What Happens in the Amygdala... Damage to Brain's Decision-Making Area May Encourage Dicey Gambles
Individuals with amygdala damage are more likely to lay a risky bet
Neurons for Good and Bad Surprises
A recent study with monkeys finds that the amygdala, the emotional center of the brain, has neurons that fire for good surprises, and different neurons that fire for bad surprises.
Spooky music is spookier with your eyes closed
It’s Halloween. You’re listening to some creepy, scary music. Maybe it sounds like something like this* – SCARY! You are lying still, attending to the emotional qualities of the music.
The Stress of Crowds
City dwellers may handle pressure differently from those who live in less populated areas
Certain Neurons Respond Specifically to Animals
Discovery hints at evolutionary importance of animals to human survival
Urban Living Raises the Risk of Emotional Disorders
Mounting evidence shows how city living can harm our mental health
How We Process Horrible Sounds
Researchers develop a model for how we find certain sounds, like nails on a chalkboard, unbearable. Christie Nicholson reports
Nice Brains Finish Last
More “prosocial” brains are more prone to depression, study suggests
Humans Can Feel Terror Even If They Lack Brain's "Fear Center"
A growing body of work shows that the brain has different systems and mechanisms to respond to certain kinds of threats and physiological changes in the body
Lasers Activate Killer Instinct in Mice
Stimulating certain areas of the animals’ brains can trigger predatory behaviors including biting and grabbing
Can We Control Our Fears?
Welcome to
Mind Matters Sciam.com's "seminar blog" on the sciences of mind and bbrain. Each week, top researchers in neuroscience, psychology and psychiatry explain and discuss the research driving their fields.
SfN Neuroblogging: PTSD in twins
We hear a lot about PTSD these days, and with good reason. As more people confront trauma and come away with severely debilitating disorders, it becomes that much more important to understand the mechanism, in order to find ways to treat or prevent it.
Friend or Foe?
How we instantly size up people has little to do with logic and a lot to do with looks
Editor’s Selections: Quarreling Couples, Vegetables, Junk Food, and Alcohol
Here are my ResearchBlogging Editor’s Selections for this week: Which conflicts consume couples the most? eHarmony Labs has some answers.
Mastery of Emotions
Joseph E. LeDoux discovered how fear arises. Now he is showing that the biology of emotions is what gives life meaning
Abuse and Attachment
A stifled fear response may explain why young victims stand by their abusers
