Summary: A new study finds that spite—driven by feelings of uncertainty, threat, or disadvantage—plays a key role in conspiracy theory belief. Researchers analyzed data from 1,000 participants and found that…
Category: brain research
Ignoring Your Better Judgment Increases Regret and Self-Blame
Summary: A new study reveals that people feel more culpable when they follow bad advice than when they make poor decisions independently. Researchers found that going against one’s better judgment…
Adverse Childhood Experiences Impact Brain Development and Mental Health
Summary: A decade-long study reveals how childhood adversity alters brain development, increasing risks for mental health disorders and substance use. Researchers found that teens who experienced early adversity showed delayed…
Optimism and Pessimism Shape Resilience and Risk
Summary: Researchers examined how optimism and pessimism influenced well-being and behavior during the COVID-19 pandemic. Analyzing data from a large-scale study of older adults, they found that optimism was linked…
15 Key Motives Drive Human Behavior
Summary: Researchers analyzed human motivation from an evolutionary perspective, identifying 15 key motives that drive behavior. These motives, grouped into five categories—environmental, physiological, reproductive, psychological, and social—reflect adaptations that helped…
Depression Speeds Up Physical Illness
Summary: Adults with a history of depression develop long-term physical conditions about 30% faster than those without, according to a large study. Researchers analyzed data from over 172,000 participants and…
How Ketamine Binds to Brain Receptors to Alter Mood
Summary: New research sheds light on how ketamine affects the brain by targeting a specific NMDA receptor subtype, GluN1-2B-2D. Scientists used electron cryo-microscopy to capture how ketamine binds to this…
Empathy Peaks in Young Adults
Summary: A new study reveals that young adults show the strongest empathic responses to others in physical or social pain, compared to adolescents and older adults. Researchers measured brain activity…
Dopamine Clock May Drive Bipolar Mood Swings
Summary: New research suggests that mood swings in bipolar disorder are regulated by two clocks: the body’s 24-hour circadian rhythm and a dopamine-based clock that influences alertness. When these clocks…
Long COVID Impairs Exercise Capacity and Cognition for Years
Summary: A study of nearly 1,000 people with post-COVID-19 syndrome (PCS) revealed that two-thirds still experienced significant symptoms, including reduced exercise capacity and cognitive performance, two years after infection. Persistent…
