Summary: A new study shows that some e-cigarette flavorings, like vanilla and cherry, can trigger reward-seeking behaviors in adolescent mice even without nicotine. Researchers found that these flavors alone could…
Tag: Dopamine
More Than Serotonin: How Psychedelics Engage the Whole Brain
Summary: Classical psychedelics like LSD, psilocybin, and mescaline are known for activating the 5-HT2A serotonin receptor, but a new study reveals their effects go far beyond. Researchers profiled 41 psychedelics…
Low Sodium Linked to Anxiety Through Brain Chemistry Disruption
Summary: Chronic hyponatremia—long viewed as symptomless—is now shown to disrupt brain chemistry and cause anxiety-like behaviors, according to a new study in mice. Researchers found that prolonged low sodium levels…
Shared Genetic Signatures Found Across Psychiatric Disorders
Summary: Researchers have uncovered shared biological mechanisms across major psychiatric disorders by analyzing postmortem brain samples from the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. Instead of looking at gene expression broadly, they zoomed…
Vitamin B1 Derivative Sparks Dopamine, Boosts Wakefulness
Summary: Thiamine derivatives, once developed to treat nutrient deficiencies, are now being explored for their potential effects on brain function and energy. A new study shows that TTFD, a thiamine…
Dopamine Signals Teach the Brain to Unlearn Fear
Summary: A new study reveals that dopamine release along a specific brain circuit helps extinguish fear by activating reward-related neurons in the amygdala. Researchers showed that dopamine from the ventral…
Potential Depression Risk Linked to Ozempic-Like Drugs
Summary: A new international study reveals a possible connection between GLP1 receptor agonists—used in drugs like Ozempic—and increased risk of depression and suicidal ideation, especially in people with low dopamine…
Elevated Dopamine in Cannabis Users May Explain Psychosis Risk
Summary: New research reveals that people with cannabis use disorder (CUD) have elevated dopamine levels in a brain region associated with psychosis, such as schizophrenia. This may help explain why…
Dopamine Clock May Drive Bipolar Mood Swings
Summary: New research suggests that mood swings in bipolar disorder are regulated by two clocks: the body’s 24-hour circadian rhythm and a dopamine-based clock that influences alertness. When these clocks…
Targeting Reward Pathways to Treat Depression
Summary: New research highlights how the brain’s reward-learning system can guide personalized treatments for depression. By studying two brain signals, expected value and prediction error, researchers identified markers that predict…
