Psychology news

• Vision test gives insight into the effect of prenatal exposure to recreational drugs

  19-11-2015 22:10
  Children exposed to marijuana in the womb show a significant improvement in their ability to track moving objects at age four, according to new vision research. But researchers are warning that the results do not mean marijuana has a beneficial effect on fetal development.
  
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• Feds to require shelters to accommodate transgender individuals

  19-11-2015 21:15 via foxnews.com
  
  The Department of Housing and Urban Development is seeking to require shelters to accommodate transgender individuals to use the shared sleeping and bathing areas of their choice.
  
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• Pentagon study links prescription stimulants to military PTSD risk

  19-11-2015 21:08 via latimes.com
  
  Stimulant medications used to treat attention deficit problems and keep service members alert during long stretches of combat might increase vulnerability to post-traumatic stress disorder.
  
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• Deciphering the role of brain layers

  19-11-2015 19:39
  New research sheds light into the role of layers in the brain. The study shows that the formation of layers speeds the development of neuronal circuits although, surprisingly, it is not crucial for the establishment of functional and cell-type specific connections.
  
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• Running prevents postnatal side effects of epilepsy drugs in mice

  19-11-2015 19:32
  The simple act of running may be sufficient to prevent long-term cognitive impairments caused by prenatal exposure to antiepileptic drugs, according to a study. The findings revealed that prenatal exposure to a commonly used antiepileptic drug called valproic acid inhibited the birth of new neurons in the brains of adult mice and impaired their performance on learning and memory tasks.
  
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• New method for imaging marmoset brains

  19-11-2015 19:32
  A new system for imaging the activity of individual neurons in the marmoset brain has been developed by scientists. The study shows how amplifying genetically encoded fluorescent signals with TET-inducible gene expression allows hundreds of individual neurons in the primate brain to be imaged simultaneously over a period of several months.
  
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• Brainstem 'stop neurons' make us halt when we walk

  19-11-2015 19:32
  A population of 'stop cells' in the brainstem is essential for the ability of mice to stop their locomotion, according to a new study. Researchers report a brainstem pathway specifically dedicated to enforce locomotor arrest; its selective activation stops locomotion, while its silencing favors it.
  
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• How to cope with anxiety during terror threats

  19-11-2015 18:47 via nytimes.com
  There are ways people can cope with the anxiety over the loss of control felt about terrorism.
  
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• How exercise may energize brain cell function: Animal study

  19-11-2015 18:26
  As we age or develop neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's, our brain cells may not produce sufficient energy to remain fully functional. Researchers have discovered that an enzyme called SIRT3 that is located in mitochondria — the cell's powerhouse — may protect mice brains against the kinds of stresses believed to contribute to energy loss. Furthermore, mice that ran on a wheel increased their levels of this protective enzyme.
  
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• Seven minutes of meditation can reduce racial prejudice, study finds

  19-11-2015 18:22
  A popular meditation technique that's intended to create feelings of kindness can also reduce prejudice, according to new research. The study found that just seven minutes of Loving-kindness meditation (LKM), a Buddhist practise that promotes unconditional kindness towards oneself and others, is effective at reducing racial bias.
  
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• Brains with autism adapt differently during implicit learning

  19-11-2015 18:22
  A crucial difference in the way learning occurs in the brains of adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has been identified by scientists. They have examined how the brains of typical and ASD individuals gradually became adapted to visual patterns they were learning, without awareness of the pattern, or implicit learning.
  
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• WSU psychologists dispute continuum theory of sexual orientation

  19-11-2015 18:00
  
  Statistical analysis finds categorical distinctions, health issues.Washington State University researchers have established a categorical distinction between people who are heterosexual and those...
  
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• Improving fitness may counteract brain atrophy in older adults, study shows

  19-11-2015 17:34
  Older adults that improved their fitness through a moderate intensity exercise program increased the thickness of their brain's cortex, the outer layer of the brain that typically atrophies with Alzheimer's disease, according to a new study. These effects were found in both healthy older adults and those diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment, an early stage of Alzheimer's disease.
  
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• Novel proteins linked to Huntington's disease identified

  19-11-2015 17:27
  A new discovery about Huntington's disease has been made by researchers, showing that the gene that causes the fatal disorder makes an unexpected 'cocktail' of mutant proteins that accumulate in the brain.
  
