Scientists at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) have identified a potential target for the development of anti-craving medications for people with addictions to stimulants such as methamphetamine.
Psychology
Optical Illusion experiment shows higher brain functions involved in pupil size control
(Medical Xpress) — We all know that our pupils contract when our eyes are exposed to increases in the brightness of light. The reason is to both protect the delicate inner workings of our eyes and to help provide for optimum viewing based on available light. But we also know that our pupils dilate, or become larger when we are aroused, regardless of the reason, which means that pupil size is not always just a reaction to lighting conditions. Now, new research by Bruno Laeng and Tor Endestad from the Department of Psychology at the University of Oslo, shows that our pupils also react based on what we think we see sometimes, rather than what is actually there. In their paper, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the two show that pupil constriction occurs when viewing an optical illusion that at first makes us believe one image is brighter than another, when in reality, they are the same.
Mouse brains keyed to speed
(Medical Xpress) — Its hard to be a mouse. Youre a social animal, but your fellows are small and scattered. Youre a snack to a bestiary of fast, eagle-eyed predators, not least the eagle. Youre fast too, but your spatial vision is poor around 20/200. So whats a mouse to do?
New deep brain stimulation device shows promising results
(Medical Xpress) — A multi-site study of a new deep brain stimulation device for people with Parkinsons disease has found the device to provide benefits to patients, potentially paving the way for unprecedented competition in the area of neurostimulation technology.
Alzheimer’s: French scientists focus on key target
French scientists said on Tuesday that lack of a key brain protein was linked to Alzheimer’s, a finding that threw up a tempting target for drugs to fight the disease.