Behavior News

September 28, 2016

'Love Hormone' Enhances Sense of Spirituality

Can Nicotine Protect The Aging Brain?

Train Your Brain to Treat Trauma

Learning Foreign Languages Sharpens Our Minds

Latest Headlines

updated 4:38pm EDT

The 'Worm' Holds the Key to Treating Epilepsy

Sep. 26, 2016 — Current methods to control epilepsy are not only inefficient, but haven’t improved in more than 150 years when the first anticonvulsant drug was developed. Researchers have ... read more

Virtual Reality Training Improves Social Skills of Individuals on the Autism Spectrum

Sep. 20, 2016 — Children with autism spectrum disorder, who participated in a virtual reality training program, improved social cognition skills and reported better ... read more

New Treatment for Depressed Smokers Trying to Quit

Sep. 20, 2016 — Why is quitting smoking particularly difficult for depressed people? Researchers are now testing a new smoking cessation treatment combining medication and behavioral activation therapy targeted at ... read more

Video Games Can Have Lasting Impact on Learning

Sep. 20, 2016 — A computer-based brain training program helps improve student performance in reading and math — in some cases even more than individualized tutoring, according to a new ... read more

Why Don't Antidepressants Work in Some Patients?

Sep. 20, 2016 — SSRI antidepressants (Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors, the best known being Prozactm) are amongst the most commonly taken medicines. However, there seems to be no way of knowing in advance ... read more

What Causes Mass Panic in Emergency Situations?

Sep. 20, 2016 — ... read more

Let's Talk About More Than Sex: Parents in Favor of Expanding Health Education

Sep. 19, 2016 — Teaching kids about drugs, alcohol and sex appears to be less controversial than ever before but parents want to see health ... read more

Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation Raises Glutamate Levels in Humans

Sep. 19, 2016 — 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 ... read more

Imaging the Effects of Hunger on the Brain's Response to Food Cues

Sep. 14, 2016 — Our brain pays more attention to food when we are hungry than when we are sated. Now a team of scientists has shed light on how the needs of the body affect the way the brain processes visual food ... read more

Omega-3, Omega-6 Supplement Improves Reading for Children

Sep. 14, 2016 — Supplement of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids may improve reading skills of mainstream schoolchildren, according to a new study. Children with attention problems, in particular, may be helped in ... read more

Realistic Dinosaur Model Sheds Light on Camouflage

South African Conservationists Launch Anti-Poaching Helicopter

Fight to Save Animals Tops Week's Animal News

Bats Can Learn To Put Up With Us Noisy Humans

Acts of Altruism? New Study to Explore Actions of Solidarity With Asylum Seekers and Refugees

Sep. 16, 2016 — A new study into collective actions in support of vulnerable groups – including asylum seekers and refugees - is being led by English ... read more

Chronic Stress Increases Level of a Protein That Decreases Availability of Mood-Regulating Chemical

Sep. 13, 2016 — One way chronic stress appears to cause depression is by increasing levels of a protein in the brain that decreases the availability of an important chemical that regulates our mood, scientists ... read more

Angry Drivers Have a Higher Risk of Collision

Sep. 13, 2016 — Angry, aggressive drivers have much higher odds of being in a motor vehicle collision than those who don't get angry while driving, a new study ... read more

Discrimination Toward Overweight Adolescents Predictive of Emotional Problems

Sep. 13, 2016 — Discrimination and bullying experienced by sixth graders who are overweight leads to emotional problems by the end of eighth grade, according to new research. The results suggest that to reduce the ... read more

Study Identifies Brain Cells That Help Us Learn by Watching Others

Sep. 9, 2016 — From infancy, we learn by watching other people, then use those memories to help us predict outcomes and make decisions in the future. Now a study has pinpointed the individual neurons in the brain ... read more

Researchers Outline Barriers to Treating Fear, Anxiety

Sep. 9, 2016 — A misunderstanding of how the certain parts of the brain function has hampered the creation of pharmaceuticals to effectively address fear and anxiety disorders, a pair of researchers has ... read more

Mouse Model Points to Potential Drug Target for Increasing Social Interaction in Autism

Sep. 8, 2016 — A study of a new mouse model identifies a drug target that has the potential to increase social interaction in individuals with some forms of autism spectrum ... read more

Cognitive Function Tests Reliable for People With Intellectual Disabilities, Research Shows

Sep. 7, 2016 — A battery of tests appears to have strong potential for measuring cognitive changes over time for people with intellectual disabilities, research concludes. The work could open new doors to research ... read more

A New Angle on Anxiety

Sep. 6, 2016 — Clinical anxiety affects up to 30 percent of Americans who are in great need of better treatments with fewer side effects. A study finds that certain neurons in the hypothalamus play a central, ... read more

Brain Circuit That Drives Sleep-Wake States, Sleep-Preparation Behavior Is Identified

Sep. 5, 2016 — A brain circuit that's indispensable to the sleep-wake cycle has now been identified by researchers. This same circuit is also a key component of the reward system, an archipelago of ... read more

Wounds from Childhood Bullying May Persist Into College Years, Study Finds

Sep. 1, 2016 — Childhood bullying inflicts the same long-term psychological trauma on girls as severe physical or sexual abuse, suggests a new survey of college students led by bullying ... read more

Most States Report Medicaid Covers Children's Key Mental Health Services but Gaps Remain

Sep. 1, 2016 — A national study shows an uneven picture of states' use of Medicaid to help families with young children gain access to mental health services. A large number -- as many as 46 states -- use ... read more

When Silencing Phantom Noises Is a Matter of Science

Sep. 1, 2016 — New study in mice proposes the first gene that could help prevent tinnitus, that ringing in the ears inside one's head when no external sound is present. This discovery is a first step to ... read more

Motivating Eco-Friendly Behaviors Depends on Cultural Values

Aug. 31, 2016 — The specific cultural values of a country may determine whether concern about environmental issues actually leads individuals to engage in environmentally friendly behaviors, according to the new ... read more

Brain Perceives Taste With All Senses, Scientific Evidence Reveals

Aug. 31, 2016 — The phrase "it looks so good you can almost taste it" may actually be scientifically proven based on the findings of a new study that explored how the brain processes stimuli predicting ... read more

Connection Between Chronic Pain, Anxiety Disorders Found by Researchers

Aug. 31, 2016 — New study results provide insight into a long-observed, but little-understood connection between chronic pain and anxiety and offer a potential target for treatment. Researchers found that increased ... read more

High Rates of Suicide and Self-Harm Among Transgender Youth

Aug. 31, 2016 — In a new study, 30 percent of transgender youth report a history of at least one suicide attempt, and nearly 42 percent report a history of self-injury, such as cutting. The study also discovered a ... read more

Cognitive Behavior Therapy Could Be Key for Children With Autism Getting Enough Sleep

Aug. 30, 2016 — Experts believe that a family-based cognitive behavioral therapy may be the key for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) who have problems ... read more

Neural Factors That Predict Adolescent Alcohol Use

Aug. 30, 2016 — Researchers have identified 34 neural factors that predict adolescent alcohol consumption. The list, based upon complex algorithms analyzing data from neuropsychological testing and neuroimaging ... read more

Stiff Arteries Linked With Memory Problems, Mouse Study Suggests

Aug. 26, 2016 — Using a new mouse model, researchers have found that stiffer arteries can also negatively affect memory and other critical brain processes. The findings may eventually reveal how arterial stiffness ... read more

Friday, September 16, 2016