Layer 6b, the deepest layer of the mammalian brain's cortex, has recently been the focus of numerous neuroscience studies. Despite the interesting findings gathered in recent years, the role of this deep cortical layer remains poorly understood.
Neuroscience
Study finds that dopamine projections to the amygdala contribute to encoding identity-specific reward memories
Over the course of their lives, humans build subjective internal models outlining the associations between specific environmental stimuli and rewards that could be gained from interacting with them. These experience-based models allow them to infer what benefits they...
Reorganization of prefrontal cortex circuitry during adolescence enables cognitive maturation of mice
Neuroscientists have been trying for decades to understand how the brains of humans and other animals develop throughout the lifespan. While their work has gathered much insight into brain maturation and development, many questions remain unanswered.
Study offers insights into neural mechanisms involved in progression from aggressive motivation to action
The social behaviors of humans and animals often unfold over two distinct phases, namely a motivational and an action phase. The first of these phases entails instinctual and reward-seeking mental states, characterized by sexual or aggressive drives to perform...
Dopamine fluctuations in distinct brain subregions predict rewards over a range of time-scales
Previous neuroscience studies suggest that transient increases in brain dopamine are critical signals for learning about reward, and the motivation to obtain more rewards. Researchers at University of California San Francisco carried out a study exploring transient...
Study unveils the role of a neural substrate in the lateral habenula in value-based decision-making
In their everyday lives, humans often weigh the value of different options and decide how to act based on this mental evaluation. This process, known as value-based decision-making, has been the topic of numerous studies rooted in psychology, neuroscience and economics.
A low-cost system to collect EEG measurements during VR experiences
Recent technological advances have enabled the development of increasingly advanced systems and devices for measuring brain activity in both research and medical settings. A concept that has been widely explored and yet not effectively realized is that of collecting...
Exploring how the somatosensory cortex contributes to the encoding of newly learned movements
The somatosensory cortex is a brain region known to play a role in the detection of tactile information, changes in temperature, and pain sensations. Some recent studies found that this crucial brain region is also involved in the human ability to learn and retain new...
Study hints at an early shift towards a more positive attitude in middle-aged people
Past psychology studies have found that on average, older adults tend to view the world in a more positive light than younger adults. People in their 30s to 50s, in fact, often display a negativity bias, which essentially means that they are more prone to remember...
Study finds that microglia could regulate sleep via the modulation of norepinephrine transmission
Sleep is known to play a key role in facilitating various physiological processes, while also contributing to the healthy functioning of the brain. Lack of sleep and poor sleep quality have been linked to various chronic health and mental health issues, including high...