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Brain Circuits

All articles tagged with #brain circuits

New Study Identifies Brain 'Volume Knob' Linking Past Trauma to Future Stress
science-and-health7 days ago

New Study Identifies Brain 'Volume Knob' Linking Past Trauma to Future Stress

Researchers at Mount Sinai have identified a specific neural circuit in the anterior hypothalamic nucleus (AHN) that acts as a 'volume knob' for stress reactivity. Published in Nature, the study shows that past trauma hyper-sensitizes this region, amplifying future threat responses. Silencing the connection between the amygdala and the AHN prevents this sensitization, offering a new potential target for treating PTSD and anxiety.

via Neuroscience News|
#brain-circuits#mount-sinai#neuroscience
Amygdala-to-Hypothalamus Circuit Identified as Key Driver of Stress Sensitization
science8 days ago

Amygdala-to-Hypothalamus Circuit Identified as Key Driver of Stress Sensitization

Researchers at Nature have identified a specific neural pathway linking the amygdala to the anterior hypothalamic nucleus (AHN) that regulates how previous adversity increases sensitivity to future stress. Using whole-brain activity mapping and in vivo imaging in mice, the study found that prior stress heightens AHN reactivity and strengthens its functional connectivity with threat-related brain networks. The AHN was shown to process negative valence, with previous stress amplifying the proportion of neurons sensitive to negative stimuli. Causal tests confirmed that inhibiting AHN neurons or blocking amygdala inputs to the AHN abolishes sensitized stress responses, while exciting these neurons promotes defensive behavior. This finding highlights the AHN as a critical node in stress sensitization, offering a new target for understanding conditions like PTSD.

via Nature|
#animal-models#brain-circuits#mental-health
Genetic study links OCD and Tourette's to autism through brain circuits
science1 month ago

Genetic study links OCD and Tourette's to autism through brain circuits

Rutgers-led exome study of nearly 4,000 individuals with OCD/CTD identifies 36 high-risk genes (average ~57× risk, up to 210×), greatly expanding the known set and revealing shared genetics with autism and schizophrenia. Risk genes are active prenatally and postnatally in cortex, striatum, thalamus and cerebellum, especially in cortico-striato-thalamo-cortical circuits, suggesting networks as therapeutic targets and underscoring the value of long-running family DNA data. Published in Nature Neuroscience 2026.

via ScienceAlert|
#autism#brain-circuits#genetics
Childhood Trauma Linked to Long-Term Aggressive Brain Changes
health1 year ago

Childhood Trauma Linked to Long-Term Aggressive Brain Changes

Research at Virginia Tech explores how childhood trauma rewires brain circuits, particularly the thalamic nucleus reuniens, leading to increased impulsive and pathological aggression later in life. Using advanced techniques like CRISPR and optogenetics, scientists aim to identify neural targets for therapies to mitigate trauma-induced aggression.

via Neuroscience News|
#aggression#brain-circuits#childhood-trauma
Hormones Influence Love and Lust Differently in Men and Women
science1 year ago

Hormones Influence Love and Lust Differently in Men and Women

Research reveals that a specific brain circuit in mice, influenced by hormones like oxytocin and ovarian hormones, governs sex-specific mating behaviors, promoting receptivity in females during estrus and reducing interest in males, with the same neurons having opposite effects in males, highlighting how hormonal states and sex shape social and sexual behaviors.

via Neuroscience News|
#brain-circuits#hormones#prefrontal-cortex