Psychology News and Research

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

Overeating and increased weight linked to brain region associated with motivation and reward

Snack consumption and BMI are linked to both brain activity and self-control, new research has found.

23 Jul 2012

Reward-related decision making may be affected by the emotional processing system

Anxiety disorders affect approximately 40 million American adults each year, and although they are treatable, they often cause significant distress.

23 Jul 2012

Limit children's media exposure to the Colorado shooting tragedy

In the wake of the tragic shooting at the screening of The Dark Knight Rises in Aurora, Colo., parents should encourage their children to express their feelings and limit their media exposure to the tragedy, say experts from Children's Hospital Los Angeles.

21 Jul 2012

CBT, pharmacologic interventions decrease depressive symptoms in cancer patients

Despite guidelines recommending screening for depression in cancer patients, it's been unclear whether interventions designed to treat this depression are effective. A study by the University of Colorado Cancer Center and other institutions, published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, changes that.

21 Jul 2012

Mother's exposure to air pollution increases risk of obesity and insulin resistance in offspring

Pregnant mice exposed to high levels of air pollution gave birth to offspring with a significantly higher rate of obesity and insulin resistance in adulthood than those that were not exposed to air pollution. This effect seemed especially prevalent in male mice, which were heavier regardless of diet. These findings, published online in the FASEB Journal, suggests a link between diesel exhaust exposure in utero and bulging waistlines in adulthood.

20 Jul 2012

HIV epidemic in MSM could be helped by better interaction with their health system

The second paper in The Lancet Series on HIV in MSM focuses on clinical care, and says that optimum clinical care for sexual and gender minorities is a fundamental human right. “MSM deserve to be treated with respect, and health-care providers need to interact with them in ways that promote disclosure of actionable health information,” say the authors, led by Dr Ken Mayer, Fenway Health, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.

20 Jul 2012

Teva contributes $2.5M to The Franklin Institute for development of neuroscience exhibit

The Franklin Institute has received a $2.5 million contribution from leading global pharmaceutical company Teva Pharmaceuticals to develop a signature innovative exhibit at the museum exploring neuroscience and the human brain, entitled Your Brain. This contribution brings The Franklin Institute's Inspire Science fundraising campaign total to $65 million.

20 Jul 2012

Alcohol and marijuana use predict hookah initiation, frequency

Nearly a quarter of college women try smoking tobacco with a hookah, or water pipe, for the first time during their freshman year, according to new research from The Miriam Hospital's Center for Behavioral and Preventive Medicine.

19 Jul 2012

MedStar NRH, Georgetown University create new Center for Brain Plasticity and Recovery

Georgetown University and MedStar National Rehabilitation Network announced today a new research and patient care partnership that extends the boundaries of neuroscience. The new Center for Brain Plasticity and Recovery marks the launch of a rare research continuum spanning basic and translational science in brain recovery.

14 Jul 2012

Memory-binding process allows people to better understand new concepts and make decisions

When humans learn, their brains relate new information with past experiences to derive new knowledge, according to psychology research from The University of Texas at Austin.

12 Jul 2012

Man Therapy launches in Colorado

Man Therapy, a groundbreaking new approach to suicide prevention and other men's mental health issues, was launched in Colorado today. Man Therapy reshapes the conversation, using humor to cut through stigma and tackle issues like depression, divorce and even suicidal thoughts head on, the way a man would do it.

12 Jul 2012

Photographs of faces may not be adequate proof of a person's identity

Photographs of faces may not be adequate proof of a person's identity and this could have serious implications for the accuracy of passport photographs in determining identity. Research funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) shows that an image of a person may look strikingly different from one image to the next. We are told not to smile in our passport photos as a smile distorts the face; but the opposite may actually be true, and a poker face may be the one which distorts normal facial features.

