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nucleus accumbens

Featured Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles Psychology

·February 15, 2017·4 min read

New Insights into How Cocaine Effects the Brain: Mouse Study

Reduced WAVE1 levels decreased preference for cocaine in mice, researchers report.

Diagram of the brain with NA highlighted and a picture of a hand grasping a lid.

Featured Neurology

·October 1, 2015·2 min read

Motivation Promotes Recovery Following Spinal Cord Injury

Researchers report that motivation could aid the recovery of motor function following spinal cord injury.

Image shows the location of the nucleus accumbens.

Featured Psychology

·May 31, 2016·6 min read

This is the Teenage Brain on Social Media

A new study sheds light on the influence of peers and social networking on the teenage brain.

Featured Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles

·December 21, 2016·5 min read

Addictive Cravings Still Detectable After Death

Researchers report addictive cravings can be detected in the brain after death.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·August 2, 2022·6 min read

Psychedelic Drugs’ Therapeutic Potential for a Range of Psychiatric Disorders

Researchers discuss how psychedelics can affect the brain and provide therapeutic benefits for those suffering from a range of psychiatric disorders.

This image is a diagram showing the side effects of cocaine on the body.

Featured Psychology

·June 18, 2015·3 min read

Neural Pathway Provides New Insight into Cocaine Addiction

Manipulating the activity of Activin receptors could decrease relapse behaviors in cocaine addiction, a new study suggests.

This shows the location of the VTA and NAc in the brain

Featured Neuroscience

·August 25, 2020·5 min read

Researchers Reversibly Disable Brain Pathway in Primates

Researchers temporarily switched off the neural pathway between the ventral tegmental area and nucleus accumbens in primate models, negatively impacting motivation, but not learning.

This shows medium spiny neurons in the NCA

Autism Featured Genetics Neuroscience

·January 31, 2022·4 min read

Gene-Environment Interactions That Drives Autism

Inducing massive inflammation resulted in an overexpression of Trpv4. The overexpression led to neural hyperexcitability that resulted in social avoidance behaviors associated with ASD in mouse models.

Featured Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles

·August 24, 2018·3 min read

Link Between Gut Bacteria and Eating For Pleasure Discovered

A new study reveals a link between elevates microbiome levels of indole and hedonic eating. Researchers report those with higher levels of indole are more likely to have food addiction and overeating disorders.

Featured Genetics Neuroscience Psychology

·August 8, 2019·4 min read

Genetic variation contributes to individual differences in pleasure

What we find pleasurable may be down to our genetics. Researchers found nucleus accumbens activation and physical anhedonia were influenced by shared genes. The experience of pleasure and physical anhedonia also appear to share some of the same genes.