Summary: A large study of over 14,000 Norwegian veterans reveals that taking a life in combat doesn’t automatically damage a soldier’s mental health—context matters. Veterans from Afghanistan, where combat was expected and rules of engagement were clear, showed no long-term psychological harm from killing.In contrast, Lebanon peacekeeping veterans who had...
Summary: A new study reveals that long-term high-fat diets reduce pleasure from eating by lowering neurotensin, a brain peptide that boosts dopamine response. This loss of reward dampens the desire for high-calorie foods, potentially worsening obesity by promoting habitual, joyless eating.In mice, restoring neurotensin levels reversed this effect, improving weight...
Sumary: A new study reveals that young mothers who feel emotionally connected to their unborn babies are more likely to form healthy, positive relationships with their children later. Researchers tracked 160 racially diverse, low-income mothers from pregnancy to their child’s toddler years, showing that prenatal bonding plays a key role...
Summary: New research reveals that Type 2 diabetes may impair the brain’s reward and memory processing in ways that mirror early Alzheimer’s disease. The study focuses on the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), a brain region responsible for motivation and emotional regulation, and its interaction with the hippocampus.In diabetic rodent models,...
Summary: The brain constantly evaluates whether stimuli are positive or negative, prompting approach or avoidance behaviors that are essential for survival. A new study reveals that two neuron types in the nucleus accumbens—D1 and D2 neurons—respond together to both rewarding and aversive stimuli, but in distinct ways.Using real-time imaging in...
