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anterior cingulate cortex

·October 27, 2025·4 min read

Psychedelics May Rewire Memory Circuits Key to Mental Health

New research suggests that psychedelic drugs may work by strengthening specific brain connections linked to memory and cognition. Scientists found that under psychedelic exposure, neurons in the claustrum—a region dense with psychedelic-sensitive receptors—intensified their communication with the anterior cingulate cortex, a region involved in mood and psychiatric disorders.

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·October 9, 2025·6 min read

Lifelong Social Bonds Keep the Aging Brain Sharp and Flexible

Rats that lived in social groups throughout their lives retained youthful memory and mental flexibility well into old age, according to new research. Even with equal physical stimulation, only socially connected rats performed as well as younger ones on complex memory tests, while isolated rats showed significant decline.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·April 30, 2025·6 min read

What Poor Sleep Really Does to Your Brain

Chronic sleep disorders and short-term sleep deprivation affect different regions of the brain, highlighting distinct neural impacts. A meta-analysis of 231 brain studies showed that chronic sleep disorders alter regions involved in emotions and memory, while short-term deprivation primarily affects attention and movement regulation.

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·January 8, 2025·6 min read

Dopamine and Serotonin Drive Emotional Word Processing

Researchers have uncovered how neurotransmitters in the brain respond to the emotional content of language, shedding light on the intersection of emotion, cognition, and communication. Using advanced techniques, the team simultaneously measured dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine release in patients during exposure to emotionally charged words.

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·July 15, 2024·7 min read

Beta Brain Waves: A Novel Brain Signature for Depression

A new study identifies beta frequency neural activity in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) as crucial for recognizing rewards and shaping behavior. This neural signature is altered in patients with depression, suggesting it could serve as a biomarker and potential treatment target for anhedonia.

Autism Featured Genetics Neuroscience

·May 9, 2024·4 min read

Key Brain Region Implicated in Autism Sensory Issues

Researchers identified the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) as a crucial area linked to sensory hypersensitivity in autism spectrum disorders (ASD). This sensory hypersensitivity, affecting about 90% of individuals with autism, leads to abnormal responses to stimuli like sound and light, complicating daily activities and social interactions.

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·February 5, 2024·6 min read

Brains of Bullied Teens Show Chemical Shifts Linked to Psychosis

A new study revealed a significant link between bullying in adolescents and the early stages of psychosis, associated with lower levels of the neurotransmitter glutamate in the brain's anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), a region critical for emotion regulation. This finding underscores the potential of targeting glutamate levels for pharmaceutical interventions to mitigate the risk of developing psychotic disorders.

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·June 27, 2023·6 min read

Brain Chemical Imbalance Detected in OCD

Researchers discovered a neurochemical imbalance in the brains of patients with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD). Using magnetic resonance spectroscopy, they found a disrupted balance between neurotransmitters glutamate and GABA in two specific regions of the frontal lobes.

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·March 16, 2023·3 min read

Progress in Unlocking the Brain’s Code for Depression

Changes in brain activity in the anterior cingulate cortex could be the best predictor of depression severity.

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Featured Neuroscience Pain Psychology

·January 30, 2023·5 min read

How Ketamine Acts as Antidepressant in Chronic Pain

Chronic pain in mice activates Tiam1 in pyramidal neurons in the anterior cingulate cortex, increasing the number of dendritic spines and inducing synaptic plasticity. Ketamine's antidepressant effect in chronic pain is mediated by the drug blocking Tiam1-dependent maladaptive synaptic plasticity in ACC neurons.

Featured Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles

·November 8, 2022·4 min read

Neuronal Mechanism Involved in the Learning of Maternal Behavior Discovered

Female mice who have not been pregnant or given birth show activation in the anterior cingulate cortex when they acquire maternal behaviors after exposure to pups. The findings reveal through repeated exposure to pups, virgin female mice are capable of learning maternal behaviors that resemble those of mothers following birth.