When faced with multiple food options and ultimately choosing one, the factors of that decision-making process may be more physiological than previously assumed. A group of scientists recently ...

Figure 8 from Copenhaver & LeGates (2024) visually represents the similarities and differences in how male and female mice strengthen synapses between the nucleus accumbens and hippocampus. The NMDA ...

The areas of the brain that process reward are activated when we make choices that make other people happy, as well as ourselves, a new study has found. Researchers at the Ludwig Maximilian University ...

Neuroscientists find that two distinct neural pathways are responsible for the addictive properties of the opioid fentanyl: one mediates reward, the other promotes the seeking of relief from symptoms ...

Researchers have uncovered a mechanism in the brain that allows cocaine and morphine to take over natural reward processing systems. Mount Sinai researchers, in collaboration with scientists at The ...

Dopamine is trending as the most popular neurotransmitter. And why not? There are days I think it rules the world or at least the day–to-day activities of my friends and family. The craving you have ...

Think you’re spending too much time scrolling on your phone? You’re not alone. The average American adult logs over two hours a day on social media, while teens double that on platforms like TikTok ...

Maybe you’d like to spend time on hobbies or hang out with friends, but nothing feels as exciting and engaging as it used to –– so you just squander another hour on social media. Your problem may have ...

A major review finds that diets high in ultra-processed foods may rewire the developing brain, amplifying risks for ADHD, depression, and even dementia, spotlighting the urgent need to rethink what ...

Researchers have recently uncovered new insights into how the brain’s reward system functions in individuals with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and its relationship with psychological ...

Persistent use of drugs such as cocaine and morphine is thought to affect the way the brain prioritises the body’s basic needs — and we are now getting to the bottom of how this comes about. When ...