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<td><span style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:20px;font-weight:bold;">PsyPost – Psychology News</span></td>
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<td><a href="https://www.psypost.org/fascinating-new-research-reveals-your-heart-rate-drops-when-your-brain-misperceives-the-world/" style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing:-1px;margin:0;padding:0 0 2px;font-weight: bold;font-size: 19px;line-height: 20px;color:#222;">Fascinating new research reveals your heart rate drops when your brain misperceives the world</a>
<div style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align:left;color:#999;font-size:11px;font-weight:bold;line-height:15px;">Mar 4th 2026, 08:00</div>
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<p><p>A new study suggests that our hearts slow down when we make visual mistakes, providing evidence that our bodies react to perceptual errors even before we realize we have made them. Published in <em><a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biopsycho.2026.109204" target="_blank">Biological Psychology</a></em>, the research shows that conscious perception emerges from a constant dialogue between the brain and the body.</p>
<p>Historically, cognitive neuroscience has focused heavily on the brain to understand how we perceive the world. However, the brain is in constant communication with the peripheral nervous system, which is the network of nerves connecting the brain and spinal cord to the rest of the body. Scientists wanted to understand how this body-brain connection influences conscious perception. </p>
<p>“My main motivation (and for my colleagues) was to better understand perceptual consciousness — a concept with many branches and no single, universally accepted definition,” said study author <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/maria-cobos-b2ba71140/" target="_blank">María I. Cobos Martín</a>, a cognitive neuroscience researcher at <a href="https://blogs.ugr.es/attentionandconsciousness/members/foto_maria2-2/" target="_blank">the University of Granada</a>.</p>
<p>“When we try to explain how we perceive the world and how a conscious experience is formed, we often think almost exclusively in terms of brain activity. But humans are not ‘just a brain. There is growing evidence showing that the brain is in constant communication with the organs of the body, and one of them is the heart. This raises an important question: if our heartbeat continuously sends signals to the brain and the brain to the heart, wouldn’t it be reasonable to think that the way the heart beats might contribute to shaping conscious perception?” </p>
<p>“Ultimately, the heartbeat is the way the heart sends messages to the brain. With this study, we wanted to explore precisely how the heart (with brain signals) relates to the moments when perception is accurate — and the moments when it fails. Understanding this dialogue is essential for seeing consciousness not as a purely cortical process, but as something that emerges from the whole body.”</p>
<p>To test this, the researchers recruited 30 healthy undergraduate students, though the final data analysis included 24 to 26 participants due to equipment glitches and excessive eye movements. The team used an eye tracking camera to monitor where participants were looking and an electrocardiogram to measure their heartbeats.</p>
<p>During the experiment, participants looked at a computer screen and were briefly shown a string of letters. The target letter was an “L” alongside a distractor letter “O,” and both letters were always presented in different colors. Participants were asked to identify the color of the target letter.</p>
<p>The researchers adjusted the difficulty of the task for each person so that they would answer correctly about 70 percent of the time. The remaining 30 percent of the time, participants were expected to make a specific type of mistake called a perceptual illusion. This happens when the brain incorrectly blends features, such as seeing the target letter but assigning it the color of the distractor letter.</p>
<p>To test the effect of alertness, the scientists also played a brief, loud tone through headphones on half of the trials. At the end of the experiment, they introduced an unexpected change by sometimes making the target letter white, allowing them to check later if participants had noticed the visual shift.</p>
<p>The behavioral data showed that the alerting tone made participants react faster, but it did not improve their ability to correctly match colors and shapes. People also responded faster when they were correct compared to when they experienced a visual illusion.</p>
<p>When looking at the physiological data, the researchers found a consistent pattern of the heart rate slowing down during the task. Most notably, the heartbeat decelerated more when participants experienced a visual illusion compared to when they correctly identified the target color.</p>
<p>“We were genuinely surprised,” Cobos Martín said. “Initially, we expected to replicate one of our previous findings, where the heart slowed down when a very faint stimulus reached conscious awareness. But the pattern here was different.”</p>
<p>The stimuli in both studies were not directly comparable, as the previous study involved a target that was sometimes completely missed. In the current study, the target was always consciously seen, but it was just not always perceived accurately.</p>
<p>“This led us to explore a different interpretation,” Cobos Martín explained. “The heartbeat slowing we observed may reflect an internal salience signal, the body marking that something unexpected or important has happened, such as making a perceptual error.”</p>
<p>This internal alert relates to the salience network, a brain system dedicated to detecting unexpected or important events. When a person makes a mistake, this network might send a signal to the body to briefly slow the heart down. This suggests the body tends to provide negative feedback about errors through changes in cardiac activity.</p>
<p>Additionally, the unexpected white letters revealed hidden differences among the participants. Those who did not consciously notice the white letters showed a stronger heart rate drop during their errors than those who did notice the change.</p>
<p>“For the general public, the message is straightforward: your body constantly influences how you perceive and interpret your surroundings, often without your awareness,” Cobos Martín explained. “Conscious experience is not created by the brain alone, but emerges from a continuous conversation between the brain and the body.”</p>
<p>As with all research, there are a few limitations to keep in mind. The scientists warn against assuming that the heart actually controls what we see.</p>
<p>“The effects we observed are very small and operate on a millisecond timescale, and they do not determine what someone sees,” Cobos Martín said. “Instead, they show that the body subtly participates in perceptual processes that we usually attribute only to the brain.”</p>
<p>“Another key caveat is that these results reflect correlations between cardiac dynamics and perceptual outcomes. To understand the underlying mechanisms — and to know whether the heart’s activity plays a causal role — we need more research, ideally with methods that can directly manipulate heart–brain interactions. So the message is not that the heart controls perception, but that perception emerges from a dialogue between the brain and the body.”</p>
<p>Expanding this line of work could help researchers map out how the nervous system and the internal organs work together to create human awareness.</p>
<p>“My next goal is to move beyond correlational findings and test whether heart–brain communication plays a causal role in conscious perception,” Cobos Martín told PsyPost. “It’s a difficult question, but central if we want to understand consciousness as an embodied process too.”</p>
<p>“I’ve already applied to several funding schemes to pursue this direction. My Marie Skłodowska-Curie proposal, for instance, received a very high score (93.6) but couldn’t be funded for budget reasons. Still, that evaluation — together with new, unpublished data suggesting that messages from the heart to the brain differ as a function of perception accuracy — encourages me to continue.”</p>
<p>“Demonstrating a causal contribution of heart–brain dynamics will take time, but every step matters,” Cobos Martín continued. “And I believe this work could also inform ethical discussions about artificial intelligence systems that lack this physiological grounding.”</p>
<p>“To close, I think the main message of our study is that human behavior and conscious perception cannot be understood by studying the brain in isolation. The brain is always interacting with the body—receiving signals from the heart, the gut, respiration, and many other physiological rhythms. Our findings suggest that the organism as a whole plays a role in how we process the world around us, even in very fast perceptual decisions.”</p>
<p>“Beyond that, I’d like to add a broader reflection,” Cobos Martín said. “Neuroscience and AI research are beginning to explore biological–computational hybrid systems, such as brain organoids connected to computers. These organoids can already perform simple tasks, even though we still don’t know how to train or optimize them effectively. Their existence pushes us to reconsider what we consider necessary for conscious processing.”</p>
<p>“At the same time, it is striking that we invest so much effort trying to imagine whether artificial systems might one day become conscious, while often overlooking that many living beings around us—animals with emotions, sensory worlds, and adaptive behavior—may already have forms of consciousness that differ from ours.”</p>
<p>“For me, all of this reinforces the importance of adopting an embodied perspective: consciousness emerges from the dynamic interaction between brain and body, and understanding that relationship will be key both for neuroscience and for the ethical development of future AI systems.”</p>
<p>The study, “<a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biopsycho.2026.109204" target="_blank">The heart knows you are wrong: Heart rate modulations associated with perceptual errors</a>,” was authored by María I. Cobos, Pedro M. Guerra, and Ana B. Chica.</p></p>
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<td><a href="https://www.psypost.org/scientists-discover-psychedelic-drug-5-meo-dmt-induces-a-state-of-paradoxical-wake/" style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing:-1px;margin:0;padding:0 0 2px;font-weight: bold;font-size: 19px;line-height: 20px;color:#222;">Scientists discover psychedelic drug 5-MeO-DMT induces a state of “paradoxical wake”</a>
<div style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align:left;color:#999;font-size:11px;font-weight:bold;line-height:15px;">Mar 4th 2026, 06:00</div>
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<p><p>A recent study published in <em><a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-025-09412-x" target="_blank">Communications Biology</a></em> suggests that a powerful psychedelic drug can induce a unique brain state where awake and moving animals exhibit brain waves typically associated with deep sleep. This unusual blend of sleeping and waking characteristics provides evidence that psychedelics may temporarily reorganize brain activity in ways that promote learning and emotional recovery.</p>
<p>The substance at the center of this research is 5-MeO-DMT, a fast-acting psychedelic compound known to produce intense, dream-like experiences and altered perceptions of reality. Scientists are currently exploring this substance as a potential treatment for mental health conditions like severe depression and anxiety.</p>
<p>The new study was led by <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/benbreant.bsky.social" target="_blank">Benjamin Bréantunder</a> under the supervision of Professor <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/vyazovskiy.bsky.social" target="_blank">Vladyslav Vyazovskiy</a> as part of his PhD in the Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics at the University of Oxford. Benjamin is now a postdoctoral researcher at the Paris Graduate School of Physics and Industrial Chemistry.</p>
