THEPSYCHOLOGYTURKEY

New studies support the idea that the brain uses a process similar to a machine-learning approach known as 'self-supervised learning.' This type of machine learning allows computational models to learn about visual scenes based solely on the similarities and differences between them, with no labels or other information. http://dlvr.it/SyCK3c

Researchers have discovered mechanisms by which specific cells are activated in alcohol withdrawal-induced headache. The research may benefit further studies of various substance use disorder mechanisms including withdrawal. It may be possible to develop a small-molecule drug therapy to inhibit interactions, resulting in fewer pain signals during alcohol withdrawal. http://dlvr.it/SyBvLX

While often perceived as a negative emotion, anger can also be a powerful motivator for people to achieve challenging goals in their lives, according to new research. http://dlvr.it/Sy8mj1

Researchers have discovered a hidden mechanism within hair follicles that allow us to feel touch. http://dlvr.it/Sy6tZq

The discovery of a physical interaction between two proteins in brain cells that can be traced in mice to control of movement, anxiety and memory could one day open the door to development of new schizophrenia treatment strategies, researchers say. http://dlvr.it/Sy2bp0

Researchers report that cocaine addiction disrupts the dopamine neurons that govern how we perceive and learn from rewards. Though people with cocaine addiction have similar expectations of rewards compared to controls, their dopamine neurons send out much weaker signals when these rewards are actually received. This dysregulation could make it more difficult for people with cocaine addiction to learn from their experiences and change addictive behavior. http://dlvr.it/Sxzfyz

Two different regions of the brain are critical to integrating semantic information while reading, which could shed more light on why people with aphasia have difficulty with semantics, according to new research. http://dlvr.it/SxxTxY

An international team of researchers has provided valuable insights into the brain's noradrenaline (NA) system, which has been a longtime target for medications to treat attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, depression, and anxiety. Equally important beyond the findings is the groundbreaking methodology that the researchers developed to record real-time chemical activity from standard clinical electrodes which are routinely implanted for epilepsy monitoring. http://dlvr.it/SxrtX5

New findings suggest that measuring changes in how pupils react to light could help predict recovery from depression and personalize transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) treatment of major depressive disorder. http://dlvr.it/SxpQgc

Researchers have conducted a large-scale meta-analyses of genome-wide association studies (GWAS) to investigate the genetic architecture of PPD. http://dlvr.it/SxpF1j

In vitro fertilization (IVF) is a time-intensive and often stress-inducing fertility procedure. Yet how does that stress impact its success? Investigators have now assessed the effects of anxiety and depression in men on fertility and IVF outcomes. http://dlvr.it/Sxp2Fn

Severe inflammation in early childhood is a clinically known risk factor for developing autism and schizophrenia. Now, scientists have discovered that inflammation alters the development of vulnerable brain cells, and this could have mechanistic links to neurodevelopmental disorders. http://dlvr.it/Sxmg3q

New soft, implantable fibers can deliver light to major nerves through the body. They are an experimental tool for scientists to explore the causes and potential treatments for peripheral nerve disorders in animal models. http://dlvr.it/SxhSp4

Researchers have discovered that turning brain immune cells into neurons successfully restores brain function after stroke-like injury in mice. These findings suggest that replenishing neurons from immune cells could be a promising avenue for treating stroke in humans. http://dlvr.it/SxdhnG

Depression and anxiety among college students is a growing public health problem. And new research suggests the problem may be worse for students who aren't the same race as most of their peers. The new study found that students who were not the majority race at a predominantly white college reported significantly higher rates of depression than their white peers. At the mostly white university, more than half of the students who self-identified as races other than white reported feelings of mild depression. An additional 17% said they were experiencing moderate to severe depression. http://dlvr.it/Sxb2FS

Schizophrenia, a neurodevelopmental disorder that features psychosis among its symptoms, is thought to arise from disorganization in brain connectivity and functional integration. Now, a new study finds differences in functional brain connectivity in people with and without psychosis and schizophrenia that could help researchers understand the neural underpinnings of this disease. http://dlvr.it/SxZmyh

Why do we dream? A product of our brain's neurophysiology, dreaming is a complex experience that can take on many emotional tones and simulate reality to varying degrees. As a result, there is still no clear answer to this question. A study compared the dreams of two forager communities, in Tanzania and the Democratic Republic of Congo, with those of individuals living in Europe and North America. It showed that the first two groups produced more threatening, but also more cathartic and socially-oriented dreams than the Western groups. These results show how strong are the links between the socio-cultural environment and the function of dreams. http://dlvr.it/SxXQd9

In a large, multi-institutional effort researchers have analyzed more than a million human brain cells and revealed links between specific types of cells and various common neuropsychiatric disorders. http://dlvr.it/SxRFKG

