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psychbot , 5 months ago to psychology

Psychology News Robot
DATE:
February 07, 2024 at 02:22AM
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TITLE:
New Hampshire Traces AI Robocalls Faking Biden to Texas Group
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URL:
http://www.socialpsychology.org/client/redirect.php?from=rss_feed&id=177241&url=https://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2024/02/07/robocalls-New-Hampshire-Biden-Texas/7621707318502/

<div><p>Source: <a href="http://www.upi.com/Health_News/" rel="tag" target="_blank">United Press International - Health News</a></p>The New Hampshire Attorney General's Office identified a Texas outfit as the source of illegal artificial intelligence robocalls imitating the voice of President Joe Biden. The probe found that the source of the robocalls, which encouraged Democrats not to vote in the New Hampshire presidential primary on January 23, was Texas-based &quot;Life Corporation.&quot; Between 5,000 and 25,000 robocalls imitating Biden were made before the primary, said...</div><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><br /><a href="https://www.socialpsychology.org/client/redirect.php?action=rssHomepage" target="_blank"><img title="Brought to you by Social Psychology Network" alt="Brought to you by SocialPsychology Network" src="https://www.socialpsychology.org/images/rss-footer-large.png" border="0" width="400" height="45" /></a><br><br>
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psychbot , 5 months ago to psychology

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DATE:
February 07, 2024 at 04:00PM
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TITLE:
Neuroscientists just discovered a previously unknown connection between the brain and its surrounding environment
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URL:
https://www.psypost.org/2024/02/neuroscientists-just-discovered-a-previously-unknown-connection-between-the-brain-and-its-surrounding-environment-221319

<p>How does the brain rid itself of waste, and how does this process influence our health? In a landmark study led by researchers at Washington University in St. Louis and the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, scientists have uncovered a direct pathway through which the brain&#8217;s waste disposal system communicates with the protective layers surrounding it, challenging long-standing beliefs about the brain&#8217;s isolation from the body&#8217;s immune system.</p>
<p>This discovery sheds light on the mechanisms that allow waste and immune signals to move between the brain and its outer protective covering, potentially opening new avenues for understanding and treating neurological diseases. The findings have been published in the journal <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-023-06993-7"><em>Nature</em></a>.</p>
<p>The motivation behind this study stems from a fundamental question in neuroscience: how does the brain, an organ known for its delicate and complex functions, maintain its health by removing waste and interacting with the body&#8217;s immune system? Traditionally, the brain was thought to operate in a sort of splendid isolation, protected by barriers that keep out the immune system and potentially harmful substances.</p>
<p>However, this isolation could also mean that the brain had limited options for waste removal, a critical function for preventing diseases. Researchers embarked on this study to explore the possibility of a direct communication route between the brain and its surrounding protective layers, which could revolutionize our understanding of brain health and disease.</p>
<p>&#8220;Waste fluid moves from the brain into the body much like how sewage leaves our homes,&#8221; said Daniel S. Reich, a senior investigator at NINDS. &#8220;In this study, we asked the question of what happens once the ‘drain pipes’ leave the ‘house’ &#8212; in this case, the brain &#8212; and connect up with the city sewer system within the body.&#8221;</p>
<p>To investigate these questions, the study employed a comprehensive approach combining advanced imaging techniques and genetic analysis in both humans and mice. In humans, the team used high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to observe the movement of a magnetic dye, gadobutrol, which was injected into participants to visualize the pathways through which waste might exit the brain.</p>
<p>In parallel, researchers conducted experiments in mice, injecting them with light-emitting molecules to track the movement of fluids through the brain&#8217;s protective barriers. The study also utilized single nucleus RNA-sequencing to analyze the gene expression of cells within these barriers and electron microscopy to visualize the cells&#8217; structures in detail.</p>
<p>The researcher identified specific regions, termed arachnoid cuff exit (ACE) points, where a &#8220;cuff&#8221; of cells surrounds blood vessels as they pass through the brain&#8217;s protective arachnoid barrier into the dura mater. The dura mater is the outermost and toughest layer among the three layers of membranes called the meninges that surround and protect the brain and spinal cord. This membrane is composed of dense, fibrous connective tissue.</p>
<p>These ACE points act as gateways, allowing the transfer of waste fluids, immune cells, and other molecules between the brain and the dura, contrary to the previous belief that such communication was virtually impossible due to the brain&#8217;s protective barriers.</p>
<p>This discovery reveals that the brain is not as isolated as once thought and has a direct means of disposing of waste and interacting with the immune system.</p><div class="addrop-wrap" data-id="64749"><p style="text-align: center;">
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<p>&#8220;If your sink is clogged, you can remove water from the sink or fix the faucet, but ultimately you need to fix the drain,&#8221; explained Jonathan Kipnis, a professor at Washington University in St. Louis. &#8220;In the brain, clogs at ACE points may prevent waste from leaving. If we can find a way to clean these clogs, it&#8217;s possible we can protect the brain.&#8221;</p>
<figure id="attachment_221320" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-221320" style="width: 1157px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img fetchpriority="high" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-221320" src="https://www.psypost.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/20240207-mri.jpg" alt="" width="1157" height="949" srcset="https://www.psypost.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/20240207-mri.jpg 1157w, https://www.psypost.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/20240207-mri-300x246.jpg 300w, https://www.psypost.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/20240207-mri-1024x840.jpg 1024w, https://www.psypost.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/20240207-mri-768x630.jpg 768w, https://www.psypost.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/20240207-mri-750x615.jpg 750w, https://www.psypost.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/20240207-mri-1140x935.jpg 1140w" sizes="(max-width: 1157px) 100vw, 1157px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-221320" class="wp-caption-text">Fluid containing light-emitting molecules was seen to slip through the arachnoid barrier where blood vessels passed through. (NINDS)</figcaption></figure>
<p>In mice, the study showed that these pathways are involved in the immune system&#8217;s response to disorders, such as when immune cells attack the brain&#8217;s protective myelin in conditions mimicking multiple sclerosis. Blocking the interaction of immune cells with the ACE points reduced the severity of the condition, highlighting the significance of these pathways in brain health and disease.</p>
<p>“The immune system uses molecules to communicate that cross from the brain into the dura mater,” said Kipnis. “This crossing needs to be tightly regulated, otherwise detrimental effects on brain function can occur.”</p>
<p>The researchers also noted that the efficiency of these ACE points and their role in waste clearance and immune surveillance might decline with age. This was suggested by the observation that older participants in the study showed increased leakage of the magnetic dye into the surrounding fluid and spaces around the blood vessels, indicating a potential breakdown in the efficiency of these ACE points over time.</p>
<p>This aspect of the study hints at a possible link between the aging process and the increased risk of developing neurological diseases, suggesting that the deterioration of these ACE points could contribute to the accumulation of waste products and altered immune responses in the aging brain.</p>
<p>&#8220;This might point to a slow breakdown of the ACE points over the course of aging,&#8221; said Reich, &#8220;and this could be consequential in that the brain and immune system can now interact in ways that they’re not supposed to.&#8221;</p>
<p>The discovery of ACE points revolutionizes our understanding of brain physiology, indicating a direct pathway for waste disposal and immune system interaction that was previously unknown. But he study is not without its limitations. The exact mechanism by which these ACE points operate and their relative importance compared to other waste removal and immune system interaction pathways in the brain remains unclear. Furthermore, while the study provides compelling evidence in mice and through MRI imaging in humans, more research is needed to fully understand the implications of these findings for human health and disease.</p>
<p>Future research directions include exploring how the efficiency of these ACE points changes with age, as the study observed increased leakage of the magnetic dye in older participants, suggesting that the effectiveness of this waste disposal system may decline over time. This could have profound implications for understanding age-related neurological diseases, where impaired waste clearance could play a critical role.</p>
<p>The study, &#8220;<a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-023-06993-7" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Identification of direct connections between the dura and the brain</a>,&#8221; was authored by Leon C. D. Smyth, Di Xu, Serhat V. Okar, Taitea Dykstra, Justin Rustenhoven, Zachary Papadopoulos, Kesshni Bhasiin, Min Woo Kim, Antoine Drieu, Tornike Mamuladze, Susan Blackburn, Xingxing Gu, María I. Gaitán, Govind Nair, Steffen E. Storck, Siling Du, Michael A. White, Peter Bayguinov, Igor Smirnov, Krikor Dikranian, Daniel S. Reich, and Jonathan Kipnis.</p>
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psychbot , 5 months ago to psychology

