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behavioral neuroscience

·October 2, 2024·4 min read

Dolphins’ “Smile” Reveals Playful Intentions

Bottlenose dolphins use an "open mouth" expression, similar to a smile, during playful interactions with other dolphins. This expression is a signal of fun and playfulness, preventing misunderstandings as aggression.

This shows a painting of a springbok with a tracking collar.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·October 1, 2024·4 min read

Wildlife Tagging Alters Behavior for Days

A new study reveals that the stress of capturing and tagging wildlife affects their behavior for several days, altering their activity levels and movement patterns. By tracking 1,585 individuals from 42 species fitted with GPS collars, researchers found that predators tended to reduce their activity while herbivores often increased movement post-release.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·September 25, 2024·4 min read

Shared Brain Activity Patterns Linked to Behavior Identified

Scientists have uncovered stable patterns of brain activity across more than 300 individuals by reducing the complexity of fMRI data. These shared activity patterns, consistent across participants, may reveal biomarkers for psychiatric disorders and provide insight into individual differences in behavior.

Featured Genetics Neuroscience

·September 23, 2024·6 min read

Blue Light Exposure Induces Behavioral and Epigenetic Changes in Fish

Artificial light at night (ALAN), particularly blue light, disrupts fish behavior and affects their offspring. After just a few nights of blue light exposure, zebrafish displayed anxiety-like behaviors, such as reduced swimming and wall-hugging, and their offspring exhibited decreased activity despite never being exposed themselves.

This shows a little girl playing with cars.

Autism Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·August 28, 2024·2 min read

Gender Nonconformity in Play Linked to ASD and Behavioral Problems

A new study reveals that gender nonconforming play behavior in 7-year-olds is associated with increased behavioral difficulties, including autistic traits in girls and peer relationship issues in boys. Researchers analyzed data from 718 children in Sweden, finding that masculine play in girls and feminine play in boys were linked to these challenges. While the study highlights potential associations, it emphasizes that nonconforming play does not imply future behavioral issues.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·August 27, 2024·5 min read

Hidden Dopamine Neurons Balance Brain Functions and Behavior

Researchers identified a small group of dopamine neurons in the striatum that play a crucial role in balancing essential brain functions such as reward, cognition, and movement. This discovery opens the door to new treatments for psychiatric and neurological disorders like schizophrenia, addiction, and Parkinson’s disease. These neurons help regulate the brain's dopamine pathways, preventing overactivity that can lead to various disorders. The research marks a significant step toward understanding how these pathways impact motor and cognitive functions.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·July 22, 2024·3 min read

Dogs Detect Human Stress Smell, Affecting Their Mood and Choices

Summary: New research finds that dogs exposed to human stress odors make more ‘pessimistic’ choices, indicating a negative emotional state....

Featured Neuroscience Psychology Visual Neuroscience

·July 8, 2024·6 min read

Handedness and Vision May Reveal Hidden Social Strengths

A new study shows that human biases in handedness and visual field processing have social and cognitive implications. Researchers found that people with a reversed bias (left hand, right visual) are more likely to have social difficulties and conditions like autism or ADHD. The study reveals that aligning biases may have social benefits, much like in animals. These findings could lead to early screening and interventions for neurodevelopmental disorders.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·June 26, 2024·5 min read

Tackling Procrastination: Research Reveals Causes and Solutions

A new study uncovers the different patterns and reasons behind procrastination using a mathematical framework. It shows that procrastination is influenced by factors like immediate rewards and uncertainty about future outcomes. These insights can help develop personalized strategies to combat procrastination and improve productivity. The research also highlights the importance of understanding individual procrastination behaviors.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·June 12, 2024·3 min read

Positive Praise at Age 3 Reduces Problems by Age 7

3-year-olds who responded positively to parental praise had fewer behavioral and emotional issues by age 5-7. Children whose behaviors were less influenced by their mood also showed fewer problems. The research, involving 60 children, used toothbrushing videos to measure child behavior and parental praise. This study highlights the importance of early positive reinforcement in child development.

Featured Genetics Neuroscience

·June 8, 2024·5 min read

Key Protein Essential for Smell and Survival Identified

The Orco protein is crucial for the survival of olfactory neurons in ants. Mutating the orco gene in Harpegnathos saltator ants drastically reduced their number of olfactory neurons, impairing their social interactions. This stud highlights the importance of Orco in neural development and social communication in ants. Understanding these mechanisms can provide insights into sensory-mediated social behavior in both animals and humans.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·June 6, 2024·5 min read

Debunking Habit Myths: The Science of Lasting Change

Researchers debunk myths about habits, showing they are mental links between situations and actions. Habits compete with other impulses, like intentions and emotions, to influence behavior. Forming habits aids change but doesn't guarantee it. Effective strategies and backup plans are essential for overcoming disruptions and breaking bad habits.