Summary: Dopamine, a neurotransmitter, plays a vital role in encoding both reward and punishment prediction errors in the human brain. This study suggests that dopamine is essential for learning from…
Category: Life
Taste-Driven AI Algorithms Enhance Wine Selections
Summary: Wine apps like Vivino and Hello Vino are utilizing AI algorithms to help wine enthusiasts select the perfect bottle. Researchers have taken it a step further by incorporating people’s…
Peptide PACAP’s Key Role in Alcohol Addiction
Summary: Alcohol, the world’s most common addictive substance, leads to $249 billion in annual costs and 88,000 deaths in the U.S. Alcohol use disorder affects millions but is under-treated. Researchers…
Mutualisms and Facilitation – Functional Ecologists
This blog post on ‘Mutualisms and facilitation’ is part of the BES ‘Key Concepts in Ecology’ series, designed to help ecologists in learning the key topics in ecology. See the…
Fish beware: Bottlenosed dolphins may be able to pick up your heartbeat
To snap up fish, bottlenosed dolphins may rely on more than just sharp sight and sonar detection. The creatures might also pick up on the weak electric pulses prey produce…
RNA’s Pivotal Role in Fear Memory and PTSD Treatment
Summary: Researchers have revealed a groundbreaking role of RNA in fear-related learning and memory. Their study shows how noncoding RNA Gas5 influences neuronal excitability, impacting learning and memory processes. Another…
Lactobacillus Bacteria May Guard Against Anxiety and Depression
Summary: Researchers have discovered the significant role of Lactobacillus, a bacterium in fermented foods and yogurt, in managing stress and potentially preventing depression and anxiety. This research is crucial for…
These nesting penguins nod off 10,000 times a day, for seconds at a tim
Nesting chinstrap penguins take nodding off to the extreme. The birds briefly dip into a slumber many thousands of times per day, sleeping for only seconds at a time. The…
Heartbeat’s Influence on Brain Activity
Summary: New research uncovered that the phases of a heartbeat significantly influence brain and motor system excitability. The study utilized transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) on 37 healthy volunteers to observe…
