neuropharmacology

An excellent overview and analysis by Patrick Mineault on the exciting news that 7 chemogenetics clinical trials have begun in China! I very much hope that these trials show enough promise that they stimulate further work in this area. Spotlight on DREADDs and chemogenetics.

Some people taking GLP-1 medications report feeling less pleasure or motivation, beyond simply losing interest in food.

npj Science of Learning, Published online: 05 September 2026; doi:10.1038/s41539-026-00453-3 CGRP inhibition in the PBN shifts defensive strategy from freezing to active avoidance in a platform-based active avoidance paradigm

BackgroundRepetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is a well-established neuromodulation technique for post-stroke motor rehabilitation with a favorable safety profile. However, its safety in patients with acute/subacute cerebral infarction remains incompletely characterized, particularly regarding unusual behavioral responses. Gelastic seizures, characterized by stereotyped, inappropr…

Nature Neuroscience, Published online: 04 September 2026; doi:10.1038/s41593-026-02434-6 This study argues that neuromodulation should harness the brain’s natural compensatory adaptations, rather than solely restore healthy-like dynamics, providing a framework for improving cognition in psychiatric and aging populations.

Registration is open for the FENS Committee on Higher Education and Training (CHET) and SfN Neuroscience Training Committee (NTC) webinar, “AI and the Making of Neuroscientific Knowledge”, taking place on Neuronline on  22 September 2026, 17:00–18:00 (CEST). Artificial intelligence (AI) has moved from a tool used by neuroscientists to a participant in how the field produces and evaluates knowledg…

IntroductionSensorimotor rhythm (SMR) neurofeedback has attracted growing interest for improving performance in precision sports; however, inter-individual variability in responsiveness remains poorly understood, and its associations with autonomic regulation and shooting performance have not been examined within a single-session paradigm. Because a substantial proportion of trainees show limited…

BackgroundTranscranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) is a noninvasive neuromodulation technique that can enhance motor function. The striatum is a central hub for motor control and β-band oscillations, and its tyrosine hydroxylase-positive interneurons (THINs) are modulated by dopamine. However, whether THINs are associated with motor changes following tACS through β-band synchrony has n…

A new study in mice indicates that caffeinated coffee prevents stress-induced memory loss and depression-like behaviors, while decaf offers no such protection. The findings suggest caffeine is the key ingredient for coffee's mood-boosting benefits.

What if AI could analyse long streams of data without draining device batteries? IIT Guwahati’s brain-inspired model offers a possible answer. Researchers at IIT Guwahati have developed a brain-inspired AI model designed to process long sequences of data with substantially lower estimated energy consumption than conventional sequence models. Called the Spiking Heterogeneous Harmonic Resonate-and-…

A researcher in Chicago remotely controls a miniaturized brain implant in Daejeon, Korea — over the internet. Korean researchers have developed a wireless device that can deliver drugs and light to precisely modulate targeted neurons from anywhere in the world. The technology is expected to overcome the constraints of distance and location, supporting long-term studies […]

IntroductionGPR55 has attracted attention for its anti-inflammatory, neuroprotective, and neurotransmitter-modulating properties, suggesting a role in mood regulation. Here, we aimed to clarify the contribution of GPR55 to emotional responses.MethodsMale and female GPR55 knockout (GPR55KO) and wild-type (WT) C57BL/6J mice were evaluated in the light-dark box, elevated plus maze, social interactio…

Psilocin, the active compound in magic mushrooms, promotes the rapid growth of neural connections in laboratory settings. A new study reveals how these structural changes match the effects of established psychiatric drugs like ketamine and lithium.

In a breakthrough study, researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center discovered that psilocybin given before chemotherapy prevented the onset of nerve injury in preclinical models, even after repeated treatment cycles, which could help prevent pain, numbness and other common chemotherapy side effects.

Can artificial intelligence become the equal of a human being, now or in the near future? This practical question can be answered only once we make precise what the equality in question is an equality in. This paper construes it as equality of standing, and decomposes it, following the narrative from which the question arises — that a human being is an individual, a mental entity, and a subject —…

Impulsivity is a multidimensional construct that reflects both affective reactivity and cognitive control processes. Although gonadal hormones have been implicated in impulsive behavior, their associations with specific impulsivity facets may depend on contextual physiological and affective conditions. In this study, we ask whether internal neuroendocrine and psychological states moderate associa…

Nature Neuroscience, Published online: 02 September 2026; doi:10.1038/s41593-026-02421-x This study shows that addictive drugs hijack mitochondrial Ca2+-dependent bioenergetics in reward circuits to drive pathological dopamine release, identifying mitochondrial calcium uniporter as a metabolic gatekeeper.

Nature Neuroscience, Published online: 02 September 2026; doi:10.1038/s41593-026-02414-w This study shows that glutamate concentration at synapses can dynamically reshape how synaptic AMPA receptors pass current and calcium. This reveals a rapid way that synapses tune communication in the brain.

A Journal of Clinical Investigation Viewpoint highlights growing evidence that GLP-1 receptor agonists, particularly semaglutide, may reduce alcohol consumption and some other substance-related outcomes by acting on brain systems involved in reward, motivation, stress, and emotion. However, the authors caution that efficacy for substance use disorders is not yet firmly established and call for fu…