention and perception.
Scientists at Caltech identified competing brain systems that guide decisions on healthy options. The dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and ventromedial prefrontal cortex play different roles in self-regulation, with the former taking control when trying to suppress cravings and the latter taking over when encouraging desires.
Research by Carnegie Mellon University neuroscientists reveals that autistic adults exhibit poor response reliability in sensory systems, including vision, hearing, and touch. This fundamental neural characteristic may contribute to behavioral changes and social interactions difficulties in autism.
A new video article in Journal of Visualized Experiments uses fMRI to characterize subjective risk assessment while subjects choose between different lotteries. The research aims to understand normal and pathological behaviors, such as substance abuse and over-eating, by examining how individuals evaluate risk.
Researchers discovered that brown capuchin monkeys were more prosocial when given the opportunity to alternate and help each other, but not when tracking individual past choices. This suggests that reciprocity fosters generosity in humans as well, regardless of familiarity or group affiliation.
Researchers study a person with extensive brain damage to regions believed critical for self-awareness, finding he remains self-aware despite damaged areas. The study suggests that self-awareness emerges from distributed interactions among networks of brain regions, not confined to specific areas.
A study published in PNAS found that different regions of the frontal lobes are responsible for behavioral control and decision making. The researchers mapped brain lesions in over 300 patients and showed that damage to specific areas can impair reasoning and decision-making abilities.
A mysterious region in the human brain, called the pulvinar, acts as a switchboard operator that sorts through external stimuli and focuses on relevant information. This discovery could lead to new ways of understanding and treating attention-related disorders like ADHD and schizophrenia.
A study at the University of Pittsburgh has identified a brain area responsible for using past decisions and outcomes to guide future behavior, suggesting that living in the moment is impossible due to the need for continuity of thought. The frontal eye field and supplementary eye field were found to play key roles in metacognition.
Child psychological abuse is linked to disorders of attachment, developmental and educational problems, socialization problems and disruptive behaviour. The effects of psychological maltreatment during the first three years of life can be particularly profound.
Researchers found two new potassium channels, SK3 and GIRK, that activate the vomeronasal organ's pheromone detection, overriding previous theories on sensory neuron function. The discovery provides clues to innate behaviors in humans and challenges existing knowledge on the VNO's role.
A Baylor University study suggests that providing restitution can facilitate forgiveness, but pairing it with an apology is crucial. The research found that participants were more likely to show forgiving behavior if they received restitution, whereas self-reported apologies led to a higher rate of reported forgiveness.
A groundbreaking study in evolutionary analysis in law reveals that chimpanzees, like humans, show the endowment effect, with behavior influenced by an object's immediate situational usefulness. The research provides evidence that this psychological trait likely evolved prior to the human split from other species.
New research from Carnegie Mellon University reveals parents are 52% less likely to develop a cold than non-parents when exposed to a common cold virus. The study found that parenthood has a positive effect on health, with parents experiencing reduced risk of illness regardless of the number of children they have.
A study published in Nature Neuroscience found that neurons controlling hunger are also linked to cocaine addiction, contradicting the common assumption that food is a type of drug of abuse. The researchers discovered that mice with decreased interest in food showed increased interest in novelty-seeking and cocaine.
Researchers found that neurons follow a simple pattern described by a power law, which explains their tree-like shape and efficient wiring. This pattern is supported by the growth of newborn olfactory neurons in the adult brain.
A BUSM study found that blocking the Sigma-1 receptor reduced binge eating and caused eaters to eat more slowly, suggesting a potential therapeutic treatment target for binge eating disorder. The researchers also observed improved decision-making in experimental subjects.
Researchers propose a new theory that motor cortex neurons generate rhythmic signals to control arm movements, contradicting the long-held assumption of encoding external spatial information. This discovery has broad implications for neuroscience and may explain some of the perplexing aspects of brain activity in motor cortex.
Researchers developed a mathematical model predicting the final size and shape of platelets, which form blood clots. The study provides insights into the forces inside cells that turn into platelets, shedding light on a longstanding puzzle in platelet formation.
A new study by the Max Planck Florida Institute found that changes in sensory experience can cause massive rewiring of the brain's connections, even in older adults. This rewiring involves fibers supplying the primary input to the cerebral cortex, a key area for sensory perception and cognition.
Researchers found that our brains use valence perception to guide decision-making, influencing our choices and behavior. The study's findings can be used to improve consumer marketing decisions and increase user engagement on online platforms.
Researchers used CT images and MRI data to reconstruct Phineas Gage's brain injury, finding widespread white matter damage. This study provides new insight into the neural network connectivity of Gage's brain, shedding light on his reported behavioral changes after the accident.
A new study finds that high resiliency in early adolescence may protect against later alcohol problems and drug use. Resiliency is associated with better working memory performance, which may work through basal ganglia structures of the brain.
Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania discovered a mechanism involving dopamine that switches fruit fly behavior from diurnal to nocturnal, parallelled by human sundown syndrome. The team found that increased night-time activity is associated with elevated dopamine signaling in flies.
Scientists from Queen Mary University of London found that zebrafish housed individually spent less time on the bottom of their tank, indicating lower stress levels. Individually housed fish also responded to ethanol and had lower cortisol levels compared to group-housed fish.
A study using two-photon microscopy has mapped neuronal activity in the cerebral cortex of mice during learning, revealing that only selected aspects of behavior change neural representation. The research also found that sensory and motor representations are spatially intermingled in the rodent brain.
Researchers found a link between bingeing on fat and cocaine-seeking behavior in rats, indicating that conditions promoting excessive behavior towards one substance can increase the probability of excessive behavior towards another. This study may shed light on the factors that promote substance abuse and addiction.
A study published in Nature Communications reveals the progressive decline of function in cortical circuits due to Alzheimer's disease. Researchers observed correlations between beta-amyloid increases and dysfunctional developments in individual neurons, neuronal circuits, sensory cognition, and behavior.
A Dartmouth study found that functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) brain scans can predict future weight gain and sexual activity in individuals. By analyzing the brain's response to appetite-driven cues and other triggers, researchers were able to identify correlations between brain activity and real-world behavior.
A study published in Nature Communications found that sAPP-α, a secreted portion of APP, acts as an essential stop-gap mechanism to regulate APP production. Monitoring and correcting low sAPP-α levels or enhancing its association with BACE1 may help prevent or treat Alzheimer's disease.
Researchers found that flies didn't exhibit expected siestas during the day and instead became active at dawn. The study suggests that flies can react to changing light levels without anticipating them, challenging previous assumptions about genetic determinants of behavior.