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DATE:
February 07, 2024 at 02:00PM
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TITLE:
Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v. Wade linked to spike in anxiety and depression
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URL:
https://www.psypost.org/2024/02/supreme-courts-overturning-of-roe-v-wade-linked-to-spike-in-anxiety-and-depression-221269

<p>In a study published in <a href="https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2023.25599"><em>JAMA</em></a>, researchers have uncovered that the Supreme Court&#8217;s decision to overturn <em>Roe v. Wade</em>, known as the <em>Dobbs</em> decision, was linked to a noticeable increase in anxiety and depression symptoms across the United States. This effect was particularly pronounced among women of reproductive age in states that had preemptively passed laws to ban abortions upon the decision&#8217;s announcement.</p>
<p>The <em>Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization</em> decision marked a pivotal moment in U.S. legal history, overturning nearly 50 years of federal abortion rights established by <em>Roe v. Wade</em> and <em>Planned Parenthood v. Casey</em>. This monumental ruling shifted the power to regulate abortions back to individual states, many of which had already enacted &#8220;trigger laws&#8221; designed to immediately ban abortions if <em>Roe</em> was overturned.</p>
<p>Thirteen states had trigger laws in place at the time the <em>Dobbs</em> decision was announced, including Arkansas, Idaho, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, and Wyoming.</p>
<p>In light of these dramatic legal shifts and the potential for widespread effects on public health, researchers embarked on a study to assess the mental health impacts of the <em>Dobbs</em> decision. Prior studies had shown that being denied an abortion could lead to increased depression and anxiety, but the broader implications of such a significant policy change on the general population&#8217;s mental health were not well understood.</p>
<p>&#8220;I had pursued a paper employing a similar methodology to assess the impacts of North Carolina’s controversial &#8216;Bathroom Bill.&#8217; This research made it clear to me that noteworthy policy shifts like this could have an impact on factors that are not directly related to what they were designed to target,&#8221; said study author Benjamin Thornburg, a PhD candidate in the Bloomberg School’s Department of Health Policy and Management.</p>
<p>The new study utilized data from the Household Pulse Survey, an online survey initiated by the U.S. Census Bureau in April 2020, amid the COVID-19 pandemic. This survey aimed to collect real-time data on how U.S. households were faring in terms of health and socioeconomic status. With responses from 718,753 individuals, the survey provided a rich dataset for analysis.</p>
<p>The researchers focused on the Patient Health Questionnaire-4 (PHQ-4), a brief screening tool included in the survey to measure anxiety and depression symptoms. The PHQ-4 scores range from 0 to 12, with higher scores indicating more severe symptoms of anxiety and depression.</p>
<p>The analysis covered survey waves from December 29, 2021, to January 19, 2023, a period that included the leak and official announcement of the <em>Dobbs</em> decision, allowing the researchers to compare mental health outcomes before and after these events.</p>
<p>In the six months following the <em>Dobbs</em> decision, anxiety and depression scores increased by 8.5% in states with trigger laws, compared to a 5.4% increase in states without such laws. Notably, women aged 18 to 45 in trigger states saw a 3.03% increase in their PHQ-4 scores, while their counterparts in non-trigger states actually experienced a slight decrease. This suggests that the decision had a more substantial emotional and psychological toll on women of reproductive age in states poised to restrict abortion access.</p>
<p>&#8220;We found that adverse mental health impacts were driven primarily by females of reproductive age, which is surprising insofar as it indicates that the underlying mechanism was not necessarily salient for similarly aged males,&#8221; Thornburg told PsyPost.</p><div class="addrop-wrap" data-id="64749"><p style="text-align: center;">
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<p>Moreover, the researchers explored the probability of individuals exceeding the clinical threshold for anxiety and depression, as indicated by their PHQ-4 scores. It found a significant increase in the likelihood of surpassing this threshold in trigger states relative to non-trigger states, further highlighting the mental health risks posed by the <em>Dobbs</em> decision.</p>
<p>&#8220;Our findings revealed that the overturning of <em>Roe</em> led to a non-trivial increase in the probability of testing positively for anxiety or depression using a screening tool often used in primary care settings,&#8221; Thornburg said. &#8220;Ultimately, this study indicates that population mental health can be impacted distally by non-mental health policies.&#8221;</p>
<p>The findings offer valuable insights into the immediate and significant mental health impacts of major policy changes, particularly those affecting personal rights and freedoms such as the <em>Dobbs</em> decision. However, the study was not without its limitations.</p>
<p>The researchers noted the challenges inherent in using a relatively new dataset like the Household Pulse Survey, which, while beneficial for its timeliness and breadth, has not been as extensively validated as other long-standing data sources. Additionally, the survey&#8217;s design as a cross-sectional study — capturing different individuals&#8217; responses over time rather than tracking the same individuals — complicates the task of attributing changes directly to the <em>Dobbs</em> decision.</p>
<p>&#8220;Our data were comprised of different groups of adults surveyed over time, which hampered our ability to adjust for individual level characteristics,&#8221; Thornburg explained. &#8220;However, our sample size was large and weighted to be representative of the population, which makes this limitation less concerning.&#8221;</p>
<p>Looking ahead, the study&#8217;s authors call for further research to explore the mental health impacts of policy changes more deeply. Specifically, they suggest future studies could benefit from longitudinal designs, providing clearer insights into how specific policy changes directly affect mental health. Moreover, understanding the role of political ideology and other individual-level factors in shaping responses to such policy shifts could offer a more nuanced view of their psychological impacts.</p>
<p>&#8220;We are currently working on a project assessing the impacts of the <em>Dobbs</em> decision on the National Residency Match,&#8221; Thornburg said. &#8220;Medical graduates are a geographically flexible group, often moving long distances for their preferred residency program, and their preferences are known to be greatly informed by a program’s geographic location. As such, we hypothesize that programs in states with abortion bans might have a harder time attracting applicants relative to those without, especially among medical specialties where the education would be affected explicitly (Ob/Gyn), or are comprised of a large proportion of residents who are women (family medicine, pediatrics, psychiatry, etc.).&#8221;</p>
<p>The study, &#8220;<a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2814133">Anxiety and Depression Symptoms After the Dobbs Abortion Rights Decision</a>,” was authored by Benjamin Thornburg, Alene Kennedy-Hendricks, Joanne Rosen, and Matthew Eisenberg.</p>
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psychbot , 5 months ago to psychology

.
DATE:
February 07, 2024 at 12:00PM
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TITLE:
Heart-brain axis dysfunction: Sports-related concussions can alter cardiovascular function
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URL:
https://www.psypost.org/2024/02/heart-brain-axis-dysfunction-sports-related-concussions-can-alter-cardiovascular-function-221308

