All articles tagged with #prefrontal cortex
A Nature Communications study using 5xFAD mice shows cognitive flexibility is impaired before memory deficits, linked to hyperactivity in the medial prefrontal cortex; silencing overactive neurons reduces amyloid-beta accumulation and partially restores flexibility, suggesting a potential route to earlier Alzheimer’s diagnosis.
A rat study found that a single psilocybin dose (1 mg/kg, given intraperitoneally) reduced the rats’ preference for larger rewards 48 hours after administration, by increasing activity of parvalbumin inhibitory interneurons wrapped in perineuronal nets in the medial prefrontal cortex. This linked change in brain circuitry suggests psilocybin may dampen incentive motivation and alter reward processing, offering insight into potential mechanisms for treating substance-use disorders. Results are preliminary and limited to male rats, with no impairment to attention or basic motor skills observed.
A Neurobiology of Disease study finds that aging-related memory decline may be driven by an excess of inhibitory synapses in the prefrontal cortex. In aged mice, researchers identified two groups—cognitively susceptible and resilient—with the susceptible group showing higher levels of inhibitory markers (Gephyrin, VGAT) and denser inhibitory synapses in the prefrontal cortex. Using optogenetics, activating inhibitory neurons in young mice reproduced memory and exploration deficits, while similar stimulation in aged impaired mice had no additional effect, suggesting a chronic, structure‑level inhibitory load contributes to cognitive decline. The study warns that treatments increasing inhibition could worsen age-related cognitive deficits and notes limitations, including all-male subjects and the artificial nature of the manipulation.
MRI-based study of 136 people with PTSD and 66 trauma-exposed controls found those with PTSD have weaker prefrontal control over the thalamus when challenging negative self-beliefs, predicting less benefit from standard talk therapies; results suggest treating brain wiring first and exploring psychedelics or other approaches, while noting that ongoing trauma exposure and cultural factors affect outcomes.
A UC Davis Health meta-analysis of 25 studies found people with anxiety disorders have about 8% lower brain choline levels, especially in the prefrontal cortex, suggesting nutrition could influence brain chemistry and anxiety, but more research is needed before dietary changes or supplements are recommended.
Two studies reveal how ketamine triggers rapid antidepressant effects by briefly silencing interneuron brakes in the prefrontal cortex via mu-opioid receptors, and show that a low-dose three-drug combo can replicate this benefit with fewer side effects; longer-lasting relief depends on TrkB and mGluR5 receptor cross-talk driven by BDNF, which strengthens and stabilizes synapses. Researchers plan accelerated clinical trials using safe, existing drugs to translate these findings into patient treatments.
A mouse study shows psilocybin dose-dependently activates the brain’s 5-HT2A receptors in the prefrontal cortex, with an inverted-U relationship for acute behaviors. The following day, moderate doses reduced anxiety-like exploration and higher doses decreased depression-like immobility, coinciding with changes in microtubule dynamics and increased synaptic plasticity proteins—primarily in the prefrontal cortex, not the amygdala—suggesting a neural mechanism for lasting antidepressant effects, though results in animals may not directly translate to humans.
A UCLA study finds mice facing cold organize into adaptive huddles that stabilize core temperature. The dorsomedial prefrontal cortex tracks others’ choices as if simulating the group; silencing it makes some mice passive while others compensate, keeping overall huddle time and body temperature unchanged. Larger groups exhibit stronger collective behavior, highlighting neural circuits for social resilience with potential implications for conditions like depression and schizophrenia.
New findings show relapse in addiction results from a circuit-level imbalance in the prefrontal cortex: parvalbumin-positive (PV) inhibitory neurons act as a gate on the PFC-to-VTA reward pathway. Suppressing PV cells reduced cocaine-seeking in mice, while activating them sustained drug-seeking after withdrawal; the effect is specific to drug rewards, not sugar, and not observed in other inhibitory cells. This reveals a targetable mechanism for relapse and suggests precision therapies to rebalance this circuit.
A 12-week aerobic training program in sedentary adults increased the acute release of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) after hard workouts and altered activity in the prefrontal cortex during attention and inhibition tasks. While participants improved their cardiovascular endurance and showed brain signaling changes linked to efficiency, there was no significant improvement in cognitive test scores. The study highlights a potential mechanism by which fitness supports brain function, though it relies on small sample size and maximum-exertion exercise, with serum vs plasma measurements providing different perspectives on BDNF delivery.
A 12-week cycling program increases aerobic fitness and makes the brain release more BDNF in response to a single 15-minute workout; fitter participants show larger BDNF spikes and stronger prefrontal cortex activity during attention and inhibition tasks, with the boost tracking with VO2max gains, suggesting fitness amplifies the brain’s response to exercise.
A University of Tsukuba study finds unsweetened, highly carbonated water during three-hour esports sessions helps players maintain mental focus and reduce cognitive fatigue compared with plain water, boosting executive function and enjoyment while also reducing fouls. The effect is achieved without sugar or caffeine, likely via the throat sensation that stimulates brainstem-to-prefrontal pathways, and heart rate and glucose levels remained unchanged.
This study investigates how the neural geometry of learned cues in the prefrontal cortex guides motivated behaviors, utilizing datasets available on GitHub and analyzing neural activity related to cue processing and decision-making in animals.
MIT researchers discovered that the prefrontal cortex in mice sends targeted signals to visual and motor regions, influencing how visual information is processed based on arousal and movement, revealing a sophisticated feedback system that dynamically rewires vision.
Neuroscientists discovered that rotating neural waves in the prefrontal cortex help the brain recover focus after distraction, with full rotations correlating with correct task performance and incomplete ones predicting errors, suggesting the brain uses energy-efficient traveling waves for concentration restoration.