Psilocybin reduces activity in the claustrum, an area of the brain believed to contribute to consciousness and sense of self. Researchers say the reduced activity may tie in with the reduced sense of self and ego often associated with psychedelic drug use. neurosciencenews.com/psilocy…

Taijin-kyofusho, a form of SAD characterized by a fear of causing others discomfort as a result of the sufferer's behavioral reactions, is linked to hypersensitivity of the emotional states of others & an inability to identify emotional context. neurosciencenews.com/taijin-…

The practice of meditation leaves marks in the brain Three months of transcendental meditation reduced anxiety and resulted in marked changes in connectivity between the precuneus, left parietal lobe, and insula. neurosciencenews.com/meditat…

Deepening our understanding of selfish behavior The team predicted that social value conversion is actually a primitive computation that may be essential for different forms of social behavior. neurosciencenews.com/selfish…

The empathy option: The science of how and why we choose to be empathetic Is empathy really on the decline, as a recent study suggests? Researchers investigate how and why people chose to be empathetic, or to avoid empathy, in their daily lives. neurosciencenews.com/empathy…

Your big brain makes you human – count your neurons when you count your blessings Study looks at the evolutionary development of the human brain. neurosciencenews.com/brain-h…

Babies in the womb may see more than we thought Light sensitive cells in the fetal retina communicate as part of an interconnected network, giving the retina more light sensitivity during development that previously believed. neurosciencenews.com/in-vitr…

Severe pregnancy-related depression may be rooted in inflammation Study found that several inflammatory factors appear to contribute to pregnancy-related depression onset and severity. neurosciencenews.com/pregnan…

One possible mechanism behind psychedelics' observed antidepressant activity that the pair is investigating involves changes to the way the brain is wired—a process involving the creation of new synapses. neurosciencenews.com/psyched…

Scientists find promising drug combination against lethal childhood brain cancers Researchers have discovered a pair of drugs that work together to kill cancer cells and counter genetic mutations that cause diffuse midline gliomas. neurosciencenews.com/brain-c…

New Alzheimer's risk gene discovered Study implicates a genetic variation within a segment of the Mucin 6 gene as a new risk factor for late-onset Alzheimer's disease. neurosciencenews.com/new-alz…

New pathways in brain's amygdala discovered Study provides evidence of the existence of a long-rage inhibitory pathway from the auditory cortex to the amygdala in the brains of mice. neurosciencenews.com/amygdal…

Bacteria in the gut may alter aging process Transplanting gut microbiota from older mice to younger germ-free mice increased hippocampal neurogenesis and intestinal growth. neurosciencenews.com/gut-bac…

Tobacco smoking increases risk of depression and schizophrenia The study adds to a growing body of work suggesting that smoking can have adverse effects on mental health. neurosciencenews.com/smoking…

Circuit responsible for building memories during sleep identified The nucleus reuniens plays a critical role in sleep-dependant memory consolidation. neurosciencenews.com/sleep-m…