Neuroscience
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NeuroscienceHeavy marijuana use may affect dopamine response
People who regularly smoke five joints a day had dampened reactions to the chemical messenger dopamine.
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NeuroscienceFeedback
Readers weigh in on marijuana legalization, twisted twists, high-kicking frogs and more.
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NeuroscienceMRI scans reveal how the brain tells the body to pee
Scientists see heightened brain activity in men right before they urinate.
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NeuroscienceAutism may carry a benefit: a buffer against Alzheimer’s
Brain plasticity of people with autism may protect them from Alzheimer’s disease, scientists propose.
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NeuroscienceA mutated bacterial enzyme gobbles up cocaine
Cocaine is highly addictive, and those attempting to quit often relapse. Modifications to an enzyme that breaks down cocaine could help prevent abstinence setbacks.
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NeuroscienceShaking up the body may improve attention
Just two minutes of whole body vibrations improved young adults’ attention to detail.
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NeuroscienceAlzheimer’s disease may come in distinct forms
Mouse experiments, if confirmed in people, imply that Alzheimer’s disease treatment should be personalized.
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NeuroscienceBusy brain hubs go awry in disorders, study suggests
Schizophrenia, Alzheimer’s and other brain disorders may occur when the brain’s most active hubs are damaged.
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NeuroscienceThe simplest form of learning is really quite complex
Habituation, the ability to ignore irrelevant stimuli, is the simplest form of learning but may require a whole neural network.
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NeuroscienceSunbathing may boost endorphins in the body and brain
UV light makes mice churn out a molecule that is a cousin of morphine and heroin, a finding that may explain why some people seek out sunshine.
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NeuroscienceStress hormone kicks brain cells into gear
Norepinephrine, a stress hormone, wakes up cells called astroglia, possibly shifting brain into vigilant state.
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GeneticsHow you bet is affected by your genes
When betting, people's decisions are influenced by variations in a set of genes that regulate the brain chemical dopamine.