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Study: Maternal distress can set the stage for childhood behavioral issues

December 04, 2023 - amygdala (a major processing center for emotions) will override signals from her hippocampus (which plays a major role in learning and memory). This also "stokes the fires in the adrenals" so they keep producing the stress hormones cortisone (derived from the metabolism of cortisol), adrenaline and noradrenaline.

In either case, a pregnant woman’s body is flooded with loads of stress hormones – and also the fetus growing within her.Stress hormones and the ...

New study reveals potential link between oral contraceptives and riskier behaviors in women

November 13, 2023 - amygdala, which is responsible for regulating emotions. (Related: Birth control pills can raise the risk of depression by up to 80%.)

Despite this, Brouillard warned against making direct connections between these brain changes and riskier behaviors, stressing the need for further investigation into potential behavioral implications.

"The objective of our work is not to counter the use of COCs, but it is important to be aware that the pill can have an effect ...

Why do leftists tend to act, think and LOOK the same? Check out this surprising analysis

February 12, 2023 - amygdala than those who embrace left-wing views, the latter possessing lower emotional intelligence.

Left-wingers also tend to reject religion and morality, instead choosing to prop themselves up at the one-true moral authority with their various "social justice" endeavors.

It turns out that left-wing people, according to a 2019 study, care more about inanimate objects and ideas than they do their own family and friends. This also stems from the leftist ...

Science-backed health benefits of acupuncture

January 11, 2023 - amygdala (the "analytical" part of the brain, which has a central role in anxiety responses to stressful and arousing situations), and acts on the primary somatosensory cortex (the area in the middle of the brain known to reduce sensitivity to stress).

A study published in the journal Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine indicated that acupuncture stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system to initiate the relaxation response.

Results of ...

Exposure to 5G radiation linked to depression and neurological dysfunction, study finds

December 15, 2022 -

A new study published in the International Journal of Environmental Health Research reveals that 5G radiation is associated with all sorts of brain problems in humans, including the development of depression and nervous system damage.

Prolonged exposure to 5G pollution, researchers found, can lead to pyroptosis, a form of inflammatory cell death that is typically caused by microbial infection. This condition can lead to an alteration in the morphology of amygdala, ...

Phytochemical in apple peels found to boost brain health

April 20, 2022 - amygdala, basal ganglia, hypothalamus and thalamus.

The hippocampus has an important role in memory consolidation, coding and learning. It also helps form a cognitive map, which is related to your ability to acquire new knowledge, store it and recall it later.

The hippocampus is also the area of the brain first damaged by the plaques and tangled fibers associated with Alzheimer's. In 2020, there were an estimated 5.8 million Americans diagnosed with Alzheimer's, ...

Professor unearths sample of human brains that turned to GLASS after Vesuvius eruption

September 13, 2021 - amygdala and substantial nigra, which are responsible for different functions and movement. The team also spotted fatty acids that are typically found in human hair grease, as well as triglycerides found on brain tissue samples.History of Vesuvius eruption

At around noon on August 24, 79 A.D., Mount Vesuvius erupted, propelling a 10-mile mushroom cloud of ash and pumice in the air. Over the next 12 hours, volcanic ash and pumice stones up to 3 inches in diameter ...

Active ingredient in psychedelic tea puts the brain in a “dream-like state,” shows promise as treatment for psychiatric disorders

February 09, 2021 - amygdala and hippocampus, but more studies are needed.

The researchers plan to perform more studies to examine DMT's effect on different regions of the brain and explore its therapeutic potential. "Physiologically, DMT is very safe and the toxicity profile is quite good," said Timmermann.

Learn more about alternative treatments for mental illness at Mind.news.

Sources include:

LiveScience.com

MedicalNewsToday.com

EurekaAlert.org

This ...

Skynet thwarted, for now: Computers can never be “truly conscious,” claim researchers

November 10, 2020 - amygdala, medial temporal lobe, visual cortex as well as the anterior and posterior midline of the survivors’ brains.Current advanced machines not truly conscious

The exact definition of consciousness remains slippery, but the many attempts to define it indicate that even the most advanced computers are not truly conscious. Computer scientist Edith Elkind of the University of Oxford said that consciousness should not be confused with autonomy. While artificial ...

Debunking myths about chemical imbalances in the brain

September 29, 2020 - amygdala, which is responsible for generating emotional responses.

Other neurotransmitters that contribute to anxiety disorders include serotonin and oxytocin. Oxytocin is a neurotransmitter released during social bonding and is commonly referred to as the “cuddle hormone.”Bipolar disorder

Bipolar disorder is characterized by extreme mood shifts. Those with bipolar disorder typically alternate between episodes of mania and depression, which may last anywhere ...

