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Washington State University

·December 11, 2025·7 min read

Stress Levels Predict Cannabis Use

New research shows that rats with naturally higher baseline stress hormone levels are significantly more likely to self-administer cannabis vapor. Over several weeks, rats were allowed to nose-poke for cannabis, and those with elevated corticosterone displayed the strongest drug-seeking behavior.

Featured Neuroscience

·September 30, 2025·6 min read

Targeting the Cerebellum Could Ease Alcohol Withdrawal Symptoms

Researchers have identified the cerebellum as a promising target for easing alcohol withdrawal, the stage of alcohol use disorder that drives many people back to drinking. In mice, withdrawal symptoms were alleviated by calming overactive cerebellar neurons, either through genetic tools or a synthetic compound.

This shows a person sleeping and a brain.

Featured Neuroscience

·September 24, 2025·6 min read

Gut Microbes May Hold the Hidden Key to Why We Sleep

A new study shows that bacterial cell wall molecules, specifically peptidoglycan, are present in the brain and fluctuate with sleep cycles. This finding supports a hypothesis that sleep is not solely brain-regulated but arises from the interplay between the body and its microbiome.

Featured Neuroscience

·January 16, 2025·5 min read

Upper Body Strength Predicts Sexual Partner Count in Men and Women

A study revealed that both men and women with greater upper body strength report more lifetime sexual partners, challenging the sexual selection hypothesis, which emphasizes male physical competition for mates. While men’s strength is often linked to evolutionary advantages like hunting and mate competition, the findings also suggest stronger men are more likely to be in long-term relationships, supporting the "provisioning" theory.

This shows a child, her parents and leaves.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·December 5, 2024·4 min read

Teens’ Views on Cannabis Tied to Perceptions of Parental Use

Teens who perceive their parents use cannabis are more likely to hold favorable views toward the drug and express intentions to try it. The impact of parental cannabis use perception varies by parent gender, with closeness to mothers and fathers influencing teens’ attitudes differently.

Featured Neuroscience

·November 19, 2024·5 min read

How Hunter-Gatherer Kids Learn Lifelong Skills by Age Six

Hunter-gatherer children in the Congo Basin learn critical skills like hunting, gathering, and childcare by age six or seven, thanks to a unique social learning environment. Unlike Western societies, where learning is primarily parent- or teacher-centered, these children gain knowledge from parents, peers, extended family, and unrelated adults within their small, egalitarian communities.

Featured Neuroscience

·November 15, 2024·5 min read

AI Outpaces Humans in Rapid Disease Detection

A deep learning AI model developed by researchers significantly accelerates the detection of pathology in animal and human tissue images, surpassing human accuracy in some cases. This AI, trained on high-resolution images from past studies, quickly identifies signs of diseases like cancer that typically take hours for pathologists to detect.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·July 31, 2024·5 min read

Cannabigerol (CBG) Reduces Anxiety and Improves Memory

A new study shows that Cannabigerol (CBG) significantly reduces anxiety without the intoxicating effects of THC. The clinical trial found that 20 mg of CBG reduced anxiety and stress in participants, with memory enhancement as an unexpected benefit. The study highlights CBG’s potential as an alternative anxiety treatment. Further research is needed to confirm these findings and explore additional benefits.

Featured Neuroscience

·January 16, 2024·4 min read

Munchies Mystery Solved: Cannabis Activates Brain’s Appetite Neurons

Researchers uncovered how cannabis triggers appetite in the brain. Using calcium imaging technology to observe brain cells in mice exposed to vaporized cannabis sativa, the team discovered that cannabis activates specific cells in the hypothalamus associated with the anticipation and consumption of food.

Featured Psychology

·November 7, 2023·4 min read

Guilt Trips: A Fine Line in Persuasion Tactics

Guilt, often harnessed in persuasive communications, has been scrutinized in a meta-analysis revealing its nuanced impact on behavior change. Researchers found that guilt appeals are more effective when they evoke a general societal responsibility rather than direct blame.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·March 21, 2023·4 min read

Few People Seem to Find Real Joy in JOMO

People who enjoy experiencing JOMO, the "joy of missing out", tend to have higher levels of social anxiety, a new study reports.

Featured Genetics Neuroscience

·March 3, 2023·4 min read

Small Differences in Mom’s Behavior May Show Up in Child’s Epigenome

A mother's social interaction with her child, especially if her behavior is cold or awkward, correlated with a small increase in methylation of the child's NR3C1 gene. The NR3C1 is involved in the regulation of the HPA-axis which plays a critical role in stress response and the production of cortisol.