<p>Because severe depression tends to heavily disrupt normal sleep patterns, the scientists initially wanted to understand how psychedelics interact with the body’s natural rest cycles. They designed the study to observe what sleep looks like after the immediate effects of 5-MeO-DMT wear off.</p>
<p>“When we started developing this project, the main drive behind psychedelic research was their potential therapeutic properties against treatment-resistant depression. However, in this type of pathology, sleep is heavily impacted, and yet there was no publication reporting the effects of psychedelics on sleep,” Bréantunder and Vyazovskiy told PsyPost.</p>
<p>As the project progressed, the researchers noticed that the immediate effects of the drug during wakefulness raised many unexpected questions. They decided to observe the exact brain states induced by the drug to see if it might explain the substance’s therapeutic effects.</p>
<p>To investigate these effects, the scientists conducted a series of experiments using 42 adult male mice. They surgically implanted tiny sensors into the animals’ brains to record electroencephalogram activity, which measures the electrical signals produced by nerve cells.</p>
<p>The researchers also built a custom miniature camera device, called an oculometer, which they securely attached to the animals’ heads to continuously monitor pupil dilation. They used automated video tracking software to precisely measure the diameter of the pupils as the mice moved around. Pupil size is a standard physical indicator of alertness, as pupils generally expand when an animal is highly awake and physically aroused.</p>
<p>In the main experiment, the mice received an injection of either 5-MeO-DMT or a harmless saline solution. The scientists then monitored the animals’ brain waves, pupil sizes, and physical behaviors for several hours.</p>
<p>Following the 5-MeO-DMT injection, the brain recordings showed a massive increase in slow-wave activity. Slow waves are large, rhythmic electrical pulses that normally only happen during deep, restorative phases of non-rapid eye movement sleep.</p>
<p>During typical deep sleep, slow brain waves are accompanied by brief moments where nerve cells completely stop firing, known as neuronal OFF-periods. The researchers found that the 5-MeO-DMT injection caused these identical silent OFF-periods to occur even while the mice were completely awake, which provided evidence that the drug was triggering an authentic sleep-like mechanism.</p>
<p>Despite displaying brain waves characteristic of deep sleep, the mice were physically awake and actively moving around their enclosures. They engaged in normal waking behaviors like exploring, grooming, and running on exercise wheels.</p>
<p>The camera recordings revealed that the animals’ pupils were highly dilated during this time. This combination of deep-sleep brain waves and high physical arousal points to a dissociated state that blends elements of both sleeping and waking.</p>
<p>The researchers also noted the complete disappearance of theta waves, which are specific brain rhythms usually linked to movement and exploring one’s environment. The suppression of these rhythms in actively moving animals suggests a temporary disconnect between physical actions and standard brain activity.</p>
<p>“We found that during the acute phase, where the behavioural markers of psychedelic administrations are higher, brain activity is similar to that of a phase of sleep called Slow Wave Sleep (the eponymous slow waves measured electroencephalographic recordings),” Bréantunder and Vyazovskiy told PsyPost. “We also measured pupil size as a marker of cortical arousal (which should be elevated during wakefulness but decreased during sleep), and found that, paradoxically, the pupil size reached a size classically associated with high levels of arousal. So we were faced with a vigilance state with elements of sleep in the brain, while the behaviour corresponds to that of wake.”</p>
<p>“Everything about our results were surprising. So far, the research about slow wave activity was mostly contained within sleep research. Our results were truly puzzling. How could our subjects show undoubtable signs of wakefulness in their behaviour while having a brain full of signals associated with disconnection to the external environment? On top of that, a certain brain rhythm that has been linked to movement was completely gone in animals that were moving.”</p>
<p>To understand the specific chemical pathways involved, the scientists conducted an additional test using a compound that blocks specific serotonin receptors. These receptors act as chemical docking stations in the brain that respond to naturally occurring chemicals and psychedelic drugs.</p>
<p>When the mice received the blocking agent before the 5-MeO-DMT, the psychedelic drug no longer caused pupil dilation or the suppression of theta waves. The slow-wave activity in the brain actually increased, suggesting that completely distinct chemical networks control different aspects of the psychedelic experience.</p>
<p>The researchers also attempted to inject the psychedelic compound directly into a specific region of the brain’s outer layer using tiny tubes. This localized injection did not produce the same massive behavioral or brain wave changes as the whole-body injection.</p>
<p>This localized testing indicates that the unique waking-sleep state relies on widespread, global brain networks. It tends to require the activation of the entire brain rather than just a single isolated region.</p>
<p>To test motivation and natural behavior, the scientists presented some of the mice with a bowl of sugar pellets. After receiving the psychedelic compound, the mice took much longer to approach and eat the treats.</p>
<p>Instead of eating, the animals shifted their focus to grooming and exploring their bedding. This behavioral shift provides evidence that the drug reduces reward-driven activities and alters the animals’ immediate priorities.</p>
<p>In another phase of the study, the scientists kept a group of mice awake for four hours using novel objects to build up their biological need for sleep. Normally, this kind of sleep deprivation leads to a strong rebound of slow waves once the animal finally rests.</p>
<p>When the scientists administered 5-MeO-DMT immediately after this sleep deprivation period, the expected rebound of sleep slow waves was significantly reduced. This suggests that the drug-induced slow waves might partially fulfill the brain’s biological need for deep sleep.</p>
<p>The team also tracked the long-term sleep patterns of the mice over a 48-hour period. While rapid eye movement sleep was initially suppressed by the drug, the animals experienced a delayed overcompensation.</p>
<p>They spent much more time in this dream-heavy sleep phase over the following two days. Rapid eye movement sleep is vital for processing emotional memories, meaning this delayed rebound could play a role in the drug’s therapeutic potential.</p>
<p>“The effects open up the possibility of understanding the long-term effects of psychedelics through the lenses of sleep research,” the researchers explained. “The literature on slow waves suggest that they might have an effect on plasticity, and that a state with global slow waves – as we report, might be the media to support global brain changes, although that is still speculation from our end.” </p>
<p>“We can push that idea further, with slow waves being generally associated with a sense of disconnection from the environment, one might think that they could be the basis of the psychedelic experience. Our results were already successfully replicated in humans as shown by the work of George Blackburne from UCL.”</p>
<p>While these findings offer new insights, the scientists note that the slow waves caused by the drug cannot be labeled as true sleep waves. The electrical signals were smaller in amplitude than natural sleep waves, and fast brain waves typical of normal wakefulness were still present in the background.</p>
<p>There is a risk of misinterpreting this state as an exact substitute for natural rest. The researchers suggest that the drug instead creates a unique hybrid state that temporarily disconnects the brain from the external environment.</p>
<p>“In the early stages of sleep research, sleep was subdivided into stages that are still relevant today,” the researchers said. “One stage in particular was quite puzzling. The French neuroscientist Michel Jouvet called this state ‘Paradoxical Sleep’ (referred to as REM sleep in non-French labs) to describe the strange coexistence of an awake brain state within the deepest stage of sleep. Mirroring this, we observed an ‘asleep’ brain in animals that were unequivocally awake. Rather than calling our finding the psychedelic state, we wanted to call it ‘Paradoxical Wake’ in homage to the pioneering work of 1950s sleep research.”</p>
<p>Future studies will need to explore whether this unique brain state directly causes the long-lasting improvements in brain plasticity seen in human clinical trials. Plasticity refers to the brain’s ability to reorganize itself by forming new neural connections, which is essential for recovering from mental illness.</p>
<p>The study, “<a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-025-09412-x" target="_blank">Vigilance state dissociation induced by 5-MeO-DMT in mice</a>,” was authored by Benjamin J. B. Bréant, José Prius Mengual, Alexander Andrews, Anna Hoerder-Suabedissen, Jasmin Patel, David M. Bannerman, Trevor Sharp & Vladyslav V. Vyazovskiy.</p></p>
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<td><a href="https://www.psypost.org/sexsomnia-how-common-is-sleep-sex/" style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing:-1px;margin:0;padding:0 0 2px;font-weight: bold;font-size: 19px;line-height: 20px;color:#222;">Sexsomnia: How common is sleep sex?</a>
<div style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align:left;color:#999;font-size:11px;font-weight:bold;line-height:15px;">Mar 3rd 2026, 22:00</div>
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<p><p>Sexsomnia is an unusual and often misunderstood sleep condition. Also known as sleep sex, this condition is a specific type of parasomnia. A parasomnia is a medical term used to describe abnormal physical behaviors or experiences that occur while a person is asleep.</p>
<p>The condition involves an individual engaging in sexual acts while completely asleep. These behaviors are not the same as normal nighttime sexual events. Normal events, like nocturnal emissions or sleep orgasms, happen during a different stage of sleep and are common occurrences.</p>
<p>Scientists classify sexsomnia as a non-rapid eye movement sleep arousal disorder. Non-rapid eye movement sleep is the phase of rest where dreaming is minimal and the body focuses on deep physical restoration. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders includes sexsomnia within this specific group of sleep-wake disorders.</p>
<p>Individuals with this condition exhibit a wide variety of sexual behaviors during the night. The symptoms can range from sexual moaning and dirty talk to masturbation and fondling. In some situations, the individual might seek out full sexual intercourse with a bed partner.</p>
<p>In severe cases, the behavior can escalate to sexual assault or rape. The individual is completely unconscious and unaware of their actions while these events take place. They often appear to be awake, and their eyes may even be wide open, which can easily confuse a witness.</p>
<p>Because the person has no memory of the event the next day, they rarely report the problem themselves. Usually, a bed partner, roommate, or family member is the first to notice the abnormal behavior. Partners often note that the affected individual shows an unusually high level of sexual aggression and a lack of normal inhibitions.</p>
