Psychology news

• Sleep research high-resolution images show how the brain resets during sleep

  02-02-2017 20:19
  Striking electron microscope pictures from inside the brains of mice suggest what happens in our own brain every day: Our synapses -- the junctions between nerve cells -- grow strong and large during the stimulation of daytime, then shrink by nearly 20 percent while we sleep, creating room for more growth and learning the next day.
  
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• Sleep deprivation handicaps the brain's ability to form new memories, mouse study shows

  02-02-2017 20:19
  Studying mice, scientists have fortified evidence that a key purpose of sleep is to recalibrate the brain cells responsible for learning and memory so the animals can 'solidify' lessons learned and use them when they awaken -- in the case of nocturnal mice, the next evening.
  
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• Study points to a universal immune mechanism as a regulator of sleep

  02-02-2017 20:18
  Sleep may be regulated in part by several brain-based immune proteins collectively called inflammasome NLRP3, suggests new research conducted in mice.
  
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• Scientists utilize innovative neuroimaging approach to unravel complex brain networks

  02-02-2017 18:27
  A research team has used an innovative neuroimaging tool to interrogate the complex brain networks and functions.
  
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• 'Synthetic marijuana' may cause serious harm to health

  02-02-2017 18:00
  
  A new review summarizes the adverse health effects linked to synthetic cannabinoids - drugs often marketed as a safe and a legal alternative to marijuana.
  
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• Stress hormones underlie Indigenous health gap in Australia

  02-02-2017 15:08
  Scientists have made a disturbing finding about some young Indigenous people's biological reaction to stress, but one that could help close the health gap for indigenous people.
  
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• Scientists identify two brain networks influencing how we make decisions

  02-02-2017 15:08
  Scientists have pinpointed two distinct mechanisms in the human brain that control the balance between speed and accuracy when making decisions.
  
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• Immune system suppression may be related to problem drinking

  02-02-2017 15:04
  Cytokines are small proteins in the immune system that act as chemical messengers between cells. Prior research suggests that pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines are dysfunctional during alcohol dependence and may contribute to the progression from healthy to problem drinking. This study compared social and non-dependent problem drinkers on the impact of alcohol-related changes in the body’s immune response to stress, alcohol-cue induced craving and anxiety, motivation to drink, and alcoh
  
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• World-first trial shows improving diet can treat major depression

  02-02-2017 15:00
  
  A new trial from Deakin University has shown for the first time that improving diet quality can treat major depression.
  
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• Antidepressants Induce Resilience and Reverse Susceptibility

  02-02-2017 14:58
  When they work, antidepressant medications may take weeks or months to alleviate symptoms of depression. Progress in developing new and more effective antidepressant treatments has been limited, though a new study offers new insights into how antidepressants work.
  
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• Addicted individuals less responsive to reward-anticipation

  02-02-2017 14:58
  It may be difficult for addicted individuals to learn when they can expect a reward. This learning problem could perhaps explain why they are more prone to addiction and find it difficult to kick the habit. Researchers reached this conclusion on the basis of an extensive meta-analysis of the brain imaging literature.
  
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• Lasting autistic traits in women with anorexia

  02-02-2017 14:57
  Women with anorexia display clear autistic traits, even once the eating disorder is under control and they have achieved a normal weight, according to research. The similarities between anorexia and autism in women are also seen in a part of the brain which process social skills.
  
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• Nicotine creates a chronic drug memory in the brain

  02-02-2017 14:56
  A researcher reports a surprise that came after three months into her study on nicotine abstinence, when lab rats suddenly became fearless and sought out well-lighted areas that prey animals normally avoid. At the same time, signaling in the brain’s reward system changed, as shown by a study.
  
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• Why is some social media content interpreted as bragging?

  02-02-2017 09:00
  
  People who post personal content on social networking sites such as Facebook and try to present themselves in a positive light may be perceived as bragging, and therefore be less attractive to...
  
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• Why battered women won’t always leave their batterers

  02-02-2017 03:51 via huffingtonpost.com
  
  Professionals as well as the criminal justice system frequently lack sympathy for women who stay with their abusers.
  
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