Research on the brain basis of behavior. Covers reward and pleasure signals, attention in children, taste circuitry, and adaptive AI models.
Newborn warty birch caterpillars, just 1-2 mm long, establish tiny territories by producing warning vibrations through their leaves. By beating the leaf tip with their thorax and dragging oar-shaped hairs on their rear end, these teeny creatures outmaneuver intruders and secure their narrow escapes.
Researchers are using smartphones to capture naturalistic data on memory, sleep, and dreams, finding that a single night of sleep influences memory for the events that occurred the day before. Memories following sleep were more vivid, felt temporally closer, and were easier to recall.
A study published in Biological Psychiatry identified the Shisa7 gene as a key driver of heroin addiction. The research team used machine learning to analyze brain tissue from human opioid users and found that modulating this gene's expression influenced heroin-seeking behavior and cognitive flexibility.
Dr. Consuelo Walss-Bass shares her groundbreaking research on schizophrenia, emphasizing the importance of considering both genetic predisposition and environmental factors. She also discusses her work with induced pluripotent stem cells to develop personalized psychiatry and reduce stigma around mental health.
A new review article identifies major themes in AI application to neurosciences, including a 5-fold increase in AI-related publications. The study also notes a surge of over 13-fold in clinical neurology AI-related publications in the past decade.
Researchers studied male mouse brain activity during sex to understand the dynamics of neurotransmitters dopamine and acetylcholine. The study revealed that these chemicals control the progression of sexual behavior, with dopamine release slowing down before quick rise during ejaculation.
Researchers at University College London found that the brain uses specific patterns of activity, or 'building blocks,' to understand social interactions. These fundamental patterns are thought to represent common interaction patterns across various situations, allowing brains to simplify complex information and make decisions quickly.
Researchers found that lower environmental temperature during pupal development correlates to more synapses and postsynaptic partners in the brain, which affects odor-driven behavior. The study suggests a metabolic theory for brain wiring at different temperatures.
A new study from Simon Fraser University found a close link between high social media use and psychiatric disorders involving delusions. Forms of delusions, such as narcissistic personality disorder and body dysmorphic disorder, were the most prevalent types related to high social media use.
Researchers have identified three cell types in the median raphe nucleus that control decisions on perseverance, exploration, and disengagement. These findings may help understand neuropsychiatric conditions such as OCD, autism, and major depressive disorder.
A study published in Biological Psychiatry found that anxiety and apathy lead to different patterns in how people process uncertainty and make decisions. Participants made choices between exploring new options or sticking with familiar ones, revealing distinct computational mechanisms underlying these behaviors.
A study found that long-term cocaine use increases impulsivity in healthy rats, contradicting the belief that high impulsivity predicts cocaine use. This contradicts research on impulsive choice and delay-discounting tasks.
Researchers found that brain connectivity related to cognitive control predicted substance use initiation, while cognitive control behavior did not. Stronger connectivity between the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex was associated with delayed substance use onset.
A recent study by Janelia researchers found that the striatum and motor cortex collaborate to specify movement parameters, contradicting traditional theories. This discovery sheds light on the role of the striatum in motor control and could lead to better understanding of movement disorders like Parkinson's and Huntington's.
Researchers from the University of Konstanz challenged long-held hypotheses on collective motion in locust swarms, finding that sensory input and neural representations drive movement decisions. Contrary to previous assumptions, alignment with others is not responsible for coordinating collective motion.
The University of Cincinnati is testing a collaborative care model to provide mental health resources to youth in rural communities. The program uses a tiered approach, starting with school counselors and progressing to licensed therapists and expert telehealth services, aiming to increase access and reduce barriers.
The Center for BrainHealth has established three major new partnerships to enhance its mission to empower people at all ages with science-backed approaches for proactive brain health and fitness. The partnerships include GoMo Health, which will leverage the center's content to expand resources and improve compliance among large patient...
Larval zebrafish rapidly learn to recognize and avoid predator robots in a novel simulation system. The fish's brain utilizes multiple regions, including the noradrenergic system and forebrain, to encode and recall predator avoidance memories.
Research finds that cerebellar serotonin alleviates anxiety-like behavior in mice, suggesting a new treatment approach. The study's findings counter previous ideas and provide insights into the neural circuits driving anxiety.
A global study of 76 countries reveals a significant association between wealth and prosocial behavior, with higher income leading to increased altruistic intentions and reciprocity. The study also found that financial equality could have a strong impact on increasing prosocial attitudes.