<p><strong>The Mechanics of Sleep and Brain Waves</strong></p>
<p>Non-rapid eye movement sleep consists of three distinct stages that the body cycles through. Stage one is often described as drowsy sleep, lasting about ten minutes and accounting for roughly five percent of total sleep. During this initial phase, breathing rates become highly consistent while heart rate and muscle activity begin to drop.</p>
<p>Stage two is characterized by a fading sense of consciousness and a further decline in muscle tension. Brain waves during this intermediate phase are seen in the theta range. This stage accounts for approximately half of an individual’s total sleep time throughout the night.</p>
<p>Stage three is the final and deepest stage, known as slow-wave sleep. Brain waves during this stage tend to slow down and enter the delta range. Body temperature, respiratory rate, and blood pressure all drop to their lowest points during this period of rest.</p>
<p>Sexsomnia episodes usually occur during this deep, slow-wave stage of sleep. If a person wakes up during stage three, they normally feel very groggy and disoriented. Extended periods of sleep deprivation can negatively impact the neurons that regulate these sleep stages, which provides evidence for why sleep loss acts as a trigger for abnormal behaviors.</p>
<p><strong>Diagnosing the Condition Through Clinical Tests</strong></p>
<p>Medical professionals use specialized clinical tests to observe brain and body activity during the night. An electroencephalogram is a test that records the electrical waves produced by the brain. This test helps health professionals see if the sexual behaviors occur during deep sleep or if the person is actually awake.</p>
<p>A polysomnography is a comprehensive sleep study conducted in a clinical setting. During this test, specialized monitors record breathing, oxygen levels, muscle activity, and eye movements. Video cameras also record physical movements in the room to capture any abnormal events.</p>
<p>While a sleep study is a helpful tool, it cannot always capture an episode on camera. The abnormal sexual behaviors do not happen every night, making them difficult to record in a laboratory. Medical professionals must collect information from bed partners and review past medical records to make an accurate diagnosis.</p>
<p><strong>Common Triggers and Risk Factors</strong></p>
<p>Several triggers can increase the likelihood of an episode for someone prone to the condition. Factors like extreme stress, physical exhaustion, and the consumption of alcohol or drugs often precipitate an event. Simple physical contact from a bed partner during the night can also trigger the behavior.</p>
<p>Coexisting sleep disorders present a major risk factor for developing sleep sex. Sleep disruption caused by obstructive sleep apnea, a condition where breathing repeatedly stops and starts, is frequently associated with the disorder. When the brain partially awakens due to a lack of oxygen, it can trigger abnormal physical actions.</p>
<p>Certain prescription medications also increase the risk of these events. The sedative drug zolpidem, commonly prescribed to treat insomnia, has been linked to cases of sleep sex as an adverse side effect. Sleep-related epilepsy is another condition that can cause behaviors like pelvic thrusting and sexual arousal during the night.</p>
<p><strong>Recent Research on Brain Wave Patterns</strong></p>
<p>Recent studies have looked closely at the brain wave patterns of people with this condition. In a 2023 study published in the journal <a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/sleep/zsad056"><em>Sleep</em></a>, scientists Jessica Rossi and colleagues analyzed video sleep studies of 24 participants with sexsomnia. They compared these individuals to healthy controls and to patients with other sleep arousal disorders like sleepwalking.</p>
<p>The researchers rigorously tracked the eye movements, muscle tension, and brain wave activity of the participants. They found that participants with sexsomnia had highly fragmented deep sleep compared to the healthy volunteers. Nearly half of the participants with the condition displayed sexual behaviors during the clinical observation.</p>
<p>The brain wave patterns of those with sexsomnia appeared to be at an intermediate level between completely healthy individuals and those with severe sleepwalking disorders. This data suggests that sexsomnia is a specialized form of a sleep arousal disorder. The researchers concluded that previously validated criteria for sleep disorders partially fit these unique patients.</p>
<p>Another study published in the journal <a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/sleep/zsw043"><em>Sleep</em> </a>in 2017 also examined the clinical features of the condition. The researchers evaluated 17 patients, the majority of whom were male. These individuals exhibited amnestic fondling, intercourse, and masturbation, with the actions often being much more direct than their waking sexual behavior.</p>
<p>These scientists found evidence of a phenomenon called cortico-cortical dissociation in the patients’ brain waves. This means that certain parts of the brain showed slow, deep-sleep rhythms, while other parts showed rapid, awake-like rhythms at the exact same time. This split state of consciousness helps explain how a person can perform complex physical acts while remaining mentally asleep.</p>
<p><strong>Exploring the Prevalence and Demographics</strong></p>
<p>While the exact number of people with this condition is unknown, survey data provides some insight. A 2007 internet survey published in <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-007-0258-0"><em>Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology</em></a> by researchers Nikola N. Trajanovic, Michael Mangan, and Colin M. Shapiro gathered responses from 219 individuals. Their results showed a wider age distribution and a higher representation of females than previously seen in clinical settings.</p>
<p>The respondents in that survey reported multiple episodes of sleep sex, mostly triggered by body contact, stress, and fatigue. In a more recent 2025 study published in the <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-025-03235-x"><em>Archives of Sexual Behavior</em></a>, scientists surveyed a large general population sample of over 1000 adults in Norway. They found that roughly ten percent of the sample reported experiencing sexual acts in their sleep at least once in their lifetime.</p>
<p>A 2020 study published in the <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/19317611.2020.1850597"><em>International Journal of Sexual Health</em></a> by scientists Sinem Cankardas and Carlos H. Schenck surveyed participants in Turkey. The scientists utilized an online survey method to reach a broad audience of adults. Among the 274 respondents, 42 individuals reported experiencing episodes of the sleep condition.</p>
<p>The researchers noted that women who did not have sexsomnia actually reported more waking sexual problems than the women who experienced the sleep condition. They also found that the specific experiences and behaviors differed significantly between men and women. Physical contact with a bed partner was cited as the most common trigger for an episode by both genders.</p>
<p><strong>Coexisting Sleep and Medical Disorders</strong></p>
<p>Sexsomnia rarely exists in isolation and often appears alongside other medical issues. In a 2002 study published in <a href="https://journals.lww.com/bsam/toc/2002/03000"><em>Psychosomatic Medicine</em></a>, researchers Christian Guilleminault and colleagues evaluated 11 subjects with atypical sexual behavior during sleep. The patients and their bed partners had often tolerated the abnormal behaviors for years without seeking medical attention.</p>
<p>The long delays in treatment were largely due to deep feelings of shame and depression. The scientists used sleep logs, psychiatric interviews, and extensive brain wave monitoring to evaluate the patients. They found that the atypical behaviors were linked to several distinct medical problems despite the similarities in the partners’ complaints.</p>
<p>These underlying issues included partial complex seizures, sleep-disordered breathing, and rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder. A 2007 review published in <em><a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/sleep/30.6.683">Sleep</a> </em>by researchers Carlos H. Schenck, Isabelle Arnulf, and Mark W. Mahowald looked at what can go wrong between sleep and sexual behavior. They reviewed literature covering parasomnias, sleep-related seizures, and a rare hypersomnia condition called Kleine-Levin syndrome.</p>
<p>They found that true sexsomnia cases almost always featured complete amnesia of the event, distinguishing it from other seizure-based sexual behaviors. Dental conditions can also play a role in triggering these events during the night. A 2018 study published in the <a href="https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm7090233"><em>Journal of Clinical Medicine</em></a> by researchers Helena Martynowicz and colleagues documented this connection.</p>
<p>The researchers detailed two novel cases where episodes of severe teeth grinding, known as sleep bruxism, directly triggered recurrent episodes of sexsomnia. They noted that the muscle tension and partial awakenings caused by the teeth grinding provided a pathway for the abnormal sexual behaviors to emerge. The researchers recommended that patients with established sexsomnia undergo comprehensive sleep testing to check for conditions like bruxism.</p>
<p><strong>Approaches to Management and Treatment</strong></p>
<p>There are several ways medical professionals attempt to manage and treat this complex disorder. Creating a safe sleeping environment is the first line of prevention for everyone involved. This might include the affected individual sleeping in a separate room and installing locks or alarms on doors.</p>
<p>Prescription medications are often used to reduce the frequency of the episodes. Clonazepam is a commonly prescribed medication that acts on specific receptors in the central nervous system. It helps calm the brain’s electrical activity and has been successful in treating many sleep arousal disorders.</p>
<p>When standard treatments fail, doctors might try other pharmaceutical options. A 2020 case report published in the <a href="https://doi.org/10.5664/jcsm.8478"><em>Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine</em></a> by scientists Vineeth Kumar, Vincent X Grbach, and Richard J Castriotta detailed the treatment of a 40-year-old man. After he did not respond well to lifestyle changes, the doctors prescribed paroxetine, an antidepressant medication, which led to a complete resolution of his symptoms for over a year.</p>
<p>If the condition is linked to obstructive sleep apnea, treating the breathing problem often stops the sexual behaviors. A continuous positive airway pressure machine helps keep the airway open during the night. By preventing the constant interruptions in breathing, the machine stops the partial awakenings that trigger the sleep sex.</p>
<p>Non-pharmaceutical interventions are also showing promise in clinical settings. A 2025 study published in <a href="https://doi.org/10.1017/S1092852925100710"><em>CNS Spectrums</em></a> by researchers Ulises Jiménez Correa, Horacio B. Alvarez García, and Leon Rosenthal explored cognitive behavioral treatment for sexsomnia. They treated a 27-year-old male using sleep hygiene education, sleep extension techniques, and stress management, resulting in an almost complete remission of his symptoms over six months.</p>
<p>The therapy sessions focused heavily on proper sleep education and structured relaxation techniques. The patient was instructed to maintain a consistent sleep schedule and to completely avoid the use of marijuana and alcohol. The researchers also used motivational interviewing to address the patient’s misconceptions about his own sleep requirements.</p>
<p><strong>The Emotional and Relational Impact</strong></p>
