FeaturedGeneticsNeuroscienceOpen Neuroscience ArticlesPsychology·May 22, 2020Wired for marriage: The neural and genetic links to romantic loveResearchers have identified both genetic and neural mechanisms associated with romantic love and attachment. The maintenance of romantic love is not only associated with subcortical brain regions but also higher-order centers of the brain. The propensity to sustain romantic love appears to also be affected by genetic variability, specifically with genes associated with dopamine, vasopressin, and oxytocin. Read More
artificial intelligencedeep learningFeaturedmachine learningNeuroscienceneurotechOpen Neuroscience ArticlesPsychology·May 22, 2020AI can make personality judgments based on our photographsA new machine-learning algorithm is more accurate at determining personality traits based on selfie photographs than humans are. Read More
FeaturedNeuroscienceOpen Neuroscience ArticlesPsychology·May 21, 2020Hearts that drum together beat togetherDrumming in a group stimulates behavioral and physiological synchronization, which contributes to the formation of social bonds and the ability to cooperate. Read More
FeaturedNeuroscienceOpen Neuroscience Articles·May 21, 2020Brain’s ‘updating mechanisms’ may create false memoriesNew evidence suggests the brain can update poorly formed memories with incorrect information, leading to the creation of false memories. Read More
FeaturedNeuroscienceOpen Neuroscience Articles·May 20, 2020COVID-19 cytokine storm: Possible mechanism for the deadly respiratory syndromeSARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for COVID-19, enters human cells by attaching to ACE2 and utilizing TMPRSS2. Drugs that block ACE2 or inhibit the enzyme could help treat the coronavirus, but only during early infection. As the infection progresses, SARS-CoV-2 becomes engulfed in human cells, reducing the number of ACE2 receptors on a cell and leading to an increase of angiotensin II in the blood. Angiotensin II triggers an inflammatory pathway, providing a positive feedback cycle, named IL-6 amplifier, resulting in excessive immune activation and the cytokine storm associated with severe COVID-19. Read More
FeaturedNeuroscienceOpen Neuroscience Articles·May 20, 2020Birth control pills affect the love hormoneWomen who take oral birth control pills have higher levels of oxytocin than women who don't use the pill. Read More
FeaturedNeurologyNeuroscienceOpen Neuroscience Articlespain·May 20, 2020Legal Cannabis hemp oil effectively treats chronic neuropathic painHemp oil reduced mechanical pain sensitivity 10-fold within seven hours in mice with chronic postoperative neuropathic pain. Read More
FeaturedNeurologyNeuroscienceOpen Neuroscience Articlespain·May 19, 2020Mapping the weather patterns affecting people with chronic painA new study confirms a link between the severity of symptoms for those with chronic pain and atmospheric weather conditions. Low atmospheric pressure was associated with more severe symptoms of pain. Read More
artificial intelligencedeep learningFeaturedmachine learningNeuroscienceneurotechOpen Neuroscience Articles·May 19, 2020Computer model can process disparate sources of clinical data to predict brain ageA new computer model can analyze different types of brain scans and accurately predict the age of the human brain based on the images. Read More
FeaturedNeuroscienceOpen Neuroscience Articles·May 19, 2020Six feet not far enough to stop coronavirus transmission in light windsA new study reveals the recommended 6 foot of distance to help prevent the transmission of COVID-19 may not be enough. Researchers report that even with a slight breeze of 4 KPH, saliva and cough droplets travel 18 feet per 5 seconds. Read More
FeaturedNeuroscienceOpen Neuroscience Articles·May 19, 2020Brain structure that controls our behavior discoveredResearchers implicate the inferior frontal junction area in controlling behavior and executive function. Read More
FeaturedNeuroscienceOpen Neuroscience Articles·May 18, 2020Study reports ‘staggering’ death rate in US among those infected who show symptomsThe current national death rate among those infected with coronavirus is 1.3%. The comparable rate of death for seasonal flu is 0.1%. The study estimates that if the same number of people are infected with COVID-19 by the end of the year as are infected with flu, roughly 33.5 million people in 20018-19, almost 500,000 people will die as a result of coronavirus infection. However, COVID-19 is more infectious than the seasonal flu. Current conservative estimates suggest 20% of the US population will be infected by the end of 2020, leading to a possible 1.2 million deaths. Read More
