Summary: Researchers have discovered that the neurotransmitter orexin, not the stress hormone noradrenaline, regulates pupil size, challenging prior understanding. Orexin neurons affect pupil size in response to emotional states and…
Tag: brain research
New Dads with Prior Antidepressant Use 30x More Likely to Restart Treatment
Summary: New fathers with a history of antidepressant use are over 30 times more likely to require such treatment again in the first year after their child’s birth. The study,…
Live Music Outperforms Recorded Shows for Infant Engagement
Summary: The magic of live performances is not lost on infants, as new research suggests that live music captivates them more than recorded versions of the same show. Researchers noticed…
Breast Milk Component Boosts Infant Brain Connectivity
Summary: Researchers have discovered that myo-inositol, a small cyclic sugar molecule found in breast milk, plays a crucial role in promoting neuronal connections in infants’ brains. Prior studies indicated the…
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,…
Conceptual Linking: How Pain Avoidance Can Spread to Safe Activities
Summary: Avoiding activities associated with past pain can cause individuals to shun related tasks that might be painless. This avoidance may generalize to safe activities, leading to needless abstention from…
Brain Barrier Inflammation: A Stealthy Contributor to Multiple Sclerosis
Summary: A study in mice reveals that inflammation in the brain’s barrier, or the meninges, may seep into grey matter, fostering the progression of multiple sclerosis (MS). Utilizing novel methods,…
Positive parenting can help protect against the effects of stress in childhood and adolescence, new study shows
The Research Brief is a short take about interesting academic work. The big idea Warm and supportive parenting may buffer against the effects of stress during childhood and adolescence. That…
Brain’s Melody and Prose: How Music and Language Affect Different Regions
Summary: A recent study reveals how different brain areas are activated when processing music and language. Using direct brain recordings during an awake craniotomy, the researchers observed shared temporal lobe…
