PRESS-NEWS.org - Press Release Distribution
PRESS RELEASES DISTRIBUTION

Structure deep within the brain may contribute to a rich, varied social life

2010-12-26
(Press-News.org) Scientists have discovered that the amygdala, a small almond shaped structure deep within the temporal lobe, is important to a rich and varied social life among humans. The finding was published this week in a new study in Nature Neuroscience and is similar to previous findings in other primate species, which compared the size and complexity of social groups across those species.

"We know that primates who live in larger social groups have a larger amygdala, even when controlling for overall brain size and body size," says Lisa Feldman Barrett, PhD, of the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) Psychiatric Neuroimaging Research Program and a Distinguished Professor of Psychology at Northeastern University, who led the study. "We considered a single primate species, humans, and found that the amygdala volume positively correlated with the size and complexity of social networks in adult humans."

The researchers also performed an exploratory analysis of all the subcortical structures within the brain and found no compelling evidence of a similar relationship between any other subcortical structure and the social life of humans. The volume of the amygdala was not related to other social variables in the life of humans such as life support or social satisfaction.

"This link between amygdala size and social network size and complexity was observed for both older and younger individuals and for both men and women," says Bradford C. Dickerson, MD, of the MGH Department of Neurology and the Martinos Center for Biomedical Research. "This link was specific to the amygdala, because social network size and complexity were not associated with the size of other brain structures." Dickerson is an associate professor of Neurology at Harvard Medical School, and co-led the study with Dr. Barrett.

The researchers asked 58 participants to report information about the size and the complexity of their social networks by completing standard questionnaires that measured the total number of regular social contacts that each participant maintained, as well the number of different groups to which these contacts belonged. Participants, ranging in age from 19 to 83 years, also received a magnetic resonance imaging brain scan to gather information about the structure of various brain structures, including the volume of the amygdala.

A member of the the Martinos Center at MGH, Barrett also notes that the results of the study were consistent with the "social brain hypothesis," which suggests that the human amygdala might have evolved partially to deal with an increasingly complex social life. "Further research is in progress to try to understand more about how the amygdala and other brain regions are involved in social behavior in humans," she says. "We and other researchers are also trying to understand how abnormalities in these brain regions may impair social behavior in neurologic and psychiatric disorders."

###Co-Authors of the Nature Neuroscience paper are Kevin C. Bickart, Boston University School of Medicine; and Christopher I. Wright, MD, PhD, and Rebecca J. Dautoff of the MGH Psychiatric Neuroimaging Research Program and the Martinos Center. The study was supported by grants from the US National Institutes of Health and the US National Institute on Aging.

Celebrating the 200th anniversary of its founding in 1811, Massachusetts General Hospital is the original and largest teaching hospital of Harvard Medical School. The MGH conducts the largest hospital-based research program in the United States, with an annual research budget of more than $600 million and major research centers in AIDS, cardiovascular research, cancer, computational and integrative biology, cutaneous biology, human genetics, medical imaging, neurodegenerative disorders, regenerative medicine, systems biology, transplantation biology and photomedicine.

END



ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

Microfluidic device rapidly orients hundreds of embryos for high-throughput experiments

Microfluidic device rapidly orients hundreds of embryos for high-throughput experiments
2010-12-26
Researchers have developed a microfluidic device that automatically orients hundreds of fruit fly and other embryos to prepare them for research. The device could facilitate the study of such issues as how organisms develop their complex structures from single cells -- one of the most fascinating aspects of biology. Scientists know that among an embryo's first major developments is the establishment of its dorsoventral axis, which runs from its back to its belly. Determining how this axis development unfolds -- specifically the presence and location of proteins during ...

Georgia Tech team helps decode newly sequenced strawberry genome

Georgia Tech team helps decode newly sequenced strawberry genome
2010-12-26
An international research consortium has sequenced the genome of the woodland strawberry, according to a study published in the Dec. 26 advance online edition of the journal Nature Genetics. The development is expected to unlock possibilities for breeding tastier, hardier varieties of the berry and other crops in its family. "We've created the strawberry parts list," said the consortium's leader Kevin Folta, an associate professor with the University of Florida's Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences. "For every organism on the planet, if you're going to try to ...

UK researchers contribute to sequencing strawberry genome

2010-12-26
A consortium of researchers working across five continents, including BBSRC-funded scientists in the UK, has published the genome of the wild strawberry (Fragaria vesca). The research, published today (26/12/2010) in the journal Nature Genetics will help strawberry breeders to develop disease resistance and improve fruit quality to benefit consumers. Dr Dan Sargent, based at East Malling Research (EMR) in Kent, collaborated on the international project as part of the BBSRC (Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council) Crop Science Initiative which was set ...

New Jamaican Indie Film Announces Hollywood Premiere

2010-12-26
The Hollywood premiere for the feature film "Out The Gate" is officially announced for January 13th, 2011 at the Royal Theatre in Los Angeles. The stars of the film are scheduled to attend the red carpet event. Limited seats will be available to the public. Special Q & A session with cast and directors will follow the screening. The urban action/drama stars Paul Campbell (Shottas, First Sunday, Dancehall Queen), Oliver Samuels (Oliver at Large, The Mighty Quinn), Shelli Boone (Holla), and reggae dancehall artist Everton E-Dee Dennis. Directed by The Village Brothers, ...