<p>The emotional consequences of the disorder extend deeply into the personal lives of those affected. Patients frequently experience intense feelings of guilt, shame, and revulsion regarding their unconscious actions. The lack of control over their own bodies can lead to severe frustration and denial.</p>
<p>Partners sharing the bed often suffer significant distress and confusion. Unwanted sexual advances during the night can understandably strain a romantic relationship. Open discussion and understanding between couples are recommended to generate a supportive environment and reduce relationship anxiety.</p>
<p>The condition has gained widespread attention in modern society through television shows and news platforms. This media exposure has opened up important conversations between those diagnosed with the condition and the general public. At the same time, the disorder has led to serious controversies in the legal system.</p>
<p><strong>Legal Controversies and Forensic Science</strong></p>
<p>In recent years, an increasing number of alleged sex offenders have claimed the disorder as a defense in court. Medical and legal professionals face a difficult challenge in determining the validity of these claims. Sleep studies can confirm if a person has the condition, but they cannot definitively prove if an episode occurred during a specific past event.</p>
<p>A 2021 study published in <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s41782-021-00139-3"><em>Sleep and Vigilance</em></a> by researcher Efstratios-Stylianos Pyrgelisand colleagues reviewed the medical-legal aspects of the condition. They noted that the legal governance of the disorder has been characterized as a nightmare for the criminal justice system. The researchers recommended that concrete guidelines be established to help sleep specialists evaluate these episodes in forensic contexts.</p>
<p>Several high-profile legal cases highlight the complexities of this defense. In the case of Smith v. State in Georgia, the court recognized a separate affirmative defense for unconsciousness, noting that an act committed while asleep is not a voluntary crime. In Sweden, a man named Mikael Halvarsson was acquitted of rape after his mother and an ex-girlfriend testified about his long history of unusual sleep behaviors.</p>
<p>Similar acquittals have occurred in other parts of the world. In Australia, a man named Timothy Malcolm Rowland was acquitted by a jury after successfully using the defense. In England, a 2017 rape allegation was eventually dropped by the Crown Prosecution Service because medical experts concluded the woman involved likely had the condition, leading to the assumption that the male defendant believed she was consenting.</p>
<p>The woman involved in the English case later appealed the decision to close the investigation. A reviewing chief prosecutor concluded that the expert opinions should have been formally challenged in court. Despite a formal apology for the mistake, the case could not be reopened because the defendant had already been declared not guilty.</p>
<p>As a result of the mishandling, the woman received substantial financial compensation after her case was dropped. Legal advocates noted that claims brought by victims against the prosecution service are exceptionally difficult to win. Payouts of this nature remain extremely rare in the legal system.</p>
<p><strong>Moving Forward with Science and Awareness</strong></p>
<p>Understanding the science behind abnormal nocturnal behaviors provides necessary context for a highly sensitive issue. As research into brain waves and sleep cycles continues to evolve, medical professionals are developing better tools for diagnosis and treatment. This ongoing scientific work helps separate genuine medical conditions from intentional harm.</p>
<p>Translating these complex neurological concepts into everyday language helps reduce the stigma surrounding the disorder. Increased awareness encourages affected individuals to seek medical help rather than suffering in silence. Through comprehensive sleep studies and tailored therapies, many patients can regain control of their nights and improve their overall quality of life.</p></p>
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<td><a href="https://www.psypost.org/children-of-divorce-develop-stronger-morals-but-face-hidden-emotional-struggles/" style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing:-1px;margin:0;padding:0 0 2px;font-weight: bold;font-size: 19px;line-height: 20px;color:#222;">Children of divorce develop stronger morals but face hidden emotional struggles</a>
<div style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align:left;color:#999;font-size:11px;font-weight:bold;line-height:15px;">Mar 3rd 2026, 20:00</div>
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<p><p>Children who experience parental divorce or loss may develop stronger moral values—even while experiencing significant emotional challenges. This new research was published in <em><a href="https://doi.org/10.3390/bs15040539" target="_blank">Behavioral Sciences</a>.</em></p>
<p>Divorce and the death of a parent are widely known to affect children’s mental health. Previous studies have linked these events to anxiety, depression, academic problems, and behavioral difficulties. Children may feel insecure, struggle in school, or find it harder to build trusting relationships.</p>
<p>At the same time, some psychologists have suggested that hardship and adversity can sometimes foster growth, helping young people become more responsible, empathetic, and emotionally aware.</p>
<p>To better understand this complex picture, researcher Fahri Sezer from Balıkesir University, Turkey, examined how divorce and parental loss relate not only to emotional adjustment but also to what psychologists call “moral maturity.” This refers to a person’s ability to understand right and wrong, take responsibility, and act with fairness and empathy.</p>
<p>The study involved 319 students (191 females, 128 males) between the ages of 10 and 18 who had experienced either parental divorce or the loss of a parent, drawn from middle and high schools. Students completed two detailed questionnaires: one measuring how well they were adjusting emotionally to the divorce or loss, and another assessing their level of moral development.</p>
<p>Following statistical analyses, the results revealed a surprising pattern. Overall, the students scored above average in moral maturity. In other words, many of these young people demonstrated a strong sense of responsibility, fairness, and ethical awareness. However, their emotional adjustment to the divorce or death revealed another trend. Many reported high levels of conflict, stress, anxiety, and low social support.</p>
<p>Sezer also uncovered a moderate link between moral maturity and emotional distress. Students who reported more conflict and higher anxiety also tended to score higher in moral maturity. While this may seem counterintuitive, he suggests that “facing crises can foster the development of moral traits such as a heightened sense of responsibility and empathy… early exposure to family difficulties can enhance moral development by promoting self-awareness.”</p>
<p>Gender and age differences also emerged. Boys scored higher than girls on moral maturity overall. High school students scored higher than middle school students, suggesting that moral development may increase with age and education. However, girls in middle school had the lowest moral maturity scores among the groups studied.</p>
<p>Substance use showed one of the clearest patterns in the study. Adolescents who reported using substances had significantly lower moral maturity scores compared to those who did not. The difference was large enough to suggest a meaningful connection between risky behavior and lower ethical development.</p>
<p>When researchers analyzed which emotional factors best predicted moral maturity, depression and anxiety were positively linked to higher moral maturity. Social support demonstrated a negative relationship, meaning that higher levels of support from others were related to lower moral maturity. However, the overall predictive strength of these factors was relatively small, meaning many other influences likely play a role.</p>
<p>“Providing professional psychological support to assist with the psychological and emotional adjustment of children and families during and after the divorce process is of paramount importance,” Sezer concluded.</p>
<p>The study has limitations. As it investigated students at a single point in time, it cannot prove that divorce causes changes in moral development. In addition, the data relied on students’ self-reports.</p>
<p>The study, “<a href="https://doi.org/10.3390/bs15040539" target="_blank">How Divorce and Parental Loss Shape Children’s Moral Growth and Emotional Resilience</a>,” was authored by Fahri Sezer.</p></p>
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<td><a href="https://www.psypost.org/altering-gut-bacteria-with-antibiotics-reduces-inflammation-from-traumatic-brain-injuries/" style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing:-1px;margin:0;padding:0 0 2px;font-weight: bold;font-size: 19px;line-height: 20px;color:#222;">Altering gut bacteria with antibiotics reduces inflammation from traumatic brain injuries</a>
<div style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align:left;color:#999;font-size:11px;font-weight:bold;line-height:15px;">Mar 3rd 2026, 18:00</div>
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<p><p>A recent study found that a brief course of antibiotics after a head injury can reduce inflammation and tissue damage in the brain. By temporarily altering the community of bacteria living in the digestive tract, the medication appears to help protect the brain during its critical recovery window. These findings were published in the journal <em><a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-026-09737-1" target="_blank">Communications Biology</a></em>.</p>
<p>A traumatic brain injury initiates a cascade of immune responses that affect the entire body. The physical impact damages brain cells, which triggers a localized inflammatory reaction. At the same time, the injury disrupts the delicate ecosystem of microbes living in the digestive system.</p>
<p>This community of bacteria, fungi, and viruses is known as the gut microbiome. The digestive tract and the central nervous system share a continuous line of communication. This connection allows changes in stomach bacteria to influence neurological health and vice versa.</p>
<p>When a physical trauma scrambles this signaling pathway, it can lead to an overactive immune response. This excessive inflammation often worsens the initial brain damage. Over time, repeated injuries can cause progressive deterioration of the sensitive neural tissue.</p>
<p>In medical settings, doctors routinely prescribe antibiotics to brain injury patients to prevent secondary infections. However, the specific effects of these medications on neurological recovery have remained poorly understood. Antibiotics act by eliminating large populations of bacteria in the digestive tract.</p>
<p>The research team wanted to understand how this sudden microbial shift influences the brain’s healing process. The project was led by first author Hannah Flinn and corresponding author Sonia Villapol. Both scientists are affiliated with the Houston Methodist Research Institute in Texas.</p>
<p>Their team sought to determine if preexisting imbalances in gut bacteria affect how the body handles repeated physical traumas. They also wanted to observe whether altering the microbial population could limit progressive brain damage. They designed a series of tests to answer these fundamental biological questions.</p>
<p>To explore these dynamics, the research team designed an experiment using laboratory mice. They divided male mice into groups that received either a single controlled brain injury or two successive injuries. The repeated injuries were spaced just over a month apart to mimic chronic trauma scenarios.</p>
<p>Following the head impacts, some animal groups received a three-day course of broad-spectrum antibiotics in their drinking water. Other animal groups simply drank regular water to serve as a baseline comparison. The researchers then analyzed the animals a few days after the final injury.</p>
