Childhood Stress Disrupts Attention, Sleep, and Dopamine Balance in Adults

Summary: New research links childhood adversity with later attention deficits, sleep disruptions, and specific dopamine imbalances in the brain. Focusing on critical developmental windows, scientists found that disrupted care early…

Key Biochemical Trigger of Huntington’s Disease Progression Identified

Summary: Researchers have identified a crucial biochemical mechanism that could allow Huntington’s disease to be studied before symptoms appear, offering hope for early intervention. The team found that disrupted dopamine…

Key Brain Protein Tied to Motivation and Mood Identified

Summary: A new study has identified a brain protein, vesicular nucleotide transporter (Vnut), as essential for regulating mood and motivation in mice. When Vnut was removed from brain cells called…

Unexpected Sounds Boost Dopamine, Leading to Riskier Decisions

Summary: A new study shows that unexpected sounds can cause dopamine bursts in the brain, which may lead to riskier decision-making. Researchers found that participants were 4% more likely to…

Hidden Dopamine Neurons Balance Brain Functions and Behavior

Summary: Researchers identified a small group of dopamine neurons in the striatum that play a crucial role in balancing essential brain functions such as reward, cognition, and movement. This discovery…

Social Drinking Activates Dopamine and Elevates Mood

Summary: New research reveals why alcohol makes people feel happier in social settings but not when drinking alone. Using fruit flies, scientists discovered that dopamine in the brain plays a…

Study Reveals Dopamine’s Limited Role in Rapid Neural Activity

Summary: A recent study has found that dopamine signals have a minimal impact on rapid neural activity in the striatum, challenging existing theories about dopamine’s role in brain signaling. Using…

Exercise Boosts Motivation to Combat Depression

Summary: A new study suggests that exercise reduces depression by boosting motivation through decreased inflammation and enhanced dopamine function. This understanding could lead to personalized exercise programs as treatment. The…

ADHD brains present unique challenges, but the condition is highly treatable − a primary care nurse practitioner with ADHD explains the science

“My brain has way too many tabs open.” “Why can’t I complete tasks?” “Why do I lose track of time?” “Why can’t I pay attention?” These are all things people…

Dopamine’s Role in Movement Explored

Summary: A new study explains how dopamine influences movement sequences, offering hope for Parkinson’s disease (PD) therapies. Researchers observed that dopamine not only motivates movement but also controls the length…