- Researchers study a specific brain circuit linked to relapse.
- The circuit connects two brain areas involved in motivation.
- The team used an animal model to mimic people.
- Reducing activity in the circuit lowered drug-seeking behavior.
- One method used a light fiber inside the brain.
- Another method used a designer receptor and a drug.
- Both approaches cut heroin-seeking in the model.
- This research may help reduce relapse in people.
Difficult words
- relapse — return to drug use after stopping
- circuit — a path of connected brain parts
- motivation — reason to do something or try
- model — an animal used to study human problemsanimal model
- reduce — make something smaller or less in amountReducing
Tip: hover, focus or tap highlighted words in the article to see quick definitions while you read or listen.
Related articles
Tool that Reorders X Feed Reduces Partisan Rancor
Researchers built a browser extension that scans an X feed for antidemocratic and partisan posts and reorders them without removing content or platform cooperation. Tests during the 2024 election showed small but measurable improvements in attitudes toward the other party.
Two types of microglia control anxiety in mice
Researchers at the University of Utah found two different microglia types in the brain that can cause or prevent anxiety in mice. The work suggests new ways to think about treatments, but therapies are not near-term.
GLO1 helps the brain fight calcium damage
Yale researchers found that the protein GLO1 rises in young brains when cellular calcium is high and then falls with age. In animals with an altered RyR2 channel, loss of GLO1 activity linked to worse memory.
Dementia Surge in Africa Demands Research and Innovation
Dementia is a growing health issue in Africa as the population ages, requiring more research and innovative solutions.
Navigation brain cells in retrosplenial cortex preserved across evolution
Researchers found two special neuron types in the retrosplenial cortex that help navigation. These cells are conserved between mice and rats, linked to spatial disorientation in Alzheimer’s, and are now being studied in humans.
Science Should Listen to African Voices
Connie Nshemereirwe emphasizes the importance of African perspectives in scientific research and education.