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dopamine

·January 31, 2020·5 min read

New light shed on neuronal circuits involved in behavior, learning and dysfunction

New findings about dopaminergic neurons in the striatum could have implications for treating Parkinson's disease and Tourette syndrome.

Featured Genetics Neurology Neuroscience

·January 27, 2020·5 min read

Parkinson’s disease may start before birth

10% of patients diagnosed with Parkinson's disease are between the ages of 21 and 50. For those with young-onset Parkinson's disease, researchers report the foundations for the disease may have been apparent before they were born. The study also points to a drug, currently approved to treat precancerous skin growths, that has the potential to reduce elevated levels of alpha-synuclein.

This shows the dopamine structure and two heads

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·January 25, 2020·3 min read

Silicon Valley’s latest fad is dopamine fasting – and that may not be as crazy as it sounds

Advocates of dopamine fasting claim it can help curb addictive behaviors and make daily life more pleasurable. Researchers explore the potential benefits of this new Silicon Valley trend.

This shows a lonely man on a crowded street

Featured Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles

·January 24, 2020·3 min read

Imbalance between serotonin and dopamine in social anxiety disorder

Study reports the balance between serotonin and dopamine may be a risk factor for a person developing social anxiety disorder.

Featured Neuroscience

·January 22, 2020·5 min read

Glutamate in the brain has unexpected qualities

A new analysis method shows the brain regulates its signals using glutamate in more ways than previously thought.

Featured Neurology Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles

·January 14, 2020·3 min read

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.

Featured Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles

·January 14, 2020·4 min read

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.

Featured Genetics Neuroscience

·January 13, 2020·2 min read

Long-term memory performance depends upon gating system

Fruit fly study reveals suppression of a genetic switch boosts long-term memory.

This is the chemical structure of dopamine

Featured Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles

·January 2, 2020·5 min read

Study finds dopamine, biological clock link to snacking, overeating and obesity

Findings define a connection between reward, dopamine, and circadian pathways in the overeating.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·January 1, 2020·3 min read

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.

This shows a person laying with their head on the table and an empty alcohol bottle

Featured Genetics Neurology Neuroscience

·December 30, 2019·6 min read

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.

This is a drawing of a person in front of a TV set

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·December 29, 2019·4 min read

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.