The workings of neural circuits associated with creativity are significantly altered when artists are actively attempting to express emotions, according to a new brain-scanning study of jazz pianists. Over the past decade, a collection of neuroimaging studies has begun to identify components of a neural circuit that operates across various domains of creativity. But the…
Mitochondria A New Target For Anxiety Disorder Treatment
One third of patients with anxiety disorders do not respond to currently available antianxiety treatments. Now, a new study, scientists at the Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry have discovered that manipulation of mitochondria exerts anxiolytic effects. This improved understanding of how mitochondrial changes affect anxiety may provide the key to novel treatments. One out of…
Being Anxious Could Be Beneficial In A Crisis
The brain devotes more processing resources to social situations that signal threat than those that are benign, new findings from French researchers show. The results may help explain the apparent “sixth sense” we have for danger. This is the first time that specific regions of the brain have been identified to be involved in the…
Brain Circuitry Fails To Connect In Children With Autism
One reason scientists believe autism spectrum disorder (ASD) causes impairment in social interactions is due to an inability to effectively infer other’s thoughts and feelings through “theory of mind,” or ToM. ToM referes to the ability to understand the mental states of others and oneself. An innovative brain imaging study has uncovered new evidence explaining…
People With Multiple Sclerosis May Benefit From Vitamin D
According to a pilot study from Johns Hopkins, taking a high dose of vitamin D3 is safe for people with multiple sclerosis and may help regulate the body’s hyperactive immune response. Low blood levels of vitamin D are associated with an increased risk of developing multiple sclerosis (MS). People who have MS and low levels…
Depression Alters Gray Matter In Young Brains
The brains of children who suffer clinical depression as preschoolers develop differently than those of preschoolers not affected by the disorder, a new study shows. These children’s gray matter— tissue that connects brain cells and carries signals between those cells and is involved in seeing, hearing, memory, decision-making, and emotion— is lower in volume and…
Compassion in Altruistic Helping and Punishment Behavior
Seeing a child steal a toy from a fellow playmate. Watching a stranger cut in line at the grocery store. When we witness something unjust, our emotions often shape our behavior both toward the person wronged and the wrongdoer. But why we help the victim in some cases or punish the transgressor in others isn’t…
Cannabidiol Reduces Seizures In Treatment-resistant Epilepsy
Cannabidiol (CBD), a medical marijuana derivative, was effective in reducing seizure frequency and well-tolerated and safe for most children and young adults enrolled in a year-long study led by epilepsy specialists at NYU Langone Medical Center. These latest findings provide the first estimates of safety, tolerability and efficacy of prescription CBD in children and adults…
Anatomical And Spatial Matching In Imitation
We learn many things through imitation: how to walk, play an instrument, sports, and even more. What are the processes in the brain responsible for imitation? For some years now, science has been examining the role of mirror neurons, but there is still much to understand. A recent study focusing on neurological patients showed that…