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dorsal raphe

·March 18, 2021·4 min read

Parsing Dopamine’s Different Pain Sensitivity Role in Males and Females

Focusing attention on a neural pathway starting at the periaqueductal grey region of the midbrain, researchers made a novel discovery about how dopamine generates different pain responses in male and female mice. Findings indicate dopamine may reduce pain sensitivity in males, whereas, in females, dopamine helps focus attention elsewhere in the presence of pain.

This shows a diagram of how the drug works

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·June 3, 2019·3 min read

Diabetes drug alleviates anxiety in mice

Metformin, a common diabetes medication, shows promise for the treatment of anxiety and depression.

Featured Neuroscience

·August 26, 2018·5 min read

Painting a Nuanced Picture of Brain System Regulation Moods and Movements

A new study reports the serotonin system is made up of multiple parallel pathways that affect the brain in different, and sometimes opposing, ways.

Autism Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·August 8, 2018·7 min read

Specific Brain Circuits Tied to Sociability: Mouse Study

A new study implicates serotonin neurons in the nucleus accumbens with social behavior in mouse models of ASD. When serotonin release was triggered, researchers noted social behaviors normalized.

a drawing of a mouse with a dna strand for a tail

Featured Genetics Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles Psychology

·June 11, 2018·3 min read

Mutation Links Bipolar Disorder to Mitochondrial Disease

Researchers report mitochondrial dysfunction may affect the activity of serotonergic neurons in mice with ANT1 mutations. The findings may provide insight into the origins of bipolar disorder.

Featured Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles Psychology

·July 23, 2017·5 min read

High-Fat Diet in Pregnancy Can Cause Mental Health Problems in Offspring

Mothers who eat high fat diets during pregnancy could be elevating the risk of future depression and anxiety symptoms for their children, a new study in Frontiers in Endocrinology reports. High fat diets may impair the development of the central serotonin system, researchers discovered. Further studies noted that introducing a healthy diet to the offspring at an early age did not reverse the effect.