<p>The scientists measured the size of the damaged brain tissue and evaluated the levels of localized cell death. The team also examined the activation levels of various immune cells within the brain. To track the digestive changes, they sequenced the bacterial DNA found in the animals’ fecal matter.</p>
<p>They discovered that the antibiotic treatment successfully depleted large portions of the intestinal bacteria. Despite this massive disruption, the mice given the medication displayed improved neurological outcomes. The antibiotic-treated mice exhibited smaller areas of brain tissue damage after repeated injuries.</p>
<p>These treated animals also had fewer dead or dying cells in regions located far from the original impact site. The medication seemingly calmed the aggressive immune response inside the injured brain. Untreated mice displayed high numbers of activated immune cells swarming the injury zone.</p>
<p>These activated immune cells, known as microglia and macrophages, normally clear away debris but can cause collateral damage. In contrast, the mice that drank the antibiotic mixture had far fewer of these inflammatory cells. This subdued immune reaction helped prevent secondary deterioration of the brain.</p>
<p>The researchers originally expected the antibiotics to reduce the production of short-chain fatty acids. These molecules are typically produced by healthy stomach bacteria and are known to lower systemic inflammation. As anticipated, the levels of these beneficial molecules dropped in the treated animals.</p>
<p>Yet, the treated mice still experienced a reduction in brain inflammation. This unexpected outcome led the team to investigate which specific bacteria survived the medication. The DNA sequencing revealed that two particular bacterial strains persisted through the intensive treatment.</p>
<p>These surviving microbes were Parasutterella excrementihominis and Lactobacillus johnsonii. The researchers suspect these specific bacteria might possess unique properties that calm the body’s immune system. By thriving in an empty gut, they might provide an alternative form of neurological protection.</p>
<p>“We found that antibiotic treatment following TBI can reduce harmful gut bacteria, decrease lesion size and limit cell death,” said Villapol. “Our results support a gut–brain mechanism in which microbiome changes influence peripheral immunity and, in turn, neuroinflammation after TBI.”</p>
<p>To confirm that some bacteria are better than no bacteria, the scientists ran a separate test. They observed a special group of mice raised in completely sterile laboratory environments. These isolated animals possess absolutely no digestive microbiome.</p>
<p>When subjected to the same head injuries, these completely sterile mice experienced the most severe neurological decline. The mice lacking a microbiome developed extensive brain lesions. They also exhibited severe neurological inflammation that far exceeded the reactions seen in normally colonized mice.</p>
<p>This comparison demonstrated that entirely removing the intestinal bacteria is highly detrimental. It implies that a complete absence of microbes deprives the immune system of essential regulatory signals. Instead, it is the specific reshaping of the bacterial community that provides protective benefits.</p>
<p>While the brain benefited from the microbial shift, the digestive tract suffered some physical stress. The researchers looked at the intestinal tissue of the treated mice under a microscope. They observed that the microscopic projections lining the gut became shorter and less organized.</p>
<p>The intestinal tissue also lost many of the specialized cells responsible for producing protective mucus. This indicates that the antibiotic therapy comes with an obvious physical cost to the digestive system.</p>
<p>“Our brains are constantly sending signals to the rest of our bodies. Following a traumatic brain event, those signals can get scrambled and disrupt other organs, including our digestive system,” Villapol said. “If the gut stays out of balance, the brain may have a harder time healing.”</p>
<p>The study presents a few limitations that warrant further investigation. The experiments only included male mice, which means the results might not apply equally to females. Hormonal variations and differing immune responses between sexes could alter how the bacterial treatments work.</p>
<p>The researchers acknowledge that future tests must incorporate female subjects to build a complete biological picture. The observation window was also limited to the first few days following the head trauma. The team did not track the animals over long periods to assess lasting cognitive changes.</p>
<p>The delayed effects of heavy bacterial disruption could potentially lead to unforeseen neurological complications months later. Long-term studies are required to verify the safety and durability of this therapeutic approach. In addition, the short-chain fatty acids were only measured in the blood rather than directly inside the intestines.</p>
<p>The researchers caution that doctors should not start prescribing broad-spectrum antibiotics specifically to treat head injuries. Widespread use of these medications can create drug-resistant superbugs and cause severe gastrointestinal side effects. The medical goal is not to wipe out the entire digestive ecosystem.</p>
<p>Instead, scientists hope to isolate the specific mechanisms that provide the protective benefits. Villapol noted that breaking the cycle of acute inflammation could lower the chances of long-term cognitive decline. “If we can break neuroinflammation in the acute or chronic stage, we can reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer’s or dementia,” Villapol said.</p>
<p>Future work will center on the two bacterial strains that survived the medication. The team plans to bioengineer Parasutterella excrementihominis and Lactobacillus johnsonii for targeted medical use. By administering just the helpful bacteria, doctors might eventually be able to treat head injuries safely.</p>
<p>This precision approach could calm the immune system without risking the dangers of widespread microbial destruction. Targeted probiotic therapies could eventually replace the blunt instrument of broad-spectrum antibiotics. </p>
<p>The study, “<a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-026-09737-1" target="_blank">Antibiotic-induced gut microbiome remodeling reduces neuroinflammation in traumatic brain injury</a>,” was authored by Hannah Flinn, Austin Marshall, Morgan Holcomb, Marissa Burke, Goknur Kara, Leonardo Cruz-Pineda, Sirena Soriano, Todd J. Treangen & Sonia Villapol.</p></p>
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<td><a href="https://www.psypost.org/asexual-women-tend-to-prioritize-different-traits-in-a-partner-compared-to-heterosexual-women/" style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing:-1px;margin:0;padding:0 0 2px;font-weight: bold;font-size: 19px;line-height: 20px;color:#222;">Asexual women tend to prioritize different traits in a partner compared to heterosexual women</a>
<div style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align:left;color:#999;font-size:11px;font-weight:bold;line-height:15px;">Mar 3rd 2026, 16:00</div>
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<p><p>New research published in the <em><a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-025-03365-2" target="_blank">Archives of Sexual Behavior</a></em> has found that asexual women seek emotionally close relationships but tend to prefer non-traditional setups like platonic companionships over traditional monogamy. The findings highlight how expectations for intimacy and partnerships follow distinct paths when sexual desire is not a primary factor.</p>
<p>Asexuality is generally defined as experiencing little to no sexual attraction to others. Importantly, a lack of sexual attraction does not necessarily mean a lack of romantic attraction, as many asexual people still experience a strong desire for emotional intimacy.</p>
<p>The authors of the new study sought to better understand how sexual attraction influences the way people envision an ideal partnership. By investigating the preferences of asexual individuals, researchers can examine how partner selection and relationship goals change when sexual attraction is reduced or absent.</p>
<p>“Many people assume that everyone experiences sexual attraction and much prior research suggested sexual attraction as a major driving force behind partner and relationship preferences. But that leaves out asexual individuals who experience little to no sexual attraction,” explained study author <a href="https://research.tilburguniversity.edu/en/persons/paula-bange/" target="_blank">Paula Bange</a>, a PhD candidate at the University of Tilburg.</p>
<p>“It also raises the question of what drives partner selection processes for these individuals for whom sexual attraction likely plays a minimal role in dating and relationship contexts. To address this, we examined whether preferences for an ideal long-term partner and for specific relationship types (e.g., traditional relationships, hook-ups, platonic relationships, and being single) are different for asexual and heterosexual women. That way, we hoped to gain a better understanding of the full spectrum of human (non-)sexuality.”</p>
<p>To investigate these differences, the scientists utilized data from the Ideal Partner Survey, which is a large multinational online questionnaire. The initial data included 51,775 participants who identified as women, with 51,328 identifying as heterosexual and 447 identifying as asexual. The heterosexual participants were 25.13 years old on average, while the asexual participants were slightly younger at 24.03 years old.</p>
<p>Comparing these two groups directly can be challenging because they might differ in other ways, such as age or geographic location, which could skew the results. To solve this problem, the scientists used a statistical technique called propensity score matching. This method involves finding a statistical twin for each asexual participant by pairing them with a heterosexual participant who shares similar traits, such as age, country of residence, language, and relationship status.</p>
<p>By creating these closely matched pairs, the researchers could be confident that any differences in relationship preferences were driven by sexual orientation rather than outside factors. The matching process resulted in three slightly different sample sizes depending on the specific survey section being analyzed. There were 646 women in the relationship options sample, 780 women in the partner preference sample, and 772 women in the self-rating sample.</p>
<p>The scientists found that asexual women were less interested in purely sexual relationships and traditional monogamous relationships. They also showed much less interest in becoming parents compared to their heterosexual counterparts. Instead, asexual women tended to be more open to non-sexual romantic relationships, being single, and engaging in consensual non-monogamy.</p>
<p>“One of the strongest effects that we saw was that asexual women were less interested in becoming parents compared to heterosexual women,” Bange told PsyPost. “Having children is often linked to traditional forms of relationships which typically include sexual intercourse–which may not be what asexual women are striving for in the first place.” </p>
<p>“In addition, finding a partner with whom one wants to raise children with as well as maintaining this partnership may appear more challenging to asexual individuals as they may have to negotiate the level of physical intimacy they are comfortable with, especially when in a relationship with an allosexual partner. Anticipating these challenges, asexual women may prioritize alternative, perhaps less conventional life paths over parenthood.”</p>
