http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/mind_brain/ Psychology news from leading research institutes around the world. Research on relationships, new treatments for mental health conditions, and more. Updated daily. en-us Sun, 12 Feb 2012 23:05:01 EST Sun, 12 Feb 2012 23:05:01 EST 60 http://www.sciencedaily.com/images/logosmall.gif http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/mind_brain/ For more science articles, visit ScienceDaily. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120211095353.htm Researchers have discovered a startling feature of early brain development that helps to explain how complex neuron wiring patterns are programmed using just a handful of critical genes. The findings may help scientists develop new therapies for neurological disorders, such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and provide insight into certain cancers. Sat, 11 Feb 2012 09:53:53 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120211095353.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120211095351.htm Not surprisingly, victims of a natural disaster can experience stress and anxiety, but a new study indicates that it might also cause them to make more errors - some serious - in their daily lives. Researchers have explored how cognitive performance can decline after earthquakes and other natural disasters. Sat, 11 Feb 2012 09:53:53 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120211095351.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120211095051.htm People may think that online dating is only for the young, but individuals over the age of 60 are the fastest growing demographic in online dating. However, they may be looking for different qualities in their relationships than their younger counterparts. Sat, 11 Feb 2012 09:50:50 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120211095051.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120210133439.htm Older maternal and paternal age are jointly associated with having a child with autism, according to a recent study. Fri, 10 Feb 2012 13:34:34 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120210133439.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120210133400.htm A distinctive pattern of brain activity associated with conditions including deep anesthesia, coma and congenital brain disorders appears to represent the brain's shift into a protective, low-activity state in response to reduced metabolic energy. Fri, 10 Feb 2012 13:34:34 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120210133400.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120210133346.htm Cancer risks. Investment alternatives. Calories. Numbers are everywhere in daily life, and they figure into all sorts of decisions. A new article examines how people who are numerate -- that's like literacy, but for numbers -- understand numbers better and process information differently so that they ultimately make more informed decisions. Fri, 10 Feb 2012 13:33:33 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120210133346.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120210133245.htm A new study reproduced the same morphological and functional patterns of neuronal connections in a transgenic mouse as seen in people with Down’s syndrome. Regulating the activity of this protein produced very similar neuronal growth to that in a healthy mouse. Fri, 10 Feb 2012 13:32:32 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120210133245.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120210111258.htm A recent study examining whether speaking French influenced how children assigned gender to objects yielded some interesting observations. Researchers found some differences between the monolingual English children and the bilingual French-English children they surveyed. Fri, 10 Feb 2012 11:12:12 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120210111258.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120210111254.htm Drivers who consume cannabis within three hours of driving are nearly twice as likely to cause a vehicle collision as those who are not under the influence of drugs or alcohol, according to a new review. Fri, 10 Feb 2012 11:12:12 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120210111254.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120210110510.htm New research finds that 16- to 18-year-olds perform better academically when they shave about two hours off what current guidelines prescribe. Fri, 10 Feb 2012 11:05:05 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120210110510.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120210105901.htm Authoritarian parents whose child-rearing style can be summed up as “it’s my way or the highway” are more likely to raise disrespectful, delinquent children who do not see them as legitimate authority figures than authoritative parents who listen to their children and gain their respect and trust, according to new research. Fri, 10 Feb 2012 10:59:59 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120210105901.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120209172922.htm Underserved youth athletes report more life skill and character development when their coaches place greater emphasis on creating caring climates instead of focusing on competition, according to new research. Thu, 09 Feb 2012 17:29:29 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120209172922.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120209172818.htm The way people rate their health determines their probability of survival in the following decades. Researchers have demonstrated that for ratings ranging from "excellent," "good," "fair," and "poor" to "very poor," the risk of mortality increases steadily – independently of such known risk factors as smoking, low education levels or pre-existing diseases. Thu, 09 Feb 2012 17:28:28 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120209172818.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120209172812.htm A neuropeptide called Substance P is the cause of seizures in patients with brains infected by the pork tapeworm. Thu, 09 Feb 2012 17:28:28 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120209172812.