Psychology News and Research

RSS

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

Liquorice consumption linked to shorter pregnancies and adverse affect on child's intelligence and behaviour

Expectant mothers who eat excessive quantities of liquorice during pregnancy could adversely affect their child's intelligence and behaviour, a study has shown.

7 Oct 2009

New health and fitness DVD 'Total Body Makeover' to be released in December

Gaiam, Inc., the leading distributor of lifestyle media and fitness accessories, today announced its partnership with exercise physiologist and certified personal trainer Bob Greene for the production of health and fitness DVDs. Anxiously awaited by Bob's fans, the first DVD, "Total Body Makeover" is set to launch December 1, 2009.

6 Oct 2009

Winner of 2009 NAMS award

Michael Holick, PhD, MD, director of the Bone Healthcare Clinic and the Vitamin D, Skin and Bone Research Laboratory at Boston University School of Medicine BUSM recently received the 2009 NAMS/Upsher-Smith Laboratories, Inc.Vitamin D Research Award from the North American Menopause Society (NAMS).

6 Oct 2009

Depression leads to elevated inflammatory proteins in the human body: Study

To help solve this long standing chicken and egg conundrum, researchers led by Jesse Stewart, Ph.D., assistant professor of psychology at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis asked two critical questions. Does depression lead to elevated inflammatory proteins in the human body? Or does an increase in these proteins lead to depression? They found that the answer to the first question appears to be "yes," and the answer to the second question may be "no" among healthy adults.

6 Oct 2009

American Lung Association kicks off its Faces of Influenza campaign in Miami

The American Lung Association of Florida-South Area is kicking off its 2009-2010 Faces of Influenza initiative by conducting a public influenza panel discussion to help Miami area residents understand the seriousness of seasonal influenza and the importance of annual vaccination. The meeting will address the latest flu statistics and benefits of vaccination, especially among high-risk groups.

3 Oct 2009

New study reveals that perception of color depends on biological processes of the eye and brain

Color is normally thought of as a fundamental attribute of an object: a red Corvette, a blue lake, a pink flamingo. Yet despite this popular notion, new research suggests that our perception of color is malleable, and relies heavily on biological processes of the eye and brain.

3 Oct 2009

Clinical scientists call for a reform in clinical psychology training programs

The prevalence of mental health disorders in this country has nearly doubled in the past 20 years. Who is treating all of these patients? Clinical psychologists and therapists are charged with the task, but many are falling short by using methods that are out of date and lack scientific rigor. This is in part because many of the training programs-especially some Doctorate of Psychology (PsyD) programs and for-profit training centers-are not grounded in science.

3 Oct 2009

Study points to subtle differences between boys and girls' attitudes to multiple drugs

New research by Weill Cornell Medical College researchers looks at the specific ways parents and peers influence teenagers to smoke, drink and use marijuana in combination.

3 Oct 2009

New website offers personalized advice on H1N1

Researchers at the University of Southampton have developed a new website which gives personalised advice on coping with swine flu and other cold and flu symptoms.

1 Oct 2009

Program to improve the lives of parents and children

Kids’ Turn (KT,) a San Francisco-based non-profit organization today announced results of a landmark study by Dr. Jeffrey Cookson, Department of Psychology at San Francisco State University.

1 Oct 2009

NIH awards $10.5 million grant for OCD treatment research

A new research center exploring the science underlying a potential new treatment for obsessive-compulsive disorder has been established at the University of Rochester Medical Center, thanks to a $10.5 million award from the National Institute of Mental Health.

1 Oct 2009

Fetal exposure to H1N1 flu can increase risk of heart disease

People exposed to a H1NI strain of influenza A while in utero were significantly more likely to have cardiovascular disease later in life, reveals a new study to be published in Journal of Developmental Origins of Health and Disease on Oct. 1.

1 Oct 2009

Researchers develop integrated treatment program for PTSD affected veterans

The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have resulted in a growing number of soldiers evacuated to the United States for comprehensive care for physical and psychological trauma. Given the number of physical injuries often experienced by soldiers, it is not surprising that chronic pain is a frequent problem among returning soldiers from Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom (OIF/OEF). Common sources of pain are in the head (traumatic-brain injury or post-concussion syndrome), legs (fractures, amputations, burns) and shoulders.

1 Oct 2009

Results of a new study warn against glamorizing celebrity suicides in the media

Dr Alex Mesoudi, from Queen Mary's newly established Research Centre for Psychology, has found evidence that the increasing reach and influence of the media, combined with a growing number of people assigned celebrity status, could increase the probability of widespread suicide pandemics.

1 Oct 2009

New drug combination releives neuropathic pain and improves sleep

People who suffer from debilitating neuropathic pain may get more relief and sleep better by combining two commonly-prescribed drugs.

1 Oct 2009

New Pathways to Memory Program to improve cognitive function for patients with dementia

Based on the ground-breaking program released in 2005, Homewatch CareGivers (www.HomewatchCareGivers.com), the largest, most experienced international provider of full-service home care, announced the release of its newly expanded Pathways to Memory™ Program, a set of therapeutic activities delivered in a nurturing, failure-free environment that stimulates and enhances cognitive function for patients with early to mid stage dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, and other memory loss conditions.

1 Oct 2009

Alcoholism affects sleep even after long periods of abstinence for both men and women, says study

A study in the Oct.1 issue of the journal Sleep shows that long-term alcoholism affects sleep even after long periods of abstinence, and the pattern of this effect is similar in both men and women.

1 Oct 2009

ARRA stimulus funds fuel research projects across America

The Association of American Universities (AAU), the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU), and The Science Coalition (TSC) today released highlighted examples of the important scientific work happening across the country as a result of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA). The brief report summarizes just a handful of the thousands of projects benefiting from stimulus dollars.

30 Sep 2009

Manic-depression not a lifelong disorder

Bipolar disorder, or manic-depression, causes severe and unusual shifts in mood and energy, affecting a person's ability to perform everyday tasks. With symptoms often starting in early adulthood, bipolar disorder has been thought of traditionally as a lifelong disorder. Now, University of Missouri researchers have found evidence that nearly half of those diagnosed between the ages of 18 and 25 may outgrow the disorder by the time they reach 30.

30 Sep 2009

CIHR and CMAJ honour eight Canadian Health Researchers

The Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) and the Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ) today honoured eight outstanding Canadian individuals and teams with the first ever CIHR-CMAJ Top Canadian Achievements in Health Research Awards, which recognize and celebrate Canadian health research and innovation excellence.

29 Sep 2009