Oxytocin is a hormone produced in the brain of humans and other animals, specifically in a region known as the hypothalamus. Also known as the hormone of love, it plays a crucial part in social bonding, reproduction, and childbirth.
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A study on zebrafish explores how the neural circuitry behind odor processing develops over time
Neuroscientists have been trying to understand how animals and humans process sensory information for several decades now. While their work has led to many important discoveries, many questions remain unanswered.
Classical music and white noise do not improve conflict processing–related cognitive functions
In the past, many neuroscientists have investigated the potential therapeutic value of classical music and other types of music or sounds for alleviating some of the symptoms or deficits associated with different neuropsychological disorders. While some studies have...
Study unveils a global dysregulation of dopamine in mice with chronic inflammatory pain
Over the past decades, many neuroscientists have investigated how the mammalian brain modulates pain, trying to uncover the neural mechanisms underpinning chronic pain. Chronic pain is pain in specific parts of the body, that persists for long periods of time,...
New insight on the regulatory mechanisms underpinning the development of cortical neurons
Neurons in the cerebral cortex, a region in the mammalian brain involved in complex motor functions, sensory perception and cognition, can have very different qualities and characteristics. These neurons are known to be formed during embryonic development, and their...
Study draws new link between dopamine-based reward learning and machine learning
Past neuroscience and psychology research has repeatedly demonstrated the crucial role of rewards in how humans and other animals acquire behaviors that promote their survival. Dopaminergic neurons, neurons that produce dopamine in the mammalian central nervous...
Study explores the effects of eating dark chocolate on the brain
Eating chocolate is typically discouraged by nutritionists, as it is can be high in calories, fat and sugar. Cocoa, however, chocolate's primary ingredient derived from the seed of the cacao plant, has been found to have numerous qualities that could be beneficial for...
Study unveils pro-inflammatory interactions in drug-resistant epilepsy
Epilepsy is a common condition that causes those affected to experience frequent seizures, which are bursts of electrical activity in the brain that temporarily impair its functioning. These seizures can present differently and can be associated with uncontrollable...
A wearable device to assist individuals with the rare genetic condition PIEZO2-LOF
The Piezo-type mechanosensitive ion channel component 2, or PIEZO2, is a protein coding gene that has been linked to mechanically-activated (MA) cation channels, which connect mechanical forces to biological signals. The PIEZO2 encoded protein can quickly adapt MA...
Functional connections between different brain networks can predict a person’s age
Neuroscientists have been trying to understand for decades how the human brain changes over the lifespan. This could ultimately help to devise more effective treatments for neurological and cognitive disorders primarily observed in the elderly.