Behavioral Medicine News and Research

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Behavioral medicine (BM) is a newly developing field of study which integrates behavioral, psychosocial, and biomedical concepts and practices to prevent, diagnose, and treat patients with psychosomatic disorders. The practice of BM targets the relation between how both thought and behavior can affect mental and physical health.

Highly active adults engage in a greater variety of activities to meet exercise guidelines

Highly active adults engage in a greater variety of physical activities than do less active adults, finds a new study led by researchers at NYU Rory Meyers College of Nursing.

29 Jan 2020

Study links use of acid reflux drugs with poorer concentration, memory in breast cancer survivors

Acid reflux drugs that are sometimes recommended to ease stomach problems during cancer treatment may have an unintended side effect: impairment of breast cancer survivors' memory and concentration.

17 Jan 2020

Judo holds promise for reducing sedentary behavior among children with autism

Judo may be just the right sport to increase the physical activity level among children with autism spectrum disorder and holds promise for reducing sedentary behavior, which is linked to obesity and diabetes, according to a new study from the University of Central Florida.

9 Jan 2020

Scientists reveal brain mechanisms and functional regions that underlie confirmation bias

An international research team comprising neuroscientists at Virginia Tech, University College London and the University of London revealed brain mechanisms and functional regions that underlie confirmation bias -- a phenomenon where people strongly favor information that reinforces their existing opinions over contradictory ones.

17 Dec 2019

Age plays key role in the well-being of patients with Type 2 diabetes

A team of researchers at Carnegie Mellon University found that age plays a critical role in the well-being of people newly diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes, with younger patients more susceptible to psychological distress resulting in worse health outcomes.

15 Nov 2019

Regulating gut bacteria could calm chemo side effects, reduce cognitive problems

In a new study, scientists observed several simultaneous reactions in mice given a common chemotherapy drug: Their gut bacteria and tissue changed, their blood and brains showed signs of inflammation, and their behaviors suggested they were fatigued and cognitively impaired.

11 Nov 2019

Wake Forest Baptist receives $6 million to study non-pharmaceutical cancer pain management

For many people who've had cancer, severe pain can persist even after treatment ends.

5 Nov 2019

First-in-the-U.S. clinical trial uses deep brain stimulation to tackle opioid addiction

The West Virginia University Rockefeller Neuroscience Institute and WVU Medicine, today (Nov. 5) announced the launch of a first-in-the-U.S. clinical trial using deep brain stimulation for patients suffering from treatment-resistant opioid use disorder.

5 Nov 2019

Genes linked to autism spectrum disorder may play role in eye movements

Researchers studying zebrafish have found that genes linked to autism spectrum disorder and other developmental brain abnormalities may be playing a role in people who cannot control their eye movements.

4 Nov 2019

New UB study focuses on food access among low-income populations

Smaller purveyors of produce such as mobile and farmers markets are the cream of the crop when it comes to increasing fruit and vegetable consumption in low-income communities. Opening new supermarkets, however, has not been shown to have much of an impact in that regard, according to new research from the University at Buffalo.

30 Oct 2019

Washington State law on behavioral care balances parental rights, teens’ autonomy

When Ben Packard met with the 16-year-old girl a little over a year ago, she was a patient at Seattle Children's Hospital, where she'd been admitted after trying to kill herself. Her parents were distraught.

24 Oct 2019

New guidance from oncology experts recommends tailored exercise prescriptions

New guidance from exercise oncology experts recommend systematic use of an "exercise prescription" by health care workers and fitness professionals in designing and delivering exercise programs that aim to lower the risk of developing certain cancers and best meet the needs, preferences and abilities of people with cancer.

17 Oct 2019

Home visit treatment program may help tackle childhood obesity

Behavioral medicine experts from the Rush University Prevention Center at Rush University Medical Center are going straight to patients' homes to see if they can find solutions to address childhood obesity.

3 Oct 2019

Prescription for healthy food could be the answer to food insecurity

The answer to food insecurity could be as simple as a prescription for healthy food from your health care provider and the means to obtain it, particularly in food deserts, said researchers led by The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) School of Public Health.

20 Sep 2019

Obesity stigma and yo-yo dieting, not BMI, are behind chronic health conditions, dietitian claims

In a recent New York Times opinion column, dietitian Christy Harrison, an "intuitive eating coach" and author, responded to a fellow clinician who had questioned some of her thoughts on the link between being overweight and developing other medical conditions.

17 Sep 2019

SDSU professors study the sensory impact of food and evolution of healthy eating

"We eat first with our eyes." This comment has been attributed to Marcus Gavius Apicius, a 1st Century Roman gourmand. Two thousand years later, academic research backs up Apicius' statement, as a team of marketing professors at the Fowler College of Business at San Diego State University have studied the sensory impact of food and the evolution of healthy eating.

11 Sep 2019

New couples-based intervention shows potential to reduce caregiver distress

There is growing evidence that caregivers of patients with cardiovascular disease are vulnerable to developing their own poor cardiovascular health.

10 Sep 2019

Socioeconomic deprivation linked to suicide rates in rural areas

This is National Suicide Prevention Week, and John Campo--the chief behavior wellness officer at West Virginia University--is examining trends in suicide rates to make suicide prevention more effective.

10 Sep 2019

JAMA review: Clinicians encouraged to consider social determinants screening and referrals

The Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research Professor and Senior Vice President Karina W. Davidson, PhD, MASc, reviews clinical practices for social determinants of health screening and referrals in the September 17 issue of The Journal of the American Medical Association.

29 Aug 2019

Medical mistrust contributes to delays in African American men using health care system

Mistrust of health care providers, fueled by painful experiences with racism, makes African American men more likely to delay routine screenings and doctor's appointments, according to a new study in the journal Behavioral Medicine by the Health Disparities Institute at UConn Health, with potentially serious implications for their overall health.

8 Aug 2019