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Stanford

·June 5, 2024·6 min read

Brain Plasticity’s Dark Side: New Insights into Addiction Mechanisms

Researchers discovered that adaptive myelination, a form of brain plasticity, contributes to drug addiction. A single morphine dose in mice triggered myelination in reward-related brain circuits, reinforcing drug-seeking behavior. Blocking this myelination prevented addiction, highlighting potential new treatment strategies.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·June 1, 2024·7 min read

Night Owls Beware: Late Bedtimes Harm Mental Health

Staying up late harms mental health regardless of one's natural sleep preference. Surveying nearly 75,000 adults, researchers discovered that both morning and night types who stayed up late had higher rates of mental disorders. Surprisingly, aligning with one's chronotype didn't matter—early bedtimes benefited everyone. The study suggests lights out by 1 a.m. for better mental health.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·April 12, 2024·10 min read

Key Brain Systems Implicated in Psychosis

Researchers provide new insights into the brain mechanisms behind psychosis. The research identified malfunctions in two critical brain systems—the "filter" and the "predictor" in individuals with psychosis.

This shows a man eating a plate of food.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·April 1, 2024·7 min read

Keto Diet May Improve Mental Health Symptoms

A new pilot study presents a compelling case for the ketogenic diet as a dual-action treatment for individuals with serious mental illnesses like schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, who often suffer metabolic side effects from their medication. The research shows how adopting a ketogenic diet not only mitigates these metabolic issues but also significantly improves psychiatric conditions.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·March 23, 2024·3 min read

Emotion vs. Reason: Rethinking Decision-Making

Researchers challenge the notion that rational thinking is the only path to good decision-making. Highlighting the limited role of rationality in our choices, the researchers emphasize the profound influence of emotions, as demonstrated in his wine tasting study where perceived value affected enjoyment.

This shows a net model of a face and a woman.

Featured Neuroscience

·February 19, 2024·6 min read

AI Determines Sex of Person From Brain Scans

Researchers developed an artificial intelligence model that accurately determines the sex of individuals based on brain scans, with over 90% success. This breakthrough supports the theory that significant sex differences in brain organization exist, challenging long-standing controversies.

This shows a pink brain and a blue brain.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·February 12, 2024·7 min read

Ketamine’s Effects Diverge by Sex

Ketamine's effects on depression and pain, and its interaction with opioid pathways, significantly differ between sexes. In a detailed rat study, the team found that blocking opioid receptors nullified ketamine's impact only in males, suggesting a complex interplay between ketamine, opioid systems, and sex hormones.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·January 5, 2024·6 min read

Psychoactive Ibogaine and Magnesium Show Promise for PTSD

Ibogaine, a plant-based psychoactive drug combined with magnesium, effectively reduces PTSD, anxiety, and depression in veterans with traumatic brain injuries (TBI). The study, involving 30 U.S. special forces veterans, showed significant and lasting improvements in mental health and functioning post-treatment.

Featured Neuroscience Pain

·January 4, 2024·5 min read

Electrical Stimulation Enhances Hypnotizability

Researchers have found that targeted electrical stimulation of the brain can temporarily increase a person's hypnotizability, potentially allowing more individuals to benefit from hypnosis-based therapies for pain relief and other conditions. In a study involving participants with fibromyalgia, electrical stimulation delivered to the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex boosted hypnotizability for about an hour.

Featured Neurology Neuroscience

·December 4, 2023·8 min read

Implant Shows Promise in Restoring Cognitive Function After Brain Injury

A groundbreaking study successfully restored cognitive function in patients with lasting impairments from traumatic brain injuries using deep-brain-stimulation devices. This innovative technique targets the central lateral nucleus in the thalamus to reactivate neural pathways associated with attention and arousal.

Featured Neuroscience

·November 8, 2023·7 min read

Brain States Influence on Decision-Making

New study on mice decision-making reveals that choice is not a singular moment but a reflection of the brain's preexisting state. The research, using Buridan's Assay, suggests that the mice's brain constantly broadcasts its goal, even before options are available, with patterns of neuron activity predicting choice.

Featured Neuroscience Visual Neuroscience

·October 19, 2023·6 min read

New Eye Clock Predicts Aging Through Fluid Proteins

Researchers have pioneered a method to measure ocular aging by studying proteins in eye fluid. Using artificial intelligence, they crafted an "eye-aging clock" from 26 out of nearly 6,000 proteins which can forecast aging.