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Virginia Tech

This is an AI representation of a brain.

·November 29, 2023·5 min read

Innovative Fiber to Tackle Alzheimer’s Developed

A collaborative team is developing a neural fiber to combat Alzheimer’s disease. This high-priority NIH-funded project aims to create a minimally invasive fiber, capable of electrical stimulation and drug delivery, to study and potentially reverse memory loss.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·November 28, 2023·4 min read

Linking Stress to Comfort Food Cravings: A Brain Chemical’s Role

Researchers uncovered a brain molecule's role in triggering comfort food cravings after experiencing stress. Their research reveals that the molecule Proenkephalin, located in the hypothalamus, is crucial in inducing overeating following a stressful event.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·November 22, 2023·5 min read

Partisan Media Bias Shapes AI Sentiment

Researchers uncovered how partisan media sentiment influences public perception of artificial intelligence (AI). They analyzed over 7,500 articles from both liberal and conservative media, finding that liberal-leaning media exhibit more negative sentiment towards AI than conservative media.

Featured Neuroscience

·October 23, 2023·6 min read

A Revolutionary Peek at the Noradrenaline System

Researchers have delved deeper into the brain's noradrenaline system, revealing insights that can aid in understanding disorders like ADHD, anxiety, and depression. The study is notable for its innovative methodology: recording real-time chemical activity using routine clinical electrodes for epilepsy.

This shows a cartoon of two politicians.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·August 28, 2023·5 min read

Echo Chambers Amplified: How CNN and Fox News Fuel America’s Polarization

Researchers utilized AI and natural language processing to analyze 10 years of broadcasts and tweets from CNN and Fox News, revealing a surge in partisan and inflammatory language. The study shows that the media language influences public debates on social media, creating divisive echo chambers.

This shows the outline of a man and a woman.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·August 2, 2023·4 min read

Bridging the Sex Gap: Personalizing Treatments for Mood Disorders

Researchers explore the advancements made in understanding sex differences in mood disorders since the 2016 NIH mandate to include sex as a biological variable in basic research. Their review uncovers important findings, such as the higher risk and earlier onset of depression in women, and the underdiagnosis of depression in men due to differences in symptom presentation.

Featured Neurology Neuroscience

·May 20, 2023·3 min read

Unraveling the Mystery of Ice Cream Headaches: The ‘Brain Freeze’ Phenomenon

Summer treats can often lead to the dreaded 'brain freeze'. Researchers say this sudden pain is the brain's reaction to a rapid cooling inside the head. It triggers an increase in blood flow to warm the area back up, and the resulting sudden expansion of blood vessels is interpreted as pain.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·May 19, 2023·8 min read

Taking Strides: Why Walking Is Not So Popular in the U.S

Walking is less popular and more perilous in the U.S. than in other countries, according to a new study. Comparing U.S. statistics to European counterparts like the U.K., Germany, and the Netherlands, the study reveals that Americans take fewer walking trips and face higher fatality rates.

Featured Genetics Neuroscience Psychology

·May 19, 2023·4 min read

Pivotal Protein in Female PTSD Identified

Researchers discovered an exciting new role for a widely known protein, ubiquitin, particularly in its K-63 form. They found K-63 ubiquitin selectively influences fear memory formation in female brains, potentially contributing to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This discovery sheds light on why women are more likely to suffer from PTSD and paves the way for developing female-specific therapeutic treatments.

Featured Neuroscience

·May 15, 2023·5 min read

Spontaneous Coordinated Group Movement Behavior Brain Circuit Discovered

A new study identified a brain circuit responsible for rapid, unified response to threats in animals, a phenomenon observed in fish schools and mammal herds. The research, focused on synchronized immobility in pairs of mice, paves the way for improved understanding of social communication in general, which is often compromised in neuropsychiatric disorders.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·May 14, 2023·4 min read

Beyond Addiction: Study Targets Rising Cocaine Use Disorder

Cocaine use and related fatalities are on the rise in the U.S. Researchers are aiming to understand and combat this trend through a study centered on the theory of reinforcer pathology.