Summary: Researchers uncover how dopamine, a key neurotransmitter, varies in response to social interactions, distinguishing between intimate and casual relationships. Their research, conducted on prairie voles, sheds light on the…
Tag: Dopamine
Dopamine’s Role in Learning from Rewards and Penalties
Summary: Dopamine, a neurotransmitter, plays a vital role in encoding both reward and punishment prediction errors in the human brain. This study suggests that dopamine is essential for learning from…
Sleepless Nights: The Brain’s Surprising Reaction to All-Nighters
Summary: unveiled the science behind the buoyant mood many feel after acute sleep deprivation, like pulling an all-nighter. The study in mice showed that not only does dopamine release rise…
Neuro-Insights of the Week From Neuroscience News, October 1, 2023
Summary: This week in neuroscience presents several groundbreaking insights. “Game of Thrones” enthusiasts, when lonely, show neurological patterns that equate their favorite characters to real-life friends. Researchers have identified a…
Dopamine Tunes the Brain for Both Singing and Speech
Summary: Contrary to popular belief, speech and singing use overlapping brain circuits, primarily located in the left hemisphere. This discovery challenges the 50-year notion that the right hemisphere supports the…
Adolescence’s Impact on Adult Dopamine Function and Impulsivity
Summary: In a novel study, researchers reveal a sensitive developmental phase during adolescence that significantly influences adult impulsivity, aggression, and dopamine function in mice. This study highlights the implications of…
Study Challenges Longstanding Beliefs About Action of Antipsychotic Medications
Summary: Researchers uncovered a pivotal detail that could revolutionize schizophrenia treatment. Contrary to longstanding belief, antipsychotic drugs that mitigate overactive dopamine, a hallmark of schizophrenia, interact primarily with a different…
Dopamine Plays Double Duty in Learning and Motivation
Summary: A novel study suggests that dopamine, a neurotransmitter, plays dual roles in learning and motivation. In the study, male rats underwent Pavlovian or operant conditioning while their dopamine release…
Misuse of Adderall promotes stigma and mistrust for patients who need it – a neuroscientist explains the science behind the controversial ADHD drug
The nationwide shortages of Adderall that began in fall 2022 have brought renewed attention to the beleaguered drug, which is used to treat attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and narcolepsy. Adderall became a…
