Articles tagged with Amygdala
Research in Biological Psychiatry: Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuroimaging reveals that lifetime physical activity can reshape neural connectivity, strengthening the brain's internal communication and optimizing its response to stress. The study challenges traditional deficit-focused views of adversity, offering a more dynamic and hope...
A new brain pathway has been identified that enables humans to quickly detect and respond to 'scary' sounds, leading to increased self-reported fearfulness. This pathway is associated with better hearing ability in noisy environments.
Researchers found that larger amygdala volumes are associated with higher social tolerance in macaque monkeys, suggesting a multifunctional role of the amygdala in processing complex social information. Hippocampus volume was not significantly linked to social tolerance.
A gene therapy platform successfully mapped the living brain noninvasively, using engineered proteins to track gene expression in different brain regions. This technology has the potential to reveal critical information about cellular activity and neurological disease progression.
A Dartmouth study challenges the conventional view of the amygdala as a primitive 'fear center' by revealing its role in mediating between competing learning strategies. The research suggests that the amygdala favors action-based learning, promoting exploration and flexibility to overcome fear.
A new study has found that astrocytes are crucial for aversive memory, including learning what to fear and recalling memories. The findings challenge long-held assumptions about fear memory and suggest new treatment approaches for disorders like post-traumatic stress disorder.
A new study suggests that a lack of fiber in the diet may impair emotional memory in older adults, linked to cognitive problems and inflammation. The amygdala, responsible for processing fearful experiences, is sensitive to highly processed diets, regardless of fat or sugar content.
Scientists at Nagoya University identified a brain circuit that keeps mice awake in unfamiliar environments, releasing neurotensin to maintain wakefulness and protect against potential dangers. This discovery may explain the 'first night effect' in humans, where the brain remains vigilant on the first night in a new place.
Researchers found that inhibiting microglia activity improved young mice's recall of fearful experiences. Microglia markers were also increased in brain areas related to memory formation, suggesting enhanced memory recall. This study may provide insight into preventing infantile amnesia and understanding human memory loss.
Researchers discovered a low-dose mixture of zinc, serine, and branch-chain amino acids can alleviate behavioral deficits in mouse models of autism by promoting neuronal communication and improving social behaviors. The combination was found to be effective at low doses, whereas individual supplements had no effect.
A study published in Science Advances reveals that an autism-linked mutation disrupts brain circuits responsible for erasing fear memories, leading to PTSD-like symptoms. By reactivating specific neurons, researchers were able to reverse the behavioral and physiological abnormalities.
Researchers found that male mice become aggressive after witnessing familiar peers attack intruders, not strangers. The study suggests that familiarity with attackers may be a risk factor for violent behavior in males.
Researchers at MLU and University of Münster show that CBT leads to measurable changes in brain structure, particularly in areas responsible for emotion processing, and increases grey matter volume in the amygdala and hippocampus.
Aging populations exhibit a positivity bias in recognizing emotions, associated with observable changes in brain linked to cognitive decline and neurodegeneration. The study correlates age-related positivity bias with poorer cognitive performance but not necessarily emotional decline.
A study by Steve Chang explores how oxytocin influences brain activity to shape social behavior in rhesus monkeys. The researchers found that oxytocin increased activity in the basolateral amygdala and anterior cingulate cortex when monkeys were socially motivated, maintaining beneficial decisions and social task behavior.
PTEN-deficient mouse models exhibit ASD-like characteristics due to circuit imbalance and altered behavior. The study reveals specific circuit changes in the amygdala resulting from PTEN loss in inhibitory neurons, providing new insights into the underlying circuit alterations that contribute to heightened fear and anxiety.
Researchers at Flinders University found that blue-enriched light can make people less sensitive to losses, leading to riskier gambling behaviors. The study suggests that reducing blue light exposure could be a potential strategy to mitigate impulsive gambling.
Researchers discovered a novel connection between the amygdala brain region and social learning in zebra finches. Young birds preferred approaching tutors with longer but less frequent songs, suggesting the amygdala plays a role in socially selective behavior. This finding sheds new light on the neural mechanisms underlying song learning.
Researchers have identified the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) as the basis of emotional inference in animals and humans. In a study published in Nature, Xiaowei Gu and Joshua Johansen found that rats can learn inferred emotions by associating a neutral stimulus with an unpleasant experience.
Researchers at MIT's Picower Institute discovered a critical mechanism for mental health, where dopamine signals enable fear extinction. Dopamine activates specific amygdala neurons tied to reward, driving fear extinction and opening up new avenues for treating fear-related disorders like PTSD.