By combining non-invasive imaging techniques, investigators have created a comprehensive cellular atlas of a region of the human brain known as Broca's area. http://dlvr.it/SxQjNY

Trigger warnings are designed to help people avoid or emotionally prepare for encountering disturbing content. But those warnings heighten distress rather than alleviate it, a new research analysis shows. http://dlvr.it/SxQjBM

A new study has revealed a crucial link between the TUG1 gene and the ability of cancer cells to proliferate under high-stress conditions. Targeting this gene with a new therapy suppressed tumor growth and found increased chances of survival. These findings suggest a novel way to fight aggressive brain tumors. http://dlvr.it/SxPr7L

Researchers found that fear conditioning led to learning-specific changes in neuronal-network activity in the dorsal part of the medial prefrontal cortex of mice. This study demonstrates the use of combined methods for detailed visualization of the dynamics of neural networks, and describes techniques that could be used to uncover additional information about the neurological changes associated with learning and memory.   http://dlvr.it/SxNJNR

Researchers have identified a new way of mapping ‘phosphenes’ – the visual perception of the bright flashes we see when no light is entering the eye – to improve the outcome of surgery for patients receiving a cortical visual prosthesis (‘bionic eye’). http://dlvr.it/SxNJG2

Researchers created and used complex neural networks to recreate speech from brain recordings, and then used that recreation to analyze the processes that drive human speech. http://dlvr.it/SxLkGJ

Scientists have uncovered why night shift work is associated with changes in appetite in a new study. The findings could help the millions of people that work through the night and struggle with weight gain. http://dlvr.it/SxKLmK

What type of brain tumor does this patient have? AI technology helps to determine this as early as during surgery, within 1.5 hours. This process normally takes a week. The new technology allows neurosurgeons to adjust their surgical strategies on the spot. http://dlvr.it/SxK8W0

Scientists have developed new tools, based on AI language models, that can characterize subtle signatures in the speech of patients diagnosed with schizophrenia. http://dlvr.it/SxGmnH

Understanding the interplay between consciousness, energy and matter could bring important insights to our fundamental understanding of reality. http://dlvr.it/SxGL44

A team of neuroscientists has now identified a class of neurons--what it calls 'prediction-error neurons'--that are not responsive to sounds in general, but only respond when sounds violate expectations, thereby sending a message that a mistake has been made.   http://dlvr.it/SxD9H6

Scientists introduce an open-source workflow that simplifies the creation, validation and generalization of detailed neuronal models. Using this solution, researchers could build cell models for a significant portion of the rat cortex. http://dlvr.it/Sx6SPj

Researchers have shown that pregnancy hormones ‘rewire’ the brain to prepare mice for motherhood. The findings show that both estrogen and progesterone act on a small population of neurons in the brain to switch on parental behavior even before offspring arrive. These adaptations resulted in stronger and more selective responses to pups. http://dlvr.it/Sx5XLL

A significant breakthrough sheds light on the underlying mechanisms of Parkinson's disease, offering the potential for innovative treatments in the future. http://dlvr.it/Sx3mKq

One treatment each of two psychedelic drugs lowered depression and anxiety and improved cognitive functioning in a sample of U.S. special operations forces veterans who sought care at a clinic in Mexico, according to a new analysis. The treatment included a combination of ibogaine hydrochloride, derived from the West African shrub iboga, and a psychedelic substance secreted by the Colorado River toad. http://dlvr.it/Sx3Z0g

Researchers have produced an engineered tissue representing a simplified cerebral cortex by 3D printing human stem cells. When implanted into mouse brain slices, the structures became integrated with the host tissue. The technique may ultimately be developed into tailored repairs to treat brain injuries. http://dlvr.it/Sx081p

Scientists have invested decades in piecing together how our vision is so good at recognizing what's familiar. A new study overcomes an apparent discrepancy in data to reveal a new insight into how it works. http://dlvr.it/Swyw1V

In C. elegans worms, a single neuron named HSN uses multiple chemicals and connections to orchestrate egg-laying and locomotion over the course of several minutes. http://dlvr.it/Swyvlt

People frequently exposed to racial or ethnic discrimination may be more susceptible to obesity and related health risks in part because of a stress response that changes biological processes and how we process food cues, according to new research. http://dlvr.it/SwwLD1

New research is painting a clearer picture of the early signs of multiple sclerosis (MS), showing that people are nearly twice as likely to experience mental illness in the years leading up to the onset of the diseases. The study suggests that psychiatric conditions like anxiety and depression may be part of a prodromal phase of MS -- a set of preliminary symptoms and clues that arise before classic MS symptoms. http://dlvr.it/SwsnqW

In lonely people, the boundary between real friends and favorite fictional characters gets blurred in the part of the brain that is active when thinking about others, a new study found. http://dlvr.it/SwsD4m