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·January 29, 2020·4 min read

How CBD takes effect in the brains of people with psychosis

During memory tasks, people with psychosis have different patterns of activity in the prefrontal and mediotemporal brain areas compared to those without the disorder. When exposed to cannabidiol (CBD), the activity of the brain areas became more like those seen in the controls for people with psychosis. Patients reported a decrease in symptoms of psychosis following one dose of CBD. Researchers stress that no definitive conclusions could be made about the effectiveness of CBD use over a sustained period.

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·January 28, 2020·3 min read

Walnuts may slow cognitive decline in at-risk elderly

Adding walnuts to your diet could help protect against age-related cognitive decline, a new study reports. Walnuts contain polyphenols and omega-3 fatty acids, which counteract the oxidative stress and inflammation that contribute to cognitive decline.

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·January 25, 2020·3 min read

High air pollution exposure in 1-year-olds’ linked to structural brain changes at age 12

Early-life exposure to high levels of traffic-related air pollution alters the structure of the brain at age 12. Children exposed to air pollution had reduced cortical thickness and gray matter volume compared to children who were not exposed to high levels of pollution.

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·January 24, 2020·4 min read

How emotions are mapped in the brain

Neuroimaging reveals the entire set of human emotions is topographically located in the right temporoparietal junction.

Featured Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles Psychology

·January 24, 2020·3 min read

Horror movies manipulate brain activity expertly to enhance excitement

Neuroimaging reveals areas of the brain associated with visual and auditory processing are more active when anxiety slowly increases during horror movies. After a shocking scene, brain areas associated with emotional processing, threat evaluation, and decision making increase in activity.

Featured Neurology Neuroscience

·January 23, 2020·3 min read

Hot flashes impair memory performance

Vasomotor symptoms, including hot flashes in postmenopausal women, may contribute to memory performance problems. Neuroimaging reveals hot flashes caused alterations in brain function during memory encoding and retrieval tasks, specifically within the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex.

This shows a drawing of a brain made up of cog wheels

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·January 23, 2020·3 min read

How the brain processes rewards

Different types of reward have unique effects on the basal ganglia nuclei. Food rewards influence the left hemisphere of the brain, while erotic rewards engage the right lateral globus and left caudate. Financial rewards engage the basal ganglia bilaterally.

Featured Neurology Neuroscience

·January 21, 2020·3 min read

Brain activity patterns linked with improved learning and memory in multiple sclerosis

Using a modified story memory technique, people with multiple sclerosis showed improvements in learning and memory. Additionally, fMRI neuroimaging revealed changes in brain activity related to working memory and word encoding.

This shows the mPFC and striatum highligted on a brain scan

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·January 17, 2020·5 min read

Rich rewards: ADHD medication’s effect on the brain

Methylphenidate may boost norepinephrine levels in the prefrontal cortex, which in turn regulates dopaminergic neurons firing in the striatum, when a reward is delivered. The study sheds new light on how medications for ADHD affect the reward system in the brain.

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·January 15, 2020·5 min read

Surprising effects of oxytocin on cocaine addiction

In men with a history of childhood trauma, oxytocin reduced the activity within the amygdala and cravings for cocaine. Women who were addicted to cocaine and had experienced childhood trauma showed an increase in amygdala activity following exposure to oxytocin.

This shows a brain made up of network nodes

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·January 14, 2020·6 min read

Brain model offers new insights into damage caused by stroke and other injuries

Combining neuroimaging data and deep learning technologies, researchers have developed a model of the human brain that simulates patterns of neurological impairment better than existing models.

Featured Neuroscience

·January 13, 2020·4 min read

Calculated surprise leads to groundbreaking discovery in cognitive control research

The activity of the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC) during motivated control reflects the calculation of surprise. The findings take cognitive control research to new heights by providing insight into how the dACC works as a component of a brain network that supports motivated behaviors.