Are we really programmed to be lazy?
For decades, psychology and neuroscience have suggested that if humans and animals naturally try to make as little effort as possible, it is because putting in the effort is not enjoyable.
May 4, 2026
0
5
Organic Chemicals: News and Research on Dopamine
MeSH tree: D02.455.426.559.389.657.166.175.342
The brain may use dopamine to bend time and shape memory
Ever heard of getting a "dopamine hit" from something you enjoy? These exciting moments also appear to influence memory, although perhaps not in the way you'd expect.
May 4, 2026
0
17
Dopamine deficiency found to drive memory impairment in Alzheimer's disease
Why do memories fade in Alzheimer's disease—and can they be restored? University of California, Irvine researchers have uncovered a key mechanism underlying memory loss, showing for the first time that dopamine dysfunction ...
Apr 23, 2026
0
29
How the adult brain reuses an embryonic signal to balance persistence and change
A signaling pathway best known for shaping the brain before birth also helps govern how adults learn, adapt, and persist in their behavior, according to new research co-led by Andreas H. Kottmann, associate medical professor ...
Apr 22, 2026
0
7
Fat cells steer flies away from pathogen-tainted food through a newly revealed neural circuit
If humans or animals eat something that causes them to feel unwell, they subsequently avoid this food source. Until now, it has been unclear precisely how this avoidance learning takes place. A new study shows that communication ...
Apr 16, 2026
0
4
Coffee's sweet spot may help mental health in the long run
Your morning cup of coffee may be more than just a pick-me-up. It may also be a simple boost for your mental well-being. In a recent study, researchers from Fudan University, China, wanted to find out whether the amount of ...
'Cuddle therapy' sounds like what we all need right now. But will it actually help?
Cuddle therapy is having a moment. The idea for this emerging therapy is for you to book in a specified time with a "professional cuddler."
Apr 9, 2026
0
6
Neuroscientists find 'blink of an eye' timing in how we use our brains to learn and move
Scientists have long studied the role of dopamine, a chemical in the brain that helps control learning and movement, in order to better understand Parkinson's disease, schizophrenia, and depression—afflictions caused, in ...
Mar 25, 2026
0
15
Newly-discovered dopamine signal may help the brain steer us in the right direction
A Boston University-led research team has discovered a dopamine signal in the brain that helps determine whether you are moving toward or away from a goal, potentially shedding new light on how the brain uses visual information ...
Mar 19, 2026
0
33
Study offers single explanation for two major symptoms of schizophrenia
Scientists have long known that dopamine helps the brain learn from rewards, but a new computational model shows how for people with schizophrenia this learning system can break down and simultaneously produce two very different ...
Mar 18, 2026
0
34