<p>Mild traumatic brain injury or sport-related concussions occur frequently in contact sports such as football, rugby and ice hockey. A concussion doesn’t just affect the brain; <a href="https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci7080100">it results in stress to the entire body</a>.</p>
<p>In our laboratory comprised of exercise scientists and clinicians, we focus on studying heart function in patients with a concussion. After a concussion, there are increased demands on the body to maintain proper brain activity. To compensate for these demands, there are changes in heart function.</p>
<p>We have explored this interaction between the heart and the brain, known as the heart-brain axis, and have identified how heart function changes due to a concussion. For example, a hit to the head can send signals to the heart that <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/cpf.12487">shifts the body to a stressful “fight-or-flight” mode</a>. This increases the stress on the body by causing a change in heart function.</p>
<p>This mechanism is related to what we would describe as a neuro-autonomic cardiovascular dysfunction. This means that problems with the autonomic nervous system (ANS) are causing altered signals going to the heart.</p>
<p>The ANS controls things that we don’t actively think about like breathing, digestion and heart function. The ANS is also <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/cpf.12487">responsible for controlling the rhythm of a heartbeat</a>.</p>
<h2>Changes in systole following a concussion</h2>
<p>Each heartbeat contains both a heart muscle contraction (systole) and relaxation (diastole) phase. That’s why a <a href="https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/high-blood-pressure/in-depth/blood-pressure/art-20050982">blood pressure reading results in two numbers</a>: the systolic and diastolic pressures. Systolic blood pressure, which is usually listed at the top of a blood pressure reading, is generated by the heart as it contracts, pushing out blood during each heartbeat.</p>
<p>Approximately 120 mmHg is a good systolic number, and the blood pressure varies with each heartbeat. These variations between heartbeats in systolic blood pressure is known as blood pressure variability, and it is a measure that provides information about stress on the body.</p>
<p>Concussion can also alter blood pressure. Since blood pressure can also be influenced by breathing, we controlled breathing rates in concussed athletes when conducting tests within five days of injury. We showed that <a href="https://doi.org/10.3390/life12091400">blood pressure variability is suppressed during concussion</a>.</p>
<p>Within five days after sustaining a concussion, systole — the phase of the heartbeat when the heart muscle contracts to allow blood to flow into the body — is impaired, with the heart contracting for a shorter period of time during each heart beat. This has the potential to lower the efficiency with which blood is pumped from the heart.</p>
<p>Furthermore, there is <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/15438627.2022.2102918">elevated stress on the heart</a>, causing it to squeeze harder to get blood into the body. These changes are typically transient and return to normal as concussion symptoms alleviate.</p><div class="addrop-wrap" data-id="64749"><p style="text-align: center;">
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<h2>Long-term concussion symptoms</h2>
<p>Concussion symptoms such as headache and pressure build-up in the head reflect the ANS not working properly. These symptoms can last if the brain is injured. Research suggests that a history of repeated concussions can have long-lasting effects. Specifically, those with a history of at least three concussions <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/02699052.2022.2109737">show altered oxygen activity in the brain</a>.</p>
<p>Each heartbeat provides blood and oxygen to the brain. Therefore, heart complications can result in altered brain activity. This is evident during strenuous activity such as repeated squat-stand manoeuvres (10-second squat, then a 10-second stand, repeated 15 times), which <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/02699052.2022.2109737">can result in reduced brain oxygen in those with a history of concussion</a>. This reduction in brain oxygen activity can be <a href="https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci12111443">associated with elevated stress on the heart due to the concussion</a>.</p>
<p>Similarly, in our lab, four women suffering from post-concussion syndrome (symptoms that last for months or even years after a concussion) presented with <a href="https://doi.org/10.1139/cjpp-2021-0395">decreased systolic blood pressure variability</a>. Monitoring heart function in patients with sustained concussion complications can aid with recovery.</p>
<p>In another case study, a male patient had a history of multiple concussions that elicited heart complications. Remarkably, treatment of the heart issues alleviated all concussion symptoms in a matter of days when the patient’s cardiologist <a href="https://doi.org/10.1155/2020/7154120">treated him with the heart medication amiodarone, which is used to treat heart rhythm problems</a>.</p>
<p>Specifically, our case study presented a patient with almost 20 per cent abnormal heartbeats, which is very unusual. The stress on the heart stresses the body, which can worsen the concussion symptoms. This is the first report of a patient in whom treatment of abnormal heartbeat cleared concussion symptoms.</p>
<p>There is still limited research about the heart-brain axis. For example, it is known that <a href="https://www.heart.org/en/news/2020/02/04/chronic-stress-can-cause-heart-trouble">stress and anxiety are risk factors for heart disease</a>. For concussion, a hit to the head can send signals to the heart, resulting in higher stress levels on the heart. As shown in our research, the higher stress levels on the heart can be <a href="https://doi.org/10.3390/life12091400">measured by systolic blood pressure activity</a>. More research is being done to better understand the heart-brain axis.</p>
<h2>Future research and potential treatment options</h2>
<p>Research is beginning to investigate how compounds from the cannabis plant, such as cannabidiol (CBD), may help concussion recovery. For example, four female patients between the ages of 42 and 52 suffering from post-concussion syndrome consumed CBD oil under guidance from their physician. This was followed by improvements in their <a href="https://doi.org/10.1139/cjpp-2021-0395">systolic blood pressure variability</a>. Furthermore, their concussion symptoms improved, leading to reduced perception of anxiety.</p>
<p>This led us to complete a literature review on the implications of cannabinoids, such as CBD, on concussion. Our findings suggest that <a href="https://doi.org/10.1017/cjn.2020.23">cannabinoid therapy may have a beneficial effect on concussion recovery</a>.</p>
<p>We have recently been funded by the National Football League/National Football League Players Association to <a href="https://www.nfl.com/playerhealthandsafety/health-and-wellness/pain-management/nfl-awards-1-million-to-study-impact-of-cannabis-and-cbd-on-pain-management">study CBD’s potential influence on brain-heart function and effect on concussion symptoms</a>. This will enable us to better understand how these cannabinoids may influence the heart-brain axis relationship.<!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><img decoding="async" style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/194153/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/repeated-concussions-can-alter-heart-activity-and-impact-the-heart-brain-axis-194153">original article</a>.</em></p>
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psychbot , 5 months ago to psychology

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DATE:
February 07, 2024 at 08:00AM
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TITLE:
The new pacifier? Greater parental stress is linked to increased screen time in toddlers
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URL:
https://www.psypost.org/2024/02/the-new-pacifier-greater-parental-stress-is-linked-to-increased-screen-time-in-toddlers-221305

<p>A recent study of toddlers in Switzerland found that children’s screen use time is positively associated with the stress of their parents. Toddlers whose parents reported experiencing more stress tended to use screen media more. This link was stronger in parents with more positive attitudes towards screen media. The study was published in <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2023.108057"><em>Computers in Human Behavior.</em></a></p>
<p>Screen media are any visual media displayed on electronic screens. This includes a wide range of digital content such as television shows, movies, video games, and online videos. These media are accessed through devices such as televisions, computers, tablets, and smartphones. Over the past century, screen media gained a very prominent role in entertainment, education, and communication, offering users a diverse array of content from informative documentaries to interactive gaming experiences.</p>
<p>However, the use of screen media by children has come under significant scrutiny due to concerns about its potential impact on their health, development, and behavior. Children are being exposed to screen media from a very young age, with some starting to use these devices as early as a few months old.</p>
<p>Research from Germany indicates that toddlers aged 2-3 years spend, on average, about an hour daily on these media. As children grow, their screen time tends to increase. While screen media serve as useful tools for entertainment, education, and staving off boredom, there are studies suggesting that excessive use can negatively affect children&#8217;s sleep patterns and may be linked to other adverse outcomes.</p>
<p>In their new study, Valerie Brauchli and her colleagues wanted to explore the link between parental stress and children’s screen use time, as well as the impact parental attitudes towards screen media have on this link. . Parental stress refers to the pressures and challenges parents face in raising their children, often arising from the need to juggle childcare, work, financial responsibilities, and personal well-being. The researchers hypothesized that higher levels of parental stress would correlate with increased screen time among children, particularly among parents with favorable views of screen media.</p>
<p>The study involved 462 parents of children up to 3 years of age and spanned 10 months, with data collected from parents on four different occasions. The majority of participants were from Switzerland, with 93% being mothers. The average age of the parents was 36 years, and the children, comprising roughly equal numbers of girls and boys, had an average age of 16 months at the start of the study.</p>
<p>Data collection was part of the &#8220;Children and Digital Media&#8221; research project, conducted between March 2021 and January 2022. During this period, parents filled out online questionnaires over nine consecutive days in what were termed &#8220;diary weeks.&#8221; These weeks began on a Friday with an email questionnaire, followed by daily logs of children&#8217;s activities and focus topics, concluding with a final questionnaire the following Saturday.</p>
<p>Throughout the diary weeks, participants reported on their children&#8217;s screen time, parenting stress (using the Parental Stress Questionnaire), and attitudes toward screen media through statements such as &#8220;I find it good when [Child’s first name] uses screen media,&#8221; &#8220;It is important for children to learn how to use screen media responsibly as early as possible,&#8221; and &#8220;Children must learn to use screen media as early as possible.&#8221;</p>
<p>Results showed that at times when parents reported experiencing more stress, they also reported their children spending more time using screen media. Screen use time was also associated with parental attitudes towards these media. Parents with more positive attitudes towards screen media allowed their children much longer use.</p>
<p>The relationship between parental stress and children&#8217;s screen time was found to vary with parents&#8217; attitudes toward screen media. For instance, parents with a negative view of screen media allowed their children an average of 9.5 minutes of screen time during low-stress periods, which slightly increased to 10 minutes during high-stress periods. Conversely, parents with positive attitudes toward screen media permitted their children 17.5 minutes of screen time under low stress, which rose to approximately 28 minutes under high stress.</p><div class="addrop-wrap" data-id="64749"><p style="text-align: center;">
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<p>Older children were observed to spend more time on screens, though screen media use was not linked to parental education or income levels.</p>
<p>“Overall, both parenting stress and parental attitudes toward young children’s screen media use were associated with children’s screen time. In addition, more positive parental attitudes toward children’s screen media use in early childhood tended to strengthen the link between parenting stress and children’s screen time. The findings from our study indicate that young children’s screen media use may play an important role in helping parents cope with parenting stress. Consequently, screen media may be used as a modern pacifier by some parents,&#8221; the study authors concluded.</p>
<p>The study sheds light on an important parenting practice. However, it should be noted that all save a few participants were Swiss. Results might not be the same on other cultures. They may also be somewhat different in older children.</p>
<p>The paper, “<a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2023.108057">Are screen media the new pacifiers? The role of parenting stress and parental attitudes for children’s screen time in early childhood</a>“, was authored by Valerie Brauchli, Fabio Sticca, Peter Edelsbrunner, Agnes von Wyl, and Patricia Lannen.</p>
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psychbot , 5 months ago to psychology

