Psychology news

• Brain folding study defines two distinct groups of mammals

  01-12-2014 22:33
  
  Programs that control the production of neurons during brain development determine how the brain folds, researchers report. The researchers analyzed the gyrencephaly index, indicating the degree of cortical folding, of 100 mammalian brains and identified a threshold value that separates mammalian species into two distinct groups: Those above the threshold have highly folded brains, whereas those below it have only slightly folded or unfolded brains. The research team also found that differences
  
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• Chemical compound that decreases effects of multiple sclerosis found

  01-12-2014 22:32
  
  Multiple sclerosis is triggered when the immune system attacks the myelin sheath, the protective covering around the axons of nerve fibers. Currently available therapies are only partially effective in preventing the onset of permanent disability in MS patients. A research team has identified a compound that minimizes axon degeneration, reducing the rate and degree of MS progression. This chemical stimulates axon re-sheathing, restoring uninterrupted flow of nerve impulses.
  
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• How early trauma influences behavior

  01-12-2014 18:51
  Traumatic and stressful events during childhood increase the risk to develop psychiatric disorders, but to a certain extent, they can also help better deal with difficult situations later in life. Researchers have studied this phenomenon in mice to learn how these effects could be transmitted to the next generation.
  
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• Natural 'high' could avoid chronic marijuana use

  01-12-2014 17:32
  Replenishing the supply of a molecule that normally activates cannabinoid receptors in the brain could relieve mood and anxiety disorders and enable some people to quit using marijuana, a new study suggests.
  
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• Neuronal encoding of the switch from specific to generalized fear

  01-12-2014 17:31
  
  Fear memories are crucial for survival. However, excessive generalization of such memories, characterized by a failure to discriminate dangerous from safe stimuli, is common in anxiety disorders. Researchers identified distinct neuronal populations in the amygdala that signaled generalized versus cue-specific associations and determined how their distributions switched during fear generalization. These results provide a cellular basis in the amygdala for the alteration of emotional states from n
  
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• Researchers Explore Three-Dimensional Microsurgical Anatomy of Brainstem

  01-12-2014 17:29
  A study using intricate fiber dissection techniques provides new insights into the deep anatomy of the human brainstem—and helps to define "safe entry zones" for neurosurgeons performing brainstem surgery, according to a new article.
  
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• High school football players show brain changes after one season, even in absence of concussions

  01-12-2014 15:06
  
  Some high school football players exhibit measurable brain changes after a single season of play even in the absence of concussion, according to a new study.
  
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• Imaging shows brain connection breakdown in early Alzheimer's disease

  01-12-2014 15:06
  
  Changes in brain connections visible on MRI could represent an imaging biomarker of Alzheimer's disease, according to a new study. Alzheimer's disease is the most common form of dementia. As many as 5 million Americans are affected, a number expected to grow to 14 million by 2050.
  
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• PET/CT shows pituitary abnormalities in veterans with PTSD

  01-12-2014 15:06
  
  Hybrid imaging with positron emission tomography and computed tomography (PET/CT) in the pituitary region of the brain is a promising tool for differentiating military veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) from those with mild traumatic brain injury, according to a new study.
  
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• Understanding the Brain's 'Suffocation Alarm'

  01-12-2014 15:04
  Panic disorder is a severe form of anxiety in which the affected individual feels an abrupt onset of fear, often accompanied by profound physical symptoms of discomfort. Scientists have known from studying twins that genes contribute to the risk of panic disorder, but very little is known about which specific genes are involved. Two of the most common and terrifying symptoms of this severe anxiety are a sense of shortness of breath and feelings of suffocation. One theory exists that panic disord
  
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• Four Steps to Character Health

  01-12-2014 13:49 via counsellingresource.com
  
  Those using these four steps find that slowly but surely, dysfunctional behaviors begin to be replaced by more functional behaviors, and they become different people.Tags: CBT, character disturbance, therapy
  
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• Keep complaining! It's good for you! | Oliver Burkeman

  01-12-2014 13:15
  
  Terrible train delays. Absurdly high prices. Monday. If you think about it, a little moaning goes a long wayBack in 2006, an American pastor named Will Bowen launched a campaign he called A Complaint Free World. Bowen challenged his parishioners – and then, when the campaign took off, he challenged the viewers of Oprah and readers of his bestselling book – to cease complaining for 21 days straight. I tried it; I even carried (though couldn’t bring myself to wear) one of the purple bracelet
  
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• What, in a man's face, makes him masculine?

