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Open Access

Neuroscience research articles and press releases that cover research published in Open Access journals are listed below. We use Open Access (OA) to mean that the general public has free, open access to research journal articles published online.

Featured Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles Psychology

·October 13, 2024·5 min read

Teen Friendships Shape Long-Term Wellbeing

New research reveals that teenage friendships lay crucial foundations for adult wellbeing, with the timing and nature of these friendships playing a pivotal role. Early adolescence social acceptance is linked to better adult mental health, while close friendships in later teens impact job satisfaction and romantic stability.

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·October 3, 2024·2 min read

Faulty Brain Processes Behind Hearing Voices in Schizophrenia

A new study reveals that auditory hallucinations in schizophrenia may be caused by two faulty brain processes: a failed suppression of self-generated sounds and an overactive response to internal noises. The research showed that patients with hallucinations had a "broken" corollary discharge and an enhanced response to unintended sounds, compared to those without hallucinations. These findings suggest that future treatments for auditory hallucinations could target these disrupted processes.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·October 3, 2024·4 min read

Friendships Drive Happiness for Single Young Adults

A new study of single Americans aged 18 to 24 highlights the key role that satisfying friendships play in overall happiness. Researchers divided participants into five subgroups based on levels of happiness and five predictors: satisfaction with family, satisfaction with friends, self-esteem, neuroticism, and extraversion.

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·October 2, 2024·3 min read

Humans Slow Speech to Help Dogs Understand

A new study reveals that humans naturally slow their speech when talking to dogs, which helps dogs better understand commands. Researchers analyzed speech rates and brain responses in 30 dogs and 27 humans across five languages, finding that humans speak at around three syllables per second to their pets, compared to four syllables when talking to other humans.

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·October 1, 2024·3 min read

BRAIN Initiative Launches Major Data Release to Map Brain Cells

The BRAIN Initiative® Cell Atlas Network (BICAN) has released its first major dataset, providing single-cell and single-nucleus transcriptomic and epigenomic profiles from human, mouse, and other mammalian brain cells. This open-access release is designed to accelerate neuroscience research, offering raw data that will help define brain cell types and their molecular characteristics.

This shows an older woman, a clock, and DNA.

Featured Genetics Neuroscience

·October 1, 2024·5 min read

Cheek Swab Test Predicts Aging and Mortality Risk

Researchers have developed a second-generation epigenetic clock called CheekAge, which accurately predicts mortality risk using cheek cell samples. Unlike earlier clocks based on blood samples, CheekAge is non-invasive and captures methylation patterns linked to aging and lifespan.

This shows a depressed woman sitting in a room with sunlight coming through the window.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·September 25, 2024·4 min read

How Sunlight Affects Depression and Activity Levels

A new study has revealed a link between sunlight exposure, physical activity, and depression using wrist-based activity sensors. Over two weeks, researchers found that individuals with depression had lower physical activity levels, especially in shorter daylight periods, compared to those without depression.

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·August 21, 2024·5 min read

Neuroticism Alters How Personality Affects Self-Control

Personality traits like conscientiousness and extraversion are linked to higher self-control, while neuroticism can weaken this effect, especially in specific types of self-control like resisting temptation or initiating proactive behaviors. A study involving 480 military cadets reveals that neuroticism moderates the relationship between other personality traits and self-control, suggesting that the interaction effects differ based on the type of self-control. These findings could inform strategies for selecting individuals for roles requiring high self-control and designing interventions for personal growth.

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·July 15, 2024·6 min read

OpenScope Project Unveils Brain’s Secrets

The OpenScope program is investigating neural activity through four new projects, exploring topics like psilocybin's effects, motion perception, visual texture recognition, and subtle changes in appearance. By using advanced imaging techniques in mice, researchers aim to understand how the brain processes these complex functions.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·June 28, 2024·4 min read

Digital Devices Hinder Kids’ Emotional Regulation Development

A new study reveals that using digital devices to manage children's tantrums hampers their ability to regulate emotions later in life. Researchers found that frequent use of tablets or smartphones for calming children results in poorer anger management skills.

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·June 27, 2024·2 min read

Hypothalamus Key in Switching Between Survival Behaviors

The hypothalamus helps humans switch between survival behaviors like hunting and escaping. Researchers used AI-enhanced fMRI scans to analyze brain activity in 21 participants playing a survival game. They found distinct hypothalamus activity patterns linked to behavior switching. This discovery highlights the hypothalamus's crucial role in survival strategies.

Featured Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles Psychology

·June 20, 2024·4 min read

Decision Speed Reveals Hidden Social Preferences

People can infer hidden social preferences by observing how quickly others make decisions. The study used the Dictator Game to show that decision speed, even without knowing the actual choices, can predict preferences. This finding challenges the notion that only choices reveal social preferences. Incorporating response times into predictive models offers a more nuanced understanding of human behavior.