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 Fri, 09 May 2008 17:05:01 EDT Fri, 09 May 2008 17:05:01 EDT 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/2008/05/080509105348.htm Millions of American teens report experiencing weeks of hopelessness and loss of interest in normal daily activities and many of these depressed teens are using marijuana and other drugs, making their situation worse, according to a new White House report. Sat, 10 May 2008 20:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080509105348.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080508143321.htm Which is better, giving more food to a few hungry people or letting some food go to waste so that everyone gets a share? A study appearing in Science finds that most people choose the latter, and that the brain responds in unique ways to inefficiency and inequity. Sat, 10 May 2008 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080508143321.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080508120516.htm People with diagnosed diabetes are nearly twice as likely to have arthritis, and the inactivity caused by arthritis hinders the successful management of both diseases, according to a new Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report study. This is one of the first studies of its kind to look at the relationship between arthritis and diabetes and the outcomes associated with physical activity. Sat, 10 May 2008 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080508120516.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080508222424.htm Young women would accept age-based screening for the sexually transmitted infection chlamydia, but would want this test to be offered to everyone, rather than to people "singled out" according to their sexual history. Sat, 10 May 2008 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080508222424.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080507105606.htm Researchers from the Wildlife Conservation Society found that the black bears that become habituated to human food and garbage may not be learning these behaviors exclusively from their mothers, as widely assumed. Bears that steal human food sources are just as likely to form these habits on their own or pick them up from unrelated, "bad influence" bears. Sat, 10 May 2008 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080507105606.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080508100721.htm Wouldn't it be nice if our doctors could predict accurately whether we would respond to a particular medication? This question is important because research studies provide information about how groups of patients tend to respond to treatments, but inevitably, differences among groups of patients with the same diagnosis mean that findings about groups of patients may not apply to individuals from those groups. Sat, 10 May 2008 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080508100721.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080508222420.htm Teenagers and young adults across Europe drink and take drugs as part of deliberate sexual strategies. A third of 16-35 year old males and a quarter of females surveyed are drinking alcohol to increase their chances of sex, while cocaine, ecstasy and cannabis are intentionally used to enhance sexual arousal or prolong sex. Fri, 09 May 2008 20:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080508222420.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080508122517.htm Neuroscientists have discovered that mice lacking an enzyme that contributes to Alzheimer disease exhibit a number of schizophrenia-like behaviors. The finding raises the possibility that this enzyme may participate in the development of schizophrenia and related psychiatric disorders and therefore may provide a new target for developing therapies. Fri, 09 May 2008 17:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080508122517.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080508181557.htm Elderly in a long-term care setting are more likely to be prescribed antidepressants and to self-report depression compared to those in a home-health care setting, according to a study. The study of 272 elders, with an average age of 81, examined how often patients reported feeling depressed and were prescribed antidepressants at both a long-term care facility and through a home-care agency in west-central Indiana. Fri, 09 May 2008 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080508181557.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080508125736.htm Nearly one out of four teens who use an asthma inhaler say their intent is to get high. Findings from a new study identified high levels of asthma inhaler misuse among anti-social youths, who displayed higher levels of distress and were more likely to abuse other substances. Fri, 09 May 2008 11:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080508125736.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080506112416.htm Researchers have shown exactly how the anaesthetic ketamine helps depression with images that show the orbitofrontal cortex -- the part of the brain that is overactive in depression -- being 'switched off'. Ketamine, an anaesthetic that is popular with doctors on the battlefield and also with vets because it allows a degree of awareness without pain, is a new hope for the treatment of depression -- but the minute-by-minute images show how the drug achieves this in an unexpected way. Fri, 09 May 2008 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080506112416.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080508100725.htm Infection with human immunodeficiency virus, which leads to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, is an epidemic of global concern. The functioning of natural killer (NK) cells, which are a major element of the innate immunity system and are involved in the body's first line of defense against infections such as HIV, is decreased in both HIV and depression. A group of researchers who have previously found that stress and depression impair NK cell function and accelerate the course of HIV/AIDS are now publishing a new report in Biological Psychiatry. Fri, 09 May 2008 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080508100725.