Probiotic could guard against Parkinson’s
Building on previous research that links gut bacteria to the development of Parkinson's disease, researchers identified a probiotic which prevents the formation of alpha-synuclein.... Read More...
dopamine
Sugar changes the chemistry of your brain
After 12 days of sugar intake, researchers noted major changes in both the dopamine and opioid systems of pigs' brains. Alterations in the opioid system were seen following the very first intake of sugar.... Read More...
Long-term memory performance depends upon gating system
Fruit fly study reveals suppression of a genetic switch boosts long-term memory.... Read More...
Study finds dopamine, biological clock link to snacking, overeating and obesity
Findings define a connection between reward, dopamine, and circadian pathways in the overeating.... Read More...
New Year’s anxiety hangover? Here’s what’s happening in your brain
Hangxiety, the feeling of waking up with anxiety the morning after heavy drinking, is a common symptom associated with a hangover. Researchers explain how a heavy night's drinking alters neurochemistry, leaving some of us prone to waking with anxiety.... Read More...
Hangovers happen as your body tries to protect itself from alcohol’s toxic effects
Researchers explore the biology behind hangovers, including how excessive alcohol consumption alters glutamate, serotonin, and dopamine. The paper also examines how to reduce the effects of a heavy night's drinking.... Read More...
Watching pornography rewires the brain to a more juvenile state
From eroding the prefrontal cortex, an area of the brain critical for impulse control, to damaging the dopamine reward system, researchers evaluate the impact of viewing pornography on the brain.... Read More...
Blind bags: how toy makers are making a fortune with child gambling
The popularity of blind bag collectible toys is rapidly growing among children. Researchers report blind bags tap into the same psychological mechanisms that ultimately result in gambling addiction, namely intermittent reinforcement.... Read More...
Evolutionary changes in brain potentially make us more prone to anxiety
Evolutionary changes in neurotransmitter uptake of VMAT1 may be responsible for higher levels of anxiety.... Read More...
Dopamine fasting: an expert reviews the latest craze in Silicon Valley
The latest Silicon Valley crazy of dopamine fasting promises to "reset" the brain to be more effective and appreciate the smaller things in life more easily, but does it work? Researchers look at the effect of dopamine fasting on brain health.... Read More...
Forgetfulness might depend on time of day
Mouse study reveals a gene that influences memory recall at different times of the day. Researchers identified how the gene causes mice to be more forgetful just before they normally wake.... Read More...
Rave new world: Scientists pry apart party drug’s therapeutic, addictive qualities
Researchers have distinguished two different molecular pathways responsible for addiction and the prosocial feelings generated by MDMA. The findings could lead to novel treatments for psychiatric disorders marked by withdrawal and social awkwardness.... Read More...