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prefrontal cortex

·March 19, 2020·1 min read

Researchers find key to keep working memory working

Acetylcholine helps muscarinic M1 receptors in the prefrontal cortex to maintain information in working memory. As acetylcholine actions at M1 receptors are reduced in conditions which affect working memory, such as schizophrenia and Alzheimer's disease, researchers report the M1 receptor may serve as a potential therapeutic target to restore working memory.

This is a drawing of a brain and fast food cartons

Featured Neuroscience

·March 10, 2020·3 min read

Junk food orders up trouble for young brains

Everyone knows consuming junk food is bad for your health, but a new study reveals it could also be bad for developing brain health. Excessive consumption of calorie-dense foods can lead to changes in the structure and function of the prefrontal cortex, including altering dopamine signaling and inhibition.

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·February 23, 2020·3 min read

Social isolation during adolescence drives long-term disruptions in social behavior

Social isolation during key periods of adolescence leads to long-term disruptions in social behavior and activity in neural patterns.

Featured Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles Psychology

·February 23, 2020·2 min read

Childhood trauma changes your brain, but it doesn’t have to be permanent

Female rats that experienced early life adversity developed abnormal connections between the amygdala and prefrontal cortex in response to neglect.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·February 4, 2020·3 min read

Children’s mental health affected by sleep duration

Shorter sleep duration can increase the risk of children developing depression, anxiety, and cognitive problems. Children who routinely suffered sleep disruptions or shorter sleep durations had reduced brain volume in the orbitofrontal cortex, prefrontal cortex, precuneus, supramarginal gyrus, and temporal cortex.

Featured Neurology Neuroscience

·January 23, 2020·3 min read

Hot flashes impair memory performance

Vasomotor symptoms, including hot flashes in postmenopausal women, may contribute to memory performance problems. Neuroimaging reveals hot flashes caused alterations in brain function during memory encoding and retrieval tasks, specifically within the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·January 17, 2020·2 min read

Violence and adversity in early life can alter the brain

Exposure to violence and childhood adversity has a negative effect on the developing brain. Neuroimaging reveals adolescents who experienced adversity and violence as children had reduced connectivity between the amygdala and the prefrontal cortex. However, social support may act as a buffer and reduce the negative effects of early life stress.

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·January 14, 2020·3 min read

Hyperactive immune system gene causes schizophrenia-like changes

Study implicates C4, an immune system gene, in schizophrenia pathogenesis.

This is a drawing of a head made up of cannabis leaves

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·January 13, 2020·3 min read

Study sheds light on link between cannabis, anxiety and stress

A naturally occurring molecule produced by the brain activates endocannabinoid receptors, protecting against stress by reducing anxiety-producing connections between the amygdala and the prefrontal cortex. The findings may help explain why people turn to marijuana when they feel anxious or stressed.

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·January 3, 2020·4 min read

Research identifies changes in neural circuits underlying self-control during adolescence

Structure and functional coupling in the rostrolateral prefrontal cortex supports age relates improvements in executive abilities.

Featured Neuroscience

·January 2, 2020·2 min read

Engrams emerging as the basic unit of memory

Imaging and manipulating engrams at the cellular level provides important insights into memory function.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·January 1, 2020·3 min read

New Year’s anxiety hangover? Here’s what’s happening in your brain

Hangxiety, the feeling of waking up with anxiety the morning after heavy drinking, is a common symptom associated with a hangover. Researchers explain how a heavy night's drinking alters neurochemistry, leaving some of us prone to waking with anxiety.