The “root” of your problems: How valerian root can help with anxiety and sleep

September 09, 2020 - amygdala. The amygdala is the part of the brain that processes fear and emotional responses to stress. In one study, mice treated with valerian displayed better responses to physical and psychological stress by maintaining levels of serotonin. This, in turn, regulates mood and is believed to influence the quality of sleep.

Valerian root is also rich in hesperidin and linarin -- antioxidants that were found to have a sedative effect as well as properties ...

Study proposes that the “fight or flight” response is triggered by your bones, NOT adrenaline

August 25, 2020 - amygdala stimulates osteoblasts to release osteocalcin into the bloodstream. Osteocalcin then overrides nerves responsible for regulating breathing and heart rate and triggers the release of adrenaline.

According to Karsenty, this agrees with the fact that adrenal-insufficient patients and animals missing adrenal glands are still capable of experiencing intense reactions to stress and danger.

Based on their findings, Karsenty and his colleagues concluded that ...

How does sugar drain your brain? Science explains

August 13, 2020 - amygdala, cingulate cortex and prefrontal cortex.

Just 12 days of daily sugar intake also caused significant changes to the brain's pleasure center, similar to those induced by drugs like cocaine. (Related: Sugar functions like 'brain crack' - addicts need it to suppress stress signals.)

Taken together, recent studies and ongoing research indicate that the regular consumption of sugar or high-sugar diets can affect more than just cardiometabolic markers of ...

Can aromatherapy be used for stress relief to combat fatigue?

July 07, 2020 -

When inhaled, the scent molecules in essential oils travel from the olfactory nerves directly to the brain. There, they influence the activity of the amygdala -- the brain's emotional center -- in various ways, depending on their biological properties. Because of this, essential oils are used in aromatherapy.

In a recent study, researchers at the Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences in Iran explored the effects of aromatherapy on fatigue. They chose two essential ...

Study: The calming effects of the cattle stick plant may help control manic behavior

July 01, 2020 - amygdala, the brain region that processes emotions, memories and motivation. (Related: Meditation changes the way your brain processes emotions.)Other medicinal plants with sedative properties

Mental disorders, such as anxiety or bipolar disorder, are usually managed with sedatives, a type of prescription medication that slows brain activity to produce calm and induce sleep. While largely helpful, the use of sedative drugs can lead to dependence or addiction. Research ...

Scientists discover neurons that remain “forever young” through life

April 29, 2020 -

While most of these neurons mature quickly once a person reaches adolescence, suggesting that they play a role in the emotional development of the brain, some stay in their immature state throughout life. For this reason, the researchers gave them the moniker “Peter Pan neurons.”

During adolescence -- long after most of the brain has finished growing -- the amygdala continues to expand. It gains as many as two million new neurons. Research on the amygdala suggests ...

Does our brain have an internal hunger switch? Researchers identify neurons that could “turn off” appetite

February 19, 2020 - amygdala or the brain's emotional hub. The researchers referred to this group as a symphony conductor — a region of the brain that regulates appetite suppression and activation.

To determine whether or not these neurons control eating behavior, the researchers inhibited these neurons in laboratory mice using chemogenetic silencing. This resulted in increased food intake and total eating time. When the researchers reactivated these neurons, it triggered a decrease ...

“Mind-reading” neurons allow us to simulate the thought process of another person

November 27, 2019 -

A University of Cambridge research team found the specialized neurons in the amygdala of the brain of monkeys. The brain cells reproduced the thought process of a member of the social group that a monkey had previously observed while performing a task.

Understanding the functions of these mind-reading neurons may help researchers improve their grasp of the "theory of mind." Furthermore, the brain cells may contribute to the study and treatment of patients with ...

Scientists declare that a certain brain circuit compels you to overeat, implying it has nothing to do with your choice

November 07, 2019 - amygdala -- the emotional center of the brain -- when the mice ate. The amygdala had been linked by previous studies to other emotions, like fear and anxiety. Therefore, the researchers suggested that it had a role in pathological (obsessive) eating.

Researchers also found that a protein called nociceptin was involved in hedonic eating. Nociceptin is a signaling molecule found in mammalian systems. There are many nociceptin circuits in the brain. One circuit ...

Men and women are different, even when drunk: Research says men’s brains are more affected than women

October 24, 2019 -

Researchers reported that alcoholism impaired the function of the amygdala, hippocampus, and other limbic regions that processed emotions. It also affected the superior frontal and supramarginal areas in the cerebral cortex that handled memories and socialization.

Alcoholism (also known as alcohol use disorder) affects more than 100 million people globally. In the U.S., 15.1 million adults suffer from the condition, according to a 2015 survey. The condition tends ...