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Neuroscience

Mapping the decision-making pathways in the brain

Every day, people make hundreds of decisions. While most are small and inconsequential, like choosing what to eat or wear, others are more complex and involve weighing up potential costs and benefits, like deciding whether ...

Diabetes

A surprising protein player in diabetes

A protein that's common throughout the body plays a key role in regulating glucose levels, says new research conducted in the Cell Signal Unit at the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University (OIST) ...

Medical research

Scientists unveil how general anesthesia works

Hailed as one of the most important medical advances, the discovery of general anesthetics—compounds that induce unconsciousness, prevent control of movement and block pain—helped transform dangerous and traumatic operations ...

Medical research

Leaving its mark: How frailty impacts the blood

Globally, human society is aging. A side-effect of this is that age-related disorders, such as frailty, are becoming increasingly common. Frailty includes not only physical disabilities, but also a decline in cognitive function ...

Medications

Scientists reveal ADHD medication's effect on the brain

Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurobiological disorder characterized by symptoms of hyperactivity, inattention and impulsivity. People with the condition are often prescribed a stimulant drug called ...

Neuroscience

The ever-changing brain: Shining a light on synaptic plasticity

Synapses allow neurons to communicate with one another. In the synapse, one neuron emits chemical messengers called neurotransmitters, and an adjacent neuron receives them using tiny structures called receptors. A specific ...

Neuroscience

Cycles of reward: New insight into ADHD treatment

Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a widespread condition with complex underlying causes. A stimulant drug called methylphenidate is a common ADHD treatment that impacts the brain's levels of dopamine, a neurotransmitter ...

Neuroscience

Altered brain activity patterns of Parkinson's captured in mice

The tell-tale tremors of Parkinson's disease emerge from abnormal activity in a brain region crucial for voluntary movement. Using a mouse model of the disease, researchers at the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology ...

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