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DATE:
February 07, 2024 at 06:00AM
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TITLE:
The most popular dementia videos on TikTok tend to have the lowest quality, study find
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URL:
https://www.psypost.org/2024/02/the-most-popular-dementia-videos-on-tiktok-tend-to-have-the-lowest-quality-study-find-221303

<p>Are the most popular dementia-related videos on TikTok actually informative, or do they fall short of providing valuable information to the public? A recent study published in <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/public-health/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2023.1266415/full"><em>Frontiers in Public Health</em></a> has revealed that the quality of information on dementia across TikTok videos is worryingly low, despite the platform&#8217;s potential as a powerful tool for public health education.</p>
<p>Dementia is a term that describes a collection of symptoms affecting memory, cognitive function, and social abilities severely enough to interfere with daily life. It is not a single disease but rather a general term that encompasses a wide range of specific medical conditions, including Alzheimer&#8217;s disease, which is the most common form.</p>
<p>Dementia is characterized by the deterioration of thinking abilities, memory loss, and the loss of the ability to perform everyday activities. Although it predominantly affects older individuals, it is not a normal part of aging.</p>
<p>&#8220;As the elderly population grows and dementia becomes more common with age, it is expected that dementia cases will rise. Social media can greatly aid health communication and promote engagement in dementia research. Given that more patients research online before seeing a doctor, we aimed to assess the adequacy of this information for patients and their families,&#8221; explained study author Jovana Petrović, a psychiatry resident and PhD student at the University Clinical Centre Niš.</p>
<p>To understand the nature of dementia-related content on TikTok, the researchers conducted a cross-sectional analysis of 100 videos using the hashtag “dementia” over two months in 2023. They employed a new research account on an Android app to ensure unbiased results, collecting data on videos sorted by like count to prioritize popular content.</p>
<p>Each video was given a unique identifier and linked to detailed data, including metrics like likes, comments, and shares, and a screenshot was taken for verification. Videos not in English or containing animal content were excluded from the study.</p>
<p>The quality of the content was assessed using two measures: the DISCERN instrument and the Global Quality Score (GQS). DISCERN is a tool designed to judge the quality of written health information, and it includes a questionnaire that reflects different quality criteria. The GQS is a simpler, five-point scale that rates the overall quality from poor to excellent.</p>
<p>These tools were used to evaluate how the videos presented information regarding dementia treatments and choices. Two reviewers independently scored the videos, with any discrepancies resolved through a consensus model.</p>
<p>What the researchers found was concerning for anyone relying on social media for health information. The median duration of the analyzed videos was a brief 42 seconds, yet they amassed tens of millions of likes and thousands of comments and shares. A substantial majority of the videos were posted by family members, while content from arguably more reliable sources, such as doctors, was less common and less popular.</p>
<p>The researchers found that there was a strong correlation between the number of likes, comments, and shares, indicating that videos that were more engaging were more likely to be interacted with. However, this engagement did not translate to higher quality information.</p><div class="addrop-wrap" data-id="64749"><p style="text-align: center;">
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<p>Despite high engagement metrics, the most popular dementia-related videos on TikTok were largely lacking in educational and academic value. Both the DISCERN scores and the GQS indicated that the majority of videos were of very poor or poor quality.</p>
<p>&#8220;This study shows that the most popular dementia videos on TikTok are the least educational and academic in quality,&#8221; Petrović told PsyPost. &#8220;This implies TikTok users struggle to differentiate between high and low-quality content. The trend might relate to TikTok&#8217;s user base, which favors lifestyle and entertainment, thus preferring visually appealing videos. Consequently, credible but serious or monotonous professional content struggles to gain popularity.&#8221;</p>
<p>Videos uploaded by doctors did fare slightly better, scoring closer to &#8216;fair&#8217; or &#8216;good&#8217; quality, suggesting a disconnect between what is popular and what is informative.</p>
<p>&#8220;Currently this social media is not a reliable source for information that could impact decisions regarding the diagnosis and treatment of dementia,&#8221; Petrović said. &#8220;Boosting the number of videos from doctors or academic groups and keeping content engaging yet professional could increase audience interest and spread accurate medical knowledge more effectively.&#8221;</p>
<p>Despite the study&#8217;s rigorous approach, there were limitations. The analysis only included the top 100 videos, which might not represent the breadth of dementia content on TikTok. Moreover, the search was conducted at a single point in time, and the videos were only sorted by likes, which could have introduced a selection bias. Future research could include a broader range of videos and investigate the impact of background music or video quality on user engagement.</p>
<p>&#8220;This research is the first to evaluate the quality and reliability of information about dementia on TikTok, addressing a lack of research on mental health content on the platform,&#8221; Petrović said. &#8220;It seeks to inspire more research and establish a standard for future studies on dementia content in social media.&#8221;</p>
<p>The study, &#8220;<a href="https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2023.1266415" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The quality of information provided by the most popular dementia videos on TikTok</a>,&#8221; was authored by Stevo Lukić and Jovana Petrović.</p>
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psychbot , 5 months ago to psychology

Psychology News Robot
DATE:
February 07, 2024 at 11:49AM
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TITLE:
Implicit Racial Biases Among Citizens Depend on How Cities Are Organized
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URL:
http://www.socialpsychology.org/client/redirect.php?from=rss_feed&id=177232&url=https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/02/240206145007.htm

<div><p>Source: <a href="https://www.sciencedaily.com/" rel="tag" target="_blank">Science Daily - Top Society</a></p>The city you live in could be making you, your family, and your friends more unconsciously racist. Or, your city might make you less racist. It depends on how populous, diverse, and segregated your city is, according to a new study that brings together the math of cities with the psychology of how individuals develop unconscious racial biases. The study, published in Nature Communications, is based on data from 2.7 million people across the U.S.</div><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><br /><a href="https://www.socialpsychology.org/client/redirect.php?action=rssHomepage" target="_blank"><img title="Brought to you by Social Psychology Network" alt="Brought to you by SocialPsychology Network" src="https://www.socialpsychology.org/images/rss-footer-large.png" border="0" width="400" height="45" /></a><br><br>
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psychbot , 5 months ago to psychology

.
DATE:
February 06, 2024 at 06:30PM
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TITLE:
Rising “grey divorce” trend rates take heavier psychological toll on women, according to new study
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URL:
https://www.psypost.org/2024/02/rising-grey-divorce-trend-rates-take-heavier-psychological-toll-on-women-according-to-new-study-221287

