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optogenetics

·January 31, 2019·5 min read

Pinpointing Cells That Control the Brain’s Memory Flow

A new mouse study reveals a small cluster of interneurons in the hippocampus help the brain remember the places that matter the most. The findings could have implications for future studies of psychiatric disorders.

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·January 22, 2019·4 min read

Erasing Memories Associated with Cocaine Use Reduces Drug Seeking Behavior

Disrupting memories associated with environmental cues significantly reduces cocaine seeking behaviors in rat models of addiction, a new study reports.

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·January 18, 2019·6 min read

Synaptic Logic for Connections Between Two Brain Hemispheres Discovered

Researchers have developed a new technique that helps identify the functional properties of individual synapses that link the two hemispheres of the brain.

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·January 17, 2019·7 min read

Surprising Role of the Cerebellum in Reward and Social Behaviors

Researchers reveal the role the cerebellum plays in helping to control the brain's reward system. The researchers identified a direct connection from the cerebellum to the ventral tegmental area. The study may shed new light on neural networks associated with social dysfunction.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·January 11, 2019·6 min read

How the Brain Makes Choices

From decision making to action, researchers explore how the brain allows us to make choices.

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·January 5, 2019·4 min read

Controlling Neurons with Light, But Without Wires or Batteries

Researchers have developed a new, wireless optogenetic device which is able to control neurons in the brain. The device could help turn off pain receptors and reduce the effects of some neurological disorders.

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·December 28, 2018·4 min read

How the Brain Enables Us to Rapidly Focus Attention

Researchers have identified a mechanism within the cholinergic system that underlies our ability to rapidly focus attention.

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·December 10, 2018·6 min read

Dopamine’s Yin-Yang Personality: It’s an Upper and a Downer

Researchers shed light on the dual nature of dopamine, as a neurotransmitter that makes us seek pleasure and also reinforces avoidance of pain.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·November 27, 2018·4 min read

Clues to Brain Changes in Depression Discovered

A new study sheds light on how the brain processes rewards and provides a deeper understanding on the neurobiology of depression.

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·September 21, 2018·4 min read

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.

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·September 17, 2018·5 min read

How the Brain Bounces Back

A new study reports activity, not rest, help speed up recovery following a brain injury.

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·September 12, 2018·5 min read

To Flee or Not to Flee: How the Brain Decides What to Do in the Face of Danger

Researchers have identified the variables that lead the brain to apply specific defensive strategies while under the threat of danger, and implicate a specific pair of neurons in this process.