Summary: Why do individuals with alcohol use disorders often prioritize drinking over meaningful social connections? A new study identifies a specific brain region—the anterior insula—as a key driver of this…
Tag: behavioral neuroscience
Guilt and Shame Shape Behavior Through Separate Brain Pathways
Summary: Guilt and shame arise from different cognitive triggers and rely on distinct neural systems to guide compensatory behavior. Using a controlled game that manipulated both harm and responsibility, researchers…
Genes Behind Dog Behaviors Also Shape Human Emotions
Summary: Researchers analyzed the genomes and behavioral profiles of 1,300 golden retrievers and found that several behavioral traits—such as trainability, fear of strangers, and aggression toward other dogs—are shaped by…
Loneliness Drives Teens to Seek Rewards
Summary: A new study reveals that adolescents are highly sensitive to even brief periods of social isolation, showing a sharp increase in motivation to seek rewards after just a few…
Astrocyte Disruption Tied to Depression After Childhood Stress
Summary: Researchers have shown that astrocytes in the lateral hypothalamus play a pivotal role in how stress shapes behavior, particularly after early-life adversity. In mice, stress led to smaller, less…
