Tag

Lateral Habenula

All articles tagged with #lateral habenula

"Unveiling the Neurological Blueprint for Decision-Making Insights"

Originally Published 1 year ago — by Neuroscience News

Researchers have identified the lateral habenula as a key player in the brain's decision-making process regarding future information, shedding light on how individuals evaluate the value of cognitive rewards. This breakthrough not only enhances our understanding of decision-making mechanisms but also offers potential pathways for treating mental health disorders characterized by impaired decision-making, such as OCD, anxiety, and depression, by targeting specific neural circuits involved in processing uncertainty and cognitive rewards.

health neuroscience brain decision-making lateral-habenula mental-health neuroscience

Harnessing the Power of Bright-Light Treatment for Sleep Problems

Originally Published 2 years ago — by Neuroscience News

Researchers have discovered the neural pathway connecting chronic stress to sleep disturbances and how bright-light treatment can alleviate these issues. The study, conducted on mice, identified the crucial role of the lateral habenula, a brain region sensitive to light signals, in influencing non-REM sleep patterns. Bright-light treatment was found to inhibit certain neurons in the lateral habenula, reducing sleep abnormalities caused by stress. Understanding this pathway can help develop optimal light treatments and potential pharmacological interventions for stress-induced sleep problems.

health neuroscience bright-light-treatment chronic-stress lateral-habenula neural-pathway neuroscience sleep-disturbances