  01-12-2014 09:00
  The average difference between men and women's faces is a standard indicator of masculinity. Now, a new study suggests perceived weight and height also play a role.
  
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• New light shed on the genetics of memory performance

  01-12-2014 09:00
  
  In the largest study of the genetics of memory ever undertaken, an international researcher team including scientists from Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM), have discovered two common...
  
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• Taking action against Ebola

  01-12-2014 06:00
  
  As psychologists hit the ground in Liberia to provide
  services to medical volunteers, APA and psychologists at
  home are helping to manage fear about the virus.
  
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• Silenced voices

  01-12-2014 06:00
  
  David Pablo Boder's first psychological interviews with ‘displaced persons' are gaining prominence more than 60 years after they were conducted.
  
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• Raising the bar for educator training

  01-12-2014 06:00
  
  A new APA report outlines ways to make teacher preparation more effective.
  
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• Preserving the past

  01-12-2014 06:00
  
  A $3.5 million gift will allow psychology’s
  history center to ramp up its offerings for
  researchers and the public.
  
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• Opening doors for psychology's future

  01-12-2014 06:00
  
  An APA summit explored ways to help trainees move from grad school acceptance to first jobs.
  
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• Making sense of a court's two cents

  01-12-2014 06:00
  
  A look at the Pennsylvania Supreme Court's discrepant opinions on expert testimony.
  
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• Losing weight, but not healthy

  01-12-2014 06:00
  
  Eating disorders among people who
  are overweight or obese often go
  unrecognized.
  
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• Learning in a digital world

  01-12-2014 06:00
  
  APA’s 2014 Education Leadership Conference focused on
  making the most of educational technology.
  
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• James E. Maddux, PhD

  01-12-2014 06:00
  
  Retired psychology professor, international ambassador and Dungeons & Dragons enthusiast.
  
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• Envisioning healthy weight

  01-12-2014 06:00
  
  Researchers are exploring the possible benefits of using
  virtual reality to treat eating disorders and obesity.
  
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• Does the gender pay gap in psychology differ by work setting?

  01-12-2014 06:00
  
  News from APA's Center for Workforce Studies
  
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• Collaborating across cultures

  01-12-2014 06:00
  
  Working with scientists from the Arab world improved my worldview, my career and my life.
  I urge you to collaborate with researchers from other cultures, too.
  
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• Coaxing better behavior

  01-12-2014 06:00
  
  Behavioral science is playing a pivotal role in
  research and policymaking that seeks to gently
  steer us toward better decisions.
  
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• Briefing the courts

  01-12-2014 06:00
  
  APA took an active legal role in 2014 with briefs
  explaining psychological research.
  
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• APA releases new testing standards

  01-12-2014 06:00
  
  The revised standards for educational and psychological testing emphasize fairness in testing practices.
  
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• Acing the marshmallow test

  01-12-2014 06:00
  
  In a new book, psychologist Walter Mischel discusses how we can all become better at resisting temptation, and why doing so can improve our lives.
  
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• A pioneer and change agent

  01-12-2014 06:00
  
  APA honors Ellen Stover for championing risk and prevention research on HIV/AIDS.
  
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• Why everything you think about aging may be wrong

  01-12-2014 02:43 via online.wsj.com
  
  Research shows that as people age, friendships, creativity and satisfaction with life can flourish.
  
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• Public schools separate girls and boys

  01-12-2014 02:40 via nytimes.com
  Single-sex education is on the rise again in public schools as educators seek ways to improve academic performance, especially among the poor.
  
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• Loneliness isn't a symptom, it's a disease

  01-12-2014 02:39 via forbes.com
  
  A new study suggests that loneliness is it's own condition and not a symptom of something worse.
  
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