Psychology news

• Newly discovered brain mechanism could change understanding of cognitive diseases from ADHD to autism

  23-03-2016 20:25
  Evidence is mounting that a gene called PTCHD1 helps the brain sort between important sights and sounds — and distractions.
  
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• Using magnetic forces to control neurons, study finds brain is vital in glucose metabolism

  23-03-2016 20:20
  A new tool to control the activity of neurons in mice avoids the downfalls of current methods by using magnetic forces to remotely control the flow of ions into specifically targeted cells. Applying this method to a group of neurons in the hypothalamus, researchers found that the brain plays a surprisingly vital role in maintaining blood glucose levels.
  
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• Brain stimulation may reduce symptoms, improve decision-making in people with anorexia

  23-03-2016 20:20
  Core symptoms of anorexia nervosa, including the urge to restrict food intake and feeling fat, are reduced after just one session of a noninvasive brain stimulation technique, according new research.
  
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• Conflict between science, religion lies in our brains

  23-03-2016 20:18
  The conflict between science and religion may have its origins in the structure of our brains. To believe in a supernatural god or universal spirit, people appear to suppress the brain network used for analytical thinking and engage the empathetic network. When thinking analytically about the physical world, people appear to do the opposite.
  
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• Live-imaging technique for mice seen as boost to studies of brain function, development

  23-03-2016 19:24
  Scientists have looked into the brains of living mice to see in real time the processing of sensory information and generation of behavioral responses. To do so, researchers developed a line of transgenic mice whose brains expressed a green fluorescent protein that lights up active neurons.
  
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• People with 'rage' disorder twice as likely to have toxoplasmosis

  23-03-2016 18:00
  
  People with intermittent explosive disorder are more than twice as likely to have toxoplasmosis, an infection passed on through cat feces, undercooked meat or contaminated water.
  
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• No Joke: Blondes Aren't Dumb, Study Concludes

  23-03-2016 17:49 via feeds.socialpsychology.org
  Source: ScienceDailyThe "dumb blonde" stereotype is simply wrong, according to a new national study of young baby boomers. The study of 10,878 Americans found that white women who said their natural hair color was blonde had an average IQ score within 3 points of brunettes and those with red or black hair. The resulting findings showed that blonde-haired white women had an average IQ of 103.2, compared to 102.7 for those with brown hair, 101.2 for those with red...
  
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• Meditation May Beat Medication for Chronic Back Pain

  23-03-2016 17:49 via feeds.socialpsychology.org
  
  Source: U.S. News and World ReportPeople who traded in their standard care – such as opioid painkillers, physical therapy or just sucking it up – for either of two body-mind treatments saw their chronic back pain and physical function improve more than other participants in a small study.
  
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• "Living in Hell": Mentally Ill People in Indonesia Chained and Confined

  23-03-2016 17:49 via feeds.socialpsychology.org
  
  Source: The GuardianAlmost 40 years after Indonesia banned the practice of shackling people with mental health conditions, nearly 19,000 are still living in chains, or are locked up in institutions where they are vulnerable to abuse, according to a new report from Human Rights Watch (HRW).
  
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• Can Virtual Reality Promote Empathy and Cure Phobias?

  23-03-2016 17:48 via feeds.socialpsychology.org
  
  Source: The GuardianIn March 2014 Mark Zuckerberg dipped into his deep pockets to buy Oculus Rift for $2 billion, proclaiming to the world that after many fits and starts, virtual reality would stick. Now Oculus Rift is on the verge of being launched to the masses, with a promise of greater immersion and more realism than ever before. CG-rendered games will be the main driver, but growing evidence and use by clinicians suggests that VR could become a common tool...
  
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• North Carolina Governor Signs Controversial Transgender Bill

  23-03-2016 17:34 via feeds.socialpsychology.org
  
  Source: Google NewsThe North Carolina Legislature on Wednesday passed a controversial bill blocking cities from allowing transgender individuals to use public bathrooms for the sex they identify as -- as well as restricting cities from passing ...
  
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• Facebook Taps Artificial Intelligence for Users with Disabilities

  23-03-2016 17:34 via feeds.socialpsychology.org
  
  Source: USA Today - TechnologyTech companies are trying to make their services more accessible to people with disabilities.            .
  
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• University of California Softens Anti-Semitism Statement

  23-03-2016 17:33 via feeds.socialpsychology.org
  
  Source: Reuters - US NewsThe University of California's regents declared on Wednesday they would not tolerate anti-Semitism on campus but rejected a proposal to equate anti-Zionism with religious bigotry, as they tried to defuse tensions between pro-Israeli and pro-Palestinian students.
  
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• Anatomy of pain

  23-03-2016 16:59
  Emotions consist of general components that are also elicited by similar impressions and specific components, report researchers. Previous studies have shown that the same brain structures -- namely the anterior insula and the cingulate cortex - are activated, irrespective of whether the pain is personally experienced or empathetic.
  
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• Study demonstrates possibility of changing behavior of the gaze by transcranial magnetic stimulation

  23-03-2016 16:56
  New work has shown that transcranial magnetic stimulation (noninvasive and painless) of the STS can selectively and transiently inhibit the subject's gaze into the eyes of the person speaking to them. It offers new therapeutic prospects for autistic patients precisely presenting anatomical and functional differences of the superior temporal sulcus.
  
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• Scientists offer new insight on rare genetic condition

  23-03-2016 13:23
  All children are screened for a host of conditions at birth, such as Phenylketonuria, a genetic disorder that is passed by mutated genes from both parents to their offspring. Currently the primary way to manage the disease is through a restricted diet. Now, researchers are using magnetic resonance imaging to learn more about the effects of this disorder on the brain and to assist scientists in developing therapeutic drugs.
  
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• SSRI antidepressants not associated with an increased risk cardiovascular conditions

  23-03-2016 13:22
  Commonly used antidepressants, known as 'selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors', are not associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular conditions, such as heart attacks and strokes, according to new research.
  
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• Enhancing sleep after brain injury reduces brain damage, cognitive decline in rats

  23-03-2016 13:22
  Enhancing sleep after a head injury may help prevent some damage to brain cells, according to a study. Researchers found that enhancing the slow-wave cycle of sleep after head trauma minimized damage to axons -- the thin extensions that nerve cells use to send signals to other cells -- and helped preserve normal brain function.
  
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• Made ya look: Moviegoers may have little control over eye movements, study finds

  23-03-2016 13:00
  
  Hollywood-style films may control viewers' attention more than originally thought, according to a Kansas State University researcher.
  
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• Noise disrupts the tactile skills of premature babies

  23-03-2016 12:00
  
  Premature birth is a harsh change of environment for a baby. Until birth, the baby is confined to the mother's womb, surrounded by soft lighting and filtered noise.
  
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• Stress before pregnancy linked to birth weight

  23-03-2016 11:00
  
  A new study suggests that women whose pre-pregnancy cortisol patterns are like those associated with chronic stress are more likely to have babies that weigh less at birth.
  
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• Calcium waves in the brain alleviate depressive behavior in mice

  23-03-2016 11:00
  
  Researchers at the RIKEN Brain Science Institute in Japan have discovered that the benefits of stimulating the brain with direct current come from its effects on astrocytes -- not neurons -- in the...
  
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• How to talk to kids about tragic events

  23-03-2016 03:48 via cnn.com
  
  Parenting experts say the age and temperament of a child is a key factor in the decision.
  
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