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120209172627.htm Brain surgery is getting much easier for many patients. Neurosurgeons are using catheters rather than open surgery to repair aneurysms and other defects. Patients recover in a few days, with less chance of cognitive deficits. Thu, 09 Feb 2012 17:26:26 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120209172627.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120209172605.htm Valentine’s Day can be pretty painful for kids who don’t get their share of heart-shaped cards. An expert offers tips for parents when their kids come home empty-handed. Thu, 09 Feb 2012 17:26:26 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120209172605.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120209172603.htm There will always be a wild, unpredictable quality to creativity and invention, says a cognitive psychology, because reaching an “Aha moment” means leaping tall mental obstacles. But he has developed a tookit for overcoming common roadblocks and improving problem-solving. Thu, 09 Feb 2012 17:26:26 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120209172603.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120209144013.htm Whether you are an athlete, a musician or a stroke patient learning to walk again, practice can make perfect, but more practice may make you more efficient, according to a surprising new study. Thu, 09 Feb 2012 14:40:40 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120209144013.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120209144005.htm Neuroscientists have made a dramatic breakthrough in their efforts to find a cure for Alzheimer's disease. The use of a drug appears to quickly reverse the pathological, cognitive and memory deficits caused by the onset of Alzheimer's in mice. Thu, 09 Feb 2012 14:40:40 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120209144005.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120209140208.htm Our bodies are full of tiny superheroes -- antibodies that fight foreign invaders, cells that regenerate, and structures that ensure our systems run smoothly. One such structure is myelin, a material that forms a protective cape around the axons of our nerve cells so that they can send signals quickly and efficiently. But myelin becomes damaged in demyelinating diseases like multiple sclerosis, leaving neurons without their sheaths. Researchers now believe they have found a way to help the brain replace damaged myelin. Thu, 09 Feb 2012 14:02:02 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120209140208.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120209135343.htm Children who display multiple psychosomatic symptoms, such as regular aches and pains and sleep and appetite problems, are more than twice as likely to be experiencing physical abuse at home than children who do not display symptoms. Researchers who studied 2,510 children found a strong association between reported physical abuse and three or more psychosomatic symptoms. The association was highest in children who were physically abused and also witnessed intimate partner violence. Thu, 09 Feb 2012 13:53:53 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120209135343.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120209135058.htm Young adults who easily engage in rewarding conversations with their partners are less likely to hold onto anger and stress and more likely to be satisfied with the relationship, according to new research. Researchers are also looking at factors that relate to positive dating relationships or problematic relationships. Thu, 09 Feb 2012 13:50:50 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120209135058.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120209131452.htm Researchers have found new evidence for the role of the brain in obesity. Thu, 09 Feb 2012 13:14:14 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120209131452.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120209102007.htm When you see a picture of a hand, how do you know whether it's a right or left hand? This "hand laterality" problem may seem obscure, but it reveals a lot about how the brain sorts out confusing perceptions. Now, a new study challenges the long-held consensus about how we solve this problem. Thu, 09 Feb 2012 10:20:20 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120209102007.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120209102003.htm Like to save the best for last? Here's good news: If it's the last, you'll like it the best. Thu, 09 Feb 2012 10:20:20 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120209102003.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120209101839.htm UC Riverside biomedical scientists have identified a new link between a protein (beta-arrestin) and short-term memory that could open new doors for the therapeutic treatment of neurological disorders, particularly Alzheimer's disease. They show that if beta-arrestin is removed from neurons, short-term memory loss is prevented. But beta-arrestin is also required for normal learning/memory. The researchers argue that a fine balance needs to be established, one that could be achieved by pharmaceutical drugs in the future. Thu, 09 Feb 2012 10:18:18 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120209101839.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120208180057.htm Ever gone to the movies and forgotten where you parked the car? New research may one day help you improve your memory. Neuroscientists have demonstrated that they can strengthen memory in human patients by stimulating a critical junction in the brain. Wed, 08 Feb 2012 18:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120208180057.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120208152252.htm Gene therapy for congenital blindness took another step forward, as researchers further improved vision in three adult patients previously treated in one eye. The patients were better able to see in dim light, with no adverse effects. Wed, 08 Feb 2012 15:22:22 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120208152252.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120208152250.htm When low-income cohabiting couples with children decide to no longer live together, that doesn’t necessarily mean the end of their romantic relationship, a new study suggests. Wed, 08 Feb 2012 15:22:22 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120208152250.