A study published in PLOS Biology found that individuals who receive dynamic facial-expression feedback from an avatar's face tend to gamble more than those receiving real human feedback. The amygdala plays a key role in this facilitation, with increased valuation of uncertainty contributing to increased risk-taking behavior.
Researchers found that participants took more risks when interacting with avatars displaying facial expressions compared to real human faces. The study suggests that the amygdala plays a key role in driving increased risk-taking behavior in avatar-mediated communication.
Researchers found that immune molecule IL-17 influences brain regions to induce either anxiety in the amygdala or sociable behavior in the somatosensory cortex. This discovery highlights the interconnectedness of the immune and nervous systems.
New research identifies specific populations of neurons in the amygdala that play a key role in regulating nutritional needs and turning them into action. The study reveals distinct groups of neurons responding to thirst and hunger, guided by molecular cues.
Researchers used rhesus monkeys to study neural activity during decision-making processes, revealing that amygdala neurons process probability and magnitude of rewards independently. The study also showed that these cells dynamically integrate information about probability, magnitude, and risk to form the basis for decision-making.
A research team has uncovered a fundamental brain circuit that distinguishes between direct and vicarious fear, with the locus coeruleus playing a crucial role in processing fear. The study reveals a lateralized LC-NAergic system that separates personal from socially learned fear, shedding light on empathy and social learning.
A large-scale study found that police officers with more active amygdalae before training were more likely to experience PTSD symptoms after traumatic events. The study suggests that understanding individual differences in amygdala activity can help make people more resilient to trauma.
Researchers identified the cortical amygdala as a key brain region in promoting aggression, but inhibiting this area reduces aggressive behavior and induces pro-social behavior. The study found that cells in the cortical amygdala respond to male social stimuli, enhancing attack behavior.
Researchers discovered that non-REM sleep is crucial for strengthening emotionally linked perceptual memories, contrary to previous beliefs about REM sleep. The study found that the amygdala and cortical top-down circuitry play a key role in this process.
Researchers at Weill Cornell Medicine have identified a specific brain circuit that appears to reduce anxiety without side effects. The study suggests a new target for treating anxiety disorders and demonstrates a general strategy for mapping drug effects on the brain.
A UT Health San Antonio study found that brain volume changes correlate with social behavior differences in psychiatric conditions such as autism spectrum disorder and schizophrenia. Tbx1 deficiency was associated with decreased brain volume in the amygdala and surrounding cortical regions, affecting desire for social interaction.
Researchers at UCSF found a brain signature of resilience in mice that suggests a new way to treat severe depression. Stress changes activity in the amygdala, distinguishing resilient from less resilient mice. By stimulating neurons, the team improved decision-making and reduced ruminating in less resilient mice.
The American Journal of Psychiatry and Psychiatric Services journals feature research on the amygdala, PTSD, and discrimination in their December issues. The studies highlight the interconnections between these topics and explore their implications for diagnosis and treatment.
A new Northwestern Medicine study found the 'lizard brain' is connected to newly evolved social cognitive network regions, which are involved in thinking about other people. This link helps shape the function of the social cognitive network by giving it access to the amygdala's role in processing emotionally important content.
Scientists at UC Davis have identified new clusters of cells with differing gene expression patterns in the human and non-human primate amygdala. These findings suggest that alterations in specific cell types may contribute to disorders such as anxiety, and could lead to more targeted treatments.
Depression alters neural circuits in the amygdala, leading to reduced activity in pleasant stimuli and increased activation in negative stimuli. This negativity bias contributes to depressive symptoms. Researchers found a potential treatment by reactivating neurons involved in positive encoding of environmental stimuli.
Researchers at Brigham and Women's Hospital have identified a specific brain circuit that may protect against post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in veterans with traumatic brain injury. The study suggests using neurostimulation therapies on this circuit could treat PTSD, offering a new potential non-invasive treatment option.
Researchers found an association between conservatism and larger amygdala size, as well as positive correlations with other brain regions such as the fusiform gyrus. However, no consistent association was found with the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), a region involved in error detection and emotional regulation.
A new study suggests that psychedelics like psilocybin can suppress learned fear responses in individuals with PTSD by altering activity in the amygdala, a key brain region involved in processing fear and anxiety. The findings propose that psychedelic drugs enhance inhibitory signaling from GABAergic interneurons onto excitatory neurons.
A study published in Cell Reports found that Western classical music elicits positive effects on the brain by synchronizing neural oscillations between the auditory cortex and rewards circuit. Patients with treatment-resistant depression who received high music appreciation showed better antidepressant effects, while those with low mus...
