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UC Davis

·June 4, 2018·4 min read

New Optical Probe Allows Ultrafast Imaging of Dopamine in the Brain

Researchers have developed new fluorescence sensors that are able to record dopamine activity in the living brain. The tool will help further understanding of dopamine's role in reward and motivation.

Featured Open Neuroscience Articles Psychology

·May 27, 2018·4 min read

Long-Term and Short-Term Relationships Initially Indistinguishable

While both long and short term relationships might start in similar matters, a lack of genuine attraction causes short term relationships to plateau quickly, a new study reports.

Autism Featured Neuroscience

·May 2, 2018·4 min read

Vasopressin a Possible Biomarker for Social Deficits in ASD

A new study that used rhesus macaques with low levels of sociability revealed the animals had reduced levels of vasopressin in their cerebral spinal fluid, as did children diagnosed with ASD.

Autism Featured Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles Psychology

·March 20, 2018·3 min read

Amygdala Neurons Increase as Children Become Adults; Except in Autism

A new PNAS study reveals typically developing children experience neurogenesis in the amygdala as they become adults. However, for those with autism, the amygdala loses neurons as they age.

Featured Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles

·February 28, 2018·3 min read

Receptors Key to Strong Memories

The strength of a memory depends upon the number of receptors in a synapse, researchers report.

Image shows a suitcase, phone box and room setup.

Featured Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles

·January 26, 2018·3 min read

Using Virtual Reality to Identify Brain Areas Involved in Memory

Researchers use virtual reality to discover how the brain assembles contextual memories.

Featured Neuroscience Visual Neuroscience

·September 25, 2017·4 min read

Visual Brain Drawn to Meaning, Not What Stands Out

Researchers report our visual attention pays most attention to parts of a scene that have meaning to us, not the parts that stick out.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·September 20, 2017·5 min read

Oxytocin Turns Up the Volume of Your Social Environment

According to researchers, blocking the activity of oxytocin restored normal social behavior in stressed mice.

Autism Featured Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles

·September 11, 2017·5 min read

Folic Acid May Mitigate Autism Risk From Pesticides

Researchers from UC Davis report pregnant women who take 800 micrograms of folic acid could help lower risks of autism in their children, even when they were exposed to pesticides associated with increasing autism risk.

Image shows transplanted neural stem cells.

Featured Genetics Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles

·July 11, 2017·4 min read

Neural Stem Cells Steered by Electric Fields in Rat Brain

A recent study in Stem Cell Reports suggests electrical fields can be used to help guide transplanted neural stem cells towards a specific location in the brain. The finding could pave the way for new treatment that could help repair brain damage.

Featured Neuroscience

·July 5, 2017·4 min read

Brain Changes Accompany Development of Metamemory from Childhood to Adolescence

According to researchers, the ability to assess memory quality appears in children, and metamemory continues to improve beyond childhood into adolescence. The findings could provide new insights into effective learning methods and assist teachers to devise new educational strategies.

Autism Featured Genetics

·June 27, 2017·6 min read

Mice Provide Insight Into Genetics of Autism Spectrum Disorders

Researchers report that inducing mutation of the CHD8 gene, mice experience cognitive impairments and have increased brain volume. Both conditions are also seen in people with CHD8 mutations. The findings suggest CHD8 plays a role in brain function throughout life and could affect more that early brain development in people on the autism spectrum.