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reward system

Featured Genetics Neuroscience Psychology

·August 8, 2019·4 min read

Genetic variation contributes to individual differences in pleasure

What we find pleasurable may be down to our genetics. Researchers found nucleus accumbens activation and physical anhedonia were influenced by shared genes. The experience of pleasure and physical anhedonia also appear to share some of the same genes.

This shows the location of the nucleus accumbens in the brain

Featured Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles Psychology

·July 8, 2019·3 min read

Why marijuana affects different people differently

By looking at THC’s effect on a rat brain, the researchers showed that THC, the main psychoactive compound in marijuana, can produce highly rewarding effects in the front-most part of a region of the brain called the nucleus accumbens. The image is in the public domain.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·July 5, 2019·5 min read

Ignoring cues for alcohol and fast food is hard – but is it out of our control?

Stress and tiredness make it harder for you to ignore environmental cues that signal something rewarding.

This shows a mouse and a diagram of a mouse brain

Featured Neuroscience

·July 4, 2019·5 min read

Unraveling the brain’s reward circuits

Study reveals how ArGP and dopamine neurons are linked, and how food and drugs affect them differently. The findings offer clues for the development of new treatments for obesity and substance use disorders.

Featured Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles

·June 19, 2019·5 min read

Information addiction: How information is like snacks, money, and drugs to your brain

Obtaining new information may be addictive. Study finds information acquisition shares the same dopamine producing reward system pathway as food, financial rewards and drugs.

This shows a person standing on a bridge

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·June 13, 2019·3 min read

Formation of habitual use drives cannabis addiction

Individual differences in the striatum of habitual cannabis users distinguish between who is at increased risk of addiction and cannabis use disorder.

The prefrontal cortex in the brain is highlighted here

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·May 26, 2019·5 min read

Growing up high: Neurobiological consequences of adolescent cannabis use

Researchers evaluate the psychological and neurobiological impact of teen cannabis use. The findings, to be presented at the 13th Annual Canadian Neuroscience Meeting, will cover how cannabis contributes to cognitive impairments, psychosis and deficits in decision making in adolescents.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·May 15, 2019·3 min read

Inflammation induces anhedonia in women but not men

Inflammation appears to reduce reward response in females. Reduced activity in the brain's reward system is a key component of anhedonia, the loss of enjoyment in activities, a core feature of depression. The findings may explain why depression is more prevalent in women than in men.

Hearts are shown as pieces on a tic-tac-toe board

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·May 6, 2019·5 min read

Unexpectedly, big wins improve two kinds of memory

Unexpected rewards boost memories of specific events. The findings may have implications for treating memory problems associated with depression.

Featured Neuroscience

·March 13, 2019·5 min read

Differences in brain activity in children with anhedonia

Using fMRI to examine the brains of children while resting, researchers discover anhedonia is associated with hyperconnectivity between the cingulo-opercular network and ventral striatum.

Featured Neuroscience

·February 12, 2019·3 min read

The Unexpected Creates Reward When Listening to Music

A new study reports unexpected changes in music activates the nucleus accumbens, providing reward and helping us to learn about the music as we listen.