A recent study found that individuals with high individual resources and exposure to more greenspace were more likely to experience low or no PTSD symptoms over time. Greenspace was also associated with greater neural reactivity in the amygdala, a region involved in detecting rewarding cues.
A study led by the University of Turku has identified the brain network responsible for stuttering, which may lead to effective treatments. The research found that stuttering is associated with structural changes in a specific brain network involving the putamen, amygdala, and claustrum.
Researchers at Max Planck Institute for Biological Intelligence have discovered a brain circuit that inhibits food intake during nausea. The circuit involves special nerve cells in the amygdala, which send appetite-suppressing signals to distant brain regions, resulting in a loss of appetite.
Researchers have solved the long-standing question of what triggers the alarm response in fish by identifying two distinct chemical signals: Daniol sulphate and Ostariopterin. These substances convey separate pieces of information that must be detected simultaneously to trigger a flight-or-freeze response.
A recent study published in JAMA Network Open found that familiar scents can strengthen memory recall in depressed individuals, potentially aiding recovery. Researchers discovered that odors engage the amygdala, a key component of memory formation, more effectively than words.
Researchers have discovered a brain circuit that mediates panic disorder, consisting of specialized neurons that send and receive the neuropeptide PACAP. Inhibiting PACAP signaling reduces panic symptoms, offering promising findings for future treatments.
A small molecule called YM022 has been discovered to block aversive memory formation in mice, offering a new direction for developing anti-depressants. The study found that YM022 suppressed neuroplasticity-caused aversive memory formation and reduced depressive behaviors in mice.
Dr. Sabine Krabbe is investigating the function of the brain's emotion center in neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's, which often co-occur with depression and anxiety. Her research aims to find common mechanisms that could lead to better treatments for patients.
Researchers investigated the role of estrogen receptor beta-positive neurons in the medial amygdala, a region involved in social information processing. They found that MeA-ERβ+ neurons exhibit different roles for receptivity-based and sex-based preferences.
Researchers created a unique, cell-by-cell atlas of the amygdala to identify potential new treatments for cocaine addiction. The study revealed connections between addiction behaviors and genes involved in energy metabolism, offering a brand-new way of thinking about the molecular biology of cocaine addiction.
Researchers have identified a specific area of the amygdala brain region that can cause prolonged loss of breathing after a seizure. This finding offers new insight into the mechanisms underlying Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy (SUDEP), a rare but fatal complication of epilepsy.
A Northwestern University study found that endogenous cannabinoid molecules released by the brain during stress can calm it down. These molecules activate the same receptors as THC and may provide a natural coping response to stress.
Researchers at the Max Planck Institute found that ghrelin activates specialized nerve cells in the amygdala, promoting food consumption and conveying hunger feelings. The study uncovers the physiological processes behind feeding behavior, which may lead to novel therapeutic approaches for eating disorders.
A new study found that emotion-focused therapy increased activation and connectivity of the amygdala in patients with bipolar disorder, leading to improved emotion processing. In contrast, cognitive-behavioral therapy showed increased activation of brain regions related to social function but not altered amygdala activity.
Researchers found that dogs with anxiety have altered brain connectivity, particularly between the amygdala and hippocampus. The study used fMRI to characterize abnormal neural networks in anxious dogs, providing insight into anxiety disorders in both animals and humans.
A study in mice found that chronic stress impairs allopregnanolone production, a key neurosteroid involved in regulating emotions. This finding suggests that synthetic neurosteroid analogs might exert a beneficial effect in individuals with depression.
A Tufts-led team discovered a brain region marker that indicates vulnerability to developing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The study found heightened amygdala activation in response to neutral facial expressions, suggesting an acquired characteristic of PTSD. This finding may inform early intervention strategies for individual...
A new longitudinal study examines neural-based correlates and risk factors for nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) among adolescents. The study found that greater amygdala reactivity during anticipation of social punishment predicted NSSI engagement one year later, particularly in those with lower peer-nominated social preference.
Researchers found that the brain's defense system is activated during selfless helping behavior, contrary to the long-held idea that empathy drives such actions. The study used fMRI scans to measure brain activity in 49 healthy volunteers who were asked to decide whether to help another person avoid discomfort.
A team of researchers has identified specific neurons in the amygdala that drive mice to eat fatty or sugary foods, even when not hungry. Switching off these neurons reduced overeating and protected against obesity, while also boosting physical activity and improving metabolic health.