Articles tagged with Prefrontal Cortex
Researchers discovered two distinct brain areas, cognitive-fear circuit and reactive-fear circuit, that process fear responses to different types of threats. The study used fMRI scans and a virtual predator video game to show how the brain reacts differently to immediate versus distant threats.
A groundbreaking study published in eNeuro finds that low-dose ketamine promotes resilience to future adverse events in female rats, similar to its effects in males. The researchers identified a neural circuit involving the prefrontal cortex and dorsal raphe nucleus responsible for ketamine's stress-reducing properties.
A study by Steve Maren and his team identified a key brain circuit that triggers fear relapse. The research found that the hippocampus is connected to a specific type of cell in the prefrontal cortex, which plays a crucial role in relapse. This breakthrough could lead to more effective treatments for disorders like PTSD.
Neuroscientists have created a detailed map of the connections in the subgenual cingulate area 25 (A25) of non-human primates. The research reveals strong links between A25 and brain areas involved in emotional regulation, stress response, and memory formation.
Scientists used electrocorticograhy (ECoG) to record electrical activity on the brain surface, finding that the prefrontal cortex coordinates activity to help us act in response to a perception. The brain requires several seconds to respond to complex tasks, with the prefrontal cortex recruiting other areas, including memory networks.
A study published in eNeuro found that amphetamine exposure during adolescence impairs the development of the mouse prefrontal cortex. This region is critical for decision-making and other complex functions. The researchers observed reduced synapses and axon growth, suggesting a lasting impact on brain structure.
Researchers discovered that the stress gene NR4A1 adjusts energy output and synapse number of prefrontal cortex neurons in response to stress. Chronic stress may interfere with normal brain circuit function through this gene's impact on cellular connectivity, but altering its expression protects PFC cells from synaptic loss.
Researchers at Johns Hopkins University found that stopping a planned behavior requires fast choreography between brain areas, including the prefrontal cortex and pre-motor cortex. They also identified the importance of timing in making successful changes to plans.
A study published in Current Biology confirms that transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) improves associative learning by modulating brain connectivity between areas, not neuron firing rates. tDCS was shown to increase learning speed in macaques by up to 40% with no increased neuronal firing.
Researcher Robert Reinhart found that synchronizing specific brain oscillations enhances executive function by improving communication between two key brain areas. Participants showed improved learning and decision-making skills, and effects could be quickly reversed.
Researchers found that reading stories triggers unique patterns of brain activation, regardless of language or cultural origin. This study suggests exposure to narrative storytelling can have a widespread effect on triggering better self-awareness and empathy for others.
A Dartmouth-led study found a link between brain structure and teenagers' capacity for considering others' intentions. As adolescents mature, their cognitive strategies shift towards considering the other player's intentions in fairness concerns, coinciding with cortical thinning in key brain regions.
Researchers at Aalto University and the University of Helsinki have developed a method to improve metacognition using magnetic stimulation. The study showed that transcranial magnetic stimulation targeting the prefrontal cortex can enhance test subjects' ability to evaluate their performance in a tactile working memory task.
A study by Harvard University researchers found that psychopaths' brains prioritize short-term gains, leading to poor decision-making and violent behavior. The research used brain scans of nearly 50 prison inmates, revealing a specific connection between the ventral striatum and prefrontal cortex.
A study published in Psychological Science found that inhibiting the lateral prefrontal cortex using Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) increases emotional spillover, while preserving its integrity eliminates it. The research suggests a causal relationship between the prefrontal cortex and emotion regulation.
A Drexel University study found that art-making activities like doodling activate the brain's reward pathways, regardless of skill level or experience. The study used fNIRS technology to measure blood flow in the brain during various art activities, revealing increased activity in the prefrontal cortex and positive emotional responses.
A new study published in Nature Communications identifies specific neurons in the Lateral Prefrontal Cortex that encode perceived and memorized information. The researchers found that these neurons can signal whether a representation is real or imaginary, which may help treat disorders like schizophrenia.
Researchers found that the brain separates predictable and unpredictable components of action timing, with distinct regions processing each. The medial prefrontal cortex tracks ideal waiting time based on experience, while the secondary motor cortex adds variability to render decisions unpredictable.
A new study published in Nature finds that the thalamus strengthens connections within the prefrontal cortex, enabling it to focus attention and make decisions. This discovery has implications for understanding cognitive deficits in diseases such as schizophrenia and improving cognition by adjusting thalamic function.
Researchers at MIT discovered a brain circuit that governs how we respond to conflicting environmental cues, shedding light on the neural mechanisms behind rapid decision-making. The study suggests that information flow between the amygdala and prefrontal cortex is critical for coordinating behavior in the face of competing signals.
Weizmann Institute scientists have successfully erased fear memories in mice by disrupting the communication between two brain regions. The study, published in Nature Neuroscience, may one day lead to novel therapies for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other anxiety disorders.
Researchers found that the prefrontal cortex teaches the hippocampus to differentiate goal-related memories, enabling rapid integration of memories with goals. This cognitive flexibility is disrupted in neuropsychiatric conditions like schizophrenia and depression.
Researchers found evidence of long-lasting engram cells in the frontal part of the brain, which mature as new memories become permanent. These cells were activated naturally only after weeks of conditioning, suggesting a maturation process that requires input from hippocampal engram cells.
Researchers suggest that complex neural dynamics and prefrontal cortex activity contribute to alcoholism. Dopamine neurons' response mode can vary depending on synaptic input patterns, potentially leading to addiction.
A team of researchers has identified five subareas in the prefrontal cortex that play key roles in decision-making processes related to movement. By deactivating specific brain regions using optogenetics, the study found that inhibition and excitation areas work together to regulate movement. These findings have implications for unders...
A preclinical model reveals that congenital heart disease disrupts cerebral oxygen supply, leading to reduced cortical growth and abnormal neurogenesis in the subventricular zone. Restoring NSPCs' neurogenic potential may help lessen long-term neurological deficits in children with CHD.
Scientists used a mouse model to study nicotine's impact on brain cells involved in schizophrenia. Administering nicotine restored normal activity in prefrontal cortex neurons, similar to observed deficits in patients with psychiatric disorders.
Researchers at EMBL have traced the physical connection between the prefrontal cortex and brainstem that inhibits instinctive behavior. The study found that this connection, specifically to the PAG region of the brainstem, prevents social animals from acting out impulses.
A recent study published in eLife found that REM sleep loss leads to increased consumption of unhealthy foods, particularly sucrose and fat. The researchers discovered that inhibiting neurons in the prefrontal cortex reverses the effect of REM sleep loss on sucrose consumption.
Eating excessive fatty foods during adolescence may alter executive functions, leading to cognitive and psychiatric problems. The study found that high-fat diets deplete reelin levels, a key protein for brain synapses.
Researchers from Scripps Florida have identified a biochemical cascade called the mTOR pathway that regulates growth in the developing brain as a key factor in autism. Mutations in PTEN affect the assembly of connections between brain areas important for social cue processing, leading to abnormal activity and deficits.
A recent study by ETH Zurich researchers found that high-fat diets during adolescence can disrupt brain maturation, leading to impaired cognitive functions in adulthood. The study used mice and found that even short-term exposure to a high-fat diet caused behavioral problems after just four weeks.
Researchers at Scripps Research Institute have identified a sub-region in the medial prefrontal cortex that synthesizes proteins for contextual fear memory. Inhibiting protein synthesis before memory formation prevents long-term recall, highlighting the critical role of early protein synthesis.
A brain pathway in the medial prefrontal cortex plays a critical role in restraining from food temptation, suggests a new study. The researchers found that individual neurons in this region become activated in response to both 'go' and 'stop' cues, enabling control over impulsive eating behavior.
Researchers at Duke University have developed a new method to control a specific brain circuit in mice, which can alter their mood. By combining super-fine electrodes and tiny amounts of a specific drug, the team was able to restore stressed animals to relatively normal behavior.
A new study provides direct evidence of the brain's navigation network, including the orbitofrontal cortex and frontopolar cortex. The research found that these regions play key roles in classifying future goals and visualizing spatial contexts for navigation.
A new study found that short blue light exposure can lead to increased brain activity in specific regions and improved reaction times for over 40 minutes after exposure. The research suggests that blue-enriched white light could be used to enhance alertness and quick decision making in various settings.
A team of researchers from Google DeepMind and the University of Oxford used a navigational game to decode human brain's decision-making processes. They found that brain activity increases with the number of line changes between participants and their destinations, rather than individual stations.
Recent studies by UCLA neuroscientists indicate that our brains may be primed for empathy and altruism, with areas like the amygdala and anterior insula linked to experiencing pain and emotion. Temporarily disrupting prefrontal cortex activity can increase generosity, particularly towards those in need.
Researchers discovered a key brain circuit responsible for using past experiences to guide decision-making in rats. The circuit involves coordinated activity between the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex during awake mental replay of past experiences.
