http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/health_medicine/psychology/ Learn about the brain, behavior and health. Read health articles on intellectual development, brain abnormalities, and mental health. Updated daily. en-us Sat, 26 May 2012 14:05:01 EDT Sat, 26 May 2012 14:05:01 EDT 60 http://www.sciencedaily.com/images/logosmall.gif http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/health_medicine/psychology/ For more science articles, visit ScienceDaily. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120524123209.htm Despite a long-held scientific belief that much of the wiring of the brain is fixed by adolescence, a new study shows that changes in sensory experience can cause massive rewiring, even as one ages. The study also found this rewiring involves fibers that supply the primary input to the cerebral cortex, which is responsible for sensory perception, motor control and cognition. These findings may open new avenues of research on brain remodeling and aging. Thu, 24 May 2012 12:32:32 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120524123209.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120524122855.htm Researchers have identified a protein necessary to maintain behavioral flexibility, which allows us to modify our behaviors to adjust to circumstances that are similar, but not identical, to previous experiences. Their findings may offer new insights into addressing autism and schizophrenia—afflictions marked by impaired behavioral flexibility. Thu, 24 May 2012 12:28:28 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120524122855.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120524092220.htm A new technique that converts stem cells into brain cells has just been developed. The method is simpler, quicker and safer than previous research has shown and opens the doors to a shorter route to clinical cell transplants. Thu, 24 May 2012 09:22:22 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120524092220.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120523135523.htm Researchers have shown in mice how immune cells in the brain target and remove unused connections between brain cells during normal development. This research sheds light on how brain activity influences brain development, and highlights the newly found importance of the immune system in how the brain is wired, as well as how the brain forms new connections throughout life in response to change. Wed, 23 May 2012 13:55:55 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120523135523.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120523114726.htm When confronted with adverse situations such as the loss of a loved one, some people never fully recover from the pain. Others, the majority, pull through and experience how the intensity of negative emotions (e.g. anxiety, depression) grows dimmer with time until they adapt to the new situation. A third group is made up of individuals whose adversities have made them grow personally and whose life takes on new meaning, making them feel stronger than before. Wed, 23 May 2012 11:47:47 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120523114726.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120523102958.htm Brains that maintain healthy nerve connections as we age help keep us sharp in later life, new research has found. Wed, 23 May 2012 10:29:29 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120523102958.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120523101929.htm Some people feel depressed because they have been eating too much, then they eat too much because they are feeling depressed. As is the case with drug addicts, a vicious cycle sets in where "food-highs" are used as a way to combat depression, experts say. Wed, 23 May 2012 10:19:19 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120523101929.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120522200629.htm Pathological aging (PA) is used to describe the brains of people which have Alzheimer’s disease (AD)-like pathology but where the person showed no signs of cognitive impairment whilst they were alive. New research shows that PA and AD brains contain similar amyloid β (Aβ) plaques and that while on average AD brains contain more Aβ there was considerable overlap in Aβ subtypes. These results suggest that PA may simply be an early stage of AD. Tue, 22 May 2012 20:06:06 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120522200629.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120522161338.htm Research demonstrates how dying or damaged brain cells give rise to autoantibodies in blood that can be reliable biomarkers for early AD diagnosis. Key mechanism mirrors process common to autoimmune disorders. Tue, 22 May 2012 16:13:13 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120522161338.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120522135147.htm When brain cells start oozing too much of the amyloid protein that is the hallmark of Alzheimer's disease, the astrocytes that normally nourish and protect them deliver a suicide package instead, researchers report. Tue, 22 May 2012 13:51:51 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120522135147.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120522115024.htm Researchers have developed a map of the human brain that shows great promise as a new guide to the inner workings of the body's most complex and critical organ. Tue, 22 May 2012 11:50:50 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120522115024.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120521164058.htm Researchers have uncovered new knowledge related to host-parasite interaction in severe malaria, concerning how malaria parasites are able to bind to cells in the brain and cause cerebral malaria -- the most lethal form of the disease. Mon, 21 May 2012 16:40:40 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120521164058.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120521164054.htm A brief therapy session for adults with a lifelong debilitating spider phobia resulted in lasting changes to the brain's response to fear. The therapy was so successful, the adults were able to hold a tarantula in their bare hands six months after the treatment. This is the first study to document the immediate and long-term brain changes after treatment and to illustrate how the brain reorganizes long-term to reduce fear. Mon, 21 May 2012 16:40:40 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120521164054.