Beat The Holiday Blues With DateCover.com

2010-12-26
The holiday season begins in late November, and runs through early January. Depending on your culture this season offers more than 16 signature days to celebrate something special, including 3 blockbuster holidays that we all know and love, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years Day. The holidays are supposed to be a time of festive cheer and optimistic thoughts. Oh yes, it is the most wonderful time of the year, is it not? If that statement makes you want to roll your eyes you may be one of the millions of people in America who is not enjoying themselves this holiday ...

Hands Like Glass Announce 2011 Tour With Rosaline And As Artifacts

2010-12-26
Hands Like Glass has announced an upcoming February 2011 West Coast tour with Rosaline (Good Fight Music) and San Francisco band As Artifacts. The tour will kick off Feb 1, 2011 and will go through the 16th with dates and venues being announced shortly. Hands Like Glass released their debut EP With Unveiled Faces in summer of 2010 with Authentik INK. and have been touring while writing new material for their next release. Hands Like Glass Members (Photo Left to Right): Eddie, Cory, Justin, Ces, Jimmy Download Group Photo - https://authentikartists.box.net/shared/pinpzdzxq8 Download ...

Rain City Cinema Releases: "Broken Frame (the movie that took 22 years to finish"

2010-12-26
Bookended with two documentaries, the movie begins with "Reconstructing Broken Frame" and Gorman explaining why it took 22 years to finish the project. "Broken Frame" follows... Set in the late eighties, a series of homicides has set a town on edge and Detective Joe Mancuso on a mission to get the perpetrator no matter the cost. His hot temper and relentless pursuit soon ensnare him in a web of his own making. "Deconstructing Broken Frame" adds the final touch with the actors and director recalling the filming of "Broken Frame" and hailing its completion. But 22 years ...

Timber Frame-Houses discuss the future of the UK's Domestic Property Market in 2011?

2010-12-26
New Online Magazine, Timber Frame Houses, launches for 2011, focusing on comment and interaction on the UK domestic property market. Worried about house prices in 2011? You should be especially if your expecting prices to rise. Timber Frame Houses will bring you review and comment of what is going on. Focusing on all the news that affect the running of your home. Interest Rates to sustainability, Timber Frame-Houses will bring you up to date in news and review. Timber Frame Houses realises the real link between property and the economy. Recession of 2009 has underlined ...

The National Apartment Association selects Revo payments to present at the NAA Student Housing annual conference

2010-12-26
The National Apartment Association has selected Revo Payments CEO Mike Corbera to lead a presentation about the use of ePayments in the Student Housing market. Co-presenting with Revo will be Matt Rasor, VP of Operations at Campus Village Communities and Pamela Day, Managing Partner at Crimson Holdings. This session will present a case study on implementation of marketing strategies to boost ePayment adoption at student housing properties. Property Managers and Student Housing operators will learn what works best for marketing ePayments, and the associated operating ...

The Richland Companies Announces Exclusive Leasing Agent in Dallas

2010-12-26
The Richland Companies and Hudson Peters celebrated the announcement of their new Dallas partnership by hosting an open house at The Richland Companies' property, Royal Jetstar, located at 4040 Royal Lane and giving a new IPad to one lucky winner. Over eighty-five brokers attended to hear The Richland Companies' President and CEO, Edna Meyer-Nelson announce Hudson Peters was chosen as their exclusive leasing agent representing Richland's four Dallas properties including Royal Freeport located at 4343 Royal Lane, Gateway West located at 2901 Gateway Drive and Gateway South ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

Orphan nuclear receptors in metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease development

A technological breakthrough for ultra-fast and greener AI

Pusan National University researchers identify key barriers hindering data-driven smart manufacturing adoption

Inking heterometallic nanosheets: A scalable breakthrough for coating, electronics, and electrocatalyst applications

Adults with autism show similar brain mapping of body parts as typically developing adults

Uncovering behavioral clues to childhood maltreatment

Premenstrual symptoms linked to increased risk of cardiovascular disease

Newly discovered remains of ancient river landscapes control ice flow in East Antarctica

Newly discovered interstellar object 'may be oldest comet ever seen'

Animal-inspired AI robot learns to navigate unfamiliar terrain

Underserved youth less likely to visit emergency department for concussion in Ontario, study finds

‘Molecular shield’ placed in the nose may soon treat common hay fever trigger

Beetles under climate stress lay larger male eggs: Wolbachia infection drives adaptive reproduction strategy in response to rising temperature and CO₂

Groundbreaking quantum study puts wave-particle duality to work

Weekly injection could be life changing for Parkinson’s patients

Toxic metals linked to impaired growth in infants in Guatemala

Being consistently physically active in adulthood linked to 30–40% lower risk of death

Nerve pain drug gabapentin linked to increased dementia, cognitive impairment risks

Children’s social care involvement common to nearly third of UK mums who died during perinatal period

‘Support, not judgement’: Study explores links between children’s social care involvement and maternal deaths

Ethnic minority and poorer children more likely to die in intensive care

Major progress in fertility preservation after treatment for cancer of the lymphatic system

Fewer complications after additional ultrasound in pregnant women who feel less fetal movement

Environmental impact of common pesticides seriously underestimated

The Milky Way could be teeming with more satellite galaxies than previously thought

New study reveals surprising reproductive secrets of a cricket-hunting parasitoid fly

Media Tip Sheet: Symposia at ESA2025

NSF CAREER Award will power UVA engineer’s research to improve drug purification

Tiny parasitoid flies show how early-life competition shapes adult success

New coating for glass promises energy-saving windows

[Press-News.org] Structure deep within the brain may contribute to a rich, varied social life