Two patients with rare lesions to the brain have provided direct of evidence of how we make decisions -- and what makes us dislike the thought of losing money.
Mechanisms Of Self-control Pinpointed In Brain When you're on a diet, deciding to skip your favorite calorie-laden foods and eat something healthier takes a whole lot of self-control -- an ability that seems to come easier to some of us than others. Now, scientists have uncovered differences in the brains of people who are able to exercise self-control versus those who find it almost impossible.
Key Mechanism In Brain Development Pinpointed, Raising Question About Use Of Antiseizure Drug Researchers have identified a key molecular player in guiding the formation of synapses -- the all-important connections between nerve cells -- in the brain. This discovery, based on experiments in cell culture and in mice, could advance scientists' understanding of how young children's brains develop as well as point to new approaches toward countering brain disorders in adults.
Brain scientists extend map of fear memory formation Draw a map of the brain when fear and anxiety are involved, and the amygdala looms large. But scientists have now extended the brain's fear map to include the prelimbic cortex. Researchers found that mice lacking a critical growth factor in the prelimbic cortex have trouble remembering to fear electric shocks. The discovery could help improve diagnosis and treatment for anxiety disorders such as
Fear of getting fat seen in healthy women's brain scans When healthy women see an image of an overweight stranger, it lights up a part of their brain that processes identity and self-reflection. These "sub-clinical" signs of body image discomfort may put women at greater risk for eating and mood disorders.
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