Resilience is key to coping with life’s stressors, but how it works in the brain is still being unraveled. A new study provides evidence that resilience involves distinct brain processes depending on whether someone is depressed or not. Key Facts: Resilience was linked to frontal lobe brain activity patterns that differed between depressed and non-depressed …
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) continues to afflict millions worldwide, necessitating more effective therapeutic options. Key Facts: PTSD involves dysfunctional fear processing and altered threat perception. Current treatments fail to comprehensively address its complex symptoms. Research implicates dysregulation in brain systems like the HPA axis and glutamate, presenting novel drug targets. Medications modulating oxytocin, cannabinoids, opioids …
Gambling is a complex behavior influenced by multiple factors in the brain. New research in mice provides insight into the neurobiology underlying key aspects of gambling such as making the initial decision to gamble and persistently chasing losses. Key Facts: Mice exhibit typical gambling behaviors like choosing to gamble more when odds of winning are …
Hearing loss is a major health issue that affects people of all ages. It can be caused by loud noise, aging, disease, or certain medications and often cannot be reversed. Unlike humans, some animals like birds, fish, and frogs are able to regenerate the sensory hair cells inside their ears that detect sound. Understanding how …
Modafinil is a prescription medication often used off-label as a ‘smart drug’ to boost focus and concentration. While thought to have low potential for abuse, emerging case reports reveal that modafinil may be more addictive than previously believed. What is Modafinil? Modafinil is a prescription medication approved for treating sleep disorders like narcolepsy, shift work …
Researchers have discovered that the wakefulness-promoting drug modafinil causes changes in brain activity patterns when people are at rest. These findings provide new insights into how this medication works in the brain. Key Facts: Modafinil is a medication used to treat excessive sleepiness from conditions like narcolepsy. It works by increasing dopamine and norepinephrine levels …
Tardive dyskinesia is a disorder caused by taking certain psychiatric drugs long-term. It involves uncontrollable body movements that can severely impact a person’s quality of life. Deep brain stimulation is a promising new treatment option for severe, drug-resistant tardive dyskinesia. Key Facts: Tardive dyskinesia causes involuntary, repetitive body movements, often of the face, lips, and …
Phenibut is a substance that acts on the brain and can cause dependence and addiction. Stopping phenibut suddenly after regular use leads to a withdrawal syndrome with potentially serious health consequences. What is Phenibut? Phenibut is a central nervous system depressant that was developed in Russia in the 1960s. It is used medically in some …
Researchers have discovered that changes in a region deep in the brain called the brainstem may contribute to recurring major depressive disorder (MDD). Key findings include: Patients with first-episode and recurrent depression showed volume decreases in brainstem regions like the pons and midbrain compared to healthy individuals. A region called the superior cerebellar peduncle (SCP) …
The neurotransmitter serotonin plays many important roles in our brains and bodies by binding to various serotonin receptor proteins. One of these receptors, called 5-HTR1E, has remained mysterious even after its discovery over 30 years ago. Facts about 5-HTR1E receptor: It is one of the 13 known serotonin receptor proteins that serotonin can bind to …