Eye saccades enable mammals to chase prey and navigate through complex environments by aligning with optic flow, reducing motion blur. This mechanism allows animals to track erratic movements and react flexibly to changes in direction.
A new study from the University of Chicago Medicine challenges conventional notions about alcohol's effects in depressed people who drink excessively. Participants with AUD and depression reported feeling acute, sustained positive and rewarding alcohol effects similar to non-depressed counterparts.
A new study by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory researchers explains how the brain updates associations between smells and sounds based on context. The findings suggest that a feedback loop between the olfactory cortex and olfactory bulb enables fast adaptation, allowing animals to fine-tune their motor responses accordingly.
The research aims to understand how high-risk genes disrupt neurodevelopment and lead to neuropsychiatric conditions, potentially informing diagnostic and therapeutic approaches. A national team of researchers will examine the effects of these genes on brain development, connectivity, and behavior in a mouse model.
Researchers at UTEP aim to understand how drugs impact decision-making processes and drive costly behaviors. The study will use animal models and computational neurobiology to simulate neural activity and test hypotheses about the relationship between drug use, decision-making, and brain activity.
The Cognitive Neuroscience Society conference will feature keynote addresses, award lectures, and symposia on various topics in cognitive neuroscience. Researchers will present the latest findings on sleep, emotional experiences, brain connectivity, and more.
Researchers studied rats navigating an L-shape track with a food-guarding robot. The rats created neurological maps of places to avoid after experiencing negative events and thought about these locations even after leaving the area. This finding provides insight into the neuroscience of common psychological conditions like anxiety.
Parrots display automatic imitation of intransitive (goal-less) actions, a phenomenon previously documented only in humans. The study also suggests the presence of a mirror-neuron system in parrots, akin to that found in humans.
Researchers at Cornell University have created mini virtual reality (VR) headsets called MouseGoggles, which allow mice to navigate virtual environments with greater immersion and accuracy. The technology has the potential to reveal insights into spatial navigation and memory function, shedding light on disorders like Alzheimer's disease.
Renowned neuroscientist Dr. Peter Kalivas discusses his groundbreaking work on the tetrapartite synapse, a complex cellular structure influencing addictive behaviors. His research has revolutionized addiction treatment by identifying novel therapeutic targets beyond traditional neurotransmitter systems.
Researchers used zebrafish to test ketamine's effects on depression, revealing that the drug suppresses 'giving up' behavior by overstimulating astroglia cells. This finding suggests a potential new approach for treating depression by targeting these non-neuronal cells.
Researchers at MUSC discover an RNA:DNA 'sandwich' plays a key role in how the brain interprets emotional experiences and brings about behavioral adaptations. The discovery could lead to better RNA therapies for treating brain disorders.
Researchers at UC Santa Barbara discovered that the orbitofrontal cortex and hippocampus collaborate to understand context-dependent stimuli. Rats learned to associate auditory cues with rewards in specific contexts, demonstrating the brain's ability to adapt and learn from experience.
A study of over 6,000 adolescents found that those with symptoms of gaming addiction showed lower brain activity in the decision-making and reward processing region. This suggests a link between reduced sensitivity to rewards and problematic gaming behaviors.
A new brain mapping technique has revealed fresh insights into how higher-order functions like language, thought, and attention are organised. Researchers used data from fMRI scans to create accurate models of brain activity and interactions between regions.
A team of researchers has created the first complete map of the brain's circadian clock in the fly Drosophila, revealing at least 240 neurons involved in regulating daily rhythms. This detailed mapping provides a foundation for exploring circadian dysregulation linked to health conditions such as sleep disorders and metabolic diseases.
Dr. Debra Bangasser has received the Daniel H. Efron Research Award for her contributions to understanding stress response mechanisms and sex differences in brain function. Her research aims to improve women's health and treatment outcomes for psychiatric disorders.
Researchers found that increasing levels of the naturally occurring endocannabinoid 2-AG can counteract the rewarding properties of opioids, reducing addiction-like behaviors in mice. The study suggests a potential new therapeutic strategy to alleviate pain while minimizing opioid addiction risk.
Researchers developed a wireless power transfer system for electrophysiological recording in freely moving laboratory mice. The system provides a robust platform for real-time neuronal activity monitoring and offers significant potential for advancing neuroscience research.
A machine learning tool has identified subtle behavioral changes in mice with early stages of Alzheimer's disease. The tool, called VAME, analyzed video footage and pinpointed disorganized behavior that may be associated with memory and attention deficits. Researchers hope to adapt this technology for human diagnosis and treatment.
