Prozac Shows Promise in Fighting Infections &amp, Sepsis

Summary: New research suggests that fluoxetine, commonly used as an antidepressant, may also help protect against infections and sepsis. Scientists found that the drug has antimicrobial properties and helps regulate the immune response, reducing the risk of tissue and organ damage.In mice, fluoxetine lowered bacterial levels, increased anti-inflammatory molecules, and...

Perfect Pitch You Get Heard: Study Challenges Long-Held Beliefs

Summary: Absolute pitch, once thought to be an innate ability or only attainable through early childhood training, may be learnable in adulthood. Researchers trained 12 adult musicians in an eight-week online program, focusing on recognizing pitch class rather than specific pitch heights. The training minimized reliance on relative pitch strategies...

AI vs. Human Therapists: Study Finds ChatGPT Responses Rated Higher

Summary: A new study suggests that ChatGPT’s responses in psychotherapy scenarios are often rated higher than those written by human therapists. Researchers found that participants struggled to distinguish between AI-generated and therapist-written responses in couple’s therapy vignettes. ChatGPT’s responses were generally longer and contained more nouns and adjectives, providing greater...

Semaglutide Promising to Reduce Alcohol Consumption and Cravings

Summary: A new study suggests that semaglutide, a drug commonly used for diabetes and obesity, may also help reduce alcohol consumption. Researchers found that weekly injections of semaglutide decreased alcohol cravings, drinking quantity, and heavy drinking days in adults with alcohol use disorder.Participants receiving semaglutide consumed less alcohol in a...

Through the vagus nerve, the gut bacteria controls brain signals.

Summary: New research provides direct evidence that the gut microbiome communicates with the brain through the vagus nerve. Using germ-free mice, scientists observed significantly reduced vagal nerve activity, which returned to normal after introducing gut bacteria.When antibiotics were used to eliminate bacteria in normal mice, vagal activity dropped but was...

The Urge to Move to Music Is Hardwired

Summary: A new study finds that the urge to move to music—known as groove—is a distinct physiological response, separate from musical enjoyment. Researchers examined individuals with musical anhedonia, who feel little or no pleasure from music, and found they still had a strong urge to move when listening to rhythmic...

Stress Modifies the Sound Processing Operations

Summary: Chronic stress weakens the brain’s ability to process sounds, requiring louder stimuli to trigger normal responses, according to new research in mice. Scientists found that stress affects inhibitory brain cells, which suppress responses to lower-decibel sounds while maintaining sensitivity to louder noises. This shift may be caused by an...

Serotonin acts as a compass to lessen stress in neurological neurons.

Summary: New research reveals that serotonin in the cerebellum plays a crucial role in anxiety regulation. Scientists found that mice with lower cerebellar serotonin levels displayed increased anxiety-like behaviors, while those with higher serotonin levels were less anxious.By artificially stimulating or inhibiting serotonin-releasing neurons in the cerebellum, researchers were able...

How the brain uses freshness to predict the future

Summary: A new study shows that the cerebral cortex acts as a “memory machine,” constantly detecting novel stimuli to refine its predictions of the future. By imaging the auditory cortex of mice, researchers found that neurons track sensory inputs over time, forming “echoes” that help distinguish new information.A neural network...

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