{"title":"Noradrenaline drives learning across scales of time and neurobiological organisation.","authors":"Claire O'Callaghan","doi":"10.1016/j.tics.2025.07.003","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tics.2025.07.003","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The noradrenergic system plays a diverse role in learning, from optimising learning behaviour to modulating plasticity. Work bridging across micro- and macroscale levels is revealing how noradrenaline achieves this diverse role in learning. Through its balance of targeted versus broad modulation of neurons and non-neuronal astrocytes, the noradrenergic system acts across multiple neurobiological and temporal scales to support adaptive learning. With a multiscale organisation that constrains behaviour and brain dynamics based on value-laden information, and the capacity to bridge the fast neural timescales of milliseconds with the slower timescales of natural behaviour, the noradrenergic system acts as an 'orchestra conductor' coordinating learning across scales.</p>","PeriodicalId":49417,"journal":{"name":"Trends in Cognitive Sciences","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":17.2,"publicationDate":"2025-08-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144976473","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Awake reactivation is not a uniform process.","authors":"Amir Tal, Eitan Schechtman","doi":"10.1016/j.tics.2025.07.008","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.tics.2025.07.008","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Memories are consolidated during restful wakefulness, but the mechanisms underlying this process are poorly understood. We argue that wakeful reactivation is not monolithic: it encompasses non-conscious and conscious processes with varying levels of elaboration and diverging consequences. Refining reactivation as a concept may help avoid conflicting results on wake consolidation.</p>","PeriodicalId":49417,"journal":{"name":"Trends in Cognitive Sciences","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":17.2,"publicationDate":"2025-08-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12478275/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144976540","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
David Thura, Adrian M Haith, Gerard Derosiere, Julie Duque
{"title":"The integrated control of decision and movement vigor.","authors":"David Thura, Adrian M Haith, Gerard Derosiere, Julie Duque","doi":"10.1016/j.tics.2025.07.005","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tics.2025.07.005","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Decision-making and motor control are closely interdependent processes. It has been proposed that the vigor of decisions and the vigor of movements are jointly controlled to optimize behavior utility. However, recent studies indicate that decision and movement vigor are co-regulated by default, whether or not this benefits behavior utility, and that they can be decoupled if utility is compromised. We propose that the co-regulation of decision and movement vigor occurs through modulation of the signal-to-noise ratio in sensorimotor areas of the brain, while the decoupling of decision from movement vigor is enabled by inhibitory control involving frontal areas and the basal ganglia. This theory offers a unified explanation for the neural basis of flexible coordination of decision and movement vigor during goal-oriented actions.</p>","PeriodicalId":49417,"journal":{"name":"Trends in Cognitive Sciences","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":17.2,"publicationDate":"2025-08-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144976498","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Are metabolic costs needed to explain cognitive fatigue?","authors":"Jake R Embrey, Michael Inzlicht","doi":"10.1016/j.tics.2025.08.001","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tics.2025.08.001","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":49417,"journal":{"name":"Trends in Cognitive Sciences","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":17.2,"publicationDate":"2025-08-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144976534","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"How early beliefs about brilliance shape gender gaps","authors":"Lin Bian","doi":"10.1016/j.tics.2025.07.001","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tics.2025.07.001","url":null,"abstract":"Why do gender gaps persist in many of the most prestigious fields and careers? An emerging theory highlights the role of two interrelated ‘brilliance beliefs’: the idea that success in certain fields requires exceptional intellectual ability, alongside the stereotype that brilliance is more common in men than in women. This review synthesizes growing evidence that these brilliance beliefs take root in early childhood, and outlines the psychological processes through which they work in tandem to discourage girls’ participation. I discuss promising approaches that can interrupt these beliefs, as well as their consequences, before they become deeply entrenched. Addressing brilliance beliefs in early childhood is a critical step toward breaking cycles of exclusion and fostering equity.","PeriodicalId":49417,"journal":{"name":"Trends in Cognitive Sciences","volume":"12 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":19.9,"publicationDate":"2025-08-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144899097","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Flora Moujaes, Nathalie M Rieser, Lydia Belinger, Marcus Herdener, Zarmeen Zahid, Katrin H Preller
{"title":"The emotional architecture of the psychedelic brain.","authors":"Flora Moujaes, Nathalie M Rieser, Lydia Belinger, Marcus Herdener, Zarmeen Zahid, Katrin H Preller","doi":"10.1016/j.tics.2025.07.006","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.tics.2025.07.006","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Serotonergic psychedelics are being explored as treatments for a range of psychiatric conditions. Promising results in mood disorders indicate that their effects on emotional processing may play a central role in their therapeutic potential. However, mechanistic and clinical studies paint a complex picture of the impact of psychedelics on emotions and mood. Here, we review recent findings on the effects of psychedelics on emotion, emotional empathy, and mood. We discuss how psychedelics may impact long-term emotion management strategies, the significance of challenging experiences, and neuroplastic changes. More precise characterization of emotional states and greater attention to the temporal dynamics of psychedelic-induced effects will be critical for clarifying their mechanisms of action and optimizing their therapeutic impact.</p>","PeriodicalId":49417,"journal":{"name":"Trends in Cognitive Sciences","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":17.2,"publicationDate":"2025-08-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144884180","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Gabriele Bellucci, Hirotaka Imada, Anne-Kathrin Fett, Ayahito Ito
{"title":"Neurocomputational mechanisms of maladaptive behaviors in loneliness.","authors":"Gabriele Bellucci, Hirotaka Imada, Anne-Kathrin Fett, Ayahito Ito","doi":"10.1016/j.tics.2025.07.007","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tics.2025.07.007","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>'Loneliness' refers to the perceived social isolation triggered by unsatisfying relationships. Most research and interventions have framed it as an individual problem rather than a broader social issue rooted in the (infra)structures of our societies. Here, we synthesize the neurocomputational evidence on the cognitive processes underpinning loneliness and the psychological and behavioral effects of the social environment and, in particular, community identification on feelings of loneliness. We propose that community-based interventions might effectively tackle loneliness by creating the preconditions that can prevent the emergence and reinforcement of the cognitive biases that foster maladaptive behavioral and reasoning patterns in lonely individuals. Finally, we discuss how future work can better design and tailor social interventions to reduce loneliness and improve mental health in general.</p>","PeriodicalId":49417,"journal":{"name":"Trends in Cognitive Sciences","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":17.2,"publicationDate":"2025-08-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144862610","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"What will society think about AI consciousness? Lessons from the animal case.","authors":"Lucius Caviola, Jeff Sebo, Jonathan Birch","doi":"10.1016/j.tics.2025.06.002","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.tics.2025.06.002","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>How will society respond to the idea that artificial intelligence (AI) could be conscious? Drawing on lessons from perceptions of animal consciousness, we highlight psychological, social, and economic factors that shape perceptions of AI consciousness. These insights can inform emerging debates about AI moral status, ethical treatment, and future policy.</p>","PeriodicalId":49417,"journal":{"name":"Trends in Cognitive Sciences","volume":" ","pages":"681-683"},"PeriodicalIF":17.2,"publicationDate":"2025-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144498992","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Luca D Kolibius, Sheena A Josselyn, Simon Hanslmayr
{"title":"And yet, the hippocampus codes conjunctively.","authors":"Luca D Kolibius, Sheena A Josselyn, Simon Hanslmayr","doi":"10.1016/j.tics.2025.06.013","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.tics.2025.06.013","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":49417,"journal":{"name":"Trends in Cognitive Sciences","volume":" ","pages":"689-690"},"PeriodicalIF":17.2,"publicationDate":"2025-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144561733","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Conjunctive or context-invariant coding in the human hippocampus?","authors":"Rodrigo Quian Quiroga","doi":"10.1016/j.tics.2025.05.006","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.tics.2025.05.006","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":49417,"journal":{"name":"Trends in Cognitive Sciences","volume":" ","pages":"687-688"},"PeriodicalIF":17.2,"publicationDate":"2025-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144175466","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}