Summary: A new study explores how the brain processes social acceptance and rejection, revealing how these experiences shape relationships and influence mental health. Using behavioral experiments and MRI imaging, researchers…
Tag: neuroscience
New Appetite Regulating Neurons Discovered
Summary: Researchers have identified a previously unknown population of neurons in the hypothalamus that play a critical role in regulating appetite. These neurons express both leptin receptors and the BNC2…
Depression Genes in Women Linked to Higher Heart Disease Risk
Summary: A new study analyzing genetic data from over 300,000 people revealed that women with a high genetic risk for depression also face a higher likelihood of developing heart disease,…
Leaded Gas Exposure Linked to Mental Illness
Summary: A new study estimates that childhood lead exposure, peaking between 1960 and 1990 due to leaded gasoline, caused 151 million excess cases of mental illness by 2015. Researchers linked…
How We Filter Out Background Sounds When Speaking
Summary: Researchers have traced how the brain filters out background noise during speech using signals between the motor and auditory cortices. These milliseconds-long electrical signals, called auditory corollary discharge, originate…
Empathy Loss in Dementia Linked to Brain Activity Changes
Summary: Frontotemporal dementia, affecting about 3% of dementia patients in Sweden, is characterized by a loss of empathy that challenges patients and their families. Using functional MRI, researchers found that…
How Alcohol Increases Pain Tolerance, and Aggression
Summary: Alcohol not only raises pain tolerance but also amplifies aggression, according to a new study. Researchers found that participants who drank alcohol had higher pain thresholds and were more…
Masculine Ideals Double Suicide Risk in Men
Summary: Men who strongly adhere to traditional masculine ideologies, such as suppressing emotions and valuing independence, are more than twice as likely to attempt suicide compared to those with more…
Flexibility demands influence motor cortex’s involvement in execution of motor sequences, rat study finds
Simplified schematic representation of the motor control system considered in this study, and the hypotheses about how it is used in response to different challenges. Credit: Mizes et al. The…
Spike Protein Lingers in Brain, Fuels Long COVID
Summary: A new study reveals that the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein remains in brain-protective tissues and skull bone marrow for years after infection, potentially driving long COVID’s neurological symptoms. Using advanced…
