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dopamine

·April 12, 2024·10 min read

Key Brain Systems Implicated in Psychosis

Researchers provide new insights into the brain mechanisms behind psychosis. The research identified malfunctions in two critical brain systems—the "filter" and the "predictor" in individuals with psychosis.

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·March 18, 2024·7 min read

Brain’s Motivation Mechanics: How Hunger Drives Goal Pursuit

Researchers unveiled how the brain's thalamus navigates hunger-driven motivation. Through innovative experiments with mice, the study explores the role of two distinct neuronal populations within the paraventricular nucleus (PVT), showing how they regulate actions towards achieving a goal, like foraging for food.

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·March 4, 2024·5 min read

Substance Abuse Beyond Dopamine and Impulsivity

Researchers shed new light on why some individuals are more vulnerable to substance abuse than others, focusing on the relationship between impulsivity, dopamine production, and cocaine use. Through a study on rats, they discovered that impulsivity predicts cocaine consumption not through dopamine production capacity but possibly through the control of its release.

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·March 4, 2024·4 min read

How Impulse Control Disorders Alter Processing of Risky Decisions

A novel study explores how Parkinson's disease patients, particularly those with impulse control disorders (ICD) induced by dopaminergic medications, process the outcomes of risky decisions.

This shows a woman surrounded by neurons.

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·February 26, 2024·8 min read

Serotonin and Dopamine Play Key Role in Social Decisions

A new study unveiled the intricate role of dopamine and serotonin in social decision-making, using Parkinson's disease patients as subjects. Through the "ultimatum game," the team discovered that people's choices vary significantly when interacting with humans versus computers, influenced by the dynamic interplay between these neuromodulators.

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·February 19, 2024·7 min read

Dopamine’s Role in Movement Explored

A new study explains how dopamine influences movement sequences, offering hope for Parkinson's disease (PD) therapies. Researchers observed that dopamine not only motivates movement but also controls the length and lateralization of actions, with different neurons activating for movement initiation and reward reception.

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·January 26, 2024·4 min read

Brain Pathway Linking Movement, Addiction, and Rewards Discovered

Researchers have uncovered a previously unknown connection between the brain's basal ganglia and cerebellum, altering our understanding of motor learning and habit formation. This discovery suggests that the cerebellum plays a role in modulating dopamine levels in the basal ganglia, affecting both movement and reward processing.

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·January 20, 2024·5 min read

Exercise’s Dopamine-Driven Cognitive Boost

Recent research has revealed a significant link between exercise and improved cognitive performance, attributing this enhancement to increased dopamine levels. This discovery, involving sophisticated PET scans to monitor dopamine release in the brain during exercise, indicates that dopamine plays a vital role in boosting reaction times and overall brain function.

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·January 17, 2024·5 min read

COVID-19 May Infect Dopamine Neurons

A new study reveals that SARS-CoV-2 can infect dopamine neurons, potentially linking to long COVID symptoms like brain fog and depression. The research shows that these neurons enter a state of senescence, ceasing to function and causing inflammation. This discovery was unexpected, as the study initially aimed to understand how different cell types respond to the virus, but found this unique pathway only in dopamine neurons.

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·January 12, 2024·4 min read

Love’s Chemistry: How Dopamine Shapes Bonds and Breakups

Researchers uncover how dopamine, a key neurotransmitter, varies in response to social interactions, distinguishing between intimate and casual relationships. Their research, conducted on prairie voles, sheds light on the neurochemical dynamics of pair bonding and grief.

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·December 14, 2023·5 min read

How Dopamine Deciphers Learning in the Brain

Researchers made a significant breakthrough in understanding how the brain assigns credit to specific actions leading to rewards. Their study used a novel "closed loop" system with mice to explore how dopamine, a crucial neurotransmitter, shapes learning through trial and error.

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·December 5, 2023·5 min read

Dopaminergic System Organoid Model Illuminates Parkinson’s and Addiction

Researchers developed a novel organoid model that mimics the human dopaminergic system, providing crucial insights into Parkinson's disease and the impact of chronic cocaine use. This study demonstrates the model's ability to replicate the structure, connectivity, and functionality of the dopaminergic system.