Researchers from Imperial College London, working with the Beckley Foundation, have for the first time visualised the effects of LSD on the brain.
Category: neuroscience – Page 9
Differences in brain chemistry shape two common movement disorders
Researchers have identified a neurochemical signature that sets Parkinson’s disease apart from essential tremor — two of the most common movement disorders, but each linked to distinct changes in the brain.
In a new study in Nature Communications, scientists identified unique chemical signaling patterns of two key neurotransmitters — dopamine and serotonin — that distinguish these two disorders.
“This study builds on decades of work,” said a co-senior author, who with colleagues developed the multi-faceted technologies and the theoretical constructs for the work over their 15 years at the research institute.
Researchers reveal how autism-linked mutation triggers PTSD-like fear
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is widely known for its core features, which include difficulties in social communication and repetitive behaviors. But beyond these, many individuals with ASD also struggle with comorbid conditions, particularly anxiety.
Nearly 40% of children with ASD experience anxiety disorders and often show unusually heightened fear responses. Studies have even suggested that people with ASD may be more vulnerable to trauma, unable to “erase” fear memories, which resembles symptoms seen in post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Until now, most evidence for PTSD-like symptoms in ASD has relied on self-reports, leaving the underlying brain mechanisms unclear.
Anti-ageing and increased mental capacity through cannabis
A low-dose long-term administration of cannabis can not only reverse aging processes in the brain, but also has an anti-aging effect. Researchers from the University Hospital Bonn (UKB) and the University of Bonn together with a team from Hebrew University (Israel) have now been able to show this in mice. They found the key to this in the protein switch mTOR, whose signal strength has an influence on cognitive performance and metabolic processes in the entire organism. The results are now presented in the journal “ACS Pharmacology & Translation Science”
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Rhythmic yoga breathing produces measurable brain activity linked to deep relaxation
Researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar, in collaboration with Sri Sri Institute of Advanced Research and Fortis Escort Heart Institute, report that rhythmic breathing in Sudarshan Kriya Yoga (SKY) produces measurable shifts in brain rhythms associated with deep relaxation. The team finds that SKY practice increases theta and delta brain activity while reducing alpha power.
Rising rates of stress, anxiety, and depression combined with limited access to professional care have created a desire for low-cost, self-managed approaches to mental health.
Previous investigations into yoga, meditation, and breathing exercises have documented improvements in mood, fatigue, emotional processing, and executive brain functions. Meditation practices have been linked to structural and functional changes in neural networks governing attention, self-referential processing, and emotion regulation.
Music training can help the brain focus, study shows
Musical people find it easier to focus their attention on the right sounds in noisy environments.
This is shown in a new study from Karolinska Institutet published in the journal Science Advances. The results suggest that music training can be used to sharpen attention and cognition.
Being able to focus on a conversation in a room full of noise is a complex task for the brain. In the new study, researchers have investigated how music training affects the brain’s ability to focus attention on specific sounds.