Psychology news

• Eye cells may use math to detect motion

  07-03-2016 21:28
  In a study of mice, scientists showed how one type of neuron in the eye may distinguish moving objects. The study suggests that the NMDA receptor, a protein normally associated with learning and memory, may help neurons in the eye and the brain relay that information.
  
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• Dementia plaques attack language center of brain

  07-03-2016 21:28
  The recent ability to peer into the brain of living individuals with a rare type of language dementia, primary progressive aphasia, provides important insight into the beginning stages of this disease, when it is caused by a buildup of a toxic protein found in Alzheimer's disease. The research also offers insight into why this dementia causes people to lose the ability to express themselves and understand language. The findings will guide Alzheimer's treatment, say researchers.
  
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• Songbirds pinpoint effects of Huntington's disease

  07-03-2016 21:27
  Scientists have parsed the role of the Huntington's disease gene in an area of the songbird's brain responsible for complex, sequential movements. These findings not only give a clearer view of how the genetic mutation that causes Huntington's disease alters brain and behavior, it may also offer a new therapeutic target for treatment.
  
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• Discovery identifies new treatment target for age-releated macular degeneration, Alzheimer's

  07-03-2016 21:27
  For the first time, researchers have shown that a protein critical to the body's ability to remove waste products from the brain and retina is diminished in age-related macular degeneration, after first making the discovery in an Alzheimer's disease brain. The research team also discovered a key reason, identifying a new treatment target.
  
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• Talk about yourself on social media?

  07-03-2016 18:55
  A network of brain regions involved in self-disclosure on Facebook has been determined by a team of researchers. In the first study to examine the intrinsic functional connectivity of the brain in relation to social media use, researchers observed connectivity between regions of the brain previously established to play a role in self-cognition, in 35 participants.
  
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• Using the arts to promote healthy aging

  07-03-2016 17:57 via well.blogs.nytimes.com
  Throughout the country, the arts are pumping new life into the bodies and minds of the elderly.
  
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• Should therapists analyze presidential candidates?

  07-03-2016 17:55 via nytimes.com
  Offering a diagnosis or treatment recommendation for someone a therapist has never met is fraught both ethically and scientifically.
  
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• Toxic byproduct of hemoglobin could provide clues for cerebral hemorrhage and Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease

  07-03-2016 17:42
  A novel mechanism has been found that could protect the brain from damage due to stroke and a variety of neurodegenerative conditions, including sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, Alzheimer’s disease, and Parkinson’s disease, report scientists.
  
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• Scientists map roots of premeditated, violent 'intent' in animal brain

  07-03-2016 17:29
  The bad intentions that often precede violence originate in a specific brain region, according to a study in mice. The work is the first, say the study authors, to tie warning signs of premeditated violence -- stalking, bullying, and possibly sexual aggression -- to a distinct part of the hypothalamus, the brain region that also controls body temperature, hunger and sleep in mammals.
  
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• Brain region responsible for violence identified

  07-03-2016 17:00
  
  Researchers have pinpointed the brain area in male mice responsible for aggression and say their work could lead to 'controlling aggressive behaviors.'
  
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• Depression, anxiety may reduce chances of IVF pregnancy

  07-03-2016 15:35
  Depression and anxiety, and not necessarily the use of antidepressant medication, are associated with lower pregnancy and live birth rates following in vitro fertilization, according to a large register study in Sweden. The findings will be of interest to clinicians treating infertility and for women with depression or anxiety planning to undergo fertility treatment.
  
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• Scientists tap the smarts of mice, capture problem-solving in action

  07-03-2016 15:23
  Scientists have captured unique images of problem-solving in action by tapping into the minds of mice. The study shows rapid rewiring in the frontal brains of mice after they learn by trial and error.
  
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• Brain's gardeners: Immune cells 'prune' connections between neurons

  07-03-2016 15:23
  Cells normally associated with protecting the brain from infection and injury also serve an important role in rewiring the connections between nerve cells, new research shows. While this discovery sheds new light on the mechanics of neuroplasticity, it could also help explain diseases like autism spectrum disorders, schizophrenia, and dementia, which may arise when this process breaks down and connections between brain cells are not formed or removed correctly.
  
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• New York to Allow Restroom Choice Based on Gender Identity

  07-03-2016 13:51 via feeds.socialpsychology.org
  
  Source: Reuters - US NewsNew York will now allow a person of any gender to choose whether to use a men's or women's bathroom or locker room in all municipal properties, acceding to the demands of transgender advocates.
  
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• Celebrities Urge World Leaders to Fight for Girls and Women

  07-03-2016 13:50 via feeds.socialpsychology.org
  
  Source: Yahoo News - Top HeadlinesA number of high-profile entertainers — including Oprah Winfrey, Mary J. Blige, Charlize Theron and Meryl Streep — have signed an open letter calling on world leaders to fight for gender equality across the globe.
  
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• Assisted Dying Complex When It Comes to Mentally Ill, Say Experts

  07-03-2016 13:50 via feeds.socialpsychology.org
  
  Source: Canadian Broadcasting Company - Health NewsOne of the most contentious issues sparked by Canada's upcoming right-to-die legislation is whether people with mental illness should be eligible to seek a doctor's help to end their lives, along with those suffering from a "grievous and irremediable" physical disease like terminal cancer.
  
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• How Narcissism Stands in the Way of Making Amends

  07-03-2016 13:40 via counsellingresource.com
  
  Narcissists have a hard enough time acknowledging any fault, let alone finding it within their heart to invest themselves in the task of making amends to those they've hurt.Tags: character disturbance, relationships, responsibility
  
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• First code of conduct for the use of virtual reality established

  07-03-2016 09:00
  
  Researchers from Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU) in Germany have prepared a list of ethical concerns that might arise with the use of virtual reality (VR) by researchers and the general...
  
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