FeaturedNeurosciencePsychology·June 11, 2021·6 min readBrain Areas Involved in Seeking Information About Bad Possibilities IdentifiedStudy reveals specific neurons in the ventrolateral prefrontal cortex and anterior cingulate cortex that become active when people are faced with the decision to learn or hide from information about an adverse event the person is not able to prevent.Read More
FeaturedGeneticsNeurosciencePsychology·February 8, 2021·5 min readDistinctness of Mental Disorders Traced to Differences in Gene ReadoutsDifferences in the expression of gene transcripts shed light on how mental health disorders with shared genetic risk factors differ in onset, symptoms, course of progression, and treatment responses.Read More
FeaturedNeuroscienceOpen Neuroscience Articles·November 30, 2020·7 min readCortex Over Reflex: Study Traces Circuits Where Executive Control Overcomes InstinctAnterior cingulate cortex neurons project connections to the superior colliculus. The superior colliculus carries out reflexive movements. The study finds the purpose of the ACC neurons connections to the SC is to over-rider the SC when executive control is essential.Read More
FeaturedNeuroscienceOpen Neuroscience Articles·November 8, 2020·6 min readBrain Region Implicated in Predicting the Consequences of ActionsThe anterior cingulate cortex plays a key role in how the brain can simulate the results of different actions and make the best decisions.Read More
FeaturedNeurosciencePsychology·August 28, 2020·8 min readWhich OCD Treatment Works Best? New Brain Study Could Lead to More Personalized ChoicesNeuroimaging predicts whether a person with OCD will respond to stress-reduction therapy or exposure-based therapy best. Analyzing brain activity may help to provide tailored treatments to individuals suffering from OCD.Read More
FeaturedOpen Neuroscience ArticlesPsychology·August 21, 2020·4 min readWhy Obeying Orders Can Make Us Do Terrible ThingsCoercion to perform detrimental actions against others reduces empathy and guilt, a new study reports. The findings may explain why people are able to commit immoral acts that go against their ethical stance when coerced.Read More
FeaturedNeurologyNeuroscience·May 21, 2020·4 min readExercise improves memory and boosts blood flow to brainFollowing a one year program of aerobic exercise improves memory function and boosts blood flow to brain areas critical for cognition in older adults with risk factors for dementia.Read More
FeaturedNeuroscienceOpen Neuroscience ArticlesPsychology·March 6, 2020·4 min readRats avoid to hurt other rats: Findings shed light on human empathy disordersRats show altruistic behavior and avoid harming other rats. Researchers report harm aversion is deeply engrained in our biology. The findings pave the way to increasing harm aversion in those with empathy disorders, such as psychopathy and sociopathy.Read More
FeaturedNeurosciencePsychology·February 11, 2020·7 min readMice ‘detectives’ hint at how humans read between the linesHumans and mice use inference skills to solve problems in a remarkably similar manner.Read More
FeaturedNeuroscienceOpen Neuroscience ArticlesPsychology·October 30, 2019·4 min readPatients with mood, anxiety disorders share abnormalities in brain’s control circuitPatients with mood and anxiety disorders have abnormally low activation in brain areas associated with cognitive and emotional control. Brain scans also revealed hyperactivity in brain areas linked to the processing of emotional thoughts.Read More
FeaturedNeuroscienceOpen Neuroscience Articles·September 8, 2019·4 min readDeep magnet stimulation shown to improve symptoms of obsessive compulsive disorderFollowing a month of treatment with deep transcranial magnetic stimulation (dTMS), people with OCD reported a 45.2% reduction in symptom severity.Read More
FeaturedNeuroscience·August 5, 2019·4 min readHow some older brains decline before people realize itStructural and functional alterations in the cognitive control network contribute to individual variability in memory performance during aging.Read More