<p>Do women find it harder to bounce back emotionally from a divorce or relationship break-up in later life compared to men? A new study published in the <a href="https://jech.bmj.com/lookup/doi/10.1136/jech-2023-221529"><em>Journal of Epidemiology &amp; Community Health</em></a> suggests so, using patterns of antidepressant use as a gauge for emotional well-being. The study found that antidepressant use increased significantly in the years leading up to and following a union dissolution, with women showing a larger increase than men. While re-partnering initially led to a decrease in antidepressant use, indicating a temporary improvement in mental health, this effect was often short-lived, particularly for women.</p>
<p>So-called &#8220;grey divorce,&#8221; which refers to the phenomenon of divorcing at the age of 50 and older, has been on the rise in high-income countries. This demographic shift is largely attributed to the aging baby boomer generation, who were the first to cohabit in significant numbers and are now entering late adulthood.</p>
<p>As the population ages, more individuals find themselves reassessing their relationships later in life, leading to an increase in divorces among this older age group. These divorces occur at a stage in life when couples might otherwise be looking forward to retirement or enjoying their golden years together.</p>
<p>The motivation behind this study stems from a need to understand the implications of these late-life relationship transitions on mental health, particularly given the limited and dated literature on the topic.</p>
<p>Utilizing the robust and comprehensive data infrastructure of Finland, the researchers harnessed a wealth of information spanning over two decades, from 1996 to 2018. This extensive dataset, provided by Statistics Finland and the Social Insurance Institution, included records of all permanent Finnish residents, allowing for an unprecedented level of detail and accuracy in tracking life events and their subsequent impacts.</p>
<p>At the heart of the study were 228,644 individuals aged 50 to 70 years who experienced a significant transition in their relationship status between 2000 and 2014. This cohort was carefully selected from a larger pool of 2.36 million men and women, ensuring a wide-ranging examination of the effects of union dissolution on a significant segment of the population.</p>
<p>To assess the impact of these life events, the study focused on the use of antidepressants, identified through purchases recorded in the National Prescription Register. In Finland, antidepressant medication can only be obtained via a prescription from a medical doctor, and all residents are entitled to reimbursement for medication expenses, providing a reliable measure of antidepressant consumption.</p>
<p>The study found a clear pattern: antidepressant use increased in the lead-up to and aftermath of a union dissolution, with a more pronounced increase observed among women, indicating a significant emotional toll associated with these events. This trend was observed across all types of union dissolution, but with marked gender disparities.</p>
<p>Women, in particular, showed a more pronounced increase in antidepressant use compared to men, suggesting that they may experience greater difficulty in emotionally adjusting to the end of a marriage or cohabitation.</p>
<p>The study highlighted that this increased vulnerability among women persisted regardless of whether the union dissolution was due to divorce, non-marital separation, or bereavement, pointing towards a broader pattern of gendered differences in coping with significant relationship changes.</p><div class="addrop-wrap" data-id="64749"><p style="text-align: center;">
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<p>&#8220;The greater increases in [antidepressant] use associated with union dissolution among women in our study may indeed relate to the fact that the costs of union dissolution on mental health fall more heavily on women than men,&#8221; the researchers wrote.</p>
<p>Furthermore, the study delved into the effects of re-partnering after such union dissolutions. While re-partnering led to a temporary decrease in antidepressant use for both genders, indicating an initial improvement in mental health, this benefit was not long-lasting. The findings suggested that the positive mental health effects of finding a new partner after a significant relationship transition are transient, particularly for women.</p>
<p>For female participants, any reduction in antidepressant use following re-partnering was short-lived, with levels often returning to or exceeding pre-repartnering levels relatively quickly. This contrasts with the general expectation that finding a new partner might provide lasting emotional support and contribute to a sustained improvement in mental health.</p>
<p>&#8220;The smaller declines in [antidepressant] use associated with re-partnering in women than in men may be related to the explanations that marriage benefits men’s mental health to a greater extent than women’s, and older men are more likely than women to seek emotional support from re-partnering,&#8221; the researchers explained. &#8220;In addition, women may take greater responsibilities to manage interpersonal relationships between the blended families, such as those with the partner’s children, which could undermine their mental health.&#8221;</p>
<p>Despite its strengths, the study is not without limitations. For one, it did not account for the quality of the relationships before dissolution or the cumulative effect of multiple unions over an individual&#8217;s lifetime, factors that could significantly influence mental health outcomes. Additionally, the broader social support networks and living arrangements of the participants were not fully examined, as the study only controlled for the presence of co-resident children.</p>
<p>These aspects suggest directions for future research, which could explore how these and other factors, such as relationship quality and social support networks, impact the mental health of older adults undergoing significant relationship transitions.</p>
<p>The study, &#8220;<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/jech-2023-221529" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Trajectories of antidepressant use before and after union dissolution and re-partnering in later life: a prospective total population register-based cohort study</a>&#8220;, was authored by Yaoyue Hu, Niina Metsä-Simola, Satu Malmberg, and Pekka Martikainen.</p>
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psychbot , 5 months ago to psychology

.
DATE:
February 06, 2024 at 04:00PM
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TITLE:
Neuroscience research uncovers key brain region that helps offset age-related cognitive decline
.
URL:
https://www.psypost.org/2024/02/neuroscience-research-uncovers-key-brain-region-that-helps-offset-age-related-cognitive-decline-221290

<p>Scientists have uncovered strong evidence suggesting that as we age, our brains may tap into unused regions to help maintain cognitive function despite the natural decline that comes with getting older. The research, published in the journal <a href="https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.93327.1"><em>eLife</em></a>, shows that older adults who perform better on cognitive tasks may be benefiting from this unique form of brain adaptability, particularly within a region involved in visual attention.</p>
<p>The study was driven by a desire to understand why some older adults maintain better cognitive function than others and how the brain compensates for the loss of its tissue over time. As we age, our brain&#8217;s structure changes, leading to potential declines in cognitive performance. However, not everyone experiences these declines to the same extent.</p>
<p>Previous research hinted at the possibility that some brains might counterbalance age-related losses by recruiting other brain areas for help. A team of researchers led by scientists at the University of Cambridge in collaboration with the University of Sussex aimed to explore this compensatory mechanism further, hoping to shed light on potential interventions to support cognitive health in the aging population.</p>
<p>Study lead Kamen Tsvetanov, an Alzheimer&#8217;s Society Dementia Research Leader Fellow at the University of Cambridge, said: &#8220;Our ability to solve abstract problems is a sign of so-called ‘fluid intelligence’, but as we get older, this ability begins to show significant decline. Some people manage to maintain this ability better than others. We wanted to ask why that was the case – are they able to recruit other areas of the brain to overcome changes in the brain that would otherwise be detrimental?&#8221;</p>
<p>To investigate these mechanisms, the researchers enlisted 223 healthy adults, ranging in age from 19 to 87, from the Cambridge Centre for Ageing &amp; Neuroscience project. These participants underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scans, a type of brain scan that measures and maps the brain&#8217;s activity by detecting changes in blood flow.</p>
<p>During the scanning session, participants were asked to complete a modified version of the Cattell Culture Fair Intelligence Test, specifically adapted for use in the scanner environment. This test involved a series of &#8220;odd-one-out&#8221; puzzles that varied in difficulty, challenging the participants to identify the unique item among a set of four based on various properties such as shape or pattern. The task was designed to stimulate specific brain regions associated with fluid intelligence and to assess how these areas might recruit additional support from other parts of the brain.</p>
<p>As expected, the researchers found that overall performance on the cognitive tasks declined with age. However, the analysis of brain activity offered new insights into how the brain might adapt to maintain cognitive function.</p>
<p>A key discovery was the identification of two brain regions — the cuneal cortex and the frontal cortex — where increased activity correlated with both advancing age and cognitive performance levels. This pattern of brain activity suggested that these regions might be stepping in to help counterbalance the decline in cognitive functions typically seen with aging.</p>
<figure id="attachment_221291" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-221291" style="width: 640px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img fetchpriority="high" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-221291" src="https://www.psypost.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Low-Res_cattell-compensation-social.jpg" alt="" width="640" height="700" srcset="https://www.psypost.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Low-Res_cattell-compensation-social.jpg 640w, https://www.psypost.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Low-Res_cattell-compensation-social-274x300.jpg 274w" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-221291" class="wp-caption-text">An image showing bilateral cuneal in magenta and frontal cortex in brown. (eLife/University of Cambridge)</figcaption></figure>
<p>However, upon further analysis using multivariate Bayesian decoding, a technique that assesses whether specific patterns of brain activity contain additional information useful for performing tasks, a significant distinction between these two regions emerged.</p>
<p>The cuneal cortex, a region involved in visual attention, showed a remarkable pattern: the additional information contained within its activity patterns increased with age. This suggests that older adults, especially those performing better on cognitive tasks, might be leveraging this area of the brain more effectively to maintain cognitive performance. This increased reliance on the cuneal cortex could reflect a strategic adaptation of the brain, potentially facilitating a more focused attention to the visual aspects of the puzzles used in the study.</p><div class="addrop-wrap" data-id="64749"><p style="text-align: center;">
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<p>Contrastingly, the frontal cortex did not show the same pattern of age-related increase in task-relevant information. Despite initial indications that this area might also be contributing to compensatory mechanisms, the deeper analysis revealed that its increased activation with age did not translate into a meaningful boost in performance on the cognitive tasks.</p>
<p>This finding challenges the notion that all increases in brain activity with age are beneficial or compensatory. Instead, it suggests that the brain&#8217;s response to aging is nuanced, with some regions offering genuine support to cognitive processes and others perhaps reflecting the increased effort required to achieve similar levels of performance seen in younger adults.</p>
<p>Importantly, the study controlled for possible confounding factors, such as changes in brain blood flow due to aging, reinforcing the conclusion that these effects were related to neural activity and not just age-related vascular changes.</p>
<p>Despite these significant findings, the research is not without its limitations. For instance, the study&#8217;s design does not allow for a clear understanding of whether the increased activation in the cuneal cortex is a direct cause of improved cognitive performance or simply associated with it. Moreover, the researchers note that future studies could benefit from incorporating measures like eye-tracking to better understand the relationship between eye movements, attention, and cognitive performance.</p>
<p>Looking ahead, the team suggests further research to explore other brain regions and their potential compensatory roles in aging. Additionally, there&#8217;s a call for more longitudinal studies—research that follows the same individuals over time—to better understand how these brain changes develop and whether specific interventions could enhance cognitive resilience in older adults.</p>
<p>&#8220;Now that we’ve seen this compensation happening, we can start to ask questions about why it happens for some older people, but not others, and in some tasks, but not others,&#8221; said Ethan Knights from the Medical Research Council Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit at Cambridge. &#8220;Is there something special about these people – their education or lifestyle, for example – and if so, is there a way we can intervene to help others see similar benefits?&#8221;</p>
<p>The study, &#8220;<a href="https://elifesciences.org/reviewed-preprints/93327" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Neural Evidence of Functional Compensation for Fluid Intelligence in Healthy Ageing</a>&#8220;, was authored by Ethan Knights, Richard N. Henson, Alexa M. Morcom, Daniel J. Mitchell, and Kamen A. Tsvetanov.</p>
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psychbot , 5 months ago to psychology

