Neuroimaging

By tracking the brain activity of volunteers estimating the duration of flashing lights, scientists have uncovered the sequential neural pathway that allows us to experience the passage of time.

People who experience high levels of everyday anxiety are more prone to intense feelings of guilt and shame. New brain imaging research suggests the neural networks that trap anxious individuals in unhelpful cycles of self-blame.

A new study shows that individuals with similar levels of autistic traits are naturally drawn to one another. Brain scans reveal they use alternative, highly effective neural strategies to connect, challenging traditional deficit-based models of autism.

A new study suggests that flexing your abdominal muscles physically moves your brain. This gentle shifting acts as a hydraulic pump, forcing fluids through brain tissue to wash away harmful waste and promote cognitive health.

A recent study using advanced cell mapping shows that lithium chloride changes the activity of multiple enzymes linked to Alzheimer’s disease. These findings could help researchers design safer, more effective treatments for cognitive decline and dementia.

Recent brain imaging suggests that locking eyes while listening to familiar chord progressions stimulates neural regions associated with social bonding. This shared activity also tends to increase subjective feelings of connection between two people.

People with borderline personality traits often struggle to think flexibly when confronted with negative emotions. A recent brain scanning study reveals exactly how angry faces overload cognitive resources and sabotage problem solving during difficult mental tasks.

A single high dose of psilocybin can cause lasting physical changes in the human brain. Scientists found that temporary increases in brain randomness during the experience predict improved well-being and mental flexibility for at least a month.

Whether addicted to alcohol, cocaine, or nicotine, people with substance use disorder share identical "short circuits" in their brain's reward networks. A massive new meta-analysis maps these specific neural disruptions, offering a potential blueprint for future treatments.

A large-scale brain imaging study of over 800 incarcerated men reveals that highly psychopathic individuals possess an expanded cortical surface area and a compressed physical brain organization, offering new clues into the biology of empathy and antisocial behavior.

A new study shows that combining cocaine and alcohol changes the brain circuits responsible for drug relapse. This suggests treating people who use both substances will require entirely different medical approaches than treating those who only use cocaine.

For adults with ADHD, staying focused is often a daily struggle. New research suggests these attention lapses occur because the waking brain frequently slips into brief, sleep-like states, blurring the biological boundary between sleep and wakefulness.

Listening to music with a friend syncs up your emotional and brain responses. According to a recent Cortex study, sharing a musical experience increases the moment-to-moment similarity of subjective pleasure and enhances neural alignment between listeners.

Scientists have discovered that the chemical acetylcholine can directly trigger the release of serotonin. This localized control system becomes hyperactive in mice with obsessive-compulsive traits, offering a fresh perspective on the biological roots of repetitive psychiatric conditions.

Experiencing stress during early childhood physically alters the nerves in the digestive system. Recent studies reveal how this biological remodeling causes chronic gut pain and movement issues, paving the way for highly targeted new therapies.