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orbitofrontal cortex

·November 17, 2025·6 min read

Brain’s Hidden Inference Engine Revealed

A new study identifies the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) as a crucial brain region for inference-making, allowing animals to interpret hidden states in changing environments. Researchers trained rats to wait for water rewards that varied in predictable but concealed patterns, showing they adjusted their behavior based on inferred environmental richness.

Featured Neuroscience

·October 9, 2025·8 min read

Brain Cells That Thrive on Uncertainty Help Us Adapt and Learn

Scientists have discovered a group of brain cells in the orbitofrontal cortex that become more active when outcomes are uncertain, revealing how the brain adapts and learns from unpredictable situations. These neurons—found in both rats and humans—help balance flexibility and precision in decision-making, particularly when rewards are inconsistent.

Auditory Neuroscience Featured Neuroscience

·July 11, 2024·5 min read

Brain Region Helps Tune Our Hearing to Focus on Important Sounds

A new study uncovers how the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) aids the auditory cortex in adapting to different hearing contexts. Researchers found that the OFC sends signals to the auditory cortex to help switch between passive and active listening. This discovery enhances our understanding of how the brain filters and reacts to sounds, with implications for treating neurodevelopmental disorders. The findings highlight the OFC's crucial role in managing auditory attention.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·June 13, 2024·6 min read

Study Links Brain Region to Paranoia

Researchers discovered that a specific brain region, the mediodorsal thalamus, may provoke feelings of paranoia. By aligning data from studies on monkeys and humans, they found that lesions in this brain region led to erratic behavior and increased perceptions of environmental volatility.

This shows different brain areas highlighted

Featured Neuroscience

·April 20, 2022·5 min read

Explore or Exploit: How Our Brains Make Choices

Study explores brain activity in primates and humans when presented with a choice between one option that maximizes information and another which prioritizes reward during decision making.

This is a drawing of a mouse on a sail boat

Featured Neuroscience

·October 28, 2021·5 min read

The Goal in Mind: Brain’s Internal Goal Map Helps Animals Precisely Navigate to Chosen Destination

Study reveals a specific neural code for spatial goals, providing evidence for the brain's goal map that guides us to a remote location over space and time.

This is a drawing of a brain and a heart

Featured Neuroscience

·August 30, 2021·5 min read

How a Racing Heart May Alter Decision-Making Brain Circuits

Heightened states of arousal altered neural circuits in a brain area associated with decision making, resulting in some neurons changing from decision making to internal state monitors.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·August 29, 2021·4 min read

The Neuroscience of Why Hugs Feel So Good

Whether you hug to show affection to comfort a loved one in pain, researchers explore the neuroscience of why a cuddle feels so good.

This shows three brain scans, one from an Alzheimer's patient, one from a person with TBI, and one of a healthy aging brain

Featured Neurology Neuroscience

·April 26, 2021·5 min read

Brain Changes Following TBI Share Similarities With Alzheimer’s Disease

Combining brain scan images with machine learning, researchers identified a number of brain changes following TBI that share similarities with Alzheimer's disease. The findings add to the growing body of evidence that the two conditions follow the same trajectories.

Featured Neuroscience

·November 27, 2020·6 min read

Regions of the Brain Where Serotonin Promotes Patience Revealed

A new study reveals specific brain regions that individually promote patience through the action of serotonin.

This cartoon shows a woman decising between two glasses of juice

Featured Neuroscience

·November 2, 2020·5 min read

New Insight Into How Brain Neurons Influence Choices

Neurons in the orbitofrontal cortex play a critical role in encoding subjective values. Activation of these neurons leads directly to the choice of one option over another.