10 Jul 2012

Combination of estrogen and MPA increases synapses in the prefrontal cortex

A new study of aged female rats found that long-term treatment with estrogen and a synthetic progesterone known as MPA increased levels of a protein marker of synapses in the prefrontal cortex, a brain region known to suffer significant losses in aging.

10 Jul 2012

Hormone therapy still an acceptable treatment for menopausal symptoms: New joint statement

After 10 years of debate regarding the risks and benefits of hormone therapy, 15 top medical organizations have come together to issue a statement of agreement regarding the benefits of hormone therapy for symptomatic menopausal women. It was July 9, 2002, when the controversial, highly publicized Women's Health Initiative (WHI) published its assessment of hormone therapy for the prevention of chronic disease and concluded that risks exceeded benefits.

10 Jul 2012

UC Riverside receives NSF grant to address water quantity and quality issues

Water is likely to become an even more important factor in determining human well-being in the near future as the world's population continues to increase. While it is clear that the demand for water will steadily rise, it also appears that water supply could decline as a result of major shifts in the world's climate.

8 Jul 2012

Prescription drug warning labels fail to capture patients' attention

Many patients seem to ignore prescription drug warning labels with instructions that are critical for safe and effective use, according to a study by a Kansas State University researcher working with scientists at Michigan State University.

6 Jul 2012

TPJ in brain carries information for decisions during social interactions

Although many areas of the human brain are devoted to social tasks like detecting another person nearby, a new study has found that one small region carries information only for decisions during social interactions. Specifically, the area is active when we encounter a worthy opponent and decide whether to deceive them.

6 Jul 2012

Design and landscaping of hospital green areas can promote health

The design and landscaping of hospital green areas in accordance with the needs of patients, staff and doctors can have a health-promoting effect. These are the key findings of a study by the MedUni Vienna, led by Renata Cervinka from the Institute for Environmental Hygiene at the Centre for Public Health.

4 Jul 2012

Nottingham scientists to develop world's first atlas of the Asian brain

Scientists at The University of Nottingham are leading research that will develop the world's first 'atlas' of the Asian brain.

4 Jul 2012

Being a parent influences health in a positive way

There is no question that being a parent is, at times, challenging both physically and mentally. However knowledge of the actual affect parenthood has on health has been inconsistent at best, until now. New research led by Carnegie Mellon University's Sheldon Cohen and Rodlescia S. Sneed shows that being a parent influences health in a positive way. Published in Psychosomatic Medicine, the research provides the first evidence that, when exposed to a common cold virus, parents are 52 percent less likely to develop a cold than non-parents.

4 Jul 2012

Psychology News and Research

Further Reading

Overeating and increased weight linked to brain region associated with motivation and reward

Reward-related decision making may be affected by the emotional processing system

Limit children's media exposure to the Colorado shooting tragedy

CBT, pharmacologic interventions decrease depressive symptoms in cancer patients

Mother's exposure to air pollution increases risk of obesity and insulin resistance in offspring

HIV epidemic in MSM could be helped by better interaction with their health system

Teva contributes $2.5M to The Franklin Institute for development of neuroscience exhibit

Alcohol and marijuana use predict hookah initiation, frequency

MedStar NRH, Georgetown University create new Center for Brain Plasticity and Recovery

Memory-binding process allows people to better understand new concepts and make decisions

Man Therapy launches in Colorado

Photographs of faces may not be adequate proof of a person's identity

Combination of estrogen and MPA increases synapses in the prefrontal cortex

Hormone therapy still an acceptable treatment for menopausal symptoms: New joint statement

UC Riverside receives NSF grant to address water quantity and quality issues

Prescription drug warning labels fail to capture patients' attention

TPJ in brain carries information for decisions during social interactions

Design and landscaping of hospital green areas can promote health

Nottingham scientists to develop world's first atlas of the Asian brain

Being a parent influences health in a positive way

Designing fluidic architecture for scalable diagnostic platforms

Evaluating new approaches for rare disease genomics

Expanding access to NMR with the Fourier 80 Duo

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