Dopamine conducts prefrontal cortex ensembles
Dopamine activation controls the ensemble activity of neurons and increases oscillatory activity in the prefrontal cortex.... Read More...
motivation
Blunting pain’s emotional component
Blocking the release of dynorphin, researchers restore motivation in animals experiencing pain. The findings may help in the development of new, less addictive, pain medications.... Read More...
Tobacco Use in Adolescence Tied to Paranoia, Due Largely to Shared Genetic Influences
Researchers have discovered a link between teenage tobacco use and an increased risk of psychotic experiences, such as paranoia and hallucinations. They report this may be due, in part, to some shared genetic influences.... Read More...
Inability to Integrate Reward Information Contributes to Undervalued Rewards in Schizophrenia
A new computational model reveals the impaired ability to integrate size and probability of reward in those with schizophrenia may be the result of a lack of consideration of the magnitude of the reward.... Read More...
Sugar Sweetened Drinks Are Harmful to Health and May Be Addictive
In addition to having implications for personal health, sugar sweetened drinks may have addictive properties, researchers report. The study found when abstaining from drinking sweetened drinks, people who consume them often experience increased headaches, decreased motivation and a lower ability to concentrate.... Read More...
Cognitive Changes in Offspring of Heavy Cannabis Users: Rat Study
A new study reports prenatal exposure to cannabis could cause alterations in brain development, negatively impacting cognitive function as adults.... Read More...
Gut Branches of Vagus Nerve Essential Components of Brain’s Reward and Motivation System
Researchers report a gut-brain neural circuit establishes the vagus nerve as an essential component of the brain system that regulates reward and motivation.... Read More...
Reward and Unease Are Closely Linked in the Brain
Researchers say melanocortin 4 receptors may play a role in unease and reward. The study reports dopamine levels fell in the reward system of mice when the animal experienced something unpleasant. However, in mice lacking the melanocortin 4 receptor, dopamine levels increased slightly following a negative experience.... Read More...
Glial Cells Play Key Role in Regulating Motivation for Drug in Heroin Addiction
Researchers report in glial cells, drug induced plasticity can reduce the motivation for heroin. The findings could help develop new treatments for opioid addiction.... Read More...
Why Do We Fall Asleep When We’re Bored?
According to researchers, the nucleus accumbens, an area of the brain associated with pleasure and motivation, can also promote sleep. Researchers believe the findings might help answer why we often fall asleep when we are bored.... Read More...
Self Control May Not Diminish Throughout the Day
A new PLOS ONE study reveals that regardless of the time of day, people experience a loss of motivation for completing a single task over its duration.... Read More...
Scientists Find the Secret to Thriving
In order to thrive, researchers say, an individual sense of development and feeling as though you are succeeding in mastering something are key.... Read More...