<p>Alternative committed relationships were particularly popular among the asexual participants. These setups often involve deep, platonic companionships that provide emotional closeness without the expectations of a traditional romantic or sexual partnership. This provides evidence that asexual women still seek strong bonds but prefer to construct them outside standard cultural expectations.</p>
<p>When asked to describe an ideal long-term partner, both asexual and heterosexual women highly valued kindness, supportiveness, education, and intelligence. The two groups ranked these traits as the most desired qualities, suggesting a nearly universal preference for emotional support and cognitive ability. However, asexual women placed much less importance on partner traits that align with traditional dating expectations.</p>
<p>Specifically, asexual women cared less about a partner being physically attractive, sexually experienced, confident, assertive, or financially secure. In evolutionary psychology, traits like financial security and physical attractiveness are often viewed as indicators of reproductive fitness and the ability to support a family. The reduced emphasis on these traits suggests that when reproduction and sexual intimacy are not the primary goals, other factors drive partner selection.</p>
<p>The survey also asked participants to rate their own personal traits on the exact same scale. Asexual women consistently rated themselves lower on all attributes compared to the heterosexual women. They viewed themselves as less confident, less physically attractive, and less sexually experienced.</p>
<p>This pattern aligns with previous research indicating that asexual individuals may experience more negative body image and social withdrawal. People generally tend to seek partners who hold similar traits and overall desirability to themselves. As a result, these lower self-ratings might help explain why asexual women placed less importance on these specific traits in an ideal partner.</p>
<p>“Experiences around intimacy are diverse, and expectations and desires for partnerships may follow different paths when sexual attraction is reduced or absent,” Bange said. “Our findings highlight that asexual women want emotionally close relationships but are less interested in purely sexual relationships and traditional monogamy. They are more open to being single and to non-traditional partnerships such as platonic companionships and consensual non-monogamy. They also appear to place less importance on partner characteristics that are often emphasized in traditional dating culture, such as physical attractiveness and confidence.”</p>
<p>A potential misinterpretation of these findings is the assumption that all asexual women want the exact same type of relationship. Asexuality is highly diverse, and the umbrella term covers many distinct identities and variations in romantic attraction. </p>
<p>“While we found distinct differences between asexual and heterosexual women, it is important to recognize that asexual experiences are diverse and asexuality includes many subidentities,” Bange noted. “Some asexual individuals never feel sexual attraction, others feel it only after forming an emotional bond (such as demisexual individuals), and some fall in-between asexual and sexual (such as gray-sexual individuals). Some experience romantic attraction, while others do not. We could not distinguish between these nuances of asexual identity in our study, but they likely influence what someone is looking for in a partner and a relationship.”</p>
<p>The study has some limitations, including the fact that the researchers could not distinguish between these specific romantic sub-identities in their data. The survey relied on a single self-assessed question regarding sexual orientation without providing a strict definition of asexuality. This means participants might have interpreted the label differently, depending on their own personal experiences with intimacy.</p>
<p>Additionally, the sample consisted almost entirely of women, and the majority of the matched participants lived in Western countries like the United States and Germany. Information regarding ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and education level was also unavailable. Future research will need to include more diverse demographics, particularly focusing on men and gender-diverse individuals from various cultural backgrounds.</p>
<p>“Expanding future research to include more nuanced measures of asexuality and its subdimensions, such as romantic orientation, will help us better capture the diversity of asexual individuals’ experiences,” Bange explained. “It would be especially interesting to see how sexual and romantic attraction, both separately and in combination, influence people’s partner and relationship preferences.”</p>
<p>“Only a small proportion of the population identifies as asexual but this small group is heavily understudied and therefore poorly understood. Closing this research gap matters because assuming sexual attraction is universal overlooks diverse relationship experiences and reinforces norms and health frameworks that don’t fit everyone. Research on asexuality broadens how we understand intimacy and wellbeing, and challenges overly narrow ideas of what a ‘good’ relationship is.”</p>
<p>“I would like to thank all participants who shared their experiences with us,” Bange added.</p>
<p>The study, “<a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-025-03365-2" target="_blank">What Do Asexual Women Want? A Propensity Score Matching Study of Preferred Relationship Options and Ideal Partner Preferences</a>,” was authored by Paula C. Bange, Laura J. Botzet, Amanda A. Shea, Virginia J. Vitzthum & Tanja M. Gerlach.</p></p>
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<td><a href="https://www.psypost.org/the-psychological-reason-why-dark-humor-isnt-for-everyone/" style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing:-1px;margin:0;padding:0 0 2px;font-weight: bold;font-size: 19px;line-height: 20px;color:#222;">The psychological reason why dark humor isn’t for everyone</a>
<div style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align:left;color:#999;font-size:11px;font-weight:bold;line-height:15px;">Mar 3rd 2026, 14:00</div>
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<p><p>A study in Hungary found that watching light humor tended to reduce anxiety and negative emotions, while dark humor tended to increase anxiety in people not fond of dark comedy. After watching humorous videos, people most often reported lower levels of both positive and negative affect. The research was published in <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2025.113133"><em>Personality and Individual Differences.</em></a></p>
<p>Humor is the ability to perceive, create, or appreciate situations that are amusing or absurd. It often works by violating expectations in a harmless way, such as through surprise, irony, exaggeration, or wordplay. One influential explanation, the “benign violation” theory, suggests that something is funny when it breaks a norm but in a way that feels safe rather than threatening.</p>
<p>Humor also relies on cognitive processes such as pattern recognition, perspective shifting, and resolving incongruity. When people experience humor, it activates reward systems in the brain and may trigger laughter. Laughter can reduce physiological stress by lowering muscle tension and decreasing stress hormones.</p>
<p>Humor also strengthens social bonds, because sharing laughter signals trust, similarity, and emotional safety. On a psychological level, humor can help people reframe difficult situations and gain emotional distance from problems. This coping function is associated with greater resilience and better overall mental well-being. However, not all humor is beneficial, as hostile or self-defeating humor styles can reinforce negative emotions rather than relieve them.</p>
<p>Study author Julia Basler and her colleagues wanted to investigate how consuming humor content congruent with an individual’s comic style impacts anxiety and affective states. They hypothesized that anxiety would be lower and that a person would experience more positive emotions (and fewer negative emotions) when consuming humor content that matches their own comic style preferences.</p>
<p>They divided humor into four lighter styles called fun, humor, nonsense, and wit, and four darker styles called sarcasm, cynicism, satire, and irony. The lighter humor styles are based on benevolence, interpersonal cooperation, positive emotions, and cognitive capabilities. The center of the darker styles is the mockery and ridicule of others.</p>
<p>“Fun means jesting, teasing, in a very social and uplifting way. [Benevolent] Humor is related to sympathy regarding everyday happenings and shows acceptance of others and their shortcomings. Nonsense is playful, ridiculous, and absurd. Wit – while containing some characteristics of darker styles – is also considered a light style, using surprising punchlines, wordplays, and connects ideas or thoughts for comical effect,” the study authors explained.</p>
<p>“Sarcasm is close to Schadenfreude: often hostile, prefers to subordinate its audience and focuses on the corruption of the world. Cynicism uses ridicule to highlight the world’s weaknesses, and devalues principles, moral concepts, and norms. Satire, like the previous two, detects weaknesses and is aggressive, being critical and using ridicule to compare the real world to an ethical one. Irony is expressed by saying things in a different way than they are meant, assuming that those smart enough will understand, mocking the stupid at the same time.”</p>
<p>The study participants were 275 adults. About 76% of them were of Hungarian nationality, while the remaining participants were international students. The participants’ average age was 25 years, and 183 of them were women.</p>
<p>Participants completed assessments of comic style (the Comic Style Markers questionnaire), anxiety (the Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory), and affect (the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule). After completing these assessments, participants were shown six videos from various comedy cartoon shows and movies. Three of those represented lighter comic style scenes, and three represented darker ones. Participants completed measures of state anxiety and affect before and after each block of videos. They also reported how much they liked each of the scenes.</p>
<p>The study authors grouped participants into four categories based on their comic style preferences: “Low Engagement” (people who reported low preference for both lighter and darker comic styles); “Light Preference” (people scoring high on lighter comedy styles and low on darker); “Dark Preference” (those with a high preference for dark comedy styles and a low preference for light comedy styles); and “Broad Engagement” (individuals scoring high on both light and dark comic styles).</p>
<p>The results showed that the anxiety levels of Light Preference individuals did not change after watching light comic style videos, but significantly increased after watching dark humor. The anxiety of Dark Preference participants did not change after viewing either type of video. Broad Engagement participants showed a decrease in anxiety after light videos, but no change after dark ones. Finally, Low Engagement individuals’ anxiety decreased after watching light humor videos, but increased after watching dark humor videos.</p>
<p>Looking at participants’ emotional states, Low Engagement, Dark Preference, and Broad Engagement individuals experienced reductions in both positive and negative affect after watching the comedy videos. However, for the Low Engagement and Dark Preference groups, negative emotions decreased more after watching the light humor videos than the dark ones. For individuals in the Light Preference category, positive affect dropped after both types of humor, but their negative emotions remained largely unaffected.</p>
<p>The researchers noted that the general drop in positive affect across all groups—even when watching humor they enjoyed—might be due to the tedious nature of the experimental setting rather than the videos themselves.</p>
