THEPSYCHOLOGYTURKEY

Researchers used fMRI and a genetic mouse model to study the effects of a neurotransmitter on brain network functional connectivity, a dynamic process crucial for human health and behavior. http://dlvr.it/SPXW01

Women's elevated anxiety, depression and stress during pregnancy altered key features of the fetal brain, which subsequently decreased their offspring's cognitive development at 18 months. These changes also increased internalizing and dysregulation behaviors, according to a new study. Researchers followed a cohort of 97 pregnant women and their babies. The findings further suggest that persistent psychological distress after the baby is born may influence the parent-child interaction and infant self-regulation. http://dlvr.it/SPVdxz

Researchers found animals that had taken methylphenidate performed better on a visual task of attention, and that the improvement happened exactly when that same metric of neuron activity shifted. http://dlvr.it/SPVdvP

Researchers have identified a specific neuropeptide and a neural circuit that transmit pleasant touch from the skin to the brain. The findings eventually may help scientists better understand and treat disorders characterized by touch avoidance and impaired social development. http://dlvr.it/SPTNp0

Scientists have been able to demonstrate that nerve signals are exchanged between arteries and the brain in atherosclerosis. http://dlvr.it/SPTNhP

Seven hours is the ideal amount of sleep for people in their middle age and upwards, with too little or too much little sleep associated with poorer cognitive performance and mental health, say researchers. http://dlvr.it/SPRM4K

Researchers have shown how chronic pain leads to maladaptive anxiety in mice, with implications for treatment of chronic pain-related psychiatric disorders in humans. http://dlvr.it/SPMTT8

Researchers are studying why neuropsychiatric symptoms, such as apathy and irritability, appear in most Alzheimer's disease patients before the onset of memory loss. http://dlvr.it/SPM1TN

Under propofol general anesthesia very slow frequency traveling waves transform and dominate, redirecting and disrupting the higher frequency traveling waves associated with conscious function. http://dlvr.it/SPM1Pm

A new study found a 'bi-directional' relationship between gastrointestinal issues and internalized symptoms in children and adolescents with autism -- meaning the symptoms seem to be impacting each other simultaneously. The findings could influence future precision medicine research aimed at developing personalized treatments to ease pain for individuals with autism experiencing gastrointestinal issues. http://dlvr.it/SPJJ9R

Fearful events negatively impact the brain. For instance, war veterans often go through post-traumatic stress disorder months after the cessation of the triggering event. Now, the precise mechanism of suppression of such fearful memories has been uncovered. Using a mouse model, the researchers identified the associated biochemical pathways, thus paving the way for the development and clinical evaluation of therapeutic compounds such as KNT-127. http://dlvr.it/SPD15P

For years, the brain has been thought of as a biological computer that processes information through traditional circuits, whereby data zips straight from one cell to another. While that model is still accurate, a new study shows that there's also a second, very different way that the brain parses information: through the interactions of waves of neural activity. The findings help researchers better understand how the brain processes information. http://dlvr.it/SP4JHK

New research has revealed how fungus blocks and bursts blood vessels in the brain, helping scientists better understand how meningitis starts. http://dlvr.it/SP3LJN

Abnormalities in a type of brain cell called astrocytes may play a pivotal role in causing some behavioral symptoms of autism spectrum disorders, according to a preclinical study. http://dlvr.it/SP1XNS

With a comprehensive map of the wiring, researchers can now discern what information flows into the circuit to enable a key brain function. http://dlvr.it/SP0tRt

Immune cell responses to bacteria affect the intrinsic excitability of rat neuronal subtypes differently. Calcium-activated SK channels in pyramidal cells were modulated by microglia and upregulated, while they were downregulated in Purkinje cells. http://dlvr.it/SP0Rsq

Scientists describe novel methods for inferring the movement of human brain cells during fetal development by studying healthy adult individuals who have recently passed away from natural causes. http://dlvr.it/SNy1ML

Scientists used pharmacogenetic techniques to identify a dedicated neural circuit comprising the central nucleus of the amygdala and the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis. The activation of this circuit in the first few hours of sepsis induces anxious behavior two weeks after the infection has cleared. This behavior observed in mice mimics the post-traumatic stress disorder observed in patients recovering from sepsis. http://dlvr.it/SNwrxJ

In addition to memory problems and other cognitive symptoms, most people with Alzheimer's disease also suffer from mental health issues. It has long been unclear whether these occur because of tissue changes in the brain, or whether they represent psychological reactions to cognitive symptoms. http://dlvr.it/SNsG2z

Genetic studies of children with hydrocephalus ('water on the brain') combined with mouse models indicate that in certain genetic subtypes, the condition arises due to abnormal neurodevelopment that disrupts mechanical stability of the brain. Treatment strategies need to optimize brain development beyond the current standard of simply draining brain fluid. http://dlvr.it/SNrhQw