Summary: Chronic pain affects millions, but opioid medications bring high risks of dependence and side effects. Researchers have now pinpointed specific neurons in the amygdala that make pain feel unpleasant,…
Tag: amygdala
One Gene Rewires Fear Circuits and Fuels Anxiety
Summary: Researchers have uncovered how losing the autism-linked gene PTEN in a specific set of inhibitory neurons reshapes brain circuits tied to fear and anxiety. Using advanced circuit-mapping techniques, they…
Boredom Is Good for You: Why Embracing It Calms the Brain
Summary: Boredom, often seen as a negative state to avoid, may actually serve an important role in emotional regulation and brain health. When we’re bored, the brain shifts away from…
Amygdala Cells Linked to Anxiety
Summary: Researchers have identified specific cell types in the amygdala linked to anxiety, revealing potential new targets for treatment. By analyzing gene expression in human and macaque brains, scientists discovered…
Depression Alters Brain Circuits, Heightening Negative Perception
Summary: Scientists have identified how depression alters the brain’s response to positive and negative stimuli, particularly in the amygdala, a key emotional processing center. The study found that depression reduces…
New Brain Stimulation Target Could Treat PTSD
Summary: A new study suggests that neurostimulation targeting specific brain circuits may help treat PTSD in veterans. Researchers found that veterans with damage to brain areas connected to the amygdala,…
Classical Music Synchronizes Brain Waves, Improving Depression
Summary: Western classical music can significantly affect brain activity, particularly in people with treatment-resistant depression. By measuring brainwaves and neural imaging, scientists discovered that music synchronizes neural oscillations between brain…
Late bedtimes and not enough sleep can harm developing brains – and poorer kids are more at risk
Shorter sleep and later bedtimes are linked to potentially harmful functional changes to parts of the brain important for coping with stress and controlling negative emotions, our recently published research…
Depression Linked to Amygdala Activity
Summary: A new study reveals how depression affects brain activity in the basolateral amygdala (BLA) of rats. Using a microelectrode array, researchers found increased theta frequency activity in the BLA…
