Research on the brain basis of behavior. Covers reward and pleasure signals, attention in children, taste circuitry, and adaptive AI models.
A new brain imaging study finds that people with anorexia and obesity have wired brains differently in response to food. The study shows consistent activations of reward areas associated with addiction, but how those areas respond varies between individuals depending on their eating behaviors.
Researchers have found that individuals with specific gene variants are more likely to develop PTSD symptoms after exposure to trauma. The study suggests a genetic link to PTSD, which could lead to new screening methods and targeted treatments.
Researchers discovered the genetic basis of biological rhythms controlling sleep, wakefulness and hormone levels. Their work has potential to improve treatments for diseases controlled by circadian cycles.
Researchers have found that both humans and rats make more accurate decisions when presented with combined multisensory information, suggesting a statistically optimal combination of sensory stimuli. This discovery could provide insights into how the brain processes multisensory information in individuals with autism spectrum disorders.
Researchers at the Neuroscience Institute of Alicante have discovered that manipulating CB2 receptors can reduce impulsive behavior in mice with high impulsivity levels. The study suggests that future clinical trials could utilize drugs selectively targeting CB2 to modulate impulsivity without psychoactive effects.
Researchers developed a mathematical model to test whether neurons communicate individually or as groups. The method filters signals to determine if neurons collaborate flexibly within milliseconds. This breakthrough has the potential to reveal dynamic cell assemblies involved in planning and controlling behavior.
A new study by UCLA scientists has discovered that over 2,000 genes in the brain of zebra finches are significantly linked to singing. These genes, which include FoxP2 and reelin, may also play a critical role in human speech and speech disorders such as stuttering and autism.
A study suggests deleting a protein that regulates nerve cell growth can increase new nerve cells and speed up antidepressant effects, potentially offering a novel therapeutic approach for depression. The research found that mice without this protein showed improved symptoms of depression and anxiety even without medication.
Researchers found that wine experts were more sensitive to bitter tastes than non-experts, suggesting their ability to discern small differences in wine may be innate. This could mean that expert recommendations are too subtle for average consumers to sense.
A gluten-free, casein-free diet has been found to be effective in improving ASD behaviors, physiological symptoms, and social behaviors for some children with gastrointestinal symptoms and allergy symptoms. Parents who eliminated all gluten and casein from their children's diets reported significant improvements in their child's behavior.
Researchers at UCLA find hyperconnectivity in depressed brains, suggesting a malfunction in regulating brain networks. This dysregulation may explain multiple symptoms of depression, including anxiety and memory issues.
Three NYU faculty, Robert Froemke, Pierre Germain, and Virgiliu Midrigan, have been awarded Sloan Foundation fellowships to support their groundbreaking research in neuroplasticity, nonlinear dispersive equations, and economics. The two-year $50,000 awards aim to foster the next generation of scientific leaders and advance their work.
A new study found that a microRNA named miR-279 acts through the JAK/STAT pathway to regulate locomotor activity rhythms, maintaining normal patterns of wakefulness and sleep. The researchers identified a protein called Upd as a target of miR-279, which displays daily oscillations in its secretion.
Researchers found increased brain cell activity in adolescent rats in an unusual area called the dorsal striatum, associated with habit formation and decision-making. This suggests that adolescents may be more susceptible to developing disorders like addiction and depression due to their unique brain response to reward.
Contrary to common belief, facial expressions may not be automatic indicators of emotions. Researcher Lisa Feldman Barrett argues that expressions are not biologically basic and cannot be recognized universally. This challenges the traditional view that certain emotional expressions evolved for specific functions.
Experts discuss how advances in neuroscience affect the judicial system, from challenging legal policies to aiding in diagnoses of psychological conditions. Brain maturity is a critical issue in assessing teenage crimes, while addiction affects sentencing decisions.
A new study by University of Chicago neuroscientists finds that rats exhibit empathy-driven helping behavior in a laboratory setting. The rats free their cagemates from restraint, even when given the option to eat chocolate instead. This observation suggests that empathy is not unique to humans and may be an evolutionary adaptation.
Researchers at the Max Planck Florida Institute created the first realistic 3D reconstruction of a thalamocortical column in the rodent brain. This achievement marks a significant milestone toward developing a complete computer model of the brain, which may lead to a deeper understanding of neurological and psychiatric disorders.
Researchers from Ruhr-University Bochum found that beta blockers can prevent the negative effects of stress on goal-directed behavior. Stress affects habit formation and routine behavior, but not when norepinephrine is blocked by beta blockers.
