Psychology News and Research

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

New herbal medicinal product for reducing mental and physical stress

Marketed under the trade name Vitango® and now available from pharmacies, the product is a special extract of a highly resilient plant called Golden Root (Rhodiola rosea) that grows in the freezing conditions of Northern Europe and Asia's mountain peaks.

29 Oct 2009

Pregnant women with symptoms of depression have a stronger biological reaction to the seasonal flu vaccine

Pregnant women with significant symptoms of depression tend to have a stronger biological reaction to the seasonal flu vaccine than do women with lower depression levels, according to a new study.

29 Oct 2009

Study links low maternal folate levels with attention-deficit/hyperactivity problems in children

It has long been suggested that healthy folate (the natural form of folic acid) levels in expectant mothers goes hand in hand with healthy nervous system development in their children. A study published in an upcoming issue of the Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry finds that low maternal folate levels is linked to the development of attention-deficit/hyperactivity problems in children at age seven to nine years.

29 Oct 2009

Depressed people more likely to overstate the frequency of physical symptoms

New research shows people who feel depressed tend to recall having more physical symptoms than they actually experienced. The study indicates that depression -- not neuroticism -- is the cause of such over-reporting.

29 Oct 2009

Culture-based treatment may be effective for reducing depression

A genetic tendency to depression is much less likely to be realized in a culture centered on collectivistic rather than individualistic values, according to a new Northwestern University study.

28 Oct 2009

Crushing virtual cigarettes reduces nicotine dependence

Smokers who crushed computer-simulated cigarettes as part of a psychosocial treatment program in a virtual reality environment had significantly reduced nicotine dependence and higher rates of tobacco abstinence than smokers participating in the same program who grasped a computer-simulated ball, according to a study described in the current issue of CyberPsychology and Behavior, a peer-reviewed journal published by Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.

28 Oct 2009

Discovery of AVM can relieve pain due to chronic back pain and neurologic deficits

The discovery of a multi-level arteriovenous malformation (AVM) in the thoracic epidural space can now bring relief to potentially thousands of suffers of chronic thoracic pain and progressive myelopothy. Identified as thoracic epidural arteriovenous malformation (T.E.A.M.), this particular AMV primarily affects younger women ages 20 to 40.

27 Oct 2009

Public lecture on "swearing as a response to pain"

Dr Richard Stephens and his colleagues John Atkins and Andrew Kingston found that swearing can increase pain tolerance. Sixty-four undergraduate volunteers were asked to submerge their hand in a tub of ice water for as long as possible while repeating a swear word of their choice; they were then asked to repeat the experiment, this time using a more commonplace word that they would use to describe a table.

27 Oct 2009

New sports performance training course for athletes

The National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM), a global leader in sports performance training and personal training certification, today announced the release of an enhanced version if its Performance Enhancement Specialist (NASM PES) course, the "NASM Essentials of Sports Performance Training."

27 Oct 2009

Changes in dopamine levels linked to infant learning patterns

When do you first leave the nest? Early in development infants of many species experience important transitions-such as learning when to leave the protective presence of their mother to start exploring the wider world. Neuroscientists have now pinpointed molecular events occurring in the brain during that turning point.

27 Oct 2009

AdherenceRx announces the development and integration of Patient Adherence Index

AdherenceRx (www.adherencerx.com) is pleased to announce the development & integration of the Patient Adherence Index™ (PAI™). This new index brings together evidence-based patient behavior mapping scores associated with Positive Psychology & Behavior Change… and the Patient Activation Measure™ (PAM™) developed by Judith Hibbard, Ph.D., and her colleagues at the University of Oregon.

27 Oct 2009

Rates of binge eating among adult women identical across race but not among college age women

Existing research shows that rates of binge eating among adult women is virtually identical across race. However, among college age women, it's a different story: Caucasian women are more apt to exhibit binge eating behaviors than African American women, according to a study presented at this month's annual scientific meeting of the Obesity Society.

26 Oct 2009

New Living 4 Life wellness program to make life better for seniors

Aegis Living, a national leader in senior living and assisted living communities, is pleased to announce that it's partnering with Bastyr University, renowned institution of natural health arts and sciences education and research, to make life better for seniors through its new innovative Living 4 Life program. With this collaboration, new programs and activities will enhance the mind, spirit and physical health of residents at Aegis Living.

24 Oct 2009

Strict adherence in taking HIV medication; extremely difficult for many individuals

Highly active antiretroviral therapy has increased the longevity and quality of life for people living with human immunodeficiency virus. But it requires strict adherence in taking the medicine, something that is extremely difficult for many individuals to do.

23 Oct 2009

Designers should develop new technological products based on older adult needs

While more older adults than ever are using cell phones and computers, a technology gap still exists that threatens to turn senior citizens into second-class citizens, according to Florida State University researchers.

23 Oct 2009

Play less video games to keep your focus

Parents have long lectured their children about the mind-numbing effects of playing video games all day. And a new Iowa State University study has found that high volume action video game players -- those who play around 40 hours per week -- actually had more difficulty keeping focused on tasks requiring longer, more proactive attention than those who played video games less than a couple of hours a week.

23 Oct 2009

Person-centered planning practices to promote organizational change and innovative service delivery

Today the JBFCS Alan B. Siskind Symposium, "Person in the Center: Innovation and Change," with Keynote Speaker Beth Mount, Ph.D., will explore person-centered planning and organizational innovation followed by a panel discussion that features innovative practice at JBFCS.

22 Oct 2009

New study suggests potential treatment for blindsight patients

Although we assume we can see everything in our field of vision, the brain actually picks and chooses the stimuli that come into our consciousness. A new study in the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology's Journal of Vision reveals that our brains can be trained to consciously see stimuli that would normally be invisible.

22 Oct 2009

Constant light at night can increase depressive symptoms

Researchers found that mice housed in a lighted room 24 hours a day exhibited more depressive symptoms than did similar mice that had a normal light-dark cycle.

22 Oct 2009

Sexual dysfunction in cancer survivors rarely addressed by internists

Few internists who care for cancer survivors address issues of sexual dysfunction with their patients, according to a study led by Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) researchers. In their article appearing in a November 2009 cancer survivor supplement to the Journal of General Internal Medicine, now available online, the investigators report that more than half the internists responding to a survey indicated they rarely or never discussed sexual problems with their patients who had survived cancer.

22 Oct 2009