Psychology news

• Michelle Obama promotes awareness of mental health care

  04-03-2015 20:57 via abcnews.go.com
  
  The first lady asserts that mental health care is not just a policy and budget issue for America, but also a cultural issue.
  
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• Using fruit flies to understand how we sense hot and cold

  04-03-2015 20:15
  Innately, we pull our hand away when we touch a hot pan on the stove, but little is known about how our brain processes temperature information. Scientists now have discovered how a fruit fly's brain represents temperature, mapping it neuron by neuron, which has implications for understanding the much more complex human brain and how it responds to sensory stimuli. The work represents the first comprehensive mapping of the brain circuit that processes temperature information in any animal.
  
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• Mechanism behind most common form of inherited Alzheimer's disease revealed

  04-03-2015 19:09
  For the first time, a study reveals exactly how mutations associated with the most common form of inherited Alzheimer's disease produce the disorder's devastating effects. The paper upends conventional thinking about the effects of Alzheimer's-associated mutations in the presenilin genes and provides an explanation for the failure of drugs designed to block presenilin activity.
  
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• Mental health soon after war-zone concussions predicts disability

  04-03-2015 19:08
  
  Evaluating military personnel with blast-related mild traumatic brain injuries, researchers have found that early symptoms of post-traumatic stress, such as anxiety, emotional numbness, flashbacks and irritability, are the strongest predictors of later disability. The results were surprising because mental health more closely correlated with disability than assessments typically made after concussions, such as tests of memory, thinking, balance, coordination and severity of headaches and dizzine
  
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• Smartphones are addictive and should carry health warning, say academics

  04-03-2015 18:40
  
  University of Derby finds smartphone users in study spent average 3.6 hours a day on devices, often causing severe distraction from relationships and ‘real life’ Smartphones are psychologically addictive, encourage narcissistic tendencies and should come with a health warning, researchers have said. A study by the University of Derby and published in the International Journal of Cyber Behaviour, Psychology and Learning found that 13% of participants in the study were addicted, with the avera
  
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• Obesity is associated with brain's neurotransmitters

  04-03-2015 16:45
  
  Researchers have revealed how obesity is associated with altered opioid neurotransmission in the brain. New research reveals how obesity is associated with altered functioning of brain's opioid system, which is intimately involved in generating pleasurable sensations. The researchers found that obesity was associated with significantly lowered number of opioid receptors in the brain. However, no changes were observed in the dopamine neurotransmitter system, which regulates motivational aspects o
  
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• Oxytocin may enhance social function in psychiatric disorders

  04-03-2015 16:43
  Inducing the release of brain oxytocin may be a viable therapeutic option for enhancing social function in psychiatric disorders, including autism spectrum disorders and schizophrenia, researchers suggest. The oxytocin system is well-known for creating a bond between a mother and her newborn baby, and oxytocin is a lead drug candidate for treating social deficits in autism.
  
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• What makes some women able to resist or recover psychologically from assault-related trauma?

  04-03-2015 12:00
  In a study of 159 women who had been exposed to at least one assault-related potentially traumatic event, 30% developed major depressive disorder, which may be attributed to self-blame common to...
  
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• Neuropsychological, neuropsychiatric and functional assessments help follow the course of Alzheimer's disease

  04-03-2015 12:00
  The cognitive performance of persons with Alzheimer's disease and behavioural and psychological problems are linked to their performance of activities of daily living, according to a recent study...
  
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• With kids' antipsychotic treatment on the rise, study looks at prescriber decision-making

  04-03-2015 10:00
  More kids nationwide are taking medications designed to treat such mental illnesses as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, and pediatricians and psychiatrists at the University of Vermont want to...
  
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• Psychology of food choice: Challenging the status quo

  04-03-2015 10:00
  Researchers are challenging conventional beliefs about the effectiveness of traditional strategies for encouraging healthy eating.
  
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• Sexing up the human pheromone story: How a corporation started a scientific myth | Tristram Wyatt

  04-03-2015 09:37
  
  Popular belief has it that human ‘sex pheremones’ exist and are well-established by the scientific community. But all is not as it seems, as Tristram Wyatt explainsThis Valentine’s Day, like every year, there was a rash of stories in the news about sexy smells and pheromones. You could be forgiven for thinking that human ‘sex pheromones’, in particular the ‘male molecule’ androstadienone, were well established: countless ‘human pheromones’ websites sell it and there are tens of
  
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• How to control panic attack symptoms

  04-03-2015 09:00
  A panic attack is an experience of sudden and intense anxiety. With treatment, symptoms of panic can be eliminated and control of your life can be regained - help is at hand.
  
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• The most important article you’ll ever read | Dean Burnett

  04-03-2015 08:15
  
  If you ever read the comments on any article, you’ll invariably find someone bemoaning how it shouldn’t exist as there are ‘more important’ matters and issues. But how do you determine how important a piece is in comparison to others? And what’s the bare minimum importance required to justify its existence?I’d like to begin this piece the same way I used to begin dates; by apologising in advance for the disappointment I’m about to cause. I honestly tried to write the most important
  
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• Feeling paranoid? Your worries are justified but can be helped

  04-03-2015 08:00
  
  Paranoid fears are common and have a variety of causes but new research shows specific issue cognitive behaviour therapy can bring significant benefits
  If you’ve ever experienced a feeling of paranoia – that’s to say, an unrealistic or exaggerated belief that other people mean you harm – you’re certainly not alone. Around one in four people have regular thoughts filled with suspicion, and almost all of us experience paranoia at some point in our lives.
  For most people these thoughts
  
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• Neuroscientists identify new way several brain areas communicate

  04-03-2015 00:34
  
  Neuroscientists have identified a new pathway by which several brain areas communicate within the brain's striatum. The findings illustrate structural and functional connections that allow the brain to use reinforcement learning to make spatial decisions. Knowing how these specific pathways work together provides crucial insight into how learning occurs. It also could lead to improved treatments for Parkinson's disease.
  
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• Identifying war-afflicted teenagers most in need of mental health care

  04-03-2015 00:33
  
  Widespread post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, and suicidal ideation has been found among teenagers in warn-torn Northern Uganda, not only among former child soldiers. Psychological support should be offered to all young people in the region through the education system.
  
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