Journal of Neuroscience
November 19, 2018
Anthony S. Gabay, Matthew J. Kempton, James Gilleen et al.
40 citations
MDMA increases cooperative behavior, but only when interacting with trustworthy partners. In a double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover study, 20 male participants received 100 mg MDMA or placebo and played an iterated Prisoner's Dilemma with opponents who varied in cooperation. MDMA enhanced cooperation with trustworthy opponents (odds ratio = 2.01) but not untrustworthy ones. MDMA specifically improved recovery from, not the impact of, breaches in cooperation. Brain activity increased in regions linked to social cognition, including precentral and supramarginal gyri, superior temporal cortex, central operculum/posterior insula, and supplementary motor area. Trust ratings did not change. The effect of MDMA on social decision-making depends on the context of the other person's behavior.
Journal of Neuroscience
March 4, 2020
S. Maillé, M. Lynn
21 citations
The neural basis of consciousness remains a fundamental challenge in modern neuroscience. Several sophisticated models and theories attempt to formalize how the brain implements consciousness, drawing on insights from philosophy, psychology, computer science, and neuroscience.
Journal of Neuroscience
April 8, 2024
Ximing Shao, Katya Krieger‐Redwood, Meichao Zhang et al.
20 citations
The default mode network (DMN) typically deactivates during external tasks but supports semantic cognition. Analysis of four human fMRI datasets shows that its subsystems respond differently: the frontotemporal subsystem activates across domains and modalities, especially during abstract verbal tasks, and shows more tuned states with higher semantic retrieval demands. The medial temporal subsystem activates for both perceptually coupled scenes and decoupled autobiographical memory, with stronger responses to picture associations, supporting scene construction. The core DMN consistently deactivates, particularly for externally oriented tasks. These distinct responses relate to each subsystem's location on intrinsic connectivity gradients, revealing complementary roles in semantic cognition.
Journal of Neuroscience
December 19, 2025
Nicolas G. Glynos, Emma R. Huels, Trent Groenhout et al.
In rats, intravenous DMT causes dose-dependent increases in serotonin and dopamine in the medial prefrontal and somatosensory cortices, along with distinct changes in brain wave patterns: reduced theta and low gamma power, increased delta, medium gamma, and high gamma power, and altered functional connectivity. Head twitch responses were most frequent at the lowest dose. Endogenous DMT was detected in the cortex of most animals at baseline, suggesting it may be naturally present. The work provides a detailed neurochemical and neurophysiological profile of DMT action in rats.
Journal of Neuroscience
November 10, 2025
Sarah N. Magee, Allison C. Sereno, Maria Echeveste-Sanchez et al.
Psilocin, the active metabolite of psilocybin, acutely reduced voluntary ethanol consumption in mice exposed to two models of chronic ethanol exposure without altering locomotor behavior. It increased activation of the central amygdala (CeA) and decreased relative activation of corticotropin-releasing factor type 1 (CRF1) receptors in CeA subregions of ethanol-naive female mice, with similar effects observed in chronic ethanol-exposed mice at 24 and 72 hours of withdrawal. Psilocin also elevated corticosterone levels at 24 hours but not at 72 hours of withdrawal. These findings indicate that psilocin engages CeA circuitry and reduces relative CRF1 activation alongside acute reductions in drinking, helping explain potential therapeutic mechanisms for alcohol use disorder.
Journal of Neuroscience
March 10, 2021
Omri Raccah, N. Block, K. Fox
A central debate in philosophy and neuroscience concerns whether prefrontal cortex (PFC) activity is essential for consciousness. This synthesis of research using intracranial electrical stimulation (iES) in humans shows that stimulating only certain prefrontal regions—the orbitofrontal cortex and anterior cingulate cortex—reliably alters conscious experience. In contrast, stimulating anterolateral prefrontal sites, often emphasized by higher-order and global workspace theories, rarely produces reportable changes in consciousness. The variety of iES-elicited effects (emotions, thoughts, olfactory and visual hallucinations) shows no clear relation to the immediate environment, challenging the idea that the PFC is the basis for conscious perception. The findings suggest a specific role for orbitofrontal and anterior cingulate cortices in supporting emotional aspects of conscious experience.
Journal of Neuroscience
March 5, 2008
K. Phan, Mike Angstadt, J. Golden et al.
THC reduces the brain's amygdala response to threatening social signals without affecting primary visual or motor cortex activity. This finding supports the idea that cannabinoids may have an anxiety-reducing role in fear behaviors and suggests potential for new anxiety disorder treatments targeting the cannabinoid system.