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Psychology

·November 21, 2025·5 min read

What Triggers Tantrums? Sensory Overload May Be To Blame

New research reveals a distinct brain activity signature in children who become overwhelmed by sensory input such as noise, touch, or bright lights. Using functional MRI, scientists found that overly sensitive children show reduced activation in outward-facing sensory and motor networks while increasing activation in inward-focused networks tied to cognition and impulse control.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·November 21, 2025·5 min read

Brain Circuit That Forces Behavior Into “Repeat Mode” Identified

A new study has identified a specific brain circuit that can push behavior into a compulsive “repeat mode,” forcing mice to continue digging and sniffing even when rewards are available. The circuit links the nucleus accumbens to the hypothalamus and then to the lateral habenula, a region involved in processing negative experiences.

This shows a child, a brain, and screens.

Neuroscience

·November 21, 2025·7 min read

Screen Time in Tweens Predicts ADHD, Slower Brain Growth

A large, two-year study of nearly 12,000 children found that higher screen time at ages 9–10 predicts an increase in ADHD symptoms, independent of a child’s starting symptom level. Brain imaging revealed that heavy screen use is associated with smaller cortical volume and disrupted development in regions critical for attention, cognition, and reward processing.

Featured Neuroscience

·November 20, 2025·5 min read

Thrill Fatigue: How Dopamine Devalues Repeated Rewards

New research shows that the same dopamine receptor mechanism responsible for drug addiction also governs the natural decline in motivation when we repeat rewarding behaviors. By studying male fruit flies, researchers found that dopamine acting through the D2 receptor promotes persistence during mating, but repeated experiences cause these receptors to desensitize.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·November 20, 2025·6 min read

AI Interviews Outperform Standard Mental Health Rating Scales

A new study demonstrates that an AI assistant can conduct psychiatric assessment interviews with greater diagnostic accuracy than widely used mental health rating scales. In a sample of 303 participants with confirmed psychiatric conditions, the AI assistant Alba provided DSM-based diagnostic suggestions after a brief conversational interview, outperforming rating scales in eight of nine disorders.

This shows Superman in a crowd of people.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·November 20, 2025·5 min read

Unexpected Superhero Cameos Make People Kinder

A new behavioral study demonstrates that sudden, unexpected events can significantly increase altruistic behavior in everyday environments. When a person dressed as Batman appeared on a Milan subway, passengers were nearly twice as likely to give up their seats to a pregnant woman compared to the normal routine condition.

This shows a woman's head an a lightening bolt.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·November 19, 2025·6 min read

Shocking Disparities: Women Face Higher Risk of ECT

A large international survey of 858 electroconvulsive therapy recipients found that women are twice as likely as men to receive ECT and experience more adverse effects. Women reported higher rates of memory loss, greater feelings of coercion, and more harmful emotional outcomes, often describing the treatment as retraumatizing.

This shows a person holding a joint and a glass of scotch.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·November 19, 2025·7 min read

Cannabis Blunts Alcohol Cravings

A randomized, placebo-controlled trial shows that cannabis with active THC reduces immediate alcohol cravings and lowers drinking levels in heavy-drinking young adults. After smoking THC, participants not only drank less, they waited longer before taking the first sip and reported lower urges to drink.

This shows a stressed mom and teething baby.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·November 19, 2025·7 min read

Maternal Stress Speeds Up Baby Teething

New research shows that infants whose mothers had higher cortisol levels during late pregnancy experience significantly earlier eruption of primary teeth. Babies of mothers with the highest cortisol levels had, on average, four more teeth by six months than those of mothers with the lowest levels.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·November 18, 2025·7 min read

Deep Brain Stimulation Promising for Severe, Resistant Depression

A new clinical trial shows that deep brain stimulation (DBS) improved symptoms in half of adults with treatment-resistant depression, with one-third reaching remission. Researchers found that theta-frequency brain activity in the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST) predicted how well each patient responded.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·November 18, 2025·7 min read

Rare ADHD Gene Variants Linked to 15-Fold Higher Risk

A massive international genetic study has uncovered rare, high-effect variants in three specific genes—MAP1A, ANO8 and ANK2—that dramatically increase the likelihood of developing ADHD. These variants, though extremely uncommon, strongly affect genes expressed in dopaminergic and GABAergic neurons, influencing brain development from fetal life onward.

This shows a person in a forest standing at a crossroads.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·November 17, 2025·5 min read

Quitting Impossible Goals May Actually Boost Wellbeing

A sweeping analysis of 235 studies shows that holding onto impossible goals harms mental and physical wellbeing, increasing stress and lowering life satisfaction. In contrast, releasing unachievable goals — and crucially, shifting toward new, attainable ones — improves mood, resilience, and overall psychological health.

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Psychology

What Triggers Tantrums? Sensory Overload May Be To Blame

Brain Circuit That Forces Behavior Into “Repeat Mode” Identified

Screen Time in Tweens Predicts ADHD, Slower Brain Growth

Thrill Fatigue: How Dopamine Devalues Repeated Rewards

AI Interviews Outperform Standard Mental Health Rating Scales

Unexpected Superhero Cameos Make People Kinder

Shocking Disparities: Women Face Higher Risk of ECT

Cannabis Blunts Alcohol Cravings

Maternal Stress Speeds Up Baby Teething

Deep Brain Stimulation Promising for Severe, Resistant Depression

Rare ADHD Gene Variants Linked to 15-Fold Higher Risk

Quitting Impossible Goals May Actually Boost Wellbeing

AI Body Gap: Why Robots Need “Internal Feelings” to be Safe

Wetware AI: Living Brain Cells Trained to Run Chaos Math

Mapping the Brain’s Internal Stopwatch

Individual Cone Cells Create Our Sharpest Sight

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