FeaturedNeurosciencePsychology·December 23, 2022·5 min readMusic and Ayahuasca’s Role in Treating Substance Use Disorders in MenResearchers study the positive effects icaros, a type of traditional Peruvian music, in combination with psychotherapy and the psychedelic drug Ayahuasca has on treating addiction.Read More
FeaturedNeurosciencePsychology·December 30, 2022·4 min readKetamine Found to Increase Brain NoiseBy inhibiting NMDA receptors, ketamine increases noise to gamma frequencies in one layer of the thalamic nucleus and one lay of the somatosensory cortex. Findings suggest psychosis may be triggered by an increase in background noise impairing thalamocortical neurons which may be caused by a malfunction in NMDA receptors affecting the balance of inhibition and excitation in the brain.Read More
FeaturedNeuroscienceOpen Neuroscience ArticlesPsychology·January 6, 2023·7 min readBlood Pressure Drug Holds Promise for Treating PTSDClonidine, an FDA-approved medication commonly prescribed to treat blood-pressure disorders and ADHD, shows promise in mitigating the effects of PTSD.Read More
FeaturedNeurosciencePsychology·January 9, 2023·12 min readThe Rebirth of Psychedelic MedicineOften considered dangerous, mind-altering drugs, researchers are turning to the study of psychedelic therapies as a potential to treat an array of psychiatric conditions including depression and PTSD.Read More
FeaturedNeuroscienceOpen Neuroscience ArticlesPsychology·January 12, 2023·4 min readPlacebo Reduces Feelings of GuiltPlacebos can help reduce feelings of guilt, even when the placebo is given openly, a new study reports.Read More
FeaturedNeurosciencePsychology·January 15, 2023·5 min readOld Antipsychotic Drugs May Offer New Option to Treat Type 2 DiabetesDiphenylbutylpiperidines (DPBPs), an older class of antipsychotic medications can effectively be repurposed to help treat type 2 diabetes, a new study reports.Read More
FeaturedNeurosciencePsychology·January 17, 2023·5 min readFrequent Visits to Green Space Linked to Lower Use of Certain Prescription MedsPeople who frequently visit green spaces are less likely to use prescription medications for anxiety, depression, high blood pressure, and asthma, a new study reports.Read More
FeaturedNeurologyNeuroscienceOpen Neuroscience Articles·January 18, 2023·4 min readHow Serotonin Genes and SSRIs Can Contribute to Heart Valve DiseaseTaking SSRIs and having the "long-long" serotonin SERT genetic variant lowers SERT activity in the mitral valve, leading to degenerative mitral regurgitation, one of the most common heart valve diseases.Read More
FeaturedNeurosciencePsychology·January 23, 2023·5 min readStudy Explains Emotional ‘Blunting’ Caused by Common AntidepressantsSSRI antidepressants can make users less sensitive to rewards, resulting in emotional blunting many users experience. The findings provide new evidence for the role serotonin plays in reinforcement learning.Read More
FeaturedNeurosciencePsychology·January 27, 2023·4 min readA Drug That Increases Dopamine Can Reverse the Effects of Inflammation on the Brain in DepressionLevodopa, a drug commonly prescribed for the treatment of Parkinson's disease that increases dopamine in the brain was found to reverse the effects of neuroinflammation on the reward system and improve symptoms associated with depression.Read More
FeaturedNeurosciencePainPsychology·January 30, 2023·5 min readHow Ketamine Acts as Antidepressant in Chronic PainChronic pain in mice activates Tiam1 in pyramidal neurons in the anterior cingulate cortex, increasing the number of dendritic spines and inducing synaptic plasticity. Ketamine's antidepressant effect in chronic pain is mediated by the drug blocking Tiam1-dependent maladaptive synaptic plasticity in ACC neurons.Read More
FeaturedNeurosciencePsychology·January 30, 2023·4 min readExperimental Anti-depression Drug May Also Be Useful in Treating Alcohol Use DisorderMAP4343, an experimental antidepressant compound reversed alcohol intake in rat models of alcohol use disorder. The findings pave the way for utilizing the compound for the treatment of AUD in humans.Read More
