Amygdala News and Research

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Study: Witnessing trauma triggers unique brain changes

For years, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has been studied primarily in people who experience trauma firsthand.

18 Mar 2025

High-fat diet could cause memory problems in older adults after just a few days

Just a few days of eating a diet high in saturated fat could be enough to cause memory problems and related brain inflammation in older adults, a new study in rats suggests.

6 Mar 2025

Study shows how exercise counteracts stress-induced high blood pressure

Chronic stress raises blood pressure. New research from Juntendo University, Japan, reveals that voluntary exercise prevents hypertension (high blood pressure) by restoring STAT3 levels in the amygdala.

20 Feb 2025

Direct connection found between memory and sensory processing centers in brain

A newly identified part of a brain circuit mixes sensory information, memories, and emotions to tell whether things are familiar or new—and important or just "background noise."

19 Feb 2025

Researchers discover direct feedback loop in brain circuit connecting memories and emotions

A newly identified part of a brain circuit mixes sensory information, memories, and emotions to tell whether things are familiar or new, and important or just "background noise."

18 Feb 2025

Research unveils synergistic effects of tau and beta-amyloid in Alzheimer's

A research team from the Institut de Neurociències of the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (INc-UAB) has discovered that the two key pathological hallmarks of Alzheimer's-tau protein and beta-amyloid-affect brain circuits in distinct yet synergistic ways, particularly those linked to memory and emotions.

6 Feb 2025

Gut microbes may hold the key to easing anxiety

Could the key to easing anxiety be hidden in our gut? Scientists from Duke-NUS Medical School and the National Neuroscience Institute have discovered a crucial connection between gut microbes and anxiety-related behavior.

6 Feb 2025

New insights into PTSD's genetic architecture unveiled by Dr. Kerry Ressler

In a comprehensive Genomic Press Interview, Dr. Kerry Ressler, Chief Scientific Officer at McLean Hospital and Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, unveils groundbreaking advances in understanding the neurobiological basis of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and related anxiety conditions.

4 Feb 2025

Researchers identify brain circuit to reduce anxiety without side effects

Weill Cornell Medicine investigators have identified in a preclinical model a specific brain circuit whose inhibition appears to reduce anxiety without side effects.

28 Jan 2025

Uncovering the neurobiological mechanisms of delta opioid receptor agonists

The global burden of anxiety- and depression-related disorders is on the rise. While multiple drugs have been developed to treat these conditions, current medications have several limitations, including slow action and adverse effects with long-term use. This underscores the urgent need for novel, rapidly-acting therapeutic agents with minimal side effects.

15 Jan 2025

Study reveals how smell and hearing interact in mouse brains

Imagine you're at a dinner party, but you can't smell the food cooking or hear the dinner bell. Sounds like a dream, right? What if it wasn't?

6 Jan 2025

Circadian chaos: How transportation noise harms heart health

Transportation noise poses serious risks to cardiovascular health, causing inflammation, oxidative stress, and circadian rhythm disruption, with compounded effects from air pollution.

12 Dec 2024

Study: Brain volume changes correlate with social behavior differences in psychiatric conditions

A study published in Molecular Psychiatry found that brain volume changes correlate with social behavior differences in psychiatric conditions such as autism spectrum disorder and schizophrenia.

6 Dec 2024

Frontotemporal dementia disrupts empathy for pain, study reveals

Study reveals diminished brain activity related to empathy for pain in individuals with behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD), using task-based fMRI. Findings show a stark reduction in neural responses tied to affective empathy, highlighting early bvFTD impacts on social cognition.

5 Dec 2024

Brain signature of resilience suggests a new way to recovery from trauma

Researchers at UCSF find a brain signature of resilience in mice that suggests a new way of treating severe depression.

4 Dec 2024

Study reveals how the brain connects social thinking with emotional processing

We've all been there. Moments after leaving a party, your brain is suddenly filled with intrusive thoughts about what others were thinking. "Did they think I talked too much?" "Did my joke offend them?" "Were they having a good time?"

23 Nov 2024

New insights into brain aging and Alzheimer's from non-human primates

A new review was published in Aging (listed by MEDLINE/PubMed as "Aging (Albany NY)" and "Aging-US" by Web of Science), on October 29, 2024, Volume 16, Issue 20, titled, "Brain aging and Alzheimer's disease, a perspective from non-human primates."

20 Nov 2024

How gut bacteria regulate stress and sleep cycles

This study reveals that gut microbiota, particularly Lactobacillus species, regulate the daily rhythm of stress hormones like corticosterone, influencing stress responses and brain function at different times of the day. Disruptions in gut bacteria lead to altered stress responses and increased susceptibility to disorders like depression.

10 Nov 2024

Can olfactory loss predict disease? Study ties loss of smell to 139 health conditions

Olfactory dysfunction links to 139 conditions, with inflammation playing a key role in memory decline and cognitive issues. Olfactory enrichment shows promise.

1 Nov 2024

New insights into the long-term effects of antenatal corticosteroids on brain development

Antenatal corticosteroids (ACS) are an established therapy for pregnant women at risk of preterm birth to help mature the fetus's lungs and reduce the chances of serious health issues.

1 Nov 2024