This Month in Psychopharmacology

Browsing articles in "Basic Neuroscience"

Dopamine Function and Impulsivity: From Adolescence to Adulthood
August 21, 2023

Understanding developmental trajectories and how drugs can influence the trajectory of an individual is critical to appreciate the way psychiatric drugs can affect a person at different ages. Although we often hear and repeat the trope “your brain matures at age 25,” the mature 25-year-old brain can look much different from person to person and recent research further highlights this fact...

Role of the Gut-Brain Axis and Psychiatric Diseases
May 15, 2023

Numerous studies have found a profound association between gastrointestinal and psychiatric illnesses, likely mediated by the gut-brain axis. In this extensive study, Gong and colleagues used a myriad of genetic association techniques to reveal genetic factors that may influence the correlation of gastrointestinal and psychiatric disorders. Specifically, the authors investigated genome-wide pleitropic associations between gastrointestinal tract diseases ..

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Measures of Brain Connectivity and Cognition by Sex in US Preadolescent Children
March 27, 2023

Sex differences in brain structure and function may underly differences in cognition and behavior and the prevalence of psychiatric disorders. Neuroimaging and cognitive performance data from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development study was evaluated to examine sex differences in global functional connectivity density at ...

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Prazosin May Reduce Drinking in Some Individuals With AUD
March 22, 2023

Prolonged alcohol abstinence in persons with alcohol use disorder (AUD) may cause activation of the noradrenergic system, which is associated with aversive mild/moderate alcohol withdrawal symptoms such as dysphoria, irritability, anxiety, and sympathetic nervous system activation. These symptoms can make abstinence from alcohol challenging....

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Key Differences In The Brains Of Boys And Girls With Binge Eating Disorder
January 9, 2023

Binge eating disorder is characterized by frequent consumption of large amounts of food in a short time period, a self-reported loss of control, and an absence of compensatory behaviors. Theoretically, BED is mechanistically driven by an increased reward value on food and a diminished inhibitory control to stop eating. Imaging studies support these theories and show hyper-responsivity in reward-related circuitry in response to food cue presentation...

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Imaging IDs Brain Activity Related to Dissociative Symptoms
November 24, 2022

In a study of nearly 100 women, participants with certain dissociative symptoms had increased connections within some brain networks and decreased connections within others. The new findings shed light on the brain connectivity associated with these debilitating symptoms and ultimately may help clinicians diagnose and treat affected patients....

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Neural Circuits Of Anxiolytic And Antidepressant Pherine Molecules
March 16, 2022

Pherines are a novel class of synthetic neuroactive steroids formulated to engage human nasal chemosensory receptors. They are administered intranasally and detected by olfactory afferents wired directly to the limbic amygdala. Due to this mechanism, they have rapid and potent effects on behavior and the autonomic nervous system...

Brain Awareness Week 2022
March 14, 2022

Each March, we observe Brain Awareness Week. Brain Awareness Week is the global campaign to foster public enthusiasm and support for brain science. Taking place this year March 14-20, 2022, Brain Awareness Week aims at advancing public awareness about the brain and brain research...

Brain Rhythm Predicts Response to DBS for Severe Depression
November 24, 2021

Deep brain stimulation of the subcallosal cingulate may be a promising intervention for treatment-resistant depression. While one clinical file failed, multiple case series have reported positive results, especially since surgical procedures for it have improved. Recent evidence suggests that...

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Psilocybin Therapy Increases Cognitive And Neural Flexibility In Patients With Major Depressive Disorder
November 18, 2021

Psilocybin therapy has shown promise in treating major depressive disorder and other psychiatric illnesses. However, the cognitive and neural mechanisms underlying its enduring efficacy is poorly understood. An open-label study examined the enduring effects of psilocybin therapy on the cognitive and neural flexibility...

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