Psychology News and Research

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Psychology is the study of human mental functions, behavior and processes.

Bilingualism can delay symptoms of dementia, study reveals

A study by York University psychology researchers provides new evidence that bilingualism can delay symptoms of dementia.

13 Feb 2020

Gut bacteria composition and diversity linked to human personality traits

Dr. Katerina Johnson, who conducted her Ph.D. in the University's Department of Experimental Psychology, was researching the science of that 'gut feeling' - the relationship between the bacteria living in the gut (the gut microbiome) and behavioral traits.

12 Feb 2020

A happy and positive partner will make you healthier

A new study says that having a happy and optimistic partner may help you become healthier, preventing cognitive decline.

12 Feb 2020

Prolonged hormone therapy linked to higher muscle mass, less chance of sarcopenia

Skeletal muscle mass and strength are critical in helping prevent falls, fractures, and disability. Yet, they continue to decline during the menopause transition.

12 Feb 2020

Vitamin D deficiency in postmenopausal women linked to disc degeneration and lower back pain

Lumbar disc degeneration and resulting lower back pain become greater concerns with age and disproportionately affect women more than men, likely as a result of decreasing estrogen levels during menopause.

12 Feb 2020

Migraine sufferers appear to have hyper-excitable visual cortex, study suggests

Individuals who suffer from migraine headaches appear to have a hyper-excitable visual cortex researchers at the Universities of Birmingham and Lancaster suggest.

10 Feb 2020

Family dynamics may play role in suicidal thoughts among children

Death by suicide in children has reached a 30-year high in the United States. During middle and high school, 10 to 15% of kids have thoughts of suicide, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

9 Feb 2020

Breathing pattern may help predict 'when' people begin voluntary action

Have you ever gone ahead and eaten that piece of chocolate, despite yourself?

6 Feb 2020

Study sheds new light on genetic relationship between three mood disorders

Researchers shed new light on the genetic relationship between three mood disorders associated with depression--major depression and bipolar disorder types 1 and 2, in a new study in the journal Biological Psychiatry, published by Elsevier.

5 Feb 2020

Unique neuron that computes like a compass identified

It's 5 p.m. as you leave the parking garage at work, but you realize you have no idea which way to turn to travel home. You know where you are and what street your house is on--it's just that you can't remember how to get there.

5 Feb 2020

Self-care associated with greater confidence in parents of children with FASD

Children diagnosed with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders--caused by prenatal alcohol exposure--often face lifelong developmental, cognitive and behavioral problems.

4 Feb 2020

Exercise may aid in adhering to a reduced-calorie diet, study suggests

Following a dietary weight loss program can be difficult. Many factors trigger diet lapses, which can lead to weight loss failure.

3 Feb 2020

Study identifies brain and social factors underlying racial, ethnic disparities in pain

In her Social and Cultural Neuroscience Lab at the University of Miami, assistant professor of Psychology Elizabeth Losin investigates the mechanisms underlying racial and ethnic disparities related to pain and pain treatment.

3 Feb 2020

New noninvasive way to monitor the health of brain cells using an infrared laser

With no way to reliably tell whether an athlete has a concussion, many may be playing with an undiagnosed injury. Likewise, 2 million people die every year because we don't have an early warning when brain cells are dying--and another 4 million experience cognitive disabilities.

3 Feb 2020

Brain imaging has limited applicability in evaluating defendant's sanity

Sophisticated brain imaging, like an MRI, has limited applicability in assessing a defendant's sanity, investigators say.

3 Feb 2020

Fragrances can enhance learning during sleep, shows new study

Effortless learning during sleep is the dream of many people. The supportive effect of smells on learning success when presented both during learning and sleep was first proven in an extensive sleep laboratory study.

31 Jan 2020

Exploring the connections between hip-hop, mental health and resilience using Maino's lyrics

Born in Brooklyn, New York, the rap artist Maino (Jermaine John Colman) takes his experiences not only from growing up in the famous borough, but also the 10 long years he spent behind bars at Riker's Island Penitentiary.

30 Jan 2020

Lying to avoid appearing dishonest

A new study from the American Psychological Association has found that people may often lie in order to appear more truthful to others. This paradoxical study was published in the latest issue of the Journal of Experimental Psychology: General. The study was titled, “Lying to appear honest.”

30 Jan 2020

Study provides insight into how CBD influences the brains of people with psychosis

Published in Psychological Medicine, the research used fMRI scans to examine the brain activity of 13 people with a diagnosis of psychosis under the influence of a single dose of CBD or placebo and 16 controls whilst they were undertaking a memory task.

29 Jan 2020

Concordia study investigates the link between cognition and hearing or vision loss

There is a long-established and widely recognized link between declines in sensory acuity -- particularly hearing and vision -- and cognition. Data from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging, involving tens of thousands of participants across the country aged 45 to 85, backs this up.

28 Jan 2020