Summary: New research reveals that reduced ATP signaling in the hippocampus plays a causal role in both depression- and anxiety-like behaviors. In stressed male mice, ATP levels and the ATP-releasing…
Tag: SfN
Psychedelic ‘Ego Death’ Tied to a Collapse in Alpha Brain Waves
Summary: A new study using DMT as a scientific tool reveals how psychedelics alter the brain’s alpha-wave dynamics and weaken our sense of self. The researchers found that DMT pushes…
Brain Circuit Found to Shape Risk and Impulse Differently by Sex
Summary: Researchers exploring risky decision-making in rats found that a specific reward-related neural circuit influences impulsivity and risk-taking in complex ways that depend on timing and biological sex. Manipulating the…
Triggered Hypothermia Protects the Brain After Injury
Summary: Scientists have discovered a way to induce a hibernation-like state that protects the brain after injury—without using external cooling. By activating a specific population of neurons, researchers created a…
Depression Disrupts Learning to Avoid Unpleasant Events
Summary: Depression specifically impairs the ability to learn how to actively avoid unpleasant events, though it does not affect avoidance behavior once learned. Researchers tested 465 participants across a range…
What You Expect Shapes How Much Pain You Feel
Key Questions Answered Q: How do expectations influence pain perception?A: Expectations shaped by external cues (like visual signals) and those shaped by treatment information (like placebo explanations) both reduce pain,…
Brain Tracks Emotional Transitions Through Music
Summary: New research reveals how the brain navigates emotional transitions, using music as a tool to map changing neural patterns. Scientists found that emotional responses in the brain depend heavily…
Cerebellar Serotonin Acts as a Brake to Reduce Anxiety
Summary: New research reveals that serotonin in the cerebellum plays a crucial role in anxiety regulation. Scientists found that mice with lower cerebellar serotonin levels displayed increased anxiety-like behaviors, while…
