ScienceDaily: Mind & Brain News

In a work of systematic biology that advances the field, researchers have identified 16 distinct cell populations in a complex area of the midbrain called the ventral tegmental area, or VTA. The VTA is important for its role in the dopamine neurotransmission involved in reward-directed behavior. Substance use disorders involve dysregulation of these reward circuits, leading to repeated drug-seeking despite adverse consequences.

A new research study shows how socioeconomic factors affect outcomes for patients being treated for depression even when receiving equal access to care.

Gut microbiota by-products circulate in the bloodstream, regulating host physiological processes including immunity, metabolism and brain functions. Scientists have discovered that hypothalamic neurons in an animal model directly detect variations in bacterial activity and adapt appetite and body temperature accordingly. These findings demonstrate that a direct dialog occurs between the gut microbiota and the brain, a discovery that could lead to new therapeutic approaches for tackling metabolic disorders such as diabetes and obesity.

A new study has paved the way for the first drug treatment for sleep apnea. Compared to before receiving the treatment, breathing pauses decreased with on average more than 20 per hour for patients given the drug.

Deadly brain cancers called diffuse midline gliomas are uniquely dependent on methionine, an amino acid abundant in legumes and poultry.

Studies have shown that exercise helps protect brain cells. A new study looking at the mechanisms involved in this relationship suggests that the role exercise plays in maintaining insulin and body mass index levels may help protect brain volume and thus help stave off dementia.

A newly observed pathway of tau-induced neuron damage is a novel target for drug development in Alzheimer's disease and other disorders, researchers have reported.

Authors lay out an ethical framework that assumes brain organoids already have consciousness. The paper argues that this framework is not exclusive to brain organoids and can be applied to anything that is perceived to hold consciousness.