Research on the brain basis of behavior. Covers reward and pleasure signals, attention in children, taste circuitry, and adaptive AI models.
Researchers identified FKBP12, a protein regulating mTOR activity, as key to understanding autism and OCD in mice. The study found enhanced synaptic plasticity and contextual memory but also perseverative and repetitive behaviors, common in individuals with these disorders.
A new study shows that brain activity increases in the visual cortex when patients with macular degeneration focus on using other parts of their retina to compensate for their loss of central vision. The brain reorganizes its neural connections to process information from other parts of the eye.
Scientists are studying gene regulation in ants to model human aging and behavior. Epigenetic changes, not DNA sequence alterations, may underlie differences in longevity and behavior among ant castes. The study aims to identify the molecular basis for these changes.
A study found that cocaine-addicted individuals prefer drug-related images over neutral ones, challenging the assumption that pleasure drives drug choice. The tasks developed in this research can help clinicians monitor choice behavior in addicted individuals, potentially predicting treatment effectiveness and outcomes.
Children with social and academic problems in elementary school are more likely to engage in serious violent behavior later, due to parents withdrawing supervision and friends with deviant behavior. Successful early intervention can redirect paths of antisocial development to prevent violent behavior.
A study from McMaster University found that media coverage greatly influences public perception of infectious diseases, making them appear more threatening. Researchers discovered that diseases receiving frequent press attention, like bird flu, are perceived as more serious than those without similar coverage.
A recent study has found that anxiety levels in mice are directly influenced by the immune system, specifically through mast cells. Mice without mast cells showed reduced willingness to navigate open and high spaces, indicating lower anxiety levels.
Researchers have identified three new candidate genes for schizophrenia that may contribute to a better understanding of the disease. These genes are associated with brain function and are present in only 1% of schizophrenia patients, suggesting they play a significant role in its development.
Researchers found a correlation between motor task performance and myelin integrity, peaking in middle age before declining. Myelin breakdown may underlie cognitive decline and physical skills erosion, but therapeutic interventions could slow the process.
Researchers at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory demonstrate that spike timing in cortical neurons can influence behavior even at minuscule time intervals. The study suggests an alternative theory of information processing in the cortex, where information is encoded within the precise pattern of spiking rather than just the rate of spiking.
Researchers found that women place significant importance on altruistic traits when choosing a partner. Altruistic behavior was correlated with stronger preference for such traits in both men and women.
Scientists trained a species of moth to link specific scents with sugar water rewards, discovering that the interval between odor presentation and reward is crucial for learning. This process allows integration of neural activities and represents a key finding in understanding how associations are built between stimuli and behavior.
A new international study found that Indigenous Australian children who speak languages with few number words can still demonstrate strong numeracy skills based on quantity and spatial concepts. Their skills are equal to those of English-speaking Indigenous children.
Researchers at the University of Cambridge have discovered that disrupting or erasing memories associated with drug use during recall can prevent relapse in recovering drug abusers. By blocking a brain chemical receptor important to learning and memory, scientists reduced drug-seeking behaviors in rats for up to four weeks.
Researchers found that people carrying a specific gene variation are more prone to anxiety and have an exaggerated startle reflex in response to unpleasant pictures. This suggests that genetic differences may play a role in regulating emotional arousal and contributing to anxiety disorders.
Researchers from Massachusetts General Hospital linked genetics to brain reward circuitry and preference, revealing a connection between gene variants and brain activity. The study used brain imaging, genetics, and experimental psychology techniques to identify a correlation between the CREB1 gene variant and brain structure activity.
Researchers used data mining to identify subtle differences in movement between rats with ALS mutations and controls, predicting the onset of disease two months early. This novel approach may enable testing of therapies to delay or prevent disease.
Male fruit flies lacking the Gr32a gene become confused in matters of love, attempting sex with other males and females who have already mated. This study reveals the critical role of pheromone signals in determining mating status.
A team of Oregon researchers discovered a computational mechanism in roundworms that enables them to find food and avoid poisons. The study used imaging and molecular tools to identify two chemosensory neurons that act like on/off switches, regulating behavior.
Researchers at Johns Hopkins Medicine have found that the spiritual effects of psilocybin, a hallucinogen, can last more than a year. Most volunteer subjects reported the experience as one of the most personally meaningful and spiritually significant events of their lives.
In a study published in PLOS Biology, researchers found that parietal neurons selectively track target location during visual search tasks. Adding distractors decreased parietal neuron firing rates, reducing target-related response and correlating with increased reaction times.
Researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center discovered a novel pheromone detection mechanism in fruit flies, where the pheromone docks onto LUSH protein before activating nerve cells. This finding may lead to developing compounds that block pheromone action, controlling pest behavior.
A study found that chronic grief activates neurons in reward centers of the brain, which may give memories addiction-like properties. This research may help psychologists treat those with complicated grief better.
Dr. Mariana Pereira has been awarded a $60,000 grant from NARSAD to continue her preclinical studies on the effects of postpartum stress on substance abuse in women. Her research aims to understand how cocaine hijacks normal motivational patterns in the postpartum female.
Research suggests a strong association between depression, sleep deprivation, and suicidal behavior in children and adolescents. Sleep complaints during depressive episodes can be an indicator of suicidal behavior, particularly in pediatric bipolar disorder patients.
A recent Mayo Clinic study found that rural, unmarried women have lower self-rated health status and are more prone to depression compared to their married counterparts. The study suggests that primary care physicians should take a proactive role in addressing health concerns of single women.
Research at UCLA found that interventions addressing early life experiences, including childhood sexual abuse, can reduce high-risk sex and depressive symptoms among HIV-positive African American and Hispanic men. Social support within the groups played a significant role in these positive changes.
Gabapentin has been shown to normalize the action of brain cells altered by chronic alcohol abuse in an area known as the central amygdala. The study found that gabapentin reduced anxiety-like behaviors and decreased the strength of inhibitory synapses in dependent rats, but not in non-dependent rats.
Researchers at UCSF have made a groundbreaking discovery on how neurons coordinate to generate movement. Individual neurons do not fire independently across the entire duration of a motor function as previously thought but instead coordinate their activity with other neurons. The study revealed that each neuron encodes different aspec...
Dr. Tracy Rupp won the National Sleep Foundation Young Investigator Award for her work on sleep extension and its effects on performance and task acquisition. She demonstrated that extended sleep has a 'banked' recuperative value, contrary to current thinking.
A study by UC Davis researchers found that an ocean odor, DMSP, attracts reef fish that feed on plankton, providing insight into marine ecology. The release of DMSP also promotes cloud formation, cooling the Earth through reduced sunlight reflection.
Research reveals that wandering albatrosses follow the direction of scent plumes to locate food sources, often flying crosswind and zigzagging into the wind towards meals. This unique hunting strategy allows them to cover a wide strip of ocean while conserving energy.
A new study from the UC Davis M.I.N.D. Institute suggests that brain-directed antibodies during pregnancy may be a causal factor for some cases of autism. The research found that exposure to IgG antibodies in pregnant monkeys exhibited repetitive behaviors similar to those seen in children with autism.
Researchers found that rats given artificial sweetener saccharin consumed more calories, gained weight, and did not compensate later. The study suggests that breaking the connection between sweetness and high-calorie food can confuse the body's ability to regulate intake.
A new study found that eyeblink conditioning can identify children with probable fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) and those without distinctive FAS features. Researchers used eyeblink conditioning in five-year-old children born to mixed-ancestry women, finding a deficit in this area related to prenatal alcohol exposure.
A new review integrates psychological and biological theories of autism, which may help medical professionals detect conditions such as Asperger's Disorder at an earlier stage. This approach could lead to better explanations for parents worried about their child's behaviour and potentially improve remediation.
A study by Penn State researchers found that daily alcohol consumption causes changes in male fruit fly sexual behavior, including increased arousal and decreased inhibition. The research also discovered that repeated exposure to ethanol leads to behavioral sensitization, where flies engage in more inter-male courtship.
Research at Rockefeller University reveals that flies use stereo cues to navigate towards scented targets more accurately when detecting smells with both olfactory organs. By exploiting infrared technology, scientists created an environment where they could visualize and quantify the distribution of smells.
Researchers at the Research Institute of Molecular Pathology have identified a molecular switch responsible for the behavioral changes in female fruit flies after mating. The discovery could lead to new approaches for controlling reproductive behaviors in agricultural pests and human disease carriers.
A team of neurobiologists has discovered a gene controlling fruit fly homosexuality and found it can be turned on and off within hours using genetic manipulation or drugs. The research provides insight into the biological basis of sexual orientation and may one day enable the domestication of insects like fruit flies for useful purposes.
Research suggests glucose powers self-control, which wanes when exercised. Replenishing blood sugar through sugary drinks can improve subsequent self-control efforts.
