How the Brain Overcomes Instinctive Fear and Adapts to New Threats

Summary: Researchers have identified brain mechanisms that help animals suppress instinctive fear responses when threats prove harmless over time. Using a visual threat model in mice, they found that specific…

Blood Test May Predict Postpartum Depression Through Hormone Levels

Summary: Women who develop postpartum depression (PPD) may have distinct neuroactive steroid levels during the third trimester of pregnancy. A study found that those with PPD had lower levels of…

How Large Social Circles Foster Trust

Summary: A new study challenges the belief that larger groups reduce cooperation, showing instead that flexible social connections enhance teamwork. Researchers found that in a prisoner’s dilemma game, participants in…

Empathy Peaks in Young Adults

Summary: A new study reveals that young adults show the strongest empathic responses to others in physical or social pain, compared to adolescents and older adults. Researchers measured brain activity…

Study Links Schizophrenia to Visual Contrast Sensitivity Deficits

Summary: People with schizophrenia experience impaired contrast perception, affecting their ability to differentiate light intensity and recognize shapes and textures. This deficit may stem from disruptions in glutamate neurotransmission, a…

Opioid Dysregulation in the Brain Tied to Eating Disorders

Summary: Elevated opioid neurotransmission in the brain may underlie appetite loss and emotional symptoms in anorexia nervosa. Compared to healthy controls, patients with anorexia had increased opioidergic tone, which regulates…

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…

Early Exposure to Violent Media Linked to Teen Antisocial Behavior

Summary: A study of nearly 2,000 children found that boys exposed to violent television content at ages 3.5 to 4.5 were more likely to exhibit antisocial behaviors as teens. These…

Do Accents Influence Guilt Perceptions?

Summary: Accents influence perceptions of guilt, with those judged as “lower status” being considered more likely to commit crimes. Researchers analyzed responses from 180 participants who rated voices from 10…