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080508115812.htm The first national study of Asians living in the United States shows that for some individuals, strong ties to their ethnicity can guard against the negative effects of racism. For others, strong ties to ethnicity can actually make the negative effects of discrimination worse. And the mental health effects of such discrimination may shift over a lifetime as Asian-Americans continue to examine their ethnic ties, say researchers. Fri, 09 May 2008 05:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080508115812.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080507175000.htm Telehealth, using telecommunication technology to deliver health care, is increasingly being used to improve the delivery and availability of health care services to patients. Patients who received a telehealth intervention from care providers had significantly delayed hospital readmission rates when compared to patients who received traditional care. Fri, 09 May 2008 02:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080507175000.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080509164807.htm The middle school years is the time when time kids spend begin to spend less time in physical activity, a growing concern as youth obesity rates rise. A new study of middle school girls shows that after-school programs, in addition to school physical education classes, may be one answer to reducing obesity in teens. The just-released results of the Trial of Activity for Adolescent Girls showed that moderate to vigorous after-school physical activity, in programs that can range from hip hop dancing to surfing, can modestly increase the amount of physical activity for young teenage girls, to the point that it could prevent excess weight gain of about two pounds per year. Fri, 09 May 2008 00:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080509164807.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080509152307.htm Emotional memories of traumatic life events such as accidents, war experiences or serious illnesses are stored in a particularly robust way by the brain. This renders effective treatment very difficult. Researchers have now successfully tracked down the molecular bases of these strong, very persistent memories. Fri, 09 May 2008 00:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080509152307.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080509145457.htm Researchers have discovered how an antibiotic works to modulate the activity of a neurotransmitter that regulates brain functions, which eventually could lead to therapies to treat Alzheimer's disease, Huntington's disease, epilepsy, stroke, dementia and malignant gliomas. Fri, 09 May 2008 00:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080509145457.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080509112736.htm The effect of snacking on teenagers' dietary intakes of recommended nutrients and MyPyramid food groups has been examined, and the findings are both positive and negative. After analyzing the eating habits of more than 4,000 teenagers surveyed nationwide, scientists found that 90 percent reported eating one or more snacks in a day. Fri, 09 May 2008 00:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080509112736.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080509101631.htm As controversy swirls about proper clinical use of opioids and other potent pain medications, research reported at the American Pain Society annual meeting shows that, contrary to widespread beliefs, less than 3 percent of patients with no history of drug abuse who are prescribed opioids for chronic pain will show signs of possible drug abuse or dependence. Fri, 09 May 2008 00:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080509101631.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080508090044.htm Depressed people may have far fewer of the receptors for some of the brain's "feel good" stress-response chemicals than non-depressed people, new research shows. And even among depressed people, the numbers of these receptors can vary greatly -- and may be linked with the severity of their symptoms and response to treatment. Thu, 08 May 2008 23:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080508090044.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080507152419.htm Children who speak a second or third language may have an unexpected advantage later in life, a new study has found. Knowing and speaking many languages may protect the brain against the effects of aging. Thu, 08 May 2008 20:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080507152419.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080508075216.htm A study of patients with psychotic illnesses such as schizophrenia suggests an alternative explanation for why many sufferers lack motivation. In addition to the hallucinations that often characterize schizophrenia, patients also have major problems with apathy and lack of motivation. Thu, 08 May 2008 17:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080508075216.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080507083934.htm In a new study, published in the Journal of Neuroscience, researchers have determined in mouse models that modulating the activity of enkephalin peptides in the brain might reduce the cognitive deficits seen in Alzheimer's disease. Thu, 08 May 2008 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080507083934.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080507105646.htm A new study in mice suggests molecules in plants may have beneficial effects on Alzheimer's disease. Researchers administered molecules called flavonoids, which are found in certain fruits and vegetables, to a mouse model genetically programmed to develop Alzheimer's disease. Thu, 08 May 2008 11:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080507105646.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080507133321.htm One of the major scientific questions about the brain is how it can translate the simple intent to perform an action -- say, reach for a glass -- into the dynamic, coordinated symphony of muscle movements required for that action. Thu, 08 May 2008 11:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080507133321.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080507083952.htm In a study published in the May 7 issue of the journal PLoS ONE, Anthony Little of the University of Stirling and colleagues show that measurements of symmetry and sexual dimorphism from faces are related in humans, both in Europeans and African hunter-gatherers, and in a non-human primate. In all samples, symmetric males had more masculine facial proportions and symmetric females had more feminine facial proportions. Thu, 08 May 2008 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080507083952.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080506165527.htm The developing nervous system makes far more nerve cells than are needed to ensure target organs and tissues are properly connected to the nervous system. As nerves connect to target organs, they somehow compete with each other resulting in some living and some dying. Now, using a combination of computer modeling and molecular biology, neuroscientists have discovered how the target tissue helps newly connected peripheral nerve cells strengthen their connections and kill neighboring nerves. Thu, 08 May 2008 05:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080506165527.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080507133326.htm Anti-obesity drugs that work by blocking brain molecules similar to those in marijuana could also interfere with neural development in young children, according to a new study from MIT's Picower Institute for Learning and Memory. Thu, 08 May 2008 05:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080507133326.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080507132910.htm For children of divorce, what happens after their parents split up may be just as important to their long-term well-being as the divorce itself. A new study found that children who lived in unstable family situations after their parents divorced fared much worse as adults on a variety of measures compared to children who had stable post-divorce family situations. Thu, 08 May 2008 02:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080507132910.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080508174310.htm A free, e-mail-based service that translates text into Braille and audio recordings is helping to bridge the information gap for blind and visually impaired people, giving them quick and easy access to books, news articles and web pages. Developed by European researchers, the RoboBraille service offers a unique solution to the problem of converting text into Braille and audio without the need for users to operate complicated software. Thu, 08 May 2008 00:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080508174310.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080508164414.htm Therapist-assisted walking rehabilitation showed greater improvements in walking ability in ambulatory stroke survivors compared to robotic-assisted therapy. Post-stroke patients in both groups improved their walking ability, but the amount of improvement in the physical therapist-assisted group was greater. Robotic devices may be best reserved for acute stroke patients who have no ability to walk on their own. Thu, 08 May 2008 00:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080508164414.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080506123059.htm One blocked brain enzyme helps mice to decrease appetite, lose weight, and better manage their blood sugar levels. For many years, scientists have been identifying and testing every step of the appetite stimulation and suppression pathways in search of a target. Such research is considered critical to finding ways for people to better control their weight and minimize their risk of developing diabetes, heart disease and other health conditions. Wed, 07 May 2008 20:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080506123059.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080507105644.htm A new way to measure breathing patterns in sleeping infants which may also work for adults has just been created. The researcher has created a mathematical formula that measures varying breathing patterns which indicate different sleep states such as active or quiet sleep. Wed, 07 May 2008 20:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080507105644.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080507084001.htm Scientists have discovered important differences between the brains of suicide victims and so-called normal brains. Although the genetic sequence was identical in the suicide and non-suicide brains, there were differences in their epigenetic marking -- a chemical coating influenced by environmental factors. All of the 13 suicide victims in the study had experienced abuse as children. Wed, 07 May 2008 17:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080507084001.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080507105556.htm Obesity may increase adults' risk for having dementia. Obesity increases the risk of dementia in general by 42 percent, Alzheimer's by 80 percent and vascular dementia by 73 percent. Being underweight increases the general dementia risk by 36 percent. But researchers who carried out an international review of research since 1995 found no elevated risk in people who were normal or overweight. Wed, 07 May 2008 17:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080507105556.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080505223427.htm Whether a young man's mother earned a college degree and whether she worked outside the home while he was growing up seems to have an effect years later when he considers his ideal wife, according to a new study. High-achieving men -- those who earn salaries in the top 10 percent for their age and/or have a graduate degree -- are highly likely to marry a woman whose education level mirrors their mom's. Wed, 07 May 2008 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080505223427.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080506123104.htm A gut hormone that causes people to eat more does so by making food appear more desirable, suggests a new report in Cell Metabolism. In a brain imaging study of individuals, the researchers found that reward centers respond more strongly to pictures of food in subjects who had received an infusion of the hormone known as ghrelin. The findings suggest that the two drives for feeding --metabolic signals and pleasure signals -- are actually intertwined. Wed, 07 May 2008 11:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080506123104.