Flies sense glycerol, a sweet-tasting compound made during fermentation, which signals high nutritive value. Researchers found that a receptor called Gr64e plays a crucial role in signaling a good taste for beer.
Research demonstrates that life experiences can be transmitted from one generation to the next through epigenetics, affecting brain plasticity and behavior. This new knowledge has implications for understanding the cognitive benefits of motherhood and how environmental factors influence brain development in offspring.
Research identifies regions and functions of the brain involved in risk-taking decisions, shedding light on mechanisms driving economic behavior. The findings have potential applications for treating brain disorders characterized by poor decision-making.
Studies explore the influence of changes in brain structure, function, or both on human behavior and learning. Research findings may lead to effective interventions and treatments for brain diseases and conditions affecting memory.
A new study by UCLA researchers shows that a specialized mental health intervention for suicidal youth can significantly improve follow-up treatment rates. The intervention, which involves a family-based crisis-therapy session and telephone support, resulted in higher rates of follow-up treatment compared to standard ED treatment.
Researchers at Wayne State University are developing a computer-delivered intervention to screen for and reduce alcohol use among pregnant women, with the goal of improving fetal health outcomes. The study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of handheld mobile devices and anonymous self-interview formats in identifying at-risk drinkers.
A multidisciplinary group of researchers found that a glazed stare is accompanied by measurable changes in eye behavior, indicating the existence of a conscious state. This discovery challenges the long-standing debate about the existence of a hypnotic state.
Future-Directed Therapy has been shown to significantly improve depression and anxiety symptoms in patients by teaching them skills to think positively about the future. The new treatment approach focuses on helping individuals set goals, problem-solve, and plan for future events, leading to improved overall quality of life.
Research published in BMC reveals that musical aptitude is intrinsically related to reading ability, with children who excel in music also showing improved literacy skills. The study found a correlation between neural responses to rhythmic sounds and reading ability, suggesting a common cognitive mechanism underlying both skills.
A new study from CAMH found a specific gene linked to suicidal behaviour, particularly in those with the methionine variation of the gene
Neural signals related to reinforcement and punishment are widely distributed throughout the entire human brain, challenging previous notions of specialized brain structures. The study's findings suggest that both positive and negative outcomes directly influence neural processing, with adaptive value for optimizing cognitive processes.
A structural variation in the paracingulate sulcus (PCS) may explain why some people are better at distinguishing real events from imagined ones. Adults with an absent PCS were significantly less accurate on memory tasks, despite their own confidence in their memory abilities.
Researchers developed a tracking system to monitor worm behavior and brain activity, revealing that certain neurons remain active as the worm moves. The study provides a new window for exploring links between brain and behavior, genetic mutations, and mental illness in humans.
Researchers have found that distinct gene regulatory networks in the honey bee brain contribute to specific behaviors, such as foraging and aggression. The study confirmed a close relationship between changes in gene expression and behavior, highlighting the importance of understanding the regulation of brain gene expression.
Researchers found that ritualistic behavior is not only human but also animal behavior, developed to induce calm and manage stress. In both humans and animals, repetitive behavior serves as a way to feel in control of unpredictable situations.
The study found that brain patterns from objects can be used to decipher scene patterns, providing a new insight into how the brain processes surroundings. This discovery could lead to improved treatment strategies for patients with brain injuries affecting scene recognition.
A study published in the Journal of Neuroscience found that differences in when movement neurons begin accumulating information from sensory neurons explain adjustments in response times. This discovery forces a major modification to existing cognitive models of impulse control, shedding new light on how the brain controls basic impulses.
The MacArthur Foundation Research Network on Law and Neuroscience, led by Vanderbilt professor Owen Jones, aims to make neuroscience accessible in America's courtrooms. The network explores effects of modern neuroscience on criminal law, including assessing mental states, capacity, and evidence.
Research on pet ownership has produced conflicting results, with some studies suggesting positive health outcomes but others finding none. Herzog argues that methodological problems and lack of rigorous study design contribute to these inconsistencies.
New research reveals how C. elegans nematodes suppress exploratory head movements to evade predacious fungi, increasing survival chances. The study suggests a biological and ecological link between genes, molecules, neural circuits, and behavior.
A study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences found that addictive drugs may hijack the same nerve cells and connections as salt appetite in the brain. This could explain why addiction treatment with abstinence is so difficult, and offers new approaches to addiction research.
Gray's research focuses on cognitive strategies and decision-making under uncertainty. He will spend six months at the Max Planck Institute Center for Adaptive Behavior and Cognition (ABC) in Berlin to advance his work on heuristics and cognitive control.
