Summary: A new study reveals that tolcapone, a dopamine-enhancing drug, strengthens brain circuits involved in self-control while reducing alcohol intake in people with alcohol use disorder (AUD). The drug boosts…
Category: Life
Highly Sensitive People Face Greater Mental Health Risks
Summary: A large-scale meta-analysis of 33 studies has shown that highly sensitive individuals are more prone to common mental health problems, including depression, anxiety, PTSD, and avoidant personality disorder. Sensitivity…
Bipolar Mood Shifts Linked to Insulin Signaling in the Pancreas
Summary: A new study uncovers a pancreas–hippocampus feedback loop that may help explain mood swings in bipolar disorder. Using patient-derived pancreatic islets, researchers found reduced insulin secretion linked to elevated…
Caffeine in the Morning Gives the Biggest Boost to Mood
Summary: A large real-world study of 236 young adults found that caffeine significantly boosts positive emotions, particularly in the morning. Participants who had coffee or another caffeinated drink reported feeling…
Brain Signature Reveals How We Consciously Experience Emotional Intensity
Summary: Researchers have identified a distinct brain signature linked to the conscious experience of emotional intensity. By combining AI modeling, advanced brain imaging, and realistic experimental scenarios, they measured arousal…
GLP spaces on X: Climate change and meat. Separating fact from hype
Red meat is often scapegoated as a major villain in the popular story about our global efforts to prevent a runaway climate crisis. Uncritically amplifying this narrative, the media treats…
First “Microwave Brain” Chip Merges Ultrafast Data and Wireless Signals
Summary: Researchers have built the first “microwave brain” chip capable of processing both ultrafast data and wireless communication signals at once. By harnessing analog, nonlinear microwave physics instead of conventional…
Brain Circuit Model Reveals How Striatum Shapes Everyday Decisions
Summary: Researchers have developed a computational framework that maps how the striosomal compartment of the striatum governs everyday decision-making. By integrating biology, decision theory, and mathematical modeling, the study reveals…
A single protein makes lovesick flies spill their guts
Vomiting up a droplet of sugar might not seem like the most romantic gesture from a potential suitor. But for one fly species, males that spill their guts are quite…
Ji Liu – Functional Ecologists
In this blog post, we hear from Associate Editor Ji Liu, Associate Professor at the Institute of Earth Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences and a Postdoctoral Researcher at the Spanish…
