Using optogenetic and chemogenetic techniques, researchers have identified brain circuits underlying hunger-induced changes in the preferences for sweet and aversive tastes in mice. These circuits involved Agouti-related peptide-expressing neurons, which projected to glutamate neurons in the lateral hypothalamus. From there, glutamate neurons projecting to the lateral septum increased sweetness preferences, and glutamate neurons projecting to […]

A new study has identified markers of maternal stress — both physical and psychological — that may influence a baby’s sex and the likelihood of preterm birth. Read Full Article (External Site) Dr. David LowemannDr. David Lowemann, M.Sc, Ph.D., is a co-founder of the Institute for the Future of Human Potential, where he leads the […]

Babies seek to understand the world around them and learn many new things every day. Unexpected events — for example when a ball falls through a table — provide researchers with the unique opportunity to understand infants’ learning processes. What happens in their brains as they learn and integrate new information? Read Full Article (External […]