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nucleus accumbens

This shows a graph and the location of the amygdala in the brain

·February 14, 2022·3 min read

Loneliness Has a Different Neural Basis Than Social Anxiety

People with social anxiety have increased amygdala activity during social decision making, and reduced activity in the nucleus accumbens during social feedback. Those who are lonely did not experience the same alterations as those with social anxiety, suggesting loneliness is a unique condition.

This shows a walnut that looks like a brain

Featured Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles Pain

·February 11, 2022·4 min read

New Clues in the Brain Linking Pain and Food

Brain circuitry responsible for motivation and pleasure is activated when a person experiences pain. The findings reveal a link as to why some people may overeat when they experience chronic pain.

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

·November 2, 2021·3 min read

The Mechanisms of Addiction

A new study aims to shed light on the roles sub-regions of the nucleus accumbens play in addiction.

Featured Neuroscience

·September 2, 2021·4 min read

Beyond Dopamine: New Reward Circuitry Discovered

Researchers have identified a new reward system in the brain. The study found long-range GABA neurons from the ventral tegmental area to the ventral nucleus accumbens shell are engaged in reward and reinforcement behaviors. This GABAergic projection inhibits cholinergic interneurons.

Featured Genetics Neuroscience

·August 15, 2021·4 min read

Brain Gene Expression Patterns Altered by Chronic Opioid Use

Opioid use disorder affects genes associated with proinflammatory immune molecule encoding and genes associated with remodeling the extracellular matrix, suggesting the connection between neurons may be altered as a result of opioid use. Additionally, those with OUD have higher levels of microglia in the brain.

Auditory Neuroscience Featured Neuroscience

·March 29, 2021·3 min read

Why the Brain Enjoys Music

Interaction between auditory areas of the brain and the reward system drive pleasure when we listen to music.

This shows a stressed looking young woman

Featured Genetics Neuroscience Psychology

·March 15, 2021·5 min read

Epigenetic Mechanism Contributing to Lifelong Stress Susceptibility Discovered

Early life stress induces epigenetic modifications in D2-type medium spiny neurons in the nucleus accumbens, increasing the susceptibility to stress in adulthood.

Featured Neuroscience

·March 8, 2021·3 min read

Brain Activity Foreshadows Changes in Stock Prices

Increased activity in the nucleus accumbens forecasted an increase in stock price within the next day, whereas increased activity in the anterior insular was predictive of whether a stock price would flip or change direction.

Featured Neuroscience

·January 26, 2021·4 min read

Highly Specific Synaptic Plasticity in Addiction

Enzyme activity outside of specific cell types contribute to synaptic plasticity associated with addiction behaviors.

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Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·December 2, 2020·4 min read

Common Neural Circuit and Potential Target for Anxiety and OCD

Glutamatergic neural connections between the prelimbic prefrontal cortex and nucleus accumbens appear to be responsible for co-morbid anxiety and OCD behaviors.