Researchers found that cocaine-addicted individuals have compromised sensitivity to monetary rewards, which may explain why they struggle to change their drug-taking behavior. The study suggests that this altered sensitivity to reward could be a key factor in the difficulty of modifying drug-taking behavior.
A new imaging technique has enabled scientists to measure mouse satiety and hunger levels in the brain, offering a more objective understanding of why people become obese. The study used magnetic resonance imaging to observe neuronal activity in the hypothalamus area, revealing that certain neurons 'light up' when mice are hungry or full.
A study by UCLA researchers has identified brain circuits involved in hunger that are influenced by leptin, a hormone produced by fat cells. Leptin supplementation reduced activation in regions linked to hunger while enhancing activation in regions linked to inhibition and satiety in three adults with congenital leptin deficiency.
Cold Spring Harbor Protocols features two new methods for neuroscience research: a step-by-step approach to prepare brain slices from rats or mice for growth in culture and how to properly assess courtship behavior in male fruit flies. These protocols allow researchers to examine the structure and function of neurons in their native en...
A new study reveals that the CRF2 hormone receptor system is involved in both feeding behavior and stress responses, suggesting it may not be an ideal target for obesity treatments. The researchers found that stimulating this receptor increased stress-like behaviors and reduced food intake, but not without inducing anxiety-like effects.
Research by McMaster University suggests that men's voice pitch affects reproductive success. Men with low-pitched voices have higher reproductive success and more children born to them, while women prefer deeper male voices as more dominant and masculine sounding. The study offers insight into the evolution of human voice preferences.
A new eating model, ecSatter, suggests that managing weight and staying healthy requires a positive experience of eating. The model, developed by Ellyn Satter and Barbara Lohse, emphasizes permission and discipline to cultivate effective eating attitudes and behavior.
Four young University of Chicago scientists, Margaret Gardel and Rustem Ismagilov, will receive $2.5 million each for biological research over five years. Additionally, Kristen Jacobson and Dorothy Sipkins will receive $1.5 million each for psychiatric and medical research, respectively.
Researchers developed a method for culturing mammalian neurons in small chambers, extending their lifespan to up to 11 days at low density. The technique, described in the journal Lab on a Chip, uses miniaturization and perfusion methods to increase purity and analyze cellular secretions.
Researchers discovered that mice without a key brain protein exhibited OCD-like behavior, including compulsive grooming and anxiety. Restoring the protein improved behaviors, suggesting a possible synaptic defect as the cause of OCD-like symptoms.
Researchers at UCLA developed a mathematical model to assess the severity and predict the consequences of Staphylococcus Aureus outbreaks in the Los Angeles County Jail. The model identified that continuous inflow of colonized individuals is the primary cause of sustained outbreaks.
In a study by Yale University researchers, older mice benefited from either physical exercise alone or combined with mental enrichment. For younger and middle-aged mice, exercise was key to improving spatial memory. The findings suggest that cognitive stimulation can help compensate for declining memory as people age.
Researchers at Tufts University have identified a specific population of glial cells required for controlling circadian behavior in Drosophila, suggesting an autonomous glial mechanism drives circadian rhythms. The study's findings have broad implications for understanding diseases affected by altered biological timing mechanisms.
Gambel's white-crowned sparrows use testosterone to trigger seasonal growth of brain regions responsible for song production. The study found that deafened birds still grew larger song control areas as large as hearing birds, but sang less often.
Researchers used TMS to measure mirror neuron activity in response to American and Nicaraguan gestures, finding higher activity when observing shared culture. This study suggests culture shapes brain's neural mechanisms, influencing behavior and potentially informing motor skill and language learning.
African naked mole-rats live in colonies where only the queen reproduces, suppressing fertility in females and males around her through bullying. This stress-induced block to puberty is thought to affect hormone regulation and reproductive tract development. Understanding the mechanisms behind this social suppression could lead to insi...
MIT researchers have reversed symptoms of mental retardation and autism in mice with Fragile X Syndrome, a leading inherited cause of the conditions. The study identifies p21-activated kinase as a key enzyme that can be inhibited to reverse symptoms.
Researchers discovered that African electric fish engage in 'electric duets' during aquatic courtship, using specific signals and motor displays. The study provides insight into the electrical and behavioral patterns of mating in these fish.
Scientists at University College London discovered that autistic children can understand people's behavior based on stereotypes, such as gender and race. This ability can be used to aid their learning and socialization, and may even help them integrate better into society.