Summary: Researchers have uncovered how morphine relieves pain by activating a specific group of neurons in the brain, termed the ‘morphine ensemble.’ These neurons, located in the rostral ventromedial medulla…
Category: brain research
Dogs Using Soundboard Buttons Understand Words
Summary: A new study reveals that dogs trained with soundboard buttons can comprehend and respond to specific words, indicating they may truly understand the words and not just react to…
Non-Cognitive Skills Are as Vital as Intelligence
Summary: A new study reveals that non-cognitive skills like motivation and self-regulation are as crucial as intelligence in determining academic success. These skills, influenced by both genetics and environment, grow…
Knowingly Taking Placebos Reduces Stress and Anxiety
Summary: Researchers have discovered that nondeceptive placebos—placebos given with the full knowledge that they are placebos—can effectively manage stress, even when administered remotely. In a two-week randomized controlled trial, participants…
Psychosis Cognitive Impairment Linked to Brain Network
Summary: New research reveals that cognitive impairments in psychotic disorders, like schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, are connected to brain network organization. This connection is evident even before the first psychotic…
High-Dose Psilocybin Shows Potential as an Antidepressant Treatment
Summary: A meta-analysis suggests that high doses of psilocybin may alleviate depressive symptoms similarly to the SSRI drug escitalopram. While the effect size was small, psilocybin outperformed placebo in clinical…
Why Are We Drawn to Events Focused on Death and Disaster?
Summary: Researchers have developed a new framework to understand why people are fascinated by events centered around themes of death, disaster, and suffering. These “dark events” include everything from historical…
Moral Values Shift with the Seasons
Summary: A study has found that people’s endorsement of moral values fluctuates seasonally, with group-focused values like loyalty, authority, and purity being more strongly supported in spring and fall. This…
Classical Music Synchronizes Brain Waves, Improving Depression
Summary: Western classical music can significantly affect brain activity, particularly in people with treatment-resistant depression. By measuring brainwaves and neural imaging, scientists discovered that music synchronizes neural oscillations between brain…
