Around one third of people with depression have high levels of inflammation markers in their blood. Now, new research appearing in in Molecular Psychiatry shows that persistent inflammation affects the brain in ways that are connected with stubborn symptoms of depression, such as anhedonia (the inability to experience pleasure). The findings bolster the case that […]
A new University of Illinois study has established a possible link between high-fat diets and childhood cognitive conditions such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and memory-dependent learning disabilities. The research, published inPsychoneuroendocrinology, found that altered dopamine signaling (previously associated with anxiety behaviors in children) in the brain is common to both ADHD and the […]
Pathological gambling and hypersexuality are two of the better documented side-effects of Parkinson’s disease medications, but researchers say that dopamine therapy can also trigger the relentless pursuit of artistic endeavors. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that helps control the brain’s reward and pleasure centers. It also helps to regulate movement and emotional responses and enables people […]
The brain parasite Toxoplasma gondii, found in an estimated 15 percent of the population, has been found to dramatically increase the production of dopamine, one of the brain’s key chemical messengers.T. gondii has previously been linked to a whole raft of brain disorders and some scientists speculate that the parasite affects human behavior on a […]
While there is a large amount of evidence to support the idea that the brain chemical dopamine mediates positive effects, such as reward, happiness and pleasure; a new study inThe Journal of Neuroscience suggests that dopamine is also intimately involved in emotions like dread and fear. The new findings may help explain why dopamine dysfunction […]
Vanderbilt University researchers have shown for the first time that the brain processes aggression as a reward – much like sex, food and drugs – offering insights into our propensity to fight and our fascination with violent sports. “Aggression occurs among virtually all vertebrates and is necessary to get and keep important resources such as […]
