We're all familiar with the startle reflex—that sudden, uncontrollable jerk that occurs when we're surprised by a noise or other unexpected stimulus. But the brain also has an important pre-attentive mechanism to tamp down ...
Aug 9, 2021
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Knowing when it's time for a meal—and when to stop eating again—is important to survive and to stay healthy, for humans and animals alike. Researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Biological Intelligence have investigated ...
May 24, 2023
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Adolescence is the life stage when mental illnesses are most likely to emerge, with anxiety disorders being the most common. Recent estimates suggest that over 30 percent of teens have an anxiety disorder. That means about ...
Nov 2, 2018
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The brain's emotion-processing center—the amygdala—is one of several brain regions involved in social behavior. But the exact role that this almond-shaped structure plays in the so-called 'social brain' remains mysterious. ...
Mar 4, 2021
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University of Iowa neuroscientists have identified a specific area of the brain involved in the loss of breathing that occurs during a seizure. The findings, published in JCI Insight on March 12, could have important implications ...
Mar 12, 2020
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Mammals can engage in a wide range of cooperative and aggressive social behaviors. These behaviors are known to be influenced by different neural circuits, yet the molecular underpinnings of these circuits and their development ...
Traumatic stress can cause aggression by strengthening two brain pathways involved in emotion, according to research recently published in JNeurosci. Targeting those pathways via deep brain stimulation may stymie aggression ...
May 18, 2020
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Stress eating is something many people are familiar with, but how the brain links positive reinforcement like food to emotional states like fear or anxiety is not well-understood. The wiring in the mouse brain, however, is ...
Mar 22, 2017
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Crime films, action films, comedies, or documentaries? A person's favorite film genre reveals a lot about how their brain works. This is the finding of a new study led by the Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg (MLU) ...
Aug 27, 2024
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Changing levels of the chemical dopamine, a chemical most associated with motivation, may help explain why stressful experiences during infancy can lead to lasting behavioral issues, a new study in rodents shows.
Oct 26, 2021
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