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120521163853.htm Researchers have seen an increased reaction to stress in animals whose ancestors were exposed to an environmental compound generations earlier. The findings put a new twist on the notions of nature and nurture, with broad implications for how certain behavioral tendencies might be inherited. Mon, 21 May 2012 16:38:38 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120521163853.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120521115333.htm Scientists have discovered a protein that appears to play an important regulatory role in deciding whether stem cells differentiate into the cells that make up the brain, as well as countless other tissues. This finding could eventually shed light on developmental disorders as well as a variety of conditions that involve the generation of new neurons into adulthood, including depression, stroke, and posttraumatic stress disorder. Mon, 21 May 2012 11:53:53 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120521115333.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120521115331.htm New nerve cells formed in a select part of the brain could hold considerable sway over how much you eat and consequently weigh, new animal research suggests. Mon, 21 May 2012 11:53:53 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120521115331.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120521104026.htm Researchers have refuted the common belief that stress always causes aggressive behavior. Mon, 21 May 2012 10:40:40 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120521104026.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120520215400.htm In an advance that may someday provide health benefits for soldiers and athletes, a team of researchers has discovered a mechanism that could be the cause of traumatic brain injuries (TBI) in blast-exposed soldiers. Sun, 20 May 2012 21:54:54 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120520215400.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120520133612.htm Treatment of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in children normalizes disturbances in the neuronal network responsible for attention and executive function, according to a new study. Sun, 20 May 2012 13:36:36 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120520133612.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120519213239.htm Researchers have developed an MRI-based method to detect and monitor pH changes in living brains. The new technique provides the best evidence so far that pH changes do occur with normal function in the intact human brain. The team hopes to use the method to investigate the role of pH changes in psychiatric disease, including anxiety and depression. Sat, 19 May 2012 21:32:32 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120519213239.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120519213236.htm Preliminary results from an ongoing, large-scale study shows that oxytocin -- a naturally occurring substance produced in the brain and throughout the body -- increased brain function in regions that are known to process social information in children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Sat, 19 May 2012 21:32:32 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120519213236.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120518132812.htm Findings suggest that the effects of exercise on memory depend on the age of the exerciser; underlying genetic mechanisms matter, too. Fri, 18 May 2012 13:28:28 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120518132812.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120517193135.htm An experimental drug targeting a common mutation in melanoma successfully shrank tumors that spread to the brain in nine out of 10 patients in part of an international phase I clinical trial report. Thu, 17 May 2012 19:31:31 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120517193135.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120517132123.htm Scientists have found that suspicion resides in two distinct regions of the brain: the amygdala, which plays a central role in processing fear and emotional memories, and the parahippocampal gyrus, which is associated with declarative memory and the recognition of scenes. Thu, 17 May 2012 13:21:21 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120517132123.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120517131701.htm Training the brain to reduce pain could be a promising approach for treating phantom limb pain and complex regional pain syndrome, according to s neuroscience researcher. Thu, 17 May 2012 13:17:17 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120517131701.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120517131659.htm The latest genetic and biological research shows that migraine is a neurological, not vascular, disorder and both acute and preventive treatments being developed target peripheral and central nervous systems, according to a prominent migraine expert. Thu, 17 May 2012 13:16:16 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120517131659.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120516195408.htm In 1848, Phineas Gage survived an accident that drove an iron rod through his head. Researchers, for the first time, used images of Gage’s skull combined with modern-day brain images to suggest there was extensive damage to the white matter “pathways” that connected various regions of his brain. Wed, 16 May 2012 19:54:54 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120516195408.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120516152444.htm Taiwanese doctors have restored some movement in four children bedridden with a rare, life-threatening neurological disease using gene transfer. The first-in-humans achievement may also be helpful for more common diseases such as Parkinson's. Wed, 16 May 2012 15:24:24 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120516152444.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120516152440.htm Scientists have found new evidence of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) in brain tissue from blast-exposed military service personnel. Laboratory experiments demonstrated that exposure to a single blast equivalent to a typical improvised explosive device results in CTE and long-term brain impairments that accompany the disease. They also found that the blast wind, not the shock wave, leads to traumatic brain injury and long-term consequences. Wed, 16 May 2012 15:24:24 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120516152440.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120516140010.htm Common variants of the ApoE gene are strongly associated with the risk of developing late-onset Alzheimer's disease, but the gene's role in the disease has been unclear. Now, researchers have found that in mice, having the most risky variant of ApoE damages the blood vessels that feed the brain. Wed, 16 May 2012 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120516140010.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120516140002.htm In an ongoing clinical trial, a paralyzed woman was able to reach for and sip from a drink on her own -- for the first time in nearly 15 years -- by using her thoughts to direct a robotic arm. The trial, funded in part by the National Institutes of Health, is evaluating the safety and feasibility of an investigational device called the BrainGate neural interface system, which is intended to put robotics and other assistive technology under the brain's control. Wed, 16 May 2012 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120516140002.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120516140000.htm Two people with tetraplegia were able to reach for and grasp objects in three-dimensional space with robotic arms that they controlled directly with brain activity. They used the BrainGate neural interface system, an investigational device currently being studied under an IDE. One participant used the system to serve herself coffee for the first time since becoming paralyzed nearly 15 years ago. Wed, 16 May 2012 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120516140000.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120516115908.htm Scientists have shed new light on one of the great unanswered questions of neuroscience: How the brain initiates rhythmic movements like walking, running and swimming. Wed, 16 May 2012 11:59:59 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120516115908.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120515150938.htm A new rat study is the first to show how a diet steadily high in fructose slows the brain, hampering memory and learning -- and how omega-3 fatty acids can counteract the disruption. Tue, 15 May 2012 15:09:09 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120515150938.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120515104500.htm Surgeons have restored some hand function in a quadriplegic patient with a spinal cord injury at the C7 vertebra, the lowest bone in the neck. Instead of operating on the spine itself, the surgeons rerouted working nerves in the upper arms. These nerves still “talk” to the brain because they attach to the spine above the injury. Tue, 15 May 2012 10:45:45 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120515104500.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120515094132.htm Scientists have discovered that mice that lack a gene called Snf2l have brains that are 35 percent larger than normal. The research could lead to new approaches to stimulate brain regeneration and may provide important insight into developmental disorders such as autism and Rett syndrome. Tue, 15 May 2012 09:41:41 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120515094132.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120514161618.htm Why does one person become anorexic and another obese? Researchers have now shown that reward circuits in the brain are sensitized in anorexic women and desensitized in obese women. Mon, 14 May 2012 16:16:16 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120514161618.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120511175011.htm Researchers have uncovered a new way to stimulate activity of immune cell opiate receptors, leading to efficient tumor cell clearance. The researchers have been able to take a new pharmacological approach to activate the immune cells to prevent cancer growth through stimulation of the opiate receptors found on immune cells. Fri, 11 May 2012 17:50:50 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120511175011.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120511122236.htm Even mild head injuries can cause significant abnormalities in brain function that last for several days, which may explain the neurological symptoms experienced by some individuals who have experienced a head injury associated with sports, accidents or combat, according to a new study. Fri, 11 May 2012 12:22:22 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120511122236.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120510141401.htm Researchers have identified a major pathway leading to brain cell death in mice with neurodegenerative disease. They were able to block the pathway, preventing brain cell death and increasing survival in the mice. Thu, 10 May 2012 14:14:14 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120510141401.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120510122806.htm A recently evolved pattern of gene activity in the language and decision-making centers of the human brain is missing in a disorder associated with autism and learning disabilities, a new study shows. Thu, 10 May 2012 12:28:28 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120510122806.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120510113348.htm Research suggests a new approach to improving memory and interrupting disease progression in patients with a form of cognitive impairment that often leads to full-blown Alzheimer’s disease. Thu, 10 May 2012 11:33:33 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120510113348.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120509165353.htm Chronic exposure to cocaine reduces the expression of a protein known to regulate brain plasticity, according to new, in vivo research on the molecular basis of cocaine addiction. Wed, 09 May 2012 16:53:53 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120509165353.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120509140001.htm Efforts to understand how the aging process affects the brain and cognition have expanded beyond simply comparing younger and older adults. Wed, 09 May 2012 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120509140001.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120509135945.htm Researchers suggest that careful analyses of the electrical signals of brain activity, measured using electroencephalography (EEG), may reveal important harmonic relationships in the electrical activity of brain circuits. Wed, 09 May 2012 13:59:59 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120509135945.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120509123850.htm New research describes a potential new therapeutic approach for improving memory and modifying disease progression in patients with amnestic mild cognitive impairment. The study finds that excess brain activity may be doing more harm than good in some conditions that cause mild cognitive decline and memory impairment. Wed, 09 May 2012 12:38:38 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120509123850.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120509123746.htm Researchers have discovered a way of identifying which women are most at risk of postnatal depression (PND) by checking for specific genetic variants. The findings could lead to the development of a simple, accurate blood test which checks for the likelihood of developing the condition. Wed, 09 May 2012 12:37:37 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120509123746.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120509123655.htm “Practice makes perfect,” the saying goes. Optimal performance, however, can require more than talent, effort, and repetition. Training the brain to reduce stress through neurofeedback can remove barriers and enhance one’s innate abilities. Wed, 09 May 2012 12:36:36 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120509123655.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120509105306.htm Scientists have described a new family of six genes whose function regulates the movement and position of mitochondria in neurons. Many neurological conditions, including Parkinson’s and various types of Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, are caused by alterations of genes that control mitochondrial transport, a process that provides the energy required for cell function. Wed, 09 May 2012 10:53:53 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120509105306.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120508112748.htm New research has shown physical changes to exist in specific brain areas implicated in schizophrenia following the use of cannabis during adolescence. The research has shown how cannabis use during adolescence can interact with a gene, called the COMT gene, to cause physical changes in the brain. Tue, 08 May 2012 11:27:27 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120508112748.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120508103915.htm It is increasingly recognized that chronic psychotropic drug treatment may lead to structural remodeling of the brain. Indeed, clinical studies in humans present an intriguing picture: Antipsychotics, used for the treatment of schizophrenia and psychosis, may contribute to cortical gray matter loss in patients, whereas lithium, used for the treatment of bipolar disorder and mania, may preserve gray matter in patients. Tue, 08 May 2012 10:39:39 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120508103915.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120508094354.htm A large neonate brain, rapid brain growth and large frontal lobes are the typical hallmarks of human brain development. These appeared much earlier in the hominin family tree than was originally thought, as anthropologists who re-examined the Taung child’s fossil cranial sutures and compared them with other fossil skulls now demonstrate. The late fusion of the cranial sutures in the Taung child is also found in many other members of the Australopithecus africanus species and the earliest examples of the Homo genus. Tue, 08 May 2012 09:43:43 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120508094354.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120507164636.htm New research provides the strongest evidence to date that psychopathy is linked to specific structural abnormalities in the brain. The study is the first to confirm that psychopathy is a distinct neurodevelopmental subgroup of anti-social personality disorder. Mon, 07 May 2012 16:46:46 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120507164636.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120507164328.htm A study on a handful of people with suspected mild Alzheimer’s disease (AD) suggests that a device that sends continuous electrical impulses to specific “memory” regions of the brain appears to increase neuronal activity. Results of the study using deep brain stimulation, a therapy already used in some patients with Parkinson’s disease and depression, may offer hope for at least some with AD, an intractable disease with no cure. Mon, 07 May 2012 16:43:43 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120507164328.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120507164215.htm Depressive symptoms that are present in midlife or in late life are associated with an increased risk of developing dementia, according to a new report. Mon, 07 May 2012 16:42:42 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120507164215.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120507102221.htm Elderly people with pre-diabetes and type 2 diabetes suffer from an accelerated decline in brain size and mental capacity in as little as two years according to new research. Mon, 07 May 2012 10:22:22 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120507102221.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120507102049.htm Badly controlled diabetes are known to affect the brain causing memory and learning problems and even increased incidence of dementia, although how this occurs is not clear. But now a study in mice with type 2 diabetes has discovered how diabetes affects a brain area called hippocampus causing memory loss, and also how caffeine can prevent this.  Mon, 07 May 2012 10:20:20 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120507102049.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120506160124.htm Brain networks may avoid traffic jams at their busiest intersections by communicating on different frequencies, researchers have learned. Sun, 06 May 2012 16:01:01 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120506160124.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120503142640.htm Awake mental replay of past experiences is essential for making informed choices, suggests a study in rats. Without it, the animals' memory-based decision-making faltered. Scientists blocked learning from, and acting on, past experience by selectively suppressing replay -- encoded as split-second bursts of neuronal activity in the memory hubs of rats performing a maze task. Similar patterns of brain activity have been detected in humans during similar situations. Thu, 03 May 2012 14:26:26 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120503142640.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120503142424.htm Scientists have identified patterns of brain activity in the rat brain that play a role in the formation and recall of memories and decision-making. The discovery, which builds on the team’s previous findings, offers a path for studying learning, decision-making and post-traumatic stress syndrome. Thu, 03 May 2012 14:24:24 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120503142424.htm