Higher Carbohydrate Meals Increase Punishment

A study in 2017 finds that the composition of food in one meal can significantly affect behavior in the following hours, higher carbohydrate meals increase punishment behavior. How does this work and what does it mean in terms of understanding how diet affects mood? In the study, a high carbohydrate breakfast boosted tryptophan and lowered tyrosine. Tryptophan is the key …

Biological Basis of Depression

A recent review article in the American Journal of Psychiatry examines data from many functional neuroimaging studies in order to define more clearly the biological basis of depression. Abnormalities in two sets of neural circuits seem to be the most consistent findings in people with depression: Serotonin anxiety and distress circuits that connect the amygdala and several locations in the medial …

L-Dopa and the Fear Response

What causes us to be afraid, and how can we control it? Jonathan Silver, MD gives some insight about the role of L-Dopa in the fear response. L-Dopa is the precursor to the neurotransmitter dopamine. Recent studies have shown that the production of L-Dopa may induce an effect on the resurgence of fear in humans. Researchers further investigated this hypothesis …