Decision-making

Recent articles

Multicolored illustration of a human brain as seen from the top down.

Most neurons in mouse cortex defy functional categories

The majority of cells in the cerebral cortex are unspecialized, according to an unpublished analysis—and scientists need to take care in naming neurons, the researchers warn.

By Holly Barker
7 January 2025 | 5 min read
Illustration of cranes attempting to assemble a structure out of very small black squares.

In case you missed it: Standout news stories from 2024

These five stories—on the pregnant brain, a failed imaging method and more—top our list of some of the most notable neuroscience research findings this year.

By The Transmitter
23 December 2024 | 2 min read
Research image of mouse brain scans.

Widely distributed brain areas sync to orchestrate decisions in rodents

Multiple brain areas synchronize their activity to help a rodent accumulate the evidence it needs to make a choice, two new studies suggest.

By Claudia López Lloreda
29 October 2024 | 7 min read
Illustration of a mouse with cheese on its left and a drop of water on its right.

Should I stay (and eat) or should I go? How the brain balances hunger with competing drives

Understanding the interplay among rival signals, such as pain, thirst and fear, could provide insights into anxiety and other neuropsychiatric conditions.

By Giorgia Guglielmi
11 October 2024 | 8 min read
Illustration of cranes attempting to assemble a structure out of very small black squares.

Reconstructing dopamine’s link to reward

The field is grappling with whether to modify the long-standing theory of reward prediction error—or abandon it entirely.

By Angie Voyles Askham
13 September 2024 | 20 min listen
A shop rack of lab coats both white and in many distinct and colorful styles.

On fashion in neuroscience: In defense of freezing behavior

Neuroscience experiments are moving toward the analysis of more complex behaviors, enabled by increasingly sophisticated tools. But we shouldn’t abandon simpler paradigms.

By Sheena Josselyn
19 December 2023 | 6 min read

Explore more from The Transmitter

Research image of fMRI scans showing decision-making across individuals.

During decision-making, brain shows multiple distinct subtypes of activity

Person-to-person variability in brain activity might represent meaningful differences in cognitive processes, rather than random noise.

By Claudia López Lloreda
18 April 2025 | 5 min read

Basic pain research ‘is not working’: Q&A with Steven Prescott and Stéphanie Ratté

Prescott and Ratté critique the clinical relevance of preclinical studies in the field and highlight areas for improvement.

By Sydney Wyatt
18 April 2025 | 7 min read

Proposed NIH budget cut threatens ‘massive destruction of American science’

A leaked draft of a Trump administration proposal includes an approximately 40 percent cut to the National Institutes of Health’s budget and a major reorganization of its 27 institutes and centers.

By Angie Voyles Askham
17 April 2025 | 3 min read