Category Health/Medical

One rhesus macaque grooming another, the primary way these monkeys act prosocially toward one another. Work with these animals helped University of Pennsylvania researcher Michael Platt and other scientists draw their conclusions about the function of the amygdala. Credit: Lauren Brent

The amygdala, at the front end of the brain’s temporal lobe, has long been associated with negative behaviors generally, and specifically with fear. But new research shows this collection of nuclei can also influence positive social functions like kindness and what might be called charitable giving in humans. This could have implications for people with autism, schizophrenia or anxiety-related disorders, Platt said.

“What we’re trying to do is both identify and understand the basic brain mechanism that allow...

Ground breaking study published in JAMA Pediatrics looks at outcomes of 145,456 pregnancies after antidepressant use. Photo : Thinkstock.

The findings are hugely important as 6-10% of pregnant women are currently being treated for depression with antidepressants. Prof. Bérard, an expert in the fields of pharmaceutical safety during pregnancy, came to her conclusions after reviewing data covering 145,456 pregnancies. “The variety of causes of autism remain unclear, but studies have shown that both genetics and environment can play a role,” she explained...

The significance of the dorsomedial PFC came as a surprise because of its relative neglect in the decision neuroscience literature. Credit: © raresb / Fotolia

If you’re pondering whether to buy a Galaxy smartphone or iPhone this holiday season, the dorsomedial prefrontal cortex (PFC) might ultimately determine your choice. Results of a new study suggest that this region of the brain plays a critical role in making choices.

“A big question is how and where value information is represented in the brain, and what goes into that representation,” says Dr. Fellows. “Our research confirmed what savvy marketers already know: the longer you look at one of two objects, the more likely you’ll choose that object even if you initially valued the other one more...

Schematic of sentinel node detection using ICG and OPUS, utilizing optoacoustic contrast of biomarkers in tissue using multispectral excitation. The contrast images are overlaid on tomographic ultrasound images, as well as using three dimensional optoacoustic detection. Credit: S. Morscher, I. Stoffels, J. Claussen, J. Klode

Scientists are testing a noninvasive alternative to lymph node biopsy for detecting early signs that melanoma skin cancer has spread. Patients currently undergo surgical removal, often involving a radioactive tracer, of these lymph nodes to screen for wayward cancer cells. But researchers say that in most cases this approach uncovers no sign of cancer spread while exposing patients to unnecessary risks...