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prefrontal cortex

·April 30, 2019·4 min read

To boldly go or anxiously hang back? Mouse Study

Inhibiting VIP interneurons disrupts medial prefrontal cortex representations of anxiety-related information which drive avoidance behaviors.

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Autism Featured Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles

·April 29, 2019·5 min read

Autism diagnoses prove highly stable as early as 14 months

Autism diagnosis becomes stable starting at 14 months of age, researchers report. The accurate diagnosis of ASD, four months earlier than previously believed, leads to more opportunities for early interventions.

This showa a child looking at a DNA strand

Autism Featured Genetics Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles

·April 29, 2019·5 min read

Study links gene to sleep problems in autism

Deficiencies in the SHANK3 gene have been linked to sleep disruptions in both mouse models and people with ASD. Researchers found patients with Phelan-McDermid syndrome, a genetic disorder associated with autism, report trouble falling, and staying asleep. In mouse models, animals lacking the SHANK3 gene had a reduction in deep sleep quality and spent more time awake when other mice were sleeping.

Featured Genetics Neuroscience Psychology

·April 24, 2019·4 min read

Hypersociability in Williams syndrome result of Myelination deficits

Myelin thickness and oligodendrocytes were significantly reduced in the prefrontal cortex in mouse models of Williams syndrome.

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Autism Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·April 19, 2019·3 min read

Behavioral disorders in kids with autism linked to reduced brain connectivity

Reduced connectivity between the amygdala and ventrolateral prefrontal cortex has been identified in children on the autism spectrum who exhibit disruptive behaviors, compared to those on the spectrum who do not. Findings suggest this distinct brain network could be independent of core autism symptoms.

Featured Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles Psychology

·April 11, 2019·3 min read

Ketamine reverses neural changes underlying depression-related behaviors: Mouse study

The formation of prefrontal cortex dendritic spine formation sustains the remission of depressive related symptoms and behaviors following ketamine treatment by restoring lost spines.

Featured Genetics Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles Psychology

·April 10, 2019·5 min read

Inflammation linked to chemical imbalance in schizophrenia

Increased kynurenic acid production has been implicated in the pathology of schizophrenia. The findings provide a new target for cell-specific treatments that help reduce the production of kynurenic acid and reduce symptoms of schizophrenia.

This EEG printout shows theta wave activity when DBS is applied

Featured Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles Psychology

·April 4, 2019·5 min read

Deep stimulation improves cognitive control by augmenting brain rhythms

Deep brain stimulation improves performance on cognitive control tasks and increases theta oscillations in the medial, and lateral prefrontal cortex.

This image shows brain scans of the continued damage alcohol does to the brain

Featured Neuroscience

·April 3, 2019·5 min read

Alcohol-induced brain damage continues after alcohol is stopped

Contrary to popular belief that brain changes begin to normalize immediately after ceasing alcohol consumption, a new study reveals damage to the brain continues during the first weeks of abstinence.

This shows the chemical structure of dopamine

Featured Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles

·April 2, 2019·3 min read

Dopamine conducts prefrontal cortex ensembles

Dopamine activation controls the ensemble activity of neurons and increases oscillatory activity in the prefrontal cortex.

This shows a sad looking child in a garden

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·March 31, 2019·4 min read

Gastrointestinal complaints in children could signal future mental health problem

A correlation between gastrointestinal symptoms, adversity and childhood anxiety has been identified by researchers at Columbia University. Studying fMRI data and fecal samples, researchers noted adversity was associated with microbial diversity changes and differences prefrontal cortex activation in response to emotional faces.

Featured Neurology Neuroscience

·March 20, 2019·3 min read

Inflammation inhibitor blocks neurodevelopmental disorders in mouse model

Increased levels of epoxide hydrolase in the prefrontal cortex were found in the brains of young mice whose mothers had suffered infection during pregnancy. Inhibiting epoxide hydrolase reverses cognitive and social deficits associated with neurodevelopmental disorders, such as ASD.