Addiction occurs as a result of the reward system becoming overwhelmed in a way that leads to chronic and permanent alterations in the brain.
Researchers successfully turned skin cells from Parkinson's patients into dopaminergic neurons by introducing a combination of neural-inducing genes into the skin cells.
Female mice show effects of the DAT mutation in brain regions unaffected in males, and vice versa. The findings reveal surprising differences in dopamine synapses between males and females controlling attention, pleasure, and motivation
Irisin, a hormone secreted into the blood during high endurance and aerobic exercise, reduces levels of alpha-synuclein and restores movement in mouse models of Parkinson's disease.
The lateral habenula is responsible for determining whether an animal is willing to work for rewards, and when it will stop working.
Dopamine neurons connect subregions of the striatum that contribute to habit formation. The findings shed new light on how habits are formed, and how they can be broken.
Inserting a microelectrode deep into the brain to measure serotonin and dopamine levels of patients scheduled to receive deep brain stimulation is safe and effective.
The cilia on neurons play a key role in ensuring dopamine receptor 1 signals are correctly received.
The VMAT1 gene evolved through natural selection in human evolution. Those with the Ile-type variant of the VMAT1 gene are less prone to anxiety and depression.
A new hypothesis suggests when people are awake during the biological circadian night there are neurophysiological changes in the brain that alters the way in which we interact with the world, especially when it comes to impulse control, information processing, and reward processing.
Researchers discuss how psychedelics can affect the brain and provide therapeutic benefits for those suffering from a range of psychiatric disorders.
Those with hereditary hemochromatosis who have two copies of the gene mutation that cause the disorder have an increased risk of developing movement disorders including Parkinson's disease.
