Summary: For decades, the mental health field has operated on a half-truth: that curing depression means removing sadness. A new study argues that the most dangerous part of depression isn’t…
Category: reward system
Rivalry Rewires the Brain: Why Fans Lose Control in an Instant
Summary: New brain-imaging research shows that soccer fans experience rapid shifts in reward and self-control circuits when their team wins or loses against a rival. Victories trigger heightened reward responses,…
Brain Circuit Found to Shape Risk and Impulse Differently by Sex
Summary: Researchers exploring risky decision-making in rats found that a specific reward-related neural circuit influences impulsivity and risk-taking in complex ways that depend on timing and biological sex. Manipulating the…
Brain Reward Signals Blunted by Genetic Depression Risk
Key Questions Answered Q: How does genetic risk for depression affect the brain?A: Young adults with a higher genetic predisposition to depression showed reduced brain activity in key areas linked…