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DATE:
February 06, 2024 at 02:00PM
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TITLE:
Ballroom dancing enhances emotional connection, study reveals
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URL:
https://www.psypost.org/2024/02/ballroom-dancing-enhances-emotional-connection-study-reveals-221279

<p>The journal <a href="https://doi.org/10.1002/hbm.26042"><em>Human Brain Mapping</em></a> published a study showing that researchers have discovered a fascinating link between ballroom dance training and increased empathy. The study found that expert ballroom dancers showed higher empathic concern compared to those with no dance experience.</p>
<p>Empathy is the ability to understand and share the feelings of another — and is a concept that has long intrigued scientists. Previous research has highlighted how certain activities, like sports or arts, can enhance cognitive and emotional skills. However, dance, especially ballroom dancing, presents a unique blend of physical coordination and emotional connection that serves as relatively uncharted territory for researchers.</p>
<p>The goal of the present study was to explore how such a sophisticated form of interaction might influence empathic abilities. Researchers were particularly interested in whether the long-term practice of ballroom dancing, which requires closely understanding and responding to a partner&#8217;s movements and emotions, could lead to heightened empathy.</p>
<p>The team behind this study aimed to understand the relationship between physical activities involving close partnership and emotional intelligence. They theorized that the intricate and sustained interaction inherent in ballroom dancing might enhance the dancers&#8217; ability to empathize with others. To test this, they recruited 43 professional ballroom dancers and 40 non-dancers from Beijing Sport University, ensuring both groups were comparable in age and sex.</p>
<p>They then employed a combination of high- resolution structural and functional brain imaging and self-reported measures of empathy. This approach allowed the researchers to examine not only the behavioral aspects of empathy, but also its potential neural underpinnings.</p>
<p>The findings of the study were intriguing. Ballroom dancers scored higher on measures of empathic concern than the control group of non-dancers. This increased empathy was linked to the duration of their dance partnerships — but inversely related to the number of different partners they had.</p>
<p>On the neural level, dancers showed larger gray matter volumes in the subgenual anterior cingulate cortex — a brain area associated with emotional regulation. Furthermore, there was increased connectivity between this area and the occipital gyrus — a brain area associated with object recognition. This suggests a neurological basis for the heightened empathy observed in dancers.</p>
<p>Still, while the study offers exciting insights, it has its limitations. The research is correlational — meaning it shows a relationship between dance training and empathy, but does not prove that one causes the other. In addition, since the study focused exclusively on ballroom dancers, it is unclear whether these findings apply to other forms of dance or physical activity. The reliance on self-reported measures for empathy might also introduce some subjective biases.</p>
<p>The study, “<a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/hbm.26042">The association between ballroom dance training and empathic concern: Behavioral and brain evidence</a>&#8220;, was authored by Xiao Wu and a team of researchers at the CAS Key Laboratory of Behavioral Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, and Beijing Sport University.</p>
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psychbot , 5 months ago to psychology

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DATE:
February 06, 2024 at 12:00PM
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TITLE:
Positive adult bonds in childhood linked to reduced risk of later mental disorders
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URL:
https://www.psypost.org/2024/02/positive-adult-bonds-in-childhood-linked-to-reduced-risk-of-later-mental-disorders-221258

