Psychology news

• Psychological Sciences gains Athena SWAN Bronze Award

  28-04-2016 22:11
  Award recognises Department's commitment to tackling gender inequality.
  
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• Do bearded dragons dream? Reptiles share sleep patterns with mammals and birds

  28-04-2016 21:21
  Brain sleep appeared early in vertebrate evolution. Researchers describe the existence of REM and slow-wave sleep in the Australian dragon, with many common features with mammalian sleep: a phase characterized by low frequency/high amplitude average brain activity and rare and bursty neuronal firing (slow-wave sleep); another characterized by awake-like brain activity and rapid eye movements.
  
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• Recent cancer diagnosis associated with increased risk of mental health disorders

  28-04-2016 17:00
  
  A recent cancer diagnosis was associated with increased risk for some mental health disorders and increased use of psychiatric medications, according to a new study published online by JAMA...
  
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• Genetic data uncovers multiple facets of schizophrenia

  28-04-2016 17:00
  
  Four different genetic mutations appear to account for four distinct forms of schizophrenia. This could mean more targeted therapy options for 1 in 3 patients with the condition.
  
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• From retina to cortex: An unexpected division of labor

  28-04-2016 16:30
  By using imaging technologies that allow visualization of the ON and OFF response regions of hundreds of individual cortical neurons, researchers have discovered that fine scale retinal spatial information is preserved by the OFF response regions of cortical neurons, while the ON response regions exhibit systematic spatial displacements that are necessary to build an orderly map of edge orientation.
  
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• How we understand others

  28-04-2016 15:49
  People who empathize easily with others do not necessarily understand them well. To the contrary: Excessive empathy can even impair understanding as a new study conducted by psychologists has established.
  
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• Excessive empathy can impair understanding of others

  28-04-2016 15:49
  People who empathize easily with others do not necessarily understand them well. To the contrary: Excessive empathy can even impair understanding as a new study conducted by psychologists has established.
  
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• Modifying an obesity drug could reduce side effects like anxiety and depression

  28-04-2016 15:47
  A new version of an obesity drug that caused serious psychiatric side effects could help people lose pounds without experiencing the anxiety, depression and suicidal thoughts previously associated with it. The research shows that the new version of the drug can still work without reaching the brain in rats, avoiding the side effects.
  
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• Gestational exposure to type of antidepressants associated with adolescent offspring depression

  28-04-2016 15:47
  The use of certain antidepressants during pregnancy can result in offspring depression by early adolescence. Using national register data from Finland, researchers found that children exposed to selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) during gestation had more chance of being diagnosed with depression after age 12, reaching a cumulative incidence of 8.2% by age 15. For children exposed to maternal psychiatric illness but no antidepressants, the incidence was 1.9%. Rates of anxiety, autis
  
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• Friends 'better than morphine'

  28-04-2016 15:44
  People with more friends have higher pain tolerance, researchers have found, in a study looking at social networks and endorphin levels.
  
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• Brain cells divide the work to recognize bodies

  28-04-2016 15:44
  Specific regions of the brain are specialized in recognizing bodies of animals and human beings. By measuring the electrical activity per cell, scientists have shown that the individual brain cells in these areas do different things. Their response to specific contours or body shapes is very selective.
  
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• Friends better than morphine: Larger social networks release more pain-killing endorphin

  28-04-2016 14:00
  
  People with more friends have higher pain tolerance, Oxford University researchers have found.
  
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• People with more friends have higher pain thresholds, study suggests

  28-04-2016 11:00
  
  Link between larger friendship circles and pain tolerance may be down to the way the the brain’s endorphin system has evolved, researchers sayPeople with a larger circle of friends are better able to tolerate pain, according to research into the pain thresholds and social networks of volunteers.The link is thought to be down a system in the brain that involves endorphins: potent pain-killing chemicals produced by the body that also trigger a sense of wellbeing.Related: Rhythm without the b
  
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• Silent epidemic? Head injury may be linked to lasting sleep problems

  28-04-2016 04:11
  People who have had a traumatic brain injury may still have sleep problems a year and a half after being injured, according to a study. In addition, people with TBI may also be unaware of just how much their sleep is disturbed.
  
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• Serotonin reduces apnea, could be clue to understanding sudden infant death syndrome

  28-04-2016 04:11
  Serotonin, a neurotransmitter in the brain, shortens periods of apnea (temporary cessation of breathing) and promotes inspiration, according to a new study.
  
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• Paranormal beliefs can increase number of déjà vu experiences

  28-04-2016 01:00
  
  A belief in the paranormal can mean an individual experiences more déjà vu moments in their life.
  
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• Increased curiosity is the 'silver lining' of a quarter life and midlife crisis

  28-04-2016 01:00
  
  An increased curiosity about others and the wider world could be the 'silver lining' of undergoing a quarter life crisis or midlife crisis.
  
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• Beauty companies should focus on older women's desire to look good, not young

  28-04-2016 01:00
  
  Companies promoting beauty products should reconsider current methods when targeting older women as few claim to use cosmetic products to look younger.
  
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