Researchers found that birds have sophisticated cognitive skills, matching those of apes, in tasks such as hoarding food and recognizing themselves in mirrors. The brains of birds and apes share similar single modules and prefrontal brain structures controlling executive functions.
Researchers used a portable device to compare brain activity in people with Parkinsonian syndromes and healthy adults. The study found that those with Parkinsonian symptoms demonstrated higher prefrontal cortex oxygenation levels to maintain stability while standing, and this difference relates to their performance in maintaining balance.
Researchers at the Beckman Institute found that positive stimuli, such as cute puppies, increase brain activity in areas involved in emotion control and working memory. Positive distractions do not interfere with task completion, unlike negative distractions like barking dogs, which decrease activity in these regions.
A recent study by Georgia State University and other institutions reveals that chimpanzees' brain structures are associated with various personality traits. The research found correlations between gray-matter volumes in specific brain regions and personality traits such as openness, extraversion, and dominance.
A study investigated the link between brain cell dysfunction and poor insight in psychotic patients, finding a correlation between reduced NAA levels and impaired awareness of illness. The research may help develop new treatment options for improving insight and patient outcomes.
A new study by neuroeconomists from the University of Zurich found that the precision and stability of preference decisions depend on the intensity of communication between two areas of the brain. The researchers used transcranial alternating current stimulation to test subjects' ability to make preference-based or sensory decisions.
A recent study by Dr. J. Paul Hamilton and colleagues reveals that depressive ruminations are linked to the subgenual prefrontal cortex and default mode network, suggesting a functional integration of these brain regions that supports rumination in depression. This understanding may provide new insights into the treatment of depression.
A new study by David Moorman and Gary Aston-Jones found that neurons in both dorsal and ventral prefrontal cortex work together to control behavior, rather than separate areas controlling 'going' and 'stopping' actions.
A new study at Georgia State University links delay of gratification in chimpanzees to white matter connectivity between the caudate and dorsal prefrontal cortex. The researchers found that higher connectivity was associated with better delay of gratification performance, a crucial ability for mental health.
A new study by UCLA neuroscientists shows that even during quiet moments, our brains are preparing us to be socially connected to other people. The research reveals that the brain's social nature is biologically based and can affect our daily lives.
Researchers have identified a neural pathway in the brain that predicts an animal's next move, using differential firing patterns of specific neurons. The study confirms that this pathway, involving the medial prefrontal cortex and hippocampus, enables animals to plan their trajectory.
A study published in Neuron found that people tend to prefer snacks they can recall better, even if they are less attractive. The researchers used fMRI scans and mathematical modeling to understand how memory influences decision-making, revealing an increase in communication between the hippocampus and ventromedial prefrontal cortex.
Researchers found that activity in the medial prefrontal cortex monitors what's happening outside current focus of attention and shifts to a better strategy. The study used MRI scans to track volunteers' brains while they played a game with hidden patterns, revealing specific signals corresponding to color changes.
Researchers at UC Berkeley and UC San Francisco found that giving participants a drug that changes brain chemistry makes them more willing to divide resources equally. The study may lead to better understanding of mental illnesses like schizophrenia or addiction, and potentially diagnostic tools or treatments.
Researchers at NYU have developed a method to identify functional groupings of neurons based on co-fluctuation of their responses, revealing that prefrontal cortex neurons are organized into spatially contiguous maps.
Neurons generate brain waves at distinct frequencies to communicate between brain regions, reinforcing correct guesses and weakening incorrect ones. Researchers found that beta (9-16 Hz) and theta (2-6 Hz) frequencies are used in the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex during learning tasks.
A study of 62 preteen girls found that those who experimented showed stronger connections between the rostrolateral prefrontal cortex and posterior insula/putamen, linked to exploring actions and body state, respectively. This could help identify teens at risk for risky behaviors.
Teenage exploration and risk-taking can be attributed to dramatic changes in the brain, driven by the need for immediate reward. According to Dr. Beatriz Luna's research, the teen prefrontal cortex is not immature but rather overruled by heightened motivation centers.
Researchers used fMRI to show that autistic individuals have significantly different brain activity related to emotion regulation compared to non-autistic individuals. The study suggests that improving prefrontal cortex activity could help autistic people regulate their emotions and reduce severe symptoms.
Researchers found that adolescent binge drinking causes lasting damage to the prefrontal cortex's myelin sheaths, leading to impaired cognitive and behavioral control. This can lead to increased risk of alcoholism in adulthood and related psychiatric conditions.