<p>Can positive relationships during childhood shield us from the stresses of life&#8217;s early adversities? A recent study published in <a href="https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2023.4900"><em>JAMA Psychiatry</em></a> suggests that strong bonds with parents and other adults play a crucial role in fostering mental health resilience in young adulthood. Interestingly, the research also uncovers that high levels of family religiosity may increase stress among those who have faced significant childhood adversities.</p>
<p>Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) refer to potentially traumatic events that occur in childhood (0-17 years), including instances of abuse, neglect, witnessing violence, or growing up in a household with substance misuse and mental health problems. These experiences are not just distressing memories from the past; they have a profound impact on future health and well-being.</p>
<p>The study was motivated by the recognition that children exposed to ACEs are at a heightened risk of developing mental health disorders later in life. Given that socially marginalized and racially and ethnically minoritized youth often face a disproportionate share of these adversities, the researchers aimed to uncover what factors might help build resilience during childhood, particularly within these underrepresented groups.</p>
<p>&#8220;We wanted to find out what can make a difference for children experiencing high adversity,&#8221; explained study authors <a href="https://www.columbiapsychiatry.org/profile/cristiane-duarte-phd" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Cristiane Duarte</a>, the Ruane Professor for the Implementation of Science for Child &amp; Adolescent Mental Health at Columbia University, and <a href="https://www.saravanbronkhorstmd.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sara VanBronkhorst</a>, voluntary faculty at Columbia University.</p>
<p>&#8220;We’ve known for many years that ACEs are associated with later mental health problems. But we know less about factors that can shield children from these long-term effects of ACEs. We wanted to understand these factors so that we can develop interventions that can reduce the mental health problems related to ACEs.&#8221;</p>
<p>The Boricua Youth Study, which formed the basis of this research, followed slightly more than 2,000 children of Puerto Rican descent from childhood into young adulthood. Participants were initially recruited as children aged 5-13 from both the South Bronx, New York, and the metropolitan area of San Juan and Caguas, Puerto Rico, ensuring a diverse representation. Over several years, the study collected data through comprehensive assessments that examined the presence of ACEs, various resilience factors, and their eventual impact on mental health.</p>
<p>Researchers employed a range of measures to gauge resilience factors and ACEs. Social bonds were assessed through reports of maternal warmth, the quality of parent-child relationships, and the support from nonparental adults. Additionally, the study looked into sources of meaning like family religiosity and familism, reflecting the cultural values and beliefs that might influence resilience. Mental health outcomes were evaluated in young adulthood, focusing on anxiety, depression, substance use disorders, and perceived stress levels.</p>
<p>The study revealed that positive relationships with adults — characterized by warmth, understanding, and support — were significantly linked to lower levels of perceived stress and reduced odds of developing anxiety or depression in young adulthood. Notably, these benefits were observed regardless of the number of adverse experiences the participants had faced during childhood.</p>
<p>&#8220;Positive adult-child relationships during childhood were associated with a lower risk of depression, anxiety, and stress in young adulthood in this study,&#8221; Duarte and VanBronkhorst told PsyPost. &#8220;This finding was true regardless of exposure to adverse childhood experiences. Adults can potentially make a real difference in reducing the risk of later mental health problems.&#8221;</p>
<p>However, an unexpected finding emerged regarding family religiosity. Contrary to the anticipated protective effect, higher levels of religiosity were associated with increased stress among participants with a high number of ACEs.</p><div class="addrop-wrap" data-id="64749"><p style="text-align: center;">
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<p>&#8220;We were surprised that family religiosity was associated with higher stress for participants with high exposure to ACEs,&#8221; the researchers said. &#8220;We don’t know why this was the case, but perhaps it is related to feelings of guilt or shame about ACEs in highly religious families.&#8221;</p>
<p>While the study provides crucial insights, it also acknowledges several limitations. The heterogeneity in measuring resilience factors, the broad age range of participants, and the reliance on self-reported data could influence the results. &#8220;An important limitation is that we were not able to examine additional potential resilience factors that may had been relevant for the families in the study.&#8221;</p>
<p>Understanding how different sociocultural contexts influence the development of resilience can guide more effective interventions and support for children facing adversities. The unexpected findings regarding family religiosity also suggest that the role of cultural and religious practices in resilience is complex and deserves further exploration.</p>
<p>&#8220;The long term goal is both to call attention to the need to prevent exposure to adversities and to try to identify factors that can protect children who are highly exposed to adversities,&#8221; Duarte and VanBronkhorst told PsyPost.</p>
<p>The study, &#8220;<a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapsychiatry/fullarticle/2813435">Sociocultural Risk and Resilience in the Context of Adverse Childhood Experiences</a>,&#8221; was authored by Sara B. VanBronkhorst, Eyal Abraham, Renald Dambreville, Maria A. Ramos-Olazagasti, Melanie Wall, David C. Saunders, Catherine Monk, Margarita Alegría, Glorisa J. Canino, Hector Bird, and Cristiane S. Duarte.</p>
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psychbot , 5 months ago to psychology

Psychology News Robot
DATE:
February 06, 2024 at 11:00AM
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TITLE:
'Gas Station Heroin' Is a Dangerous and Often Contaminated Supplement
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URL:
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/gas-station-heroin-is-a-dangerous-and-often-contaminated-supplement/

<p>Tianeptine, an addictive drug at high doses, is being sold as a dietary supplement in gas stations and convenient stores. But such products could be contaminated with metals, microorganisms or other undisclosed drugs</p>
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psychbot , 5 months ago to psychology

Psychology News Robot
DATE:
February 06, 2024 at 09:39AM
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TITLE:
Are Body Temperature and Depression Linked?
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URL:
http://www.socialpsychology.org/client/redirect.php?from=rss_feed&id=177214&url=https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/02/240205204435.htm

<div><p>Source: <a href="https://www.sciencedaily.com/" rel="tag" target="_blank">Science Daily - Top Health</a></p>A massive new study has found that people with depression have higher body temperatures, raising the question whether there might be mental health benefits in lowering the temperature of those with the disorder. The study, published today in Scientific Reports, doesn't indicate whether depression raises body temperature or a high temperature causes depression, but it may relate to research showing that the use of hot tubs and saunas can reduce...</div><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><br /><a href="https://www.socialpsychology.org/client/redirect.php?action=rssHomepage" target="_blank"><img title="Brought to you by Social Psychology Network" alt="Brought to you by SocialPsychology Network" src="https://www.socialpsychology.org/images/rss-footer-large.png" border="0" width="400" height="45" /></a><br><br>
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psychbot , 5 months ago to psychology

Psychology News Robot
DATE:
February 06, 2024 at 09:39AM
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TITLE:
CDC Restarts National Anti-Smoking Campaign, with Focus on Menthols
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URL:
http://www.socialpsychology.org/client/redirect.php?from=rss_feed&id=177219&url=https://www.usnews.com/news/health-news/articles/2024-02-06/cdc-restarts-national-anti-smoking-campaign-with-focus-on-menthols

<div><p>Source: <a href="http://www.usnews.com/" rel="tag" target="_blank">U.S. News and World Report</a></p>The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has resumed a national campaign that uses the stories of former smokers to warn about the dangers of tobacco. Known as the &quot;Tips From Former Smokers&quot; campaign, seven new people share their stories about how cigarette smoking damaged their health. One tactic is new, however: The ads take direct aim at the harm of menthol cigarettes, which have become popular in marginalized communities.</div><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><br /><a href="https://www.socialpsychology.org/client/redirect.php?action=rssHomepage" target="_blank"><img title="Brought to you by Social Psychology Network" alt="Brought to you by SocialPsychology Network" src="https://www.socialpsychology.org/images/rss-footer-large.png" border="0" width="400" height="45" /></a><br><br>
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psychbot , 5 months ago to psychology

.
DATE:
February 06, 2024 at 10:00AM
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TITLE:
Could MDMA offer new hope for borderline personality disorder treatment?
.
URL:
https://www.psypost.org/2024/02/could-mdma-offer-new-hope-for-borderline-personality-disorder-treatment-221275

