Psychology news

• Potential schizophrenia 'switch' found

  19-09-2016 20:14
  A key mechanism that explains how compounds they're developing can suppress schizophrenia-like symptoms in mice without side effects has been discovered by researchers. An estimated 3 million Americans have schizophrenia, which is associated with excessive amounts of the neurotransmitter dopamine in a part of the forebrain called the striatum.
  
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• Opioids may affect how we perceive 'cuteness' of babies

  19-09-2016 19:34
  Opioid dependence -- which includes dependence on drugs such as heroin -- affects how 'cute' we perceive images of children to be, new research shows. As cuteness can trigger caregiving motivation, this result indicates that the opioid system may have significant effects on our ability to care for others. The implications of this may need to be considered in any consideration of medical or recreational opioid use.
  
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• Donald Trump Defends Racial Profiling After Bombs

  19-09-2016 18:30 via feeds.socialpsychology.org
  
  Source: CNN - Top StoriesDonald Trump on Monday reiterated his support for the controversial practice of racial profiling by police amid increasing threats to the homeland.
  
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• Finding your way around in an uncertain world

  19-09-2016 18:07
  Suppose you woke up in your bedroom with the lights off and wanted to get out. While heading toward the door with your arms out, you would predict the distance to the door based on your memory of your bedroom and the steps you have already made. If you touch a wall or furniture, you would refine the prediction. This is an example of how important it is to supplement limited sensory input with your own actions to grasp the situation. How the brain comprehends such a complex cognitive function is
  
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• Laughter may boost physical activity, mental health for seniors

  19-09-2016 18:00
  
  A program that combines exercise and laughter may motivate older adults to get active, improving their physical and mental health.
  
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• Men's sex drive could be boosted with light therapy

  19-09-2016 17:00
  
  Exposure to bright light for 30 minutes daily may increase men's testosterone levels and boost their sex drive, new research suggests.
  
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• Can sertraline prevent depressive disorders following traumatic brain injury?

  19-09-2016 16:47
  Depressive disorders are common following traumatic brain injury (TBI). So, can the antidepressant medication sertraline prevent the onset of depressive disorders following TBI?
  
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• Consumption from within: How the brain controls our appetite

  19-09-2016 15:50
  Researchers show how our brain activates self-destruct mechanisms when it is low on energy to regulate appetite. The scientists have uncovered the mechanisms behind the enzyme that controls our appetite in response to low glucose availability in the brain.
  
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• Glutamate plays previously unknown role in neuromuscular development

  19-09-2016 15:45
  In mice, glutamate plays a vital role in controlling how muscles and nerves are wired together during development, researchers have discovered. Glutamate is the most common neurotransmitter in the brain.
  
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• Study shows internet addiction may indicate other mental health problems problem in college-aged students

  19-09-2016 15:00
  
  A new survey of internet users suggests that people who use the internet excessively may have more mental health problems.
  
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• Transcranial direct current stimulation raises glutamate levels in humans

  19-09-2016 14:47
  The notion that low levels of electrical stimulation applied to the scalp, barely enough to create a mild tingling sensation, could activate the brain is a relatively new and somewhat controversial idea. The technique, called transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) has been reported to modify mood, emotion, and cognition, yet researchers lack any evidence for how -- or even if -- it directly modulates brain activity. Still, some researchers see its potential for a new strategy to treat ps
  
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• Parkinson's disease protein plays vital 'marshalling' role in healthy brains

  19-09-2016 14:46
  Researchers have established how a protein called alpha-synuclein, which is closely associated with Parkinson's Disease, functions in healthy human brains. By showing how the protein works in healthy patients, the study offers important clues about what may be happening when people develop the disease itself. Parkinson's disease is one of a group of conditions known as "protein misfolding diseases," because they are characterized by specific proteins becoming distorted and malfunctioning. These
  
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• Neurofeedback: When output becomes part of input

  19-09-2016 14:46
  Neurofeedback is a technique used for the treatment of clinical disorders (like depression, anxiety, chronic pain, ADHD and schizophrenia etc.) and enhancement of brain performance. It is based on the “self-regulation” of brain activations underpinned by the principles of feedback control systems. Feedback systems can be found in areas such as cybernetics, industrial automation, quality control, optimization and so on. A new study has reviewed the literature on feedback con
  
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• We Cannot Not Communicate — Unless We’re Texting!

  19-09-2016 14:08 via counsellingresource.com
  
  It might be true that we cannot not communicate, but when it comes to email and texting, what we're communicating might not be what we intend -- even when the recipient is a friend who knows us well. Tags: communication, news and research, relationships, writing
  
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• Scientists discover response to anxiety linked to movement control areas in brain

  19-09-2016 09:00
  
  Researchers have discovered that the response to anxiety in teenagers may include not only the parts of the brain which deal with emotions (the limbic system), as has been long understood, but also...
  
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• Is it art? If so, we will see it differently, say researchers

  19-09-2016 09:00
  
  We see things differently if we think they are art, say neurologists. Find out more about how the brain looks at art, compared with real-life images.
  
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• How does beer impact social tendencies?

  19-09-2016 09:00
  
  New research confirms that drinking alcohol acts as a 'social lubricant,' after finding it increases the desire to be part of happy social situations.
  
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• The Thatcher illusion: Are faces special?

  19-09-2016 08:00
  
  Mind gamers: why was a picture of Margaret Thatcher so important for understanding the human visual system?What’s wrong with the picture above? Obviously, the two faces are upside down, but does something seem a little odd about one of them? When you show this to most people, they can tell there’s a difference, but it’s not immediately clear what the problem is.The Thatcher illusion was first reported by the University of York’s Professor Peter Thompson in 1980, and laid
  
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• Drinking beer helps us see happy faces faster

  19-09-2016 03:44
  What does drinking beer really do? A new study has shown that drinking beer affects the way we see specific emotions and allows us to see happy faces faster. It also has surprising effects on sexual perception.
  
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• Response to anxiety linked to movement control areas in brain

  19-09-2016 00:00
  Researchers have discovered that the response to anxiety in teenagers may include not only the parts of the brain which deal with emotions (the limbic system), as has been long understood, but also movement control centres in the brain, which may be associated with movement inhibition when stressed (“freezing”).
  
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• Neuroscience study supports 200-year old art theory

  19-09-2016 00:00
  A pilot study from a group of Dutch scientists implies that being told that an image is an artwork automatically changes our response, both on a neural and behavioural level. This may mean that our brains automatically up or down-regulate emotional response according to the whether they think something should be understood at face value, or whether it should be interpreted as art. This tends to lend support to an over 200 year old theory of art, first put forward by the philosopher Immanuel Kant
  
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