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120208145955.htm Scientists have tapped onto the visual cortex of the congenitally blind by using sensory substitution devices (SSDs), enabling the blind in effect to "see" and even describe objects. SSDs are non-invasive sensory aids that provide visual information to the blind via their existing senses. For example, using a visual-to-auditory SSD in a clinical or everyday setting, users wear a miniature video camera connected to a small computer (or smart phone) and stereo headphones. The images are converted into "soundscapes," using a predictable algorithm, allowing the user to listen to and then interpret the visual information coming from the camera. Wed, 08 Feb 2012 14:59:59 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120208145955.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120208133037.htm A new study was designed to test whether Omega-3 fatty acids improve clinical symptoms, and help adolescents and young adults (ages 12 to 25) who are at elevated risk for severe psychiatric disorders function better in school, work and other social environments. Wed, 08 Feb 2012 13:30:30 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120208133037.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120208132850.htm A voluntary substance prevention program held after school and presented by trained facilitators can help reduce alcohol use among young adolescents, according to a new study. Wed, 08 Feb 2012 13:28:28 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120208132850.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120208132721.htm By harnessing quantum dots, researchers have developed a new and vastly more targeted way to stimulate neurons in the brain. Being able to switch neurons on and off and monitor how they communicate with one another is crucial for understanding -- and, ultimately, treating -- a host of brain disorders. Wed, 08 Feb 2012 13:27:27 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120208132721.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120208132709.htm People who are more physically active report greater levels of excitement and enthusiasm than people who are less physically active, according to researchers. People also are more likely to report feelings of excitement and enthusiasm on days when they are more physically active than usual. Wed, 08 Feb 2012 13:27:27 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120208132709.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120208132547.htm Mark Twain said, "Giving up smoking is the easiest thing in the world. I know because I've done it thousands of times." Many smokers would agree that it's difficult to stay away from cigarettes. A new study now suggests that low dopamine levels that occur as a result of withdrawal from smoking actually promote the relapse to smoking. Wed, 08 Feb 2012 13:25:25 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120208132547.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120208132259.htm As they try to find the best reward among options, some people explore based on how uncertain they are about the outcome of the options. Those who employ that thought process, unlike people who use other strategies, uniquely harness the computational power of the rostrolateral prefrontal cortex, a new study finds. Wed, 08 Feb 2012 13:22:22 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120208132259.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120208132253.htm Synaptic plasticity -- the ability of the synaptic connections between the brain's neurons to change and modify over time -- has been shown to be a key to memory formation and the acquisition of new learning behaviors. Now researchers reveal that the neural circuits controlling hunger and eating behaviors are also controlled by plasticity. Wed, 08 Feb 2012 13:22:22 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120208132253.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120207202306.htm Researchers have identified how a specific gene protects dopamine-producing neurons from dying in both animal models and in cultures of human neurons. Tue, 07 Feb 2012 20:23:23 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120207202306.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120207133750.htm In a study of nearly 200 clinically obese, non-diabetic adults, a researcher found that a 600-calorie breakfast that includes dessert as well as proteins and carbohydrates can help dieters lose weight and keep it off over the long term. Her research indicates that such a morning meal staves off cravings and defuses psychological addictions to sweet foods. Tue, 07 Feb 2012 13:37:37 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120207133750.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120207133454.htm People visit social networking sites such as Facebook for many reasons, including the positive emotional experience that people enjoy and want to repeat, according to a new article. Tue, 07 Feb 2012 13:34:34 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120207133454.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120207121928.htm People who have been unlucky in love are said to suffer from a "broken heart." A broken heart is an actual medical condition. Broken heart syndrome occurs during highly stressful or emotional times, such as a painful breakup, the death of a spouse or the loss of a job. Tue, 07 Feb 2012 12:19:19 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120207121928.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120207121812.htm Parkinson’s disease researchers have discovered how mutations in the parkin gene cause the disease, which afflicts at least 500,000 Americans and for which there is no cure. Tue, 07 Feb 2012 12:18:18 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120207121812.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120207100008.htm With no lab tests to guide the clinician, psychiatric diagnostics is challenging and controversial. Antisocial personality disorder is defined as "a pervasive pattern of disregard for, and violation of, the rights of others that begins in childhood or early adolescence and continues into adulthood," according to a standard definition. But, until now, no one has studied the dimensional structure associated with the DSM antisocial personality disorder criteria. Tue, 07 Feb 2012 10:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120207100008.