<p>Interviews conducted with two clinicians specializing in treating patients with borderline personality disorder and two providing MDMA-assisted therapy primarily for individuals with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) have yielded insights into the similarities between these disorders. Based on this, the authors of the research suggest that the potential benefits of MDMA in treating borderline personality disorder warrant further detailed exploration. The paper was published in <a href="https://doi.org/10.1556/2054.2023.00196"><em>Journal of Psychedelic Studies</em></a>.</p>
<p>Borderline personality disorder is a complex and often debilitating mental health condition characterized by pervasive and intense mood swings, unstable self-image, and tumultuous interpersonal relationships. Individuals with this disorder typically experience chronic feelings of emptiness and have difficulty establishing a stable sense of identity, leading to impulsive behaviors and self-destructive tendencies such as self-harm or suicidal thoughts.</p>
<p>One of the hallmark features of borderline personality disorder is a pronounced fear of abandonment, which can result in frantic efforts to avoid real or perceived rejection. This fear can lead to volatile and stormy relationships, alternating between idealization and devaluation of others. People with this disorder often have difficulty regulating their emotions and tend to experience rapid shifts from extreme anger to profound sadness or anxiety. These extreme mood shifts can be triggered by seemingly minor events.</p>
<p>At this moment, the exact causes of borderline personality disorder are not fully understood. There is sometimes an overlap between borderline personality disorder and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) patients, with individuals meeting the criteria for both sometimes diagnosed with complex PTSD. Studies show that 30-50% of individuals diagnosed with PTSD also meet criteria for borderline personality disorder. PTSD is a mental health condition that can develop in individuals who have experienced or witnessed a traumatic event, leading to symptoms like flashbacks, nightmares, and severe anxiety.</p>
<p>Ann M. Inouye of Brown University and her colleagues observed that 3,4-methylenedioxy-methamphetamine (MDMA), also known as ecstasy, has been found effective in alleviating PTSD symptoms. MDMA is a synthetic drug that affects mood and perception, known for its euphoric and empathogenic properties, though it can have serious adverse effects and is illegal in many places.</p>
<p>However, recent studies have pointed to its potential therapeutic applications in treating certain mental health conditions, most notably PTSD, when administered in a controlled therapy setting. Moreover, some studies found it to be effective in treating PTSD patients whose symptoms did not improve after standard treatment (so-called treatment-resistant patients).</p>
<p>The authors note that, while there is quite a bit of research on the effectiveness of MDMA for treating PTSD, there is very little research on its effectiveness in treating borderline personality disorder. They state that borderline personality disorder is generally an understudied condition in modern mental health sciences.</p>
<p>Inouye and her colleagues wanted to explore the possibilities for treating borderline personality disorder using MDMA. For this purpose, they conducted interviews with two psychologists specializing in traditional therapeutic approaches for borderline personality disorders and two psychologists experienced in MDMA-assisted therapy.</p>
<p>The principal investigator of the study regularly met with these clinicians and discussed their experiences with using MDMA-assisted therapy, treating borderline personality disorders and possibly applying MDMA-assisted therapy on individuals suffering from borderline personality disorder.</p>
<p>During these interviews, clinicians identified numerous similarities between PTSD and borderline personality disorder. They noted that the psychotherapeutic treatment for borderline personality disorder, dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT), shares many procedural similarities with MDMA-assisted therapy. DBT focuses on enhancing self and interpersonal safety, mindfulness, emotion regulation in social contexts, and fostering a fulfilling life. MDMA-assisted therapy, on the other hand, aims at achieving peace, fulfillment, and purpose in life.</p><div class="addrop-wrap" data-id="64749"><p style="text-align: center;">
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<p>The study authors observe that the therapeutic goals of both approaches are aligned. Similar to individuals suffering from PTSD, those suffering from borderline personality disorder also cope with severe trauma. In borderline personality disorder, trauma is stemming from emotional invalidation and/or emotional attachment issues. Study authors conclude that it would be worth exploring whether MDMA-assisted therapy could be effectively used to treat individuals suffering from the borderline personality disorder.</p>
<p>“This study reinforced the need for further research on MDMA-AT [MDMA-assisted therapy] treatment for BPD [borderline personality disorder] individuals,&#8221; the study authors conclude. &#8220;Both MDMA-AT and BPD can be sensitive topics, but it is vital to explore them with vigilance. Such exploration demands ethical reflection, a consideration of relationships and suffering, and discussion surrounding treatment limitations. Interviewing two DBT [dialectic behavioral therapy] clinicians and two MDMA-AT clinicians was one way to examine the phenomenology of BPD individuals in a thoughtful manner.”</p>
<p>The study provides some insight into clinicians’ experiences with borderline personality disorder and MDMA-assisted therapy. However, it should be noted that this is a qualitative study solely based on interviews with four clinicians. It does not provide information about consequences and effectiveness of MDMA-assisted therapy in individuals suffering from borderline personality disorder.</p>
<p>The paper, “<a href="https://doi.org/10.1556/2054.2023.00196">MDMA-assisted therapy for borderline personality disorder</a>”, was authored by Ann M. Inouye, Aaron S. Wolfgang, and Lianne T. Philhower.</p>
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psychbot , 5 months ago to psychology

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DATE:
February 06, 2024 at 08:00AM
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TITLE:
Pupil response can reveal the depths of depression
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URL:
https://www.psypost.org/2024/02/pupil-response-can-reveal-the-depths-of-depression-221252

<p>Can a simple eye response reveal the depths of depression? In a recent study conducted by scientists from the Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, researchers have discovered that the way our pupils react to anticipation of rewards can differentiate between those suffering from depression and healthy individuals. The study, published in the journal <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-48792-0"><em>Scientific Reports</em></a>, suggests that the reduced pupil dilation observed in depressed patients during reward anticipation tasks could pave the way for new diagnostic tools and more personalized treatment approaches.</p>
<p>Pupillometry, the measurement of pupil size and reactivity, serves as the cornerstone of this research. Traditionally used to assess vision and brain function, pupillometry is gaining traction in psychological and psychiatric research due to its ability to offer a window into the brain&#8217;s noradrenergic system—a part of the brain involved in arousal and stress responses.</p>
<p>The researchers embarked on this study to explore how this simple, non-invasive measure could illuminate the complexities of major depressive disorder (MDD), a condition that affects millions worldwide and is characterized by persistent sadness, loss of interest in enjoyable activities, and an array of physical problems.</p>
<p>&#8220;One of the main aims of my group is to improve diagnostics in psychiatry, make it more objective and causal with physiological tests. We are testing various non-invasive methods, but pupillometry has the benefit that it&#8217;s very precise and tracking some processes that are relevant to depression. One of these is the upregulation of arousal in order to get a reward, which is what this study was about,&#8221; explained study author Victor Spoormaker, the leader of <a href="https://www.psych.mpg.de/spoormaker" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the Psychophysiology Lab</a> at the Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry.</p>
<p>The study initially involved 201 new participants, all of whom were recruited from a broader research project aimed at classifying mental disorders biologically. After a screening process that excluded individuals on antidepressant medication or with incomplete data, the study focused on 40 unmedicated depressed participants and 30 healthy controls.</p>
<p>Participants underwent a series of assessments, including diagnostic interviews and the Beck Depression Inventory—a questionnaire used to measure the severity of depression. The heart of the study was a specially designed task that measured participants&#8217; pupil reactions as they anticipated rewards, mirroring situations in daily life that provoke excitement or pleasure.</p>
<p>The results revealed that participants suffering from MDD showed significantly less pupil dilation compared to the healthy control group. This reduced dilation was even more pronounced among those who reported higher levels of depressive symptoms, such as an inability to experience pleasure (anhedonia) and a general loss of energy, suggesting a direct correlation between the severity of depressive symptoms and the extent of diminished pupil response.</p>
<p>&#8220;The reduced pupil reaction was particularly noticeable in patients who could no longer feel pleasure and reported a loss of energy,&#8221; said Andy Brendler, first author of the study.</p>
<p>Further analysis extended these observations by including both depressed and healthy participants, confirming the robustness of the correlation between reduced pupil dilation and depressive symptomatology. This consistency across different participant groups lends strong support to the potential of pupillometry as a diagnostic and monitoring tool for depression.</p>
<p>The study&#8217;s findings were not limited to just behavioral observations. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data provided a deeper dive into the neural mechanisms at play, correlating changes in pupil size with activity in specific brain regions known to be involved in emotional regulation and arousal, such as the right insula and medial prefrontal cortex.</p><div class="addrop-wrap" data-id="64749"><p style="text-align: center;">
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<p>However, like all research, this study comes with its limitations. The sample size, while adequate for initial findings, necessitates larger, more diverse cohorts to generalize the results across different populations and stages of depression. Furthermore, the study&#8217;s design, focused on unmedicated participants, raises questions about how these findings would translate to individuals currently undergoing treatment for depression.</p>
<p>Future research is also needed to explore the specific mechanisms linking pupil response to the noradrenergic system and how these findings could be integrated into clinical practice for diagnosing and treating depression.</p>
<p>Despite these challenges, the study marks a significant advance in our understanding of depression, paving the way for more personalized and biologically informed approaches to treatment.</p>
<p>&#8220;Depression is a very heterogeneous mental disorder with very different symptoms,&#8221; Spoormaker told PsyPost. &#8220;It is important to tease apart this umbrella term and be more specific about which physiological processes are affected in a certain individual with a depressed mood, so that we can get better in selecting the best fitting treatment. This one test could maybe identify a subset of patients, so ideally, this would be one of multiple tests in a future diagnostic procedure.&#8221;</p>
<p>The study, &#8220;<a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-023-48792-0">Assessing hypo-arousal during reward anticipation with pupillometry in patients with major depressive disorder: replication and correlations with anhedonia</a>&#8220;, was authored by Andy Brendler, Max Schneider, Immanuel G. Elbau, Rui Sun, Taechawidd Nantawisarakul, Dorothee Pöhlchen, Tanja Brückl, the BeCOME Working Group, Michael Czisch, Philipp G. Sämann, Michael D. Lee, and Victor I. Spoormaker.</p>
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psychbot , 5 months ago to psychology

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DATE:
February 06, 2024 at 06:00AM
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TITLE:
Cannabis use linked to reduced neurocognitive performance in adolescents
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URL:
https://www.psypost.org/2024/02/cannabis-use-linked-to-reduced-neurocognitive-performance-in-adolescents-221268

<p>Is adolescent cannabis use affecting young minds more than we thought? A recent study published in the journal <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.addbeh.2023.107930"><em>Addictive Behaviors</em></a> