FeaturedNeuroscienceOpen Neuroscience Articles·November 22, 2021·4 min readInadequate Sleep Is Bad for Preteens’ BrainsInadequate sleep can harm brain organization in early adolescence, researchers report. The disorganization can have an impact on cognitive processes, including attention, memory, emotional regulation, and controlling behaviors.Read More
FeaturedNeuroscience·November 13, 2021·5 min readTool Use and Language Skills Are Linked in the Brain: Practicing One Improves the OtherFine motor skills utilized by using tools engage parts of the brain similar to those mobilized when we think about the construction of a sentence, researchers report.Read More
FeaturedNeuroscience·October 21, 2021·6 min readPractice Really Does Make PerfectThe old adage that practice makes perfect may very well be true, according to neuroscientists. Researchers found when a male zebra finch is in the presence of an attractive female and delivers its rehearsed mating call, a noradrenaline release in the basal ganglia shuts down variability in song and makes the call as perfect as it can be.Read More
ElectrophysiologyFeaturedNeuroscience·April 5, 2021·4 min readNew Blueprint of Brain Connections Reveals Extensive Reach of Central RegulatorA new map of the basal ganglia provides a blueprint of the structure of the brain region and reveals a new level of influence connected to this area.Read More
FeaturedNeurologyNeuroscienceOpen Neuroscience Articles·September 9, 2020·4 min readVitamin B1 Deficiency a Key Factor in the Development of Alcohol-Related DementiaResearchers hypothesize vitamin B1 (thiamine) deficiency may play a significant role in dementia associated with alcohol use disorder. It is known iron deposits in the brain contribute to neurodegenerative diseases. Those with AUD have elevated levels of both iron in their blood and thiamine deficiency. Thiamine is vital for maintaining the blood-brain barrier. Thiamine deficiency associated with AUD disrupts the integrity of the BBB, allowing for more iron deposits within the brain and leading to oxidative tissue damage.Read More
FeaturedNeuroscience·July 16, 2020·3 min readBrain Cells that Help Humans Adapt to Change IdentifiedA group of neurons located in the basal ganglia appears to play a vital role in cognitive flexibility.Read More
FeaturedNeuroscience·March 16, 2020·3 min readNew study reveals early evolution of cortexLamprey brain study provides new insights into how the human brain evolved.Read More
FeaturedNeurosciencePsychology·March 1, 2020·6 min readSecond Type of Schizophrenia DiscoveredCombining neuroimaging data with artificial intelligence, researchers have identified two distinct neuroanatomical subtypes of schizophrenia. The first, more typical subtype is associated with a lower widespread volume of gray matter compared to healthy controls. In the second subtype, gray matter volume is largely similar to healthy brains.Read More
FeaturedNeurologyNeuroscience·January 31, 2020·5 min readNew light shed on neuronal circuits involved in behavior, learning and dysfunctionNew findings about dopaminergic neurons in the striatum could have implications for treating Parkinson's disease and Tourette syndrome.Read More
FeaturedNeuroscience·January 27, 2020·3 min readThe brain may need iron for healthy cognitive developmentIron levels in the basal ganglia steadily increase throughout development and, in two sub-regions, continue to increase into adulthood. Decreased levels of iron in the putamen was correlated with impaired cognitive performance involving reasoning and spatial processing. Findings suggest the brain requires iron for healthy cognitive development.Read More
FeaturedNeurosciencePsychology·January 23, 2020·3 min readHow the brain processes rewardsDifferent types of reward have unique effects on the basal ganglia nuclei. Food rewards influence the left hemisphere of the brain, while erotic rewards engage the right lateral globus and left caudate. Financial rewards engage the basal ganglia bilaterally.Read More
FeaturedNeuroscienceOpen Neuroscience ArticlesPsychology·September 13, 2019·4 min readHow emotion affects actionResearchers have identified a comprehensive circuit mechanism that governs how emotional states can influence movement through connections in the basal ganglia. The mechanism represents a way in which emotional states relate to changes in action control in depression, anxiety, and OCD.Read More