Research on why people act as they do. Covers self-processing across primates, substance use, weight-loss behavior, and nicotine seeking.
A new UCLA-led study reveals how gut microbes can worsen cognitive impairment in mice by targeting the hippocampus, a crucial brain region for memory and learning. The researchers found that Bilophila wadsworthia bacteria increased in mice fed a ketogenic diet under conditions of oxygen deprivation.
A recent study suggests that personal carbon allowances (PCAs) may be a feasible solution to reduce emissions and promote sustainable lifestyles. The researchers propose a market-based approach to provide individuals with incentives and options to link their actions with global carbon reduction goals.
Consumers are seeking products with local origin, traditional designs, and reminders of their childhood and family. Groundedness increases product attractiveness and consumers' willingness to pay. Products providing a sense of groundedness improve self-perceptions related to resilience and feelings of strength and stability.
A study of 42 countries reveals that most participants prefer to collaborate with fellow citizens rather than with people from other countries. The tendency towards in-group bias is driven by factors such as education level and gender, but not by cultural differences or national cohesion.
The article considers the ethical issues surrounding enrolling children with neurodevelopmental conditions, such as autism spectrum disorder and fragile X syndrome, in clinical trials. Parents may face difficult decisions about whether to enroll their children due to concerns about potential loss of positive aspects of their condition.
Researchers conducted a new trial to adapt Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DPT) for people with frequent Bipolar mood swings. The study aimed to evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of this adapted therapy, finding that it has demand from individuals with Bipolar disorder.
A new study by UBC researchers found that people perceived as being less real and having 'less mind' when appearing within a photo. This discovery has implications for digital communication, particularly in online trials, healthcare, and education, where the perception of a person's mind can influence moral judgement.
A recent study found that people willingly share monetary gains with others and dislike inequality, yet behave selfishly in large group decisions. In the Big Robber Game, over half of participants took the maximum amount from their group, while displaying prosocial behavior in small, bilateral games.
Research from UNSW Sydney found that unexpected uncertainty prompts people to adjust their behavior, even if it's not the best strategy. In contrast, gradual changes in uncertainty do not lead to significant behavioral shifts. The study suggests that understanding how people react to uncertainty can help overcome inertia and promote su...
Neuroscientists used artificial intelligence to disentangle the relationship between perception and memory in the human brain. A novel computational framework predicts neural responses in the primate visual system, resolving decades-long debates over the role of the medial temporal lobe (MTL) in perception.
Researchers investigated how to measure joint attention in young infants who cannot yet talk. The study revealed low agreement among raters in assigning looks from infants to their mothers, challenging the idea that quality of infant looks can be reliably distinguished as a marker of joint attention.
Researchers use X-rays to activate opsins in neurons, allowing for remote control of neural function and behavior. Scintillators emit visible light in response to X-ray irradiation, enabling the technique without tissue damage.
A new study reveals that older people are slower to learn actions and behaviors that benefit themselves, but are just as capable as younger people of learning behaviors that benefit others. When making choices that give positive feedback to another person, older adults' learning ability is preserved.
A recent study found that neuronal microcircuits in the amygdala play a crucial role in regulating fear responses and suppressing fear memories. The researchers' findings suggest that dysfunction of this system can contribute to anxiety disorders, paving the way for more effective therapies.
Researchers at Université libre de Bruxelles compare popular neuro-evolutionary methods for offline robot swarm design, observing a 'reality gap' where simulated neural networks fail in the real world. To address this, they propose reducing method 'power' to adopt simpler approaches with predefined building blocks.
Researchers found that fawns in areas with multiple predators and humans tend to relax instead of being hypervigilant. The study used trail cameras to analyze the behavior of fawns, adult deer, and predators in different landscapes.
In an experiment, dogs were paired with two unfamiliar humans - one helpful and one unhelpful. Despite the humans' behavior, the dogs showed no preference for the helper or did not reciprocate by acting more favorably towards them. The study suggests that dogs may not be able to understand the connection between human help and reward.
Studies have shown that oxytocin neurons connecting the hypothalamus to a reward area fire when vole fathers care for their offspring, increasing paternal behavior. This neural pathway is also involved in maternal behavior, highlighting potential connections between fatherly and motherly care.
A new grant from the NIH is supporting the development of an AI-powered smartphone app that scans speech and vocabulary patterns to catch early signs of Alzheimer's disease. The app aims to provide affordable and accessible self-assessment technology, potentially encouraging patients to seek help sooner.
