Dopamine is one of the most well - known neurotransmitter. It is most widely known as the neurotransmitter that causes pleasure but is also causes motivation, movement as well as reinforcement of behavior. At MIT researchers used a specialized MRI sensor to measure the results and the effect of dopamine not only in one location in the brain but instead all across the brain. Using the new technique, the results showed that dopamine is exerted most in 2 regions of the brain cortex. The 2 regions of the cortex are the motor cortex and the insular cortex. The motor cortex control movement. While the insular cortex controls many cognitive functions and brain states. This includes physical and emotional states. This study can have many long-term effects. According to Alan Jasanoff an MIT professor of biological engineering, brain and cognitive sciences, and nuclear science and engineering. Jasanoff talks about the long-term effects saying “Our results could lead to biomarkers that could be seen in fMRI data, and these correlates of dopaminergic function could be useful for analyzing animal and human fMRI.” This shows how dopamine can be used to analyze animal and human fMRI’s. This could lead to important discoveries about the brain.
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Social distancing is a good way to keep the Coronavirus for spreading. However, social distancing causes isolation and anxiety. Researchers at MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) have run a study that shows that both loneliness and hunger are both share signals at the same place in the brain. This can tell us that our need to connect with others is like as essential to us as our need to eat. During the study a group of adults were told to go into an empty room without any electronics or novels. Another group was told not to eat anything. Both groups stayed for 10 hours. After the 10 hours an fMRI was run on a part of the brain known as the substantia nigra. The substantia nigra is a part of the brain that releases dopamine a neurotransmitter responsible for pleasure. The results that were run though a computer program shows that fasting showed similar neural patterns to social isolation. According Livia Tomova a neuroscientist who was part of the study said “This tells us that there seems to be an underlying shared neural signature between the two states. Social contact is a very basic nee
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February 2023
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