Latest

hypothalamus

·February 24, 2026·8 min read

Gut-Brain-Heart Axis: How Microbes Control Your Blood Pressure

It’s not just in your chest. Scientists discover a "gut-brain-heart axis" where a single bacterial molecule acts as a remote control for your heart's health.

This shows a child surrounded by junk food.

Featured Neuroscience

·February 24, 2026·7 min read

Childhood Diet Leaves a Lasting Mark on the Brain

Childhood junk food leaves a "hidden" mark on the brain. Scientists discover how early diets rewire the hypothalamus and how gut bacteria can help fix it.

This illustration shows a brain surrounded by comfort foods.

Featured Neuroscience

·February 19, 2026·8 min read

Satiety Bypass: How Cannabis Overrides the Brain’s “I’m Full” Signal

A new study reveals how cannabis hijacks the brain's hypothalamus to trigger "the munchies," offering new insights for treating medical appetite loss.

This illustration shows two people chatting. Above them is the oxytocin molecular structure.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·February 19, 2026·8 min read

The Oxytocin Switch That Controls Your Social Vibe

It’s the brain’s social thermostat. Scientists have discovered the protein that controls the slow, steady drip of oxytocin that works alongside serotonin to prime us for human connection.

This shows the outline of a person running. Their brain is highlighted, as are their muscles.

Featured Neuroscience

·February 19, 2026·8 min read

Hypothalamus Signal Build Endurance After Exercise

A new study reveals that SF1 neurons in the hypothalamus are required for the body to gain endurance after exercise, acting as a master coordinator for muscle remodeling.

Featured Neuroscience

·February 17, 2026·8 min read

Brain’s Developmental Switch May Shape Lifelong Obesity Risk

Is your weight gain pre-programmed? Scientists have discovered a developmental "fate-switch" in the brain that decides if you’ll be driven by hunger or fullness.

This shows a brain and a person working out.

Featured Neuroscience

·February 12, 2026·6 min read

Neural Afterburn: Brain Rewires Itself to Boost Endurance

Building endurance isn't just about muscles, it's about the brain. New research suggests that a specific "afterburn" of brain activity following a workout is the secret to getting stronger, effectively rewiring your neural circuits to power your heart and lungs.

This shows a brain surrounded by faded foods, as though the foods represent distant memories.

Featured Neuroscience

·February 12, 2026·7 min read

Memory of Food: Brain Circuits Control Appetite Through Context

Forget the "willpower" myth, new research suggests that your past experiences are the real secret to appetite control. By identifying a hidden circuit that links memory to hunger, scientists have discovered how the brain uses your environment to decide when it's time to eat, and how a "glitch" in this system leads to overeating.

Featured Neuroscience

·September 23, 2025·5 min read

Newly Discovered Brain Neurons Hold Key to Energy Balance and Obesity

Summary: Researchers uncovered a new subtype of hypothalamic neurons, called Crabp1 neurons, that serve as powerful regulators of energy expenditure....

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·September 4, 2025·5 min read

Astrocyte Disruption Tied to Depression After Childhood Stress

Researchers have shown that astrocytes in the lateral hypothalamus play a pivotal role in how stress shapes behavior, particularly after early-life adversity. In mice, stress led to smaller, less branched astrocytes and abnormal orexin neuron activity, with sex-specific patterns in activity levels.

This shows a brain and a night time backdrop.

Featured Neuroscience

·August 21, 2025·5 min read

Nighttime Brain Activity Keeps Glucose Levels in Check

A new study reveals that the brain actively maintains blood sugar stability during everyday life, not just during crises. Researchers identified VMHCckbr neurons in the hypothalamus that regulate glucose by promoting fat breakdown, especially during the early hours of sleep.

Featured Neurology Neuroscience

·May 16, 2025·5 min read

Surprising Diabetes Fix Found in the Brain

New research reveals that hyperactivity in a specific set of brain cells, AgRP neurons in the hypothalamus, plays a key role in type 2 diabetes—independent of obesity. When these neurons were silenced in diabetic mice, blood sugar normalized for months, even without changes in weight or food intake. This challenges long-standing beliefs that obesity and insulin resistance are the sole drivers of diabetes.