<p>“These findings suggest that humor congruence plays a critical role in regulating emotional responses, with light humor providing a buffer against anxiety for most participants, while dark humor’s impact varies depending on individual preferences,” the study authors concluded.</p>
<p>The study contributes to the scientific understanding of the psychological effects of humor. However, it should be noted that the study did not utilize any intervention that would make participants’ anxiety or negative emotions particularly high before watching the videos; therefore, the room for the videos to cause a significant reduction in stress was limited. If participants were in an increased state of anxiety or experiencing more intense negative emotions beforehand, the results might have been different.</p>
<p>The paper, “<a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2025.113133">Why aren’t you laughing? – The effect of dark and light humor on anxiety and affective state,</a>” was authored by Julia Basler, Dorottya Potó, Kata Kumli, Márk Ferincz, Sára Kárpáti, and András Norbert Zsidó.</p></p>
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<td><a href="https://www.psypost.org/broad-claims-about-gender-and-behavior-fall-apart-when-studies-include-ethnically-diverse-samples/" style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing:-1px;margin:0;padding:0 0 2px;font-weight: bold;font-size: 19px;line-height: 20px;color:#222;">Broad claims about gender and behavior fall apart when studies include ethnically diverse samples</a>
<div style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align:left;color:#999;font-size:11px;font-weight:bold;line-height:15px;">Mar 3rd 2026, 12:00</div>
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<p><p>A recent study published in the <em><a href="https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2527671123" target="_blank">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</a></em> provides evidence that racial and ethnic differences in certain behaviors are just as large as the widely known differences between men and women. The research suggests that generalizations about human behavior are often flawed because they rely on samples composed largely of White individuals. As a result, broad assumptions about how gender influences competitiveness and risk tolerance do not hold true across all demographic groups.</p>
<p>Scientists in the behavioral sciences frequently face criticism for relying on study participants who represent a very narrow slice of human experience. Historically, researchers have heavily recruited individuals who are Western, educated, industrialized, rich, and from democratic societies (known as WEIRD samples). Because these samples largely consist of university students in North America and Western Europe, they do not reflect the global population, leading to a major gap in the scientific understanding of how behavior varies within a single country.</p>
<p>A significant body of behavioral economics literature examines how men and women differ in their willingness to take risks and compete, which helps economists explain differences in major life outcomes like career choices and overall income. However, these studies rarely report the racial and ethnic backgrounds of their participants. A review of leading economic journals from 2020 to 2024 revealed that only a minority of behavioral studies conducted in the United States reported the race or ethnicity of their subjects.</p>
<p>“Behavioral research over the past 15 years has focused extensively on comparing the behavior of men and women, using predominantly White samples, even within the United States. As a result, we know a great deal about gender gaps in competitiveness and risk tolerance, but much less about whether those patterns differ across racial and ethnic groups—or whether findings based largely on White samples generalize more broadly. We wanted to address that imbalance,” said corresponding author <a href="https://sites.google.com/site/nnikiforakis/" target="_blank">Nikos Nikiforakis</a>, director of the Center for Behavioral Institutional Design and professor of economics at New York University Abu Dhabi.</p>
<p>To explore these behavioral differences, the scientists recruited a large sample of 2,468 adults in the United States between the ages of 25 and 54. They worked with an international research and analytics company to balance the sample equally across six specific groups. These distinct demographic groups included Black men, Black women, Hispanic men, Hispanic women, White men, and White women.</p>
<p>The researchers used mathematical weighting techniques to ensure the participants in each group accurately reflected the broader national population. Specifically, they adjusted the data to mirror national averages regarding age, education level, and political orientation based on the 2016 presidential election. </p>
<p>“Methodologically, we invested heavily in sampling,” Nikiforakis said. “We collected a large, stratified sample of U.S. adults and ensured national representativeness within each race-ethnicity-gender group. If we want behavioral research to inform policy, representativeness within countries matters just as much as cross-country diversity.”</p>
<p>To measure competitiveness, the scientists asked participants to complete a timed task that involved counting the number of ones in a grid of numbers. For the first round, participants received a guaranteed payment for every correct answer they provided, which economists call a piece-rate scheme. In the second round, participants competed against a randomly selected opponent from the broader population. In this tournament-style setup, they only earned money if they successfully outperformed that person.</p>
<p>For the third round, participants had to choose which payment method they wanted to use again for the final task. If a participant actively chose the competitive, winner-takes-all payment method, the scientists classified them as competitive. To measure risk tolerance, the scientists used a standard psychological task involving financial lotteries.</p>
<p>Participants reviewed a menu of nine different lotteries that gradually increased in both the potential financial payoff and the level of risk involved. The least risky option offered a guaranteed, equal payout no matter what happened. By observing which lottery each participant selected, the scientists could precisely determine how comfortable they were with financial uncertainty.</p>
<p>The data suggests that race and ethnicity play a massive role in shaping these economic behaviors. Black and Hispanic participants chose the competitive payment method at very similar rates, at 56 percent and 58 percent respectively. White participants chose the competitive option only 47 percent of the time, making them significantly less competitive than both Black and Hispanic participants.</p>
<p>When it came to financial uncertainty, the scientists found a different pattern. The data provides evidence that White participants were about nine percent more willing to take risks than Black and Hispanic participants. These gaps remained consistent even after the researchers accounted for individual differences in income and education levels.</p>
<p>To understand the practical scale of these differences, the researchers compared them to the differences between men and women in the exact same sample. Across all demographic categories, men were 16 percent more likely to choose the competitive payment option and nearly 10 percent more tolerant of risk than women. This indicates that the behavioral gap between White individuals and Black or Hispanic individuals is roughly the exact same size as the overall behavioral gap between men and women.</p>
<p>“Racial and ethnic differences in competitiveness and risk tolerance in the U.S. are substantial — similar in size to the well-known gender gaps,” Nikiforakis told PsyPost.</p>
<p>For decades, scientists have considered the gender gap in risk and competitiveness to be incredibly meaningful in shaping economic and career outcomes. The researchers also found that the traditional gender gap does not actually look the same across all racial and ethnic groups. White and Hispanic men showed significantly higher levels of competitiveness and risk tolerance than White and Hispanic women.</p>
<p>Yet, this well-documented pattern did not appear among Black participants. The data provides evidence that Black women do not shy away from competition, nor are they any less willing to take financial risks than Black men. This suggests that the broad behavioral generalizations scientists have made about men and women for years are heavily skewed by predominantly White study samples.</p>
<p>“What stood out most was that the gender gap does not generalize across racial and ethnic groups,” Nikiforakis said. “In particular, we do not observe the typical gender gap in competitiveness or risk tolerance among Black participants. Given how robust the gender gap is often presented in the literature, that pattern was striking.”</p>
<p>While these findings offer a new perspective on human behavior, readers should be cautious about how they interpret the data. The scientists note that the legal and administrative categories used for race and ethnicity in the United States have conceptual limitations. These broad categories rely entirely on self-identification and group together people with vastly different cultural backgrounds and ancestries.</p>
<p>“A key caveat is that we use the same race and ethnicity categories employed by the U.S. Census,” Nikiforakis noted. “These categories are broad and group together people with diverse backgrounds. Also, we document differences — we do not make claims about their causes. The findings should not be read as essential or biological explanations, but as evidence that generalizations from narrow samples can be misleading.”</p>
<p>Future research will need to expand upon these findings by consistently including and reporting on diverse demographic groups. The scientists recommend that future experimental designs avoid relying strictly on convenient samples of university students. By moving away from predominantly White samples, researchers can build a much more accurate understanding of how human behavior impacts economic and social outcomes across all communities.</p>
<p>“We have a couple of follow-up studies that we will circulate soon,” Nikiforakis said. “The first examines how behavioral measures such as competitiveness and risk tolerance help account for racial, ethnic, and gender gaps in earnings in the United States. The second explores racial misperceptions about these behavioral differences and investigates where those misperceptions come from. More broadly, we hope this line of research encourages scholars to routinely examine racial and ethnic variation within countries, rather than assuming that findings based largely on White samples apply universally.”</p>
<p>The study, “<a href="https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2527671123" target="_blank">The racial and ethnic gap in behavioral measures rivals the gender gap in the United States</a>,” was authored by Aurélie Dariel, John C. Ham, Nikos Nikiforakis, and Jan Stoop.</p></p>
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<td><a href="https://www.psypost.org/new-research-on-acquired-aphantasia-pinpoints-specific-brain-network-responsible-for-visual-imagination/" style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing:-1px;margin:0;padding:0 0 2px;font-weight: bold;font-size: 19px;line-height: 20px;color:#222;">New research on acquired aphantasia pinpoints specific brain network responsible for visual imagination</a>
<div style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align:left;color:#999;font-size:11px;font-weight:bold;line-height:15px;">Mar 3rd 2026, 10:00</div>
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<p><p>People who lose their ability to conjure visual memories after a brain injury share damage that connects to a single, highly specific brain region. A recent analysis of these rare medical cases reveals that a structure called the fusiform imagery node acts as an essential hub for the human imagination. These results, published in the journal <em><a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cortex.2026.01.009" target="_blank">Cortex</a></em>, help explain the physical origins of our mind’s eye.</p>
<p>Most people can easily close their eyes and picture a childhood bedroom or the face of a loved one. This ability is known as visual mental imagery. It allows human beings to relive past events, solve spatial problems, and envision future scenarios without any external sensory input.</p>
<p>However, a small fraction of the population lacks this internal visual experience entirely. This absence of a mind’s eye is called aphantasia. It occurs from birth in an estimated one to three percent of people across the globe.</p>
<p>Individuals with congenital aphantasia live entirely normal lives, often realizing only in adulthood that other people can actually see pictures in their heads. In extremely rare instances, a person who previously possessed a vivid imagination can lose it suddenly. This acquired form of aphantasia typically follows a severe brain injury, such as a stroke.</p>
<p>Studying acquired aphantasia offers a unique window into the mechanics of human cognition. By pinpointing exactly where brain damage eliminates imagination, researchers can map the biological hardware responsible for mental imagery. Medical researchers initiated this project to identify which specific brain areas are causally responsible for generating our internal visual world.</p>
<p>The research team was led by Julian Kutsche, a neurologist affiliated with the Charite university hospital in Berlin and Harvard Medical School. Kutsche and his colleagues at the Center for Brain Circuit Therapeutics at Brigham and Women’s Hospital wanted to solve a lingering neurological puzzle. Previous imaging scans of healthy adults pointed to a specific spot in the left side of the brain that activates during imagination tasks.</p>
<p>This location is known as the fusiform imagery node. It sits in the ventral visual pathway, a broader brain network involved in recognizing objects and analyzing faces. While functional magnetic resonance imaging scans show this node lighting up when healthy people imagine things, these scans only demonstrate a basic correlation.</p>
<p>The researchers needed to know if this specific node was strictly necessary for the process of visual imagination. If the node is truly the center of visual mental imagery, destroying it or cutting off its connections should entirely eliminate the ability to visualize. The team set out to test this idea using historical medical records of patients suffering from acquired aphantasia.</p>
<p>“Can a brain injury make someone lose their imagination?” Kutsche said. “The absence of visual mental imagery, called aphantasia, occurs congenitally in about 3% of the general population, but the brain regions responsible for visual imagination remain uncertain. Rare cases of acquired aphantasia caused by brain injury may lend insight into the neuroanatomy responsible for this condition and the brain basis of visual imagination.”</p>
<p>Kutsche and his team began by searching decades of published medical literature for cases of acquired aphantasia. They looked for patients who lost their visual mental imagery following a stroke or other physical brain trauma. The team found twelve well-documented cases that included high-quality brain scans showing the exact area of injury.</p>
<p>These twelve patients had suffered brain damage, known as lesions, in widely varying locations. Some injuries were in the frontal lobes, while others were in the parietal, temporal, or occipital lobes. At first glance, the scattered nature of these injuries suggested that imagination might not rely on a single brain center at all.</p>
<p>To make sense of these varied injuries, the researchers used an advanced technique called lesion network mapping. This method does not just look at the exact spot of dead brain tissue. Instead, it examines how the damaged area normally communicates with the rest of the nervous system.</p>
<p>The team mapped the coordinates of each patient’s lesion onto a standard, computerized brain atlas. They then cross-referenced these locations with a massive database of healthy brain connectivity. This database contains information from one thousand healthy volunteers, showing exactly which parts of the brain talk to each other during periods of rest.</p>
<p>First, the researchers looked at direct physical intersections between the brain damage and the fusiform imagery node. They found that only five of the twelve aphantasia lesions physically overlapped with this specific region. While this overlap was greater than what is seen in patients with other neurological symptoms, it did not fully explain the loss of imagination in the other seven patients.</p>
<p>Next, they looked at functional brain connections. This is where the results became much clearer and easier to understand. The team discovered that every single one of the twelve lesions was functionally connected to the left fusiform imagery node.</p>
<p>Even when a stroke occurred on the opposite side of the brain, the damaged tissue was part of a circuit that directly wired into this specific node. To ensure this connection was unique to aphantasia, the researchers compared their data against a massive control group. They examined eight hundred and eighty-seven brain lesions that caused entirely different neurological issues, ranging from paralysis to language loss.</p>
<p>The connectivity to the fusiform imagery node was highly specific to aphantasia. Lesions causing other symptoms did not show this uniform connection to the imagery node. Statistical testing confirmed that this specific network pattern was not a random occurrence.</p>
<p>The team then performed a broader analysis without making any assumptions about where the imagination center might be. They let the connectivity data highlight the most common shared network among the twelve patients. This unrestricted search pointed directly to the exact same location in the left inferior fusiform gyrus.</p>
<p>The researchers also looked at the brain’s physical wiring, known as white matter tracts. They used a separate database of structural brain scans to trace the physical cables connecting different brain regions. This structural analysis revealed a shared physical pathway running just above and behind the fusiform imagery node.</p>
<p>This pathway is called the left inferior longitudinal fasciculus. It serves as a major communication highway linking different visual and memory processing centers. Damage to this white matter tract appears to disconnect the fusiform imagery node from other functional brain regions, effectively shutting down the mind’s eye.</p>
<p>To verify their results from multiple mathematical angles, the scientists used a statistical approach called Bayesian analysis. This method helps researchers evaluate the probability of a hypothesis being true based on the available data. The Bayesian models confirmed the involvement of the fusiform areas with exceptionally high confidence.</p>
<p>Equally important was what the Bayesian analysis did not find. The models showed no involvement of the frontal lobes or the primary visual cortex in acquired aphantasia. These two regions have long been debated as possible command centers for generating mental imagery.</p>
<p>The primary visual cortex is the first area of the brain to receive raw signals from the eyes. Some previous theories suggested that imagination relies on running this visual reception area in reverse. The new data provides affirmative evidence against the idea that the primary visual cortex is solely responsible for creating conscious visual memories.</p>
<p>Instead, the fusiform imagery node seems to act as an essential junction box for the brain. It likely sits between the temporal lobes, which store semantic knowledge, and memory centers like the hippocampus. This unique position allows a person to voluntarily recall a concept and translate it into a visual representation.</p>
<p>If a stroke damages this junction box, or severs the wires leading to it, the conceptual knowledge cannot be translated into a picture. The patient can still describe an apple using descriptive words. They just cannot see the physical apple in their mind.</p>
<p>“We mapped the locations of brain injury from people who previously had visual imagination but lost it after stroke or trauma,” Kutsche explained. “Then we analyzed the connections that would be disrupted by these injuries using large functional and structural brain atlases.”</p>
<p>“People with acquired aphantasia (loss of visual imagination) had injuries in many different brain locations, but 100% of cases were connected to the fusiform imagery node, a specialized visual processing region that is active during visual imagery tasks in normal subjects.”</p>
<p>“This work is important because strokes and brain injury can cause a wide range of symptoms, many of which are subjective, not observable to others and only experienced by the person themself. Imagination is of real meaning and importance to people so the fact that this can be changed after a stroke is a puzzling surprise to patients. By recognizing that brain injuries can cause purely subjective, internal experiences it can allow patients to better understand their symptoms during recovery.”</p>
<p>While this research provides clear causal evidence for the physical origins of imagination, it does have a few limitations. The primary constraint is the relatively small sample size. Because acquired aphantasia is incredibly rare, the team could only analyze twelve historical cases.</p>
<p>Additionally, many of the older medical reports lacked standardized tests for measuring the exact severity of the patients’ imagery loss. The researchers had to rely heavily on the subjective clinical descriptions provided by the original doctors. The brain scans from these older studies were also limited to two-dimensional images, which are far less precise than modern three-dimensional imaging techniques.</p>
<p>Future research will need to study new stroke patients who develop aphantasia using modern, high-resolution scanning methods. Scientists also hope to investigate if the brain networks responsible for acquired aphantasia differ from those involved in congenital aphantasia. Understanding these differences could explain why people born without a mind’s eye function quite well, while those who lose it often feel a profound sense of cognitive loss.</p>
<p>There is also a possibility that researchers could one day find ways to stimulate these specific brain networks. Targeted, non-invasive brain stimulation might eventually help restore mental imagery in stroke survivors. Until then, these findings offer a clearer map of how the human brain constructs the invisible world of thought.</p>
<p>“Our results inform key discussions about the neural correlates of consciousness,” Kutsche added. “There’s a huge debate about whether conscious experience can emerge from a single part of the brain (organized in an integrated way) or if wide-spread communication across the brain is needed. This question in the neuroscience of consciousness may have implications for how we consider the possibility of AI consciousness. </p>
<p>“In our study, we found that disconnection of a specific brain region could extinguish visual imagination; future research needs to examine if this region can produce visual imagination independently or if it is sits at a really important nexus between brain regions which need to communicate in a coordinated way for visual imagination.”</p>
<p>The study, “<a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cortex.2026.01.009" target="_blank">Lesions causing aphantasia are connected to the fusiform imagery node</a>,” was authored by Julian Kutsche, Calvin Howard, Alberto Castro Palacin, William Drew, Matthias Michel, Alexander L. Cohen, Michael D. Fox and Isaiah Kletenik.</p></p>
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<p><strong>Forwarded by:<br />
Michael Reeder LCPC<br />
Baltimore, MD</strong></p>
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