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120207100004.htm Each part of the body has its own nerve cell area in the brain -- we therefore have a map of our bodies in our heads. The functional significance of these maps is largely unclear. What effects they can have is now shown by neuroscientists through reaction time measurements combined with learning experiments and "computational modeling." They have been able to demonstrate that inhibitory influences of neighboring "finger nerve cells" affect the reaction time of a finger. Tue, 07 Feb 2012 10:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120207100004.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120207095633.htm Students in the nation's oldest and maybe still the only course on Super Bowl Advertising rated the big game's commercials in the 9th annual Super Ad Poll. Tue, 07 Feb 2012 09:56:56 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120207095633.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120207095535.htm There’s a dark side to puppy love. Teen dating: it’s a subject that causes many parents to shudder and shy away, but parents can use Valentine’s Day to start important conversations with their teens or pre-teens. There are ways to make dating and relationships safer for them – not just now but throughout their lives. Tue, 07 Feb 2012 09:55:55 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120207095535.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120206174207.htm A new scoring method can help doctors quickly decide which stroke patients will respond well to the clot-busting drug alteplase, according to a new study. Mon, 06 Feb 2012 17:42:42 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120206174207.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120206144129.htm A recent discovery enables the prediction of patient sensitivity to proposed drug therapies for glioblastoma – the most common and most aggressive malignant brain tumor in humans. Mon, 06 Feb 2012 14:41:41 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120206144129.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120206143948.htm Researchers have found a way to study how our brains assess the behavior -- and likely future actions -- of others during competitive social interactions. Their study is the first to use a computational approach to tease out differing patterns of brain activity during these interactions, the researchers report. Mon, 06 Feb 2012 14:39:39 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120206143948.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120206143817.htm A new study may explain why people can hold visual information in great detail in their working memory. Mon, 06 Feb 2012 14:38:38 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120206143817.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120206122632.htm The report card is in, and the online dating industry won't be putting this one on the fridge. A new scientific report concludes that although online dating offers users some very real benefits, it falls far short of its potential. Mon, 06 Feb 2012 12:26:26 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120206122632.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120206122456.htm Scientists have for the first time made finest details of nerve cells in the brain of a living mouse visible. Mon, 06 Feb 2012 12:24:24 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120206122456.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120206102948.htm Cultural differences between the West and East are well documented, but a study shows that concrete differences also exist in how British and Chinese people recognize people and the world around them. Easterners really do look at the world differently to Westerners, according to new research. Mon, 06 Feb 2012 10:29:29 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120206102948.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120206092628.htm A researcher believes studying people's ability to find their way around may help explain why loss of mental capacity occurs with age. Mon, 06 Feb 2012 09:26:26 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120206092628.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120206092626.htm In one year alone, over 4,500 children in the United States were hospitalized due to child abuse, and 300 of them died of their injuries, researchers report in a new study. Mon, 06 Feb 2012 09:26:26 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120206092626.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120206092555.htm Programs that support parents during their child’s early years hold promise for obesity prevention, according to a new study. Mon, 06 Feb 2012 09:25:25 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120206092555.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120206092552.htm Online dating has not only shed its stigma, it has surpassed all forms of matchmaking in the United States other than meeting through friends, according to a new analysis of research on the burgeoning relationship industry. Mon, 06 Feb 2012 09:25:25 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120206092552.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120206092547.htm Now that the Super Bowl is over, millions of fans will go through withdrawal symptoms from not being able to watch football. A psychiatrist describes the effects this has on the brain, and offers tips on how to cope. Mon, 06 Feb 2012 09:25:25 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120206092547.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120205163756.htm A genetic variant that increases the risk of a common type of stroke has been identified by scientists. This is one of the few genetic variants to date to be associated with risk of stroke and the discovery opens up new possibilities for treatment. Sun, 05 Feb 2012 16:37:37 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120205163756.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120203182623.htm New brain imaging research reveals that a region of the brain important for sensing texture through touch, the parietal operculum, is also activated when someone listens to a sentence with a textural metaphor. The same region is not activated when a similar sentence expressing the meaning of the metaphor is heard. Fri, 03 Feb 2012 18:26:26 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120203182623.htm