Study confirms a neural circuit that links the caudal medial prefrontal cortex to the midbrain dorsolateral periaqueductal gray which governs stress response.
Neurons in the midbrain receive strong, specific synaptic input from retinal ganglion cells, but only from a small number of the sensory neurons.
A ventral tegmental area dopamine neuron circuit that projects to the basolateral amygdala selectively controls anxiety-like behaviors, but not depression-like behaviors.
Researchers have identified a neural circuit that helps suppress the execution of planned actions in response to specific cues.
Dopamine neurons in the midbrain become active in a previously undetected way when an animal considers a reward that is changing in value.
Focusing attention on a neural pathway starting at the periaqueductal grey region of the midbrain, researchers made a novel discovery about how dopamine generates different pain responses in male and female mice. Findings indicate dopamine may reduce pain sensitivity in males, whereas, in females, dopamine helps focus attention elsewhere in the presence of pain.
Rat R222 was born with hydrocephalus. Neuroimaging revealed most of its brain had compressed and collapsed as it filled with fluid. However, despite its condition, the animal was still able to see, hear, smell, and feel like other animals. The study sheds new light on neuroplasticity, and the findings could have implications for the development of new machine learning technologies.
Sustained hits following one season of playing football are enough to cause structural alterations to the brain. When players sustain a concussion, structural brain integrity decreases, and levels of tau increase. Researchers say, while concussions are a prime concern for those who play football, sustained hits also pose a threat to neurological health.
A newly discovered pathway that links the hypothalamus and midbrain drives innate defense behaviors. The findings could have implications for developing therapies for anxiety disorders.
Study reveals how ArGP and dopamine neurons are linked, and how food and drugs affect them differently. The findings offer clues for the development of new treatments for obesity and substance use disorders.
Study identifies a population of neurons in an area of the midbrain, called the red nucleus, that alter when fine motor skills are learned. The more an action is practiced, the stronger the connections between these neurons become.
An opinion article reports on a potential common cause for both SIDS and SUDEP. The reason sudden death may occur is due to a person's inability to wake when CO2 levels in the blood rise, as a result of dysfunctional serotonin neurons in the midbrain.
