Neuroscience News - AI, Neuroscience, Psychology Research

Image shows a brain with the amygdala highlighted in red.

·July 17, 2017·5 min read

Late Breaking Mutations May Play an Important Role in Autism

A study in Nature Neuroscience reveals mutations that occur after conception could play an important role in autism. The study reports post-zygotic mutations occur disproportionately in genes expressed in the amygdala in those on the autism spectrum.

Image shows a diagram of how lupus affects the body.

Featured Genetics Neurology

·July 17, 2017·3 min read

Potential Cause of Lupus Discovered

Researchers have identified a protein they believe may cause the adverse reaction in the immune system of those suffering from Lupus. Reduced production of the Blimp-1 protein increased CTSS in females with Lupus, but not in males, the Nature Immunology study reports.

Featured Most Popular Neurology Open Neuroscience Articles

·July 17, 2017·4 min read

Bacteria Found in Alzheimer’s Brains

A new study published in Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience provides new evidence that bacterial infection and inflammation could contribute to Alzheimer's disease. Researchers found a tenfold higher overall ratio of Actinobacteria to Proteobacteria in the brains of Alzheimer's patients compared to those without the disease.

Featured Psychology

·July 17, 2017·4 min read

Brain Circuit Study Finds Key Links to Depressive Symptoms

Researchers have discovered a link between specific neural circuits to distinct behavioral symptoms of depression. The study, published in Cell, reports altering the networks helped to improve symptoms such as social withdrawal and helplessness.

Featured Psychology

·July 16, 2017·3 min read

Electrical Stimulation of Brain May Help People with Schizophrenia Learn to Communicate Better

UCLA researchers use transcranial direct current stimulation to help boost auditory processing in people with schizophrenia.

Image shows a person holding a board with the word Autism written on it.

Autism Featured Psychology

·July 16, 2017·5 min read

Autistic Females Show Greater Difficulty With Day to Day Tasks Than Males With ASD

While girls on the autism spectrum generally exhibit better social and communication skills than autistic boys, they tend to have more challenges with planning and organization, a new study reports.

Featured Neuroscience Videos Psychology

·July 15, 2017·4 min read

Ga-Ga, Goo-Goo, Why a Baby May Like You

According to a new study in Developmental Science, infants at the age of one already tend to prefer speakers of their native language. However, they do not necessarily view those who speak different languages negatively. Findings suggest that positivity toward familiar groups may be innate, while negativity toward unfamiliar groups may be learned.

Featured Neurology Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles

·July 15, 2017·4 min read

Restless Legs Syndrome Linked to Poor Sleep Quality and Impaired Function in Pregnancy

A new study links restless leg syndrome to poor quality sleep and poor daytime function in pregnant women. RLS is common in pregnant women, especially in the third trimester. It is estimated up to 36% of women suffer RLS at some point during pregnancy. Researchers say identifying and treating RLS could help alleviate some of the burden of the symptoms.

Featured Neuroscience

·July 15, 2017·4 min read

How Neurons Sense Our Everyday Life

Researchers at King's College London have identified a molecular mechanism that allows neural connections to adapt as a result of experience. This adaptation fuels our ability for memory and learning.

Featured Neuroscience

·July 15, 2017·5 min read

Not All Astrocytes in the Brain Are the Same

A new study published in Neuron challenges the idea that astrocytes across the brain are largely identical. Researchers found astrocytes in the hippocampus and striatum have differences that affect how they function and interact with neurons. Striatal astrocytes also have different genes turned on that hippocampal astrocytes, the study reports.

Featured Psychology

·July 14, 2017·4 min read

The Ugly Truth About Attractiveness

A new study in Body Image reports women who evaluated as less attractive were more motivated to diet and be thin if they had a husband considered more attractive. The additional motivation to be thin was not apparent in women considered to be more attractive that their partner. In men, the motivation to diet was low, regardless of their own, or their wives' level of attractiveness.

Featured Neuroscience Neuroscience Videos

·July 14, 2017·3 min read

A Neural Switch for Becoming Alpha Male

A new report in Science identifies a neural circuit in the dorsomedial prefrontal cortex of mouse brains that may play a key role in social dominance. Using optogenetics, researchers were able to target neurons in the dmPFC to help boost a mouse's chance of 'winning' in an aggressive encounter.