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• How does our brain form creative and original ideas?

  19-11-2015 16:41
  A new study attempted to crack the connection between brain activity and creativity. The results shed a new, perhaps unexpected light, on our ability to think outside the box
  
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• More money, more sex, more happiness? Not necessarily, study says

  19-11-2015 16:00
  
  We are constantly blasted with the idea that more money and sex will bring more happiness, but a new study shows they do not have limitless benefits when it comes to well-being.
  
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• Babies have logical reasoning before age one, study finds

  19-11-2015 16:00
  
  Deductive problem solving was previously thought to be beyond the reach of infants.
  
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• A 'Council of Psychological Science Advisors' tackles pressing policy issues

  19-11-2015 16:00
  
  Some of the most urgent issues that American society faces today -- including obesity, consumer debt, risk of terrorism, and climate change -- are fundamentally influenced by decision making and...
  
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• 40,000 children hit by the death of a parent each year - local support needed for grieving children

  19-11-2015 16:00
  
  For the first time, the Childhood Bereavement Network has today published estimates of the number of children in each local authority who are bereaved each year of a parent.
  
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• Improving Fitness May Counteract Brain Atrophy in Older Adults

  19-11-2015 15:09 via feeds.socialpsychology.org
  Source: ScienceDailyOlder adults that improved their fitness through a moderate intensity exercise program increased the thickness of their brain's cortex, the outer layer of the brain that typically atrophies with Alzheimer's disease, according to a new study. These effects were found in both healthy older adults and those diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment, an early stage of Alzheimer's disease.
  
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• Millions with HIV Undiagnosed Due to Fear of Being Tested

  19-11-2015 15:01 via feeds.socialpsychology.org
  Source: ScienceDailyBritish academics have carried out the largest global review of psychological barriers behind HIV testing and the factors that may influence people’s decision to be tested.
  
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• Mindfulness Meditation May Improve Memory in Teens

  19-11-2015 15:00 via feeds.socialpsychology.org
  
  Source: Yahoo News - HealthAdolescents assigned to a mindfulness meditation program appeared to have improvements in memory in a recent study.
  
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• Georgetown University Confronts Its Slave History

  19-11-2015 15:00 via feeds.socialpsychology.org
  
  Source: CBS News - U.S. NewsAmid heightened racial tensions on campuses across the U.S., Georgetown announces it will rename two buildings named after ex-presidents tied to slavery.
  
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• Stanford study reports ethnicity does not predict type of end-of-life care patients want

  19-11-2015 11:00
  
  Ethnicity does not predict the type of end-of-life care people want, according to a study by researchers at Stanford University School of Medicine.
  
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• Type 2 Diabetes Drug Helps Some with Chronic Depression

  19-11-2015 06:38 via feeds.socialpsychology.org
  Source: U.S. News and World ReportInsulin resistance may underlie the mental illness, researcher says.
  
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• Does More Sex Make Couples Happier?

  19-11-2015 06:38 via feeds.socialpsychology.org
  
  Source: Google News - HealthAn active sex life is important to couples' happiness, but they don't have to go at it like rabbits -- those who make love once a week are happiest, a new study suggests. More frequent sex isn't a buzzkill for a relationship. It just doesn't pack the...
  
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• Surprising Links Between Bullying and Eating Disorders

  19-11-2015 06:36 via feeds.socialpsychology.org
  Source: ScienceDailyBeing bullied in childhood has been associated with increased risk for anxiety, depression and even eating disorders. But according to new research, it's not only the victims who could be at risk psychologically, but also the bullies themselves.
  
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• Scientists shed light on how our brains see the world

  19-11-2015 00:05
  A new study reveals how the brain understands motion and still objects to help us navigate our complex visual world. The findings have a number of potential practical applications, ranging from treatment for motion blindness to improved motion recognition algorithms used in airport and other public security systems.
  
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• Master switch for brain development

  19-11-2015 00:05
  A complex regulatory mechanism has been disovered, which explains how a single gene can drive the formation of brain cells. The research is an important step towards a better understanding of how the brain develops. It also harbors potential for regenerative medicine.
  
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