FeaturedNeuroscienceOpen Neuroscience ArticlesPsychology·November 8, 2021·4 min readExpectations and Dopamine Can Affect Outcome of SSRI Antidepressant TreatmentThe placebo effect combined with dopamine levels can determine whether symptoms of depression and social anxiety will improve in patients prescribed SSRI antidepressants. Researchers found the positive effect of the medications was four times higher in patients with high expectations the treatment would work compared to those with lower expectations.Read More
FeaturedNeuroscience·November 2, 2021·3 min readThe Mechanisms of AddictionA new study aims to shed light on the roles sub-regions of the nucleus accumbens play in addiction.Read More
FeaturedNeuroscience·October 28, 2021·4 min readDopamine’s Many Roles, ExplainedStudy reveals dopamine neurons that play a role in learning and memory also drive motivation.Read More
FeaturedNeuroscience·October 26, 2021·4 min readRelease of Dopamine in Infant Brains May Help Control Early Social DevelopmentIncreased levels of dopamine release in the basolateral amygdala as a result of stressful situations during infancy could lead to lasting behavioral issues and social difficulties, a new study reports.Read More
FeaturedNeurologyNeuroscience·October 25, 2021·4 min readDeterioration of Brain Cells in Parkinson’s Disease Is Slowed by Blocking the Bach1 ProteinBach1, a protein that blocks the expression of genes associated with neuroprotection, has been implicated in Parkison's disease. Researchers say blocking Bach1 slows the deterioration of brain cells in preclinical models of Parkinson's disease.Read More
FeaturedNeurosciencePainPsychology·October 18, 2021·5 min readBrain Circuitry Identified That May Be Responsible for Negative Emotional Aspects of PainA new rodent study uncovers a neural circuit in the brain that appears to govern pain-induced anhedonia. Altering the activity of this circuit restored motivation in pre-clinical models of pain.Read More
ElectrophysiologyFeaturedNeuroscience·September 22, 2021·4 min readSniffing Out How Associative Memories Are FormedDopamine-controlled fan cells in the lateral entorhinal cortex are required for the formation of associative memories.Read More
FeaturedNeuroscienceOpen Neuroscience Articles·September 16, 2021·3 min readDrug Targets for Memory EnhancementResearchers identified specific receptors for acetylcholine that reroute information flow through memory circuits in the hippocampus. The findings could have implications for the development of drugs to help enhance or protect memory from diseases associated with cognitive decline.Read More
FeaturedNeuroscienceOpen Neuroscience ArticlesPsychology·September 16, 2021·4 min readTrue Behavior of Dopamine Will Reshape How We Treat Psychiatric Diseases and AddictionA new study finds dopamine increases responses to stressful stimuli, not just pleasurable ones. The findings could have implications for the treatment of mental health disorders and addiction.Read More
FeaturedNeuroscience·September 4, 2021·3 min readResearchers Trained Mice to Control Seemingly Random Bursts of Dopamine in Their Brains, Challenging Theories of Reward and LearningBy training mice to voluntarily increase the size and frequency of dopamine impulses in their brains, researchers demonstrated dopamine increases can be driven by internally mediated changes within the brain.Read More
FeaturedNeuroscience·September 2, 2021·4 min readBeyond Dopamine: New Reward Circuitry DiscoveredResearchers have identified a new reward system in the brain. The study found long-range GABA neurons from the ventral tegmental area to the ventral nucleus accumbens shell are engaged in reward and reinforcement behaviors. This GABAergic projection inhibits cholinergic interneurons.Read More
ElectrophysiologyFeaturedNeuroscienceOpen Neuroscience Articles·August 26, 2021·5 min readOld Habit-Controlling Neurons May Also Help the Brain Learn New TricksThe delicate balance between learning new behaviors and expressing old habits is controlled by two different populations of neurons in the dorsolateral striatum.Read More