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dorsal striatum

Image shows the location of the prefrontal cortex in the brain.

Featured Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles Psychology

·January 12, 2016·7 min read

A ‘Back Door’ Into Cocaine Addicted Brain

Researchers report those addicted to cocaine may have difficulty controlling their addiction because of a 'back door' into the brain that circumvents their self control.

MRI scan with the striatum highlighted in red.

Featured Neuroscience

·January 25, 2016·2 min read

Deciphering Sugar’s Siren Song

Signals for taste and nutrients are processed in two separate areas of the striatum, a new study reports.

This shows a person standing on a bridge

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·June 13, 2019·3 min read

Formation of habitual use drives cannabis addiction

Individual differences in the striatum of habitual cannabis users distinguish between who is at increased risk of addiction and cannabis use disorder.

Image shows how the DART neuron drug delivery system works.

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·April 6, 2017·5 min read

Homing System Delivers Drugs to Specific Neurons

Researchers have developed a new method to deliver drugs to specific neurons throughout the brain.

Featured Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles

·March 21, 2020·3 min read

How the brain controls the voice

Oscillations in the fronto-striatal network predict whether a bat is about to use echolocation or vocalized communication.

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·February 27, 2020·5 min read

How the brain forms habits

As the brain starts to develop new habits, activity in the dorsolateral striatum increases. As the activity bursts increase, the habit becomes stronger. Inhibiting neural activity with optogenetics reduces habit behaviors in mice.

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·July 30, 2013·2 min read

How to Learn Successfully Even Under Stress

A new study finds the switch from conscious to unconscious learning systems is triggered by the intact function of mineralocorticoid receptors.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·May 1, 2017·4 min read

Ill Gotten Gains Are Worth Less in the Brain

According to a new study, the brain responds less to rewards gained from immoral acts than it does to ethically earned rewards.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·February 16, 2023·4 min read

Is the Brain Wired Differently in People With Addiction?

Study reveals functional connectivity abnormalities in brain areas associated with reward processing, habit formation, and decision-making in those with substance use disorders and addiction.

Image shows the location of the striatum in the brain.

Featured Psychology

·October 12, 2015·3 min read

Key Brain Activity Differences in People with Anorexia Discovered

A new study reports when people with anorexia decide what to eat, they engage the dorsal striatum, an area of the brain associated with habitual behavior.