(+)-JRT, a de novo synthesized LSD analogue (two-atom transposition), retains potent neuroplasticity-promoting effects while markedly reducing hallucinogenic liability. It offers a path toward treating depression, addiction, and cognition deficits in patients (e.g., SCZ, psychosis family history) for whom classical psychedelics are contraindicated.
- **Mechanism:** promotes cortical spinogenesis / dendritic growth (same pathway as LSD)
- **Selectivity:** improved receptor pharmacology; does *not* amplify psychosis-associated behavioral or gene-expression signatures
- **Behavioral readouts:** antidepressant- and cognition-relevant assay effects
- **Design principle:** minimal structural edit → "nonhallucinogenic psychoplastogen" class
- **Mechanism:** promotes cortical spinogenesis / dendritic growth (same pathway as LSD)
- **Selectivity:** improved receptor pharmacology; does *not* amplify psychosis-associated behavioral or gene-expression signatures
- **Behavioral readouts:** antidepressant- and cognition-relevant assay effects
- **Design principle:** minimal structural edit → "nonhallucinogenic psychoplastogen" class
This study investigates whether the human brain has an organized baseline state of function that is suspended during goal-directed tasks. Researchers used positron-emission tomography (PET) to measure the oxygen extraction fraction (OEF)—the ratio of oxygen used by the brain to oxygen delivered by blood—in resting adults.
Key findings include:
1. Uniformity at Rest: Despite significant differences in blood flow and oxygen consumption between gray and white matter, the OEF remains remarkably uniform across the brain during a resting state (eyes closed, awake).
2. Defining Baseline: The researchers propose that this uniform OEF represents an equilibrium state of local neuronal activity, serving as a true physiological baseline.
3. Deactivation Patterns: Many brain regions, particularly in the visual system, consistently show decreases in activity (deactivations) during cognitive tasks.
4. Validation: By measuring the OEF at rest, the study confirms that these task-induced decreases are not merely artifacts of an undefined control state but represent a genuine drop from a stable baseline level of brain function.
The results suggest the existence of a default mode of brain function that is active when specific goal-directed behaviors are not being performed.
Key findings include:
1. Uniformity at Rest: Despite significant differences in blood flow and oxygen consumption between gray and white matter, the OEF remains remarkably uniform across the brain during a resting state (eyes closed, awake).
2. Defining Baseline: The researchers propose that this uniform OEF represents an equilibrium state of local neuronal activity, serving as a true physiological baseline.
3. Deactivation Patterns: Many brain regions, particularly in the visual system, consistently show decreases in activity (deactivations) during cognitive tasks.
4. Validation: By measuring the OEF at rest, the study confirms that these task-induced decreases are not merely artifacts of an undefined control state but represent a genuine drop from a stable baseline level of brain function.
The results suggest the existence of a default mode of brain function that is active when specific goal-directed behaviors are not being performed.
Researchers have identified a neural network associated with adaptive mentalization – the ability to adjust how we infer others’ intentions and beliefs based on their behavior. Using computational modeling and fMRI, they found activity and connectivity within brain regions (including the temporoparietal junction) tracked participants’ ability to update beliefs about opponents' strategic sophistication in a game setting. This neural signature could potentially be used to assess mentalization capabilities in both healthy individuals and those with brain disorders.
A new scientific review maps the cellular and molecular mechanisms behind memory formation, consolidation, generalization, and updating, revealing how memories are stored, altered, and even manipulated in the brain. Key breakthroughs allow scientists to visualize and activate specific neurons involved in memory, offering deeper insight into how learning occurs and how fear memories may become overgeneralized in disorders like PTSD.
This article explores the connection between strategic thinking in games like chess, the behaviors of manipulators (like drug dealers), and the neurological basis of 'theory of mind' – our ability to understand others' perspectives. A recent study suggests a link between forward-thinking and manipulation, with brain activity during negotiation mirroring that seen in chess players.
