Latest

emotion

This shows a brain surrounded by processed foods.

·February 19, 2026·10 min read

Processed Foods Silence the Brain’s Fear Center

Three days is all it takes. New research proves that skipping fiber can trigger rapid inflammation in your brain's emotional center, leaving you vulnerable to poor decisions.

This shows the outline of a person's head wearing earphones. musical notes swirl around her.

Featured Neuroscience

·February 18, 2026·8 min read

Hacking Musical Chills: Triggering Peak Musical Pleasure

Hack your goosebumps. A new brain-music interface uses in-ear sensors to read your emotions and curate a playlist that guarantees peak "musical chills."

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·December 5, 2025·6 min read

Warmth and Hugging Strengthen the Feeling of Being You

Changes in skin temperature play a key role in how strongly we experience our bodies as our own. Thermoception influences emotion, identity, and mental health by acting as a direct “skin-to-brain” pathway supporting bodily self-awareness.

Featured Genetics Neuroscience Psychology

·November 25, 2025·7 min read

Genes Behind Dog Behaviors Also Shape Human Emotions

Researchers analyzed the genomes and behavioral profiles of 1,300 golden retrievers and found that several behavioral traits—such as trainability, fear of strangers, and aggression toward other dogs—are shaped by specific genetic variants. Remarkably, a dozen of these same genes also influence emotional and cognitive traits in humans, revealing shared biological roots across species.

This shows a child surrounded by bacteria.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·October 30, 2025·6 min read

Toddler Gut Bacteria Linked to Childhood Anxiety and Depression

A new study suggests that a child’s gut microbiome at age 2 may influence their emotional health years later. Researchers found that higher levels of bacteria from the Clostridiales order and Lachnospiraceae family were linked to stronger connectivity across emotion-related brain networks and a higher risk of anxiety and depression symptoms by age 7½.

Featured Neuroscience

·October 22, 2025·6 min read

Hungry Brain Rewrites Emotional Priorities

New research reveals that hunger can flip female mice from nurturing to aggressive—but only during specific hormonal phases. Scientists discovered that neurons controlling appetite (AgRP neurons) interact with a brain region linked to parental care, the medial preoptic area (MPOA).

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·October 21, 2025·6 min read

When a Hug Turns Dark: How Manipulative Partners Use Touch

Touch can strengthen bonds and calm stress, but not all affection is sincere. A new study reveals that people with “dark triad” traits—narcissism, psychopathy, and Machiavellianism—often use physical touch to control or manipulate their romantic partners.

This shows a person surrounded by sound waves.

Auditory Neuroscience Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·October 15, 2025·5 min read

Feeling the Music: Touch Amplifies Emotional Power of Sound

A new study shows that combining touch with hearing profoundly intensifies emotional responses to music. Using a custom-built device that transforms sound into tactile vibrations, researchers found that people experienced more joy, connection, and reduced anxiety when they could both hear and feel the music.

Featured Genetics Neuroscience

·October 15, 2025·6 min read

Astrocytes, Not Neurons, Hold the Key to Emotional Memory

New research reveals that astrocytes — not neurons — are responsible for stabilizing emotional memories by re-engaging during recall. After an emotionally intense event, such as fear, specific astrocytes become biologically tagged with adrenoreceptors, making them responsive when the memory is later reactivated.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·October 7, 2025·7 min read

What You Choose to Remember Shapes Memory More Than Emotion

A new study reveals that intentional memory control—deciding what to remember or forget—is more powerful than emotional influence when forming long-term memories. Participants were more likely to recall words they were told to remember than those carrying emotional weight, even though emotion sometimes strengthened recall or caused false memories.

This shows people walking with album covers and sound waves in the background.

Featured Neuroscience Neuroscience Videos Psychology

·October 5, 2025·6 min read

How Growing Up Changes the Way We Hear, and Feel, Music

Our music preferences evolve across life — from youthful exploration to nostalgic reflection. A large-scale analysis of 40,000 users’ streaming data over 15 years revealed that young listeners engage broadly with new and popular music, while adults settle into more personal and emotionally rooted tastes.

This shows the outline of a woman, a heart and a brain.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·September 28, 2025·5 min read

Every Heartbeat Shapes Thoughts and Emotions

Researchers emphasize that the heart and brain are deeply interconnected, with every heartbeat influencing cognition and emotion within milliseconds. This link helps explain why cardiovascular diseases like hypertension often coincide with mental health disorders such as depression and anxiety.