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080506163918.htm Gambling activity is widespread among US adolescents and young adults ages 14 through 21, according to a new study. Results of the first national survey of its kind show problem gambling -- described as gambling with three or more negative consequences (for example, gambling more than you intended or stealing money to gamble) in the past year -- occurring at a rate of 2.1 percent among youth 14 to 21. That percentage projects to approximately 750,000 young problem gamblers nationwide. Wed, 07 May 2008 11:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080506163918.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080506141651.htm A psychiatrist will present new research on the psychiatric factors that can lead to school shootings. The presentation will be mainly based on research of the 1999 Columbine high school shootings, which resulted in the deaths of 15 people, including the two students who initiated the attack, Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold. Wed, 07 May 2008 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080506141651.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080506074451.htm A community-wide study in upstate New York found that nearly 28 percent of all visits to the pediatric emergency department could have been replaced with a more cost-effective Internet doctor's "visit," or telemedicine. Health researchers -- who direct Health-e-Access, a Rochester-based telemedicine program that provides interactive, Internet-based health care "visits" to diagnose and treat routine childhood symptoms in 19 urban and suburban schools and childcare centers -- analyzed data from 2006, tracking all pediatric (younger than 19) visits to the largest emergency department in the city. Wed, 07 May 2008 05:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080506074451.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080505162826.htm A 2001/2002 report by the World Health Organization found that, among young people in western countries who began drinking before 16 years of age, the average age of initiation was 12 years of age. A new twins study from the Netherlands has found that genetic factors appear to be involved in the early initiation of alcohol use, while common environmental factors become involved once alcohol use has begun. Wed, 07 May 2008 02:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080505162826.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080505162841.htm Older adults with low blood levels of vitamin D and high blood levels of a hormone secreted by the parathyroid glands may have a higher risk of depression, according to a new report. About 13 percent of older individuals have symptoms of depression, and other researchers have speculated that vitamin D may be linked to depression and other psychiatric illnesses, according to background information in the article. Tue, 06 May 2008 20:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080505162841.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080505225405.htm "Ho ho, ha ha ha," students in a fitness class at the University of Michigan Health System chant repeatedly while clapping their hands and walking around the room. They're just getting warmed up; in the next half-hour, they will stretch their muscles and work on breathing exercises. They'll also laugh for most of the 30 minutes, from self-conscious giggles to uninhibited belly laughs. All in the name of fitness. Tue, 06 May 2008 17:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080505225405.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080506074440.htm Fewer than half the patients previously diagnosed with bipolar disorder received a diagnosis of bipolar disorder based on a comprehensive, psychiatric diagnostic interview -- the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV. Tue, 06 May 2008 17:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080506074440.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080505075642.htm Brain-training efforts designed to improve working memory can also boost scores in general problem-solving ability and improve fluid intelligence, according to new research. Many psychologists believe general intelligence can be separated into "fluid" and "crystalline" components. Fluid intelligence --- considered one of the most important factors in learning --- applies to all problems while crystallized intelligence consists of skills useful for specific tasks. Tue, 06 May 2008 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080505075642.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080505162909.htm People with shorter arms and legs may be at a higher risk for developing dementia later in life compared to people with longer arms and legs, according to a new studyin the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. Researchers say the association between short limbs and dementia risk may be due to poor nutrition in early life, which can affect limb growth. Tue, 06 May 2008 11:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080505162909.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080505162801.htm Breast cancer patients who have a prior history of mood and anxiety disorders are at a much higher risk of experiencing post-traumatic stress disorder following their diagnosis, new research suggests. A study of 74 breast cancer patients at the Ohio State University Medical Center found that 16 percent of them suffered from PTSD 18 months after diagnosis. Tue, 06 May 2008 11:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080505162801.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080505162902.htm Prolonged and exclusive nursing improves children's cognitive development. The largest randomized study of breastfeeding ever conducted reports that breastfeeding raises children's IQs, and improves their academic performance, scientists say. Tue, 06 May 2008 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080505162902.htm