Journeys Beyond: Contrasting Psychedelic Trips and Near-Death Experiences

Summary: A research study scrutinizes the parallels and differences between a near-death experience (NDE) during a coma and the experience induced by a potent psychedelic drug, 5-Methoxy-DMT (5MeO-DMT). The researchers…

Amotivation and Anhedonia Key to Social Functioning in Schizophrenia

Summary: Amotivation and anhedonia, rather than expressive dysfunction, are crucial to determining the social functioning of individuals with schizophrenia. The transdiagnostic network analysis examined the relationship between negative symptoms, other…

Investigating Stress Response in PTSD and Depression Through Gene Analysis

Summary: Researchers conducted an analysis of genes in nearly 575,000 brain cells from individuals with and without post-traumatic stress and major depressive disorders (PTSD and MDD), yielding new insights into…

Brain Bites: Top 5 Neuroscience News Articles of the Week – June 23, 2023

Summary: This week’s neuroscience revelations encompass intriguing findings from the enigmatic genetics of mind-controlling hairworms to the groundbreaking link between alcohol use disorders and certain neuronal plasticity genes. A novel…

Moral Conundrums: The Conflict Underlying Obedience to Authority

Summary: Researchers explored the conflict experience of individuals when instructed to act against their beliefs. Using the “bug destruction task,” participants were ordered to grind live bugs, causing a moral…

COVID-19 Super Dodgers: The Genetic Secret to Asymptomatic Infection

Summary: ertain individuals carry a unique gene variant that allows them to contract COVID-19 without displaying any symptoms. Dubbed as “super dodgers”, these individuals are more than twice as likely…

Study Challenges Longstanding Beliefs About Action of Antipsychotic Medications

Summary: Researchers uncovered a pivotal detail that could revolutionize schizophrenia treatment. Contrary to longstanding belief, antipsychotic drugs that mitigate overactive dopamine, a hallmark of schizophrenia, interact primarily with a different…

Intentions Matter: How Source Intent Influences Perceptions of Truth

Summary: Psychologists revealed people’s judgments of truthfulness are influenced by what they perceive as the information source’s intentions. They found that even when individuals knew the factual accuracy of a…

Better ‘Mind Reading’ Skills Linked to Enhanced Cooperation

Summary: A new study reveals that individuals with stronger ‘mindreading’ abilities, or the capacity to understand others’ feelings and intentions, are more successful in cooperative tasks. This trait, also known…

Aggression Is A Result of Self-Control, Not Lack Thereof

Summary: A new study contests the belief that aggression stems from poor self-control. Instead, it suggests that aggression is often a deliberate, controlled act, inflicted to maximize retribution. This finding,…