Leila Nabulsi is expanding her research program to pinpoint brain pathways affected by bipolar disorder. She will leverage the ENIGMA consortium and advanced statistical methods to build a database of brain changes, potentially improving diagnosis and treatment.
A recent study from Stanford University reveals that dopamine and serotonin work together, but also in opposition, to shape behavior. Researchers found that dopamine signals increase with reward prediction while serotonin signals decrease, but only when both systems are active can animals learn to link cues with rewards.
Iain Couzin, a pioneer in collective behaviour research, has been honoured on the prestigious Global Highly Cited Researchers list by Clarivate Analytics. His work seeks to uncover core principles behind collective behaviour in nature, using cutting-edge technologies such as virtual reality and imaging hangars.
Researchers at the Salk Institute identified a specific brain circuit responsible for slowing anxious breathing, connecting the frontal cortex to the brainstem. This discovery may offer a scientific explanation for the beneficial effects of practices like yoga and mindfulness on alleviating negative emotions and could lead to the devel...
Researchers develop counterillumination technology to trick great white sharks' visual systems, making them less likely to attack humans. By using LED lights in specific patterns and brightness, the device disrupts the shark's silhouette, reducing the risk of bites.
Researchers at Tufts University and Vanderbilt University developed a biomarker to detect inflexible thinking in schizophrenia. The study found that people with schizophrenia generate unique neural patterns when making decisions based on conflicting information.
Researchers discovered brain cells that map an animal's position in behavioural coordinates, helping understand how the brain generates complex behaviors. The findings may be useful in understanding psychiatric conditions such as schizophrenia.
The partnership aims to create, study, and implement digital health solutions to address mental and behavioral health conditions. Researchers will use ecological momentary assessment and digital sensors on a patient's mobile phone to monitor cognitive and negative symptoms of schizophrenia.
A new study by Thomas Jefferson University neuroscientist Jay Schneider suggests that high-quality maternal care and an enriched environment can reduce the toxic effects of lead exposure in rats. The findings provide hope for families with lead-poisoned children, particularly those from lower socioeconomic status.
A team of scientists at the University of Pennsylvania discovered a novel courtship behavior in female Drosophila santomea fruit flies, where they spread their wings to signal receptivity. This finding suggests that neural circuits can be reused and adapted to drive new behaviors, offering insights into the evolution of social communic...
Researchers at UCLA Health found an association between childhood attention problems and increased psychosis risk, with genetic variants acting as a middleman. The study used data from over 10,000 children to explore the relationship between attention span variability and psychotic-like symptoms.
Danielle Mor, a neuroscientist at the Medical College of Georgia, has been awarded $2.3 million to study the progression of Parkinson's disease through the use of C. elegans and innovative research approaches. Her goal is to understand how misfolded proteins spread from the gastrointestinal tract to the central nervous system.
A study found that speakers smiled more when listeners smiled more, especially in same-sex conversations. Smile synchronization is essential in creating social bonds and fostering positive feelings.
A longitudinal study tracked one person's brain activity for five months, revealing how daily life affects brain function. The research found that physical activity positively influences brain regions, while subtle shifts in mood and heart rate leave lasting imprints for up to fifteen days.
Researchers discovered two distinct neural mechanisms, 'Walk-OFF' and 'Brake', that control halting behavior in flies. The 'Walk-OFF' mechanism inhibits forward walking by suppressing neurons driving movement, while the 'Brake' mechanism increases leg joint resistance to prevent stepping.
A Dartmouth-led study found that people are more skilled at inferring past events from conversations than predicting future events. This phenomenon is attributed to the asymmetrical nature of human knowledge about their own lives and experiences, which influences how people converse.
A team of scientists has successfully mapped the entire brain of Drosophila melanogaster, a fruit fly, using electron microscopy dataset and connectome analysis. The complete map will help researchers understand how different circuits work together to control behaviors like motor control, courtship, and decision-making.
Researchers successfully activated a specific memory circuit in mice using brain-imaging technology. The study found that stimulating neurons in two areas of the mouse brains reactivated spatial memory and caused the mice to seek shelter.
Researchers found that serotonin release scales with the value of rewards, indicating its role in monitoring reward quality. The study used a new biosensor to measure serotonin levels in mice receiving varied concentrations of evaporated milk as rewards.
Researchers found significant differences in how male and female mice process threats, even with similar behavioral responses. Understanding these sex-based differences is crucial for developing accurate treatment approaches and improving health outcomes.