FeaturedNeurosciencePsychology·October 8, 2022·4 min readHuman Cocaine and Heroin Addiction Is Found Tied to Impairments in Specific Brain Circuit Initially Implicated in AnimalsGreater impairment of the prefrontal cortex-habenula pathway was correlated with earlier age of first drug use.Read More
FeaturedNeuroscienceNeuroscience VideosOpen Neuroscience Articles·August 20, 2021·4 min readSmells and Emotions Tug on the Brain’s HabenulaThe habenula relays external information, such as sight and smell, along with internal states associated with emotion and learning to brain regions that govern adaptive behaviors.Read More
FeaturedNeurosciencePsychology·April 13, 2020·2 min readDiscovery of a drug to rescue winter depression-like behaviorFish model study found a potential target for the treatment of seasonal affective disorder (SAD). Researchers implicated NRF2 in seasonal depression and reported celastrol may help in the treatment of SAD.Read More
FeaturedNeuroscienceOpen Neuroscience Articles·October 17, 2019·3 min readHow hunger makes food tastierStudy identifies the neural circuits that cause hunger-induced increases in the preference for sweet foods and decreased sensitivity to aversive tastes.Read More
FeaturedNeuroscienceOpen Neuroscience Articles·February 14, 2019·3 min readBrain Pathways of Aversion IdentifiedResearchers have identified a specific pathway between the hypothalamus and habenula that controls feelings of aversion.Read More
FeaturedNeuroscience·June 26, 2018·6 min readA New Way to Block Alcohol Addiction and Ease Withdrawal DiscoveredActivating a receptor found in neurons in the habenula could help treat alcohol addiction and ease withdrawal symptoms, researchers report.Read More
FeaturedNeurosciencePsychology·January 12, 2018·4 min readBrain Circuits Controlling Social Behavior IdentifiedA new study in Biological Psychiatry implicates the habenula in controlling social behavior. Increasing activity in the habenula leads to social problems, researchers report.Read More
FeaturedNeuroscience·December 28, 2017·5 min readBrain Research Points the Way to New Treatments for Nicotine AddictionResearchers have identified specific chemical changes in the brain that drive nicotine addiction. The findings could lead to new treatments to help break the addiction.Read More
FeaturedPsychology·May 31, 2016·2 min readBrain Structure That Tracks Negative Events Backfires in DepressionIn depressed people, the habenula functions abnormally, a new study reports.Read More
FeaturedNeuroscience·August 21, 2014·3 min readScientists Discover Area of Brain Responsible for Exercise MotivationResearchers report the dorsal medial habenula could control a person's motivation to exercise.Read More