Ketamine reduced alcohol intake in male rat models of alcohol use disorder but increased the desire for alcohol in low-consumption females. Read More
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From reducing memory capability to increasing the risk of diabetes and obesity, researchers investigate how sugar affects the brain and body. Read More
Inhibitory inputs to the neural circuit between the dorsolateral bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (dlBNST) to the ventral tegmental area (VTA) increase when a person is in chronic pain. This alteration is mediated by enhanced corticotropin-releasing factor signaling within the dlBNST, leading to suppression of the mesolimbic dopaminergic system. The result is depressive mood and anhedonia associated with chronic pain. Read More
Expert pianists have altered mechanisms by with tactile and proprioceptive sensations suppress activity in the primary motor cortex. Read More
Playing online games which are mentally taxing can help older adults to reduce cognitive decline associated with aging. Older adults who played brain training games showed similar brain functionality as younger people who were less practiced at the games. Read More
Brain networks are spatially and functionally fluid, and not static, as previously believed. Read More
The size and shape of neural assemblies, and not the strength of signals processed by neurons or the order in which they fire, is the most critical element of recording episodic memory. Read More
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. Read More
Brain stimulation resulted in progressive alterations to brain plasticity. Read More
Perineuronal nets (PNNs) and the neurons they enmesh can be damaged by poor diets. Excessive consumption of foods high in saturated fats and refined sugars cause inflammation and oxidative stress, resulting in cognitive decline and poor memory. Read More
Transcranial random noise stimulation (tRNS) helps boost visual learning in patients with chronic cortical blindness, leading to a recovery in motion processing within 10 days of exposure. The effects of the tRNS treatment appear to last for at least six months. Read More
Mouse study reveals neonatal nicotine exposure primes the ventral tegmental area, making the animals more susceptible to the effects of nicotine when exposed again later in life. Read More