Researchers M. Ali Bangash and Mehreen Kouser published novel findings in the journal Cell on SHANK3 gene mutations and their impact on brain functioning in a mouse model of autism. Their work sheds light on the genetic causes of autism, specifically highlighting the role of this autism-associated gene in neuronal communication.
Scientists have manipulated brain wiring responsible for reward-seeking behaviors using optogenetics, a technique that can tweak microcircuitry with millisecond precision. The study found that targeting the connection between the amygdala and nucleus accumbens may represent potential treatments for addiction and other neuropsychiatric ...
Researchers at Harvard Medical School identified a single compound found in carnivore urine that triggers an instinctual avoidance response in mice and rats, providing crucial tools to study the neural circuitry associated with innate behavior. The discovery reveals a key role for volatile chemicals in predator-rodent interactions.
Researchers found that BPA-exposed male deer mice are less desirable to females, perform poorly on spatial navigation tasks, and exhibit random trial-and-error strategies. The study suggests that exposure to BPA during human development could be damaging to behavioral and cognitive traits unique to each sex.
Researchers at Purdue University found that rats consuming fat substitutes gained weight and developed more fatty tissue compared to those on a regular high-fat diet. The study suggests that using fat substitutes as part of a long-term weight loss strategy may not be effective due to disrupted taste-calorie relations.
Researchers found a weakened ability to sync brain hemispheres in toddlers with autism, which could lead to earlier diagnoses and treatment. The study used fMRI scans on sleeping toddlers and identified language areas with reduced synchronization.
A new study found that the sex differences in the brains of songbirds vary according to their social status. Contrary to previous assumptions, dominant males' larger brain areas controlling song behaviour do not explain their dominance. Instead, gene activity and neural connections play a more significant role
A study at the University of Cambridge found that compulsions lead to obsessions, challenging the traditional understanding of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). The research provides insight into the debilitating repetitive behavior of OCD and could lead to more effective treatments.
A longitudinal twin study found no correlation between early sexual initiation and later sexual risk-taking, contradicting the long-held assumption that waiting for sex until marriage reduces risk. The study suggests that genetic and environmental factors contribute to early sexual initiation and risk-taking.
Scientists at Ruhr-University Bochum find that passive stimulation can induce lasting changes in human behavior and perception, opening new perspectives for intervention and treatment of visual perceptual disorders. Visual perception is impaired after slow stimulation but improved with rapid stimulation.
A new study found that Latinas who endure domestic violence during or within a year of pregnancy are five times more likely to experience postpartum depression. The researchers suggest that recent exposure to intimate partner violence is a stronger predictor of postpartum depression than prenatal depression.
Researchers at Caltech have found a specific brain region, the dorsal striatum, to be involved in reinforcement-learning behaviors and the gambler's fallacy. This discovery provides insight into how people make decisions in real-world situations.
Researchers at Tufts University discovered that astrocytes play a crucial role in regulating circadian rhythms and sleep patterns. The study found that disrupting astrocyte function in fruit flies led to altered daily rhythms, indicating the importance of these glial cells in controlling circadian behavior.
Researchers found that ghrelin enhances odor detection and exploratory sniffing in both rats and human subjects. The study suggests a link between ghrelin and the natural regulation of metabolism and body weight.
A new study by researchers at the University of Michigan Health System has uncovered a link between genetic variations associated with alcoholism, impulsive behavior and a region of the brain involved in craving and anxiety. Variations in the GABRA2 gene contribute to the risk of alcoholism by influencing impulsive behaviors.
A new study suggests that males can learn to recognize subtle fertility signals in female rhesus macaques by spending more time with them. The research found that over 80% of males could distinguish between pictures of the same female's face during ovulation and before, indicating a possible key role for experience in reading others' m...
Research finds smaller amygdala and insula regions in teenagers with conduct disorder, a psychiatric condition characterized by aggressive and antisocial behavior. The findings challenge the view that adolescence-onset CD is solely caused by imitating peers, suggesting a potential neurological basis for the condition.
Researchers found that gut bacteria influence how the brain is wired for learning and memory, leading to anxiety-like behavior. The study also suggests that targeting the immune system and gut function could lead to new therapies for psychiatric illnesses.
A study by researchers at New York University found overlapping neurological mechanisms between goal-directed actions and habitual behaviors. The findings suggest that the brain's systems for different behaviors are more intertwined than previously thought, paving the way for addressing addiction and similar maladies.