Why Cannabis Can Suddenly Trigger Panic

Summary: Neuroscientists at Northwestern University have pinpointed a specific population of neurons that drives acute anxiety following exposure to cannabinoid compounds under stressful conditions. Published in Nature Communications, the preclinical…

Environment and Hippocampal Size Impact Depression in Youth

Summary: Challenging social environments and the size of the left hippocampus in children aged 9-11 contribute to an increased risk of depression. Researchers found that children with larger hippocampal volumes…

Sleepless Nights: The Brain’s Surprising Reaction to All-Nighters

Summary: unveiled the science behind the buoyant mood many feel after acute sleep deprivation, like pulling an all-nighter. The study in mice showed that not only does dopamine release rise…

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…

Study Using AI Reveals Secondary Bacterial Pneumonia, Not Cytokine Storm, Found as Key Factor in COVID-19 Fatalities

Summary: A recent study found that secondary bacterial pneumonia, rather than the much-discussed “cytokine storm,” is a significant factor in COVID-19-related fatalities. Almost half of the patients who required mechanical…