Researchers found that eating disorder behaviors like binge-eating alter brain reward response and food intake control circuitry, reinforcing these behaviors. The study suggests that behavioral traits contribute to eating disorder maintenance and progression by modulating internal reward responses.
Researchers discovered that stimulating environments preserve a young DNA methylation landscape in the aged mouse hippocampus, leading to greater neuroplasticity. This finding suggests that active lives may help preserve mental fitness in old age, with implications for human brain health and disease prevention.
A study by Brigham Young University found that individuals with dark triad personality traits and schadenfreude are more likely to engage in trolling behaviors. However, the research also suggests that civil online discourse is attainable when users approach online discussions with an open mind and mutual respect.
Researchers at Columbia University School of Engineering and Applied Science have developed a computer vision technique that enables machines to predict human behavior with higher accuracy. The algorithm leverages higher-level associations between people, animals, and objects to make more intuitive predictions about future actions, ope...
A recent study published in Neuron has identified the anterior cingulate cortex as a key brain region involved in linking actions to their outcomes. The finding sheds light on compulsive behaviors such as OCD and addiction, which are thought to result from impairments in this brain region.
Scientists at IBEC successfully controlled neuronal activity in the human brain using a light-responsive molecule named PAI. This breakthrough study demonstrates spatiotemporal control of brain state transitions, opening up new avenues for basic neuroscience research and potential brain therapies.
A study published in Science Advances found that vitamin D deficiency may increase the risk of opioid addiction and excessive sun-seeking behavior. Researchers discovered that modulating vitamin D levels can change addictive behaviors to both UV and opioids, and that patients with low vitamin D levels are more likely to use opioids.
Researchers used machine learning to test and improve long-stagnant theories of human decision-making by analyzing a large dataset of risky choices. The study found that deep neural networks could mimic human decisions with high accuracy, revealing underlying psychological properties of established behavioral theories.
The Brainlife.io platform uses cloud technologies to democratize neuroscience research, allowing scientists to process, visualize, and manage large amounts of data. The platform provides a suite of web services to support reproducible research, with over 1,600 scientists from around the world accessing it thus far.
Researchers found that neural replay of a newly learned skill occurred during waking rest periods, approximately 20 times faster than the actual behavior. Frequent replay events were associated with greater skill consolidation and improved performance.
A recent KAIST study revealed that the ventral striatum is a neural basis for our habitual seeking behavior, including addiction. The research found that long-term value memories are retained in the ventral striatum and guide automatic evaluations of objects based on positive values.
A new study led by Kumi Kuroda at RIKEN Center for Brain Science identified the calcitonin receptor as a crucial brain protein driving nurturing behaviors in mice. The research found that this protein motivates mothers to care for their infants, suppressing self-interest and risk-taking behaviors.
The Ecole de technologie superieure hosts two new research chairs on artificial intelligence applied to health. The chairs aim to train qualified personnel who can work in a field combining AI and healthcare. Researchers plan to develop algorithms that improve real-time assessment of patient status and reduce ICU readmission rates.
A new longitudinal study found that sleep health is related to observed classroom behavior and predicts future academic achievement among primarily Black children growing up in historically disinvested neighborhoods. Higher teacher-reported child sleepiness was associated with lower adaptive behaviors and higher behavior problems.
Research from Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences found that people changed their behavior in response to national guidelines during the COVID-19 pandemic, with a uniform rise in mobility across the country when the guidelines expired.
A subpopulation of neurons in the zona incerta drives investigatory and novelty-seeking behavior in mice. The discovery sheds light on a previously unknown brain circuit underlying innate curiosity.
A new AI model precisely replicates human touchscreen typing by simulating eye and finger movements, making it easier to optimize keyboard designs for better typing. The model can also account for different user types, including those with motor impairments, to develop personalized typing aids.
Researchers at the University of Houston discovered 'accelerousal,' a phenomenon describing stress triggered by acceleration events. Half of the participants exhibited heightened stress during stop-and-go periods, with 'accelaroused' drivers experiencing nearly 50% more stress and feeling more overloaded.
Researchers found that highly sensitive individuals' brains show activity suggesting depth of processing after emotionally evocative tasks. This trait is associated with a heightened appreciation of beauty and deeper bonds with others.
Researchers developed a technique to automatically search for simulation configurations that test various behaviors of automated driving systems. The proposed method uses evolutionary computation to discover configurations leading to specific features of driving behaviors, such as high acceleration and deceleration.
A Cornell University-led study found that when temperatures rise, people fish less often, but stocks of fish and other aquatic foods increase, leading to slightly larger catches. Factoring in human behavior is crucial for understanding climate change's effects on rural livelihoods and food access.
Researchers found that modulation of map-like representations in the brain's hippocampal formation can predict contextual memory retrieval in an ambiguous environment. The study used virtual reality navigation tasks to test human participants' ability to recall object positions in different contexts.
A team of experts used advanced modelling techniques to recreate the journey of Australia's indigenous people, who navigated the continent tens of thousands of years ago. The study reveals that prominent landscape features and water sources played a crucial role in their survival and growth.
Researchers analyzed 43 brain disorders using BrainMap database, finding striking overlap between disease-related co-alteration networks and functional networks involved in normal behaviors. The study suggests metabolic stress in high-traffic hubs as a key underlying cause of network-based degeneration.
Research on Roundup's neurological impact found that exposure prolonged seizure-like behavior in C. elegans, a microscopic worm with human genes. The study suggests potential risks for humans and has implications for environmental health.
A Johns Hopkins University study reveals that stories about pollution, such as a man's death from contaminated shellfish, increase willingness to buy eco-friendly products among Democrats by 17%, whereas it decreases their spending by 14%. In contrast, Republican participants showed no change or even decreased spending after hearing th...
Employees perceive prosocially motivated supervisors as fairer and are more likely to give them the benefit of the doubt, even when they make mistakes. Research from the University of Notre Dame found that supervisor motives impact fairness judgments and that focusing on prosocial motives can buffer the negative effects of low justice ...
Researchers at Osaka City University have developed a method to exfoliate materials using UV light, achieving the world's fastest rate of 260 microseconds. This breakthrough has the potential to revolutionize photoactuator production and enable precise manipulation in areas inaccessible to traditional power sources.
A new Heidelberg-based computerized approach recognizes motor impairments and provides information about underlying diseases through artificial intelligence. The uBAM algorithm uses machine learning to analyze movement patterns, highlighting pathological deviations and aiding in diagnosis and treatment.
A new study found that family child care home providers with high diet self-efficacy can buffer the impact of stress on their diet quality. Those with low self-efficacy are negatively affected by stress and have a poorer diet quality.
Researchers identified a single personality component related to Confidence/Aggressiveness in red deer, which is also linked to dominance behavior. The study's findings suggest that understanding individual differences in animal behavior can improve welfare management decisions.
Researchers led by Dr. Katrin Vogt found that fly larvae adjust their behavior in response to internal states and context, similar to human brains. The study, funded by the German Research Foundation and NIH, sheds light on how the brain controls sensory processing.
Researchers analyzed ancient Maya house remains to find a link between autocratic governance and wealth inequality. They found that societies with more collective governance had more similarly sized houses, indicating less wealth disparity.
A new study reveals that higher ghrelin levels in healthy females predict a greater preference for smaller immediate monetary rewards over larger delayed financial rewards. This indicates more impulsive choices, contradicting previous research findings in rodents suggesting a similar effect.
Research finds that people's reason for swiping right is primarily based on attractiveness and the race of a potential partner. Decisions are often made quickly, with only personality, approach style, or long-term goals mattering slightly.
A special supplement to the journal WORK explores the latest advances in comfort research, highlighting the importance of human behavior in determining comfort. The studies examined various factors, including the impact of posture, movement, and environmental conditions on comfort.
Research found that post-pandemic tourism is influenced by a behavioral immune system, leading to increased nationalism, xenophobia, and avoidance of crowds. Tourists may choose familiar destinations over new ones, increasing destination loyalty. This could have long-term implications for businesses during the COVID-19 era.
Zebra finches select familiar nest materials when successful breeding, while less experienced birds experiment with new materials. This study challenges long-held assumptions about bird nesting behavior, showing that animals learn and modify their nests based on past experiences.
Researchers at OHSU discovered a correlation between gut microbiome composition and cognitive performance in mice with genes associated with Alzheimer's. The study suggests a relationship between microbes and epigenetic changes in the brain, potentially leading to new treatments for Alzheimer's.
Mount Sinai researchers identified a neural pathway that detects errors and guides subsequent behavioral improvement, which is frequently dysregulated in psychiatric disorders. They also suggest that neurostimulation of this brain pathway could provide an important mechanism for attention adjustments following behavioral errors.
A new study reveals that a 42,000-year-old magnetic reversal led to significant changes in atmospheric ozone concentration and circulation. The event, known as the Laschamps excursion, caused substantial shifts in climate and environmental patterns worldwide.