Credit: Clayton Metz/Virginia Tech
Study Reveals How Neurotransmitters React To Emotional Words In The Brain
- Written by Andrea Miliani Former Tech News Expert
- Fact-Checked by Justyn Newman Former Lead Cybersecurity Editor
A team of scientists has released a new study revealing how neurotransmitters in the human brain behave when processing emotionally charged words for the first time.
In a Rush? Here are the Quick Facts!
- A study led by Virginia Tech scientists reveals, for the first time, how neurotransmitters respond to language with emotional content in areas such as the thalamus and cortex.
- Dopamine and serotonin can also be released in the human brain when processing the emotional meaning of words.
- The research could help expand studies on decision-making and mental health.
The study , published in the journal Cell Reports, provides new information on how humans interact with language and its impact on decision-making and mental health. The research was conducted by more than 20 researchers from multiple institutions and led by Virginia Tech scientists.
“The common belief about brain chemicals, like dopamine and serotonin, is that they send out signals related to the positive or negative value of experiences,” said computational neuroscientist Read Montague, professor of the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC and co-senior author of the document in a public statement . “Our findings suggest that these chemicals are released in specific areas of the brain when we process the emotional meaning of words.”
Dr. Montague explained that their research suggests that the brain systems that originally evolved to help humans react to positive or negative stimuli in the environment may also be involved in processing language, highlighting the critical role words play in survival.
This study is the first to map and track the release of serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine in the brain when people interact and respond to language and its complex dynamics.
Credit: Batten et al/cell Reports
“The emotional content of words is shared across multiple transmitter systems, but each system fluctuates differently,” said Dr. Montague. “There’s no single brain region handling this activity, and it’s not as simple as one chemical representing one emotion.”
To reach these conclusions, the scientists performed multiple measurements in patients undergoing deep brain stimulation surgery for multiple treatments. The patients were shown emotionally charged words—based on the Affective Norms for English Words (ANEW) database—on a screen and the scientists analyzed neurochemical behaviors in the thalamus and cortex using electrodes.
“The surprising result came from the thalamus,” said William “Matt” Howe, an assistant professor with the School of Neuroscience of the Virginia Tech College of Science. “This region hasn’t been thought to have a role in processing language or emotional content, yet we saw neurotransmitter changes in response to emotional words. This suggests that even brain regions not typically associated with emotional or linguistic processing might still be privy to that information.”
This research could be used for future studies on decision-making and mental health, while also deepening our understanding of human behaviors related to language. A few weeks ago, another study revealed that humans preferred AI-generated poems thinking they contained more “human-like” words.
XOCEAN USVs supporting the development of new Offshore Wind Farms off New York. Photo courtesy of XOCEAN
Climate Tech Company XOCEAN Raises €115M To Expand Operations
- Written by Andrea Miliani Former Tech News Expert
- Fact-Checked by Justyn Newman Former Lead Cybersecurity Editor
The Irish climate tech company recently raised €115 million in a growth equity round to support its expansion efforts.
In a Rush? Here are the Quick Facts!
- XOCEAN raised 115 million euros in a growth equity round that included investors such as S2G Ventures, 1GT fund, and Climate Investment.
- The startup expects to expand operations and develop its unscrewed vessels and technology.
- The Irish company currently has over 240 staff across Ireland, the UK, Norway, Canada, the United States, and Australia.
According to the press release , Morgan Stanley’s 1GT fund, S2G Ventures, CC Industries, and Climate Investment were among the main investors.
XOCEAN develops unscrewed vessels to support energy infrastructures and collect data, with the new investment the startup expects to accelerate its growth, innovate, and reach more offshore segments.
“Our mission is to deliver data that drives the sustainable development of our oceans in a safe, cost-effective, and ultra-low-impact way,” said James Ives, XOCEAN’s Founder and CEO.
According to its website , XOCEAN was founded in 2017 and has over 240 staff in different locations, including Ireland and the United Kingdom, Norway, Canada, the United States, and Australia.
Last year, the company raised €250,000 in a funding round that included U2 guitarist David H Evans known as The Edge.
“We believe this investment represents a distinct opportunity at the intersection of the energy and oceans sectors,” said Dr. Francis O’Sullivan, Managing Director for S2G. “Working with many of the world’s leading energy companies, XOCEAN has reimagined how the geophysical data central to unlocking the blue economy’s potential can be delivered.”
XOCEAN’s surface vessels gather geophysical data with its advanced sensors and can communicate in real-time. Its remote and low-carbon fleets produce %0.01 of the CO2 compared to traditional survey vessels.
Other tech companies trying to reduce carbon emissions have also raised funds for expansion in Europe. A few weeks ago, Glint Solar, a Norwegian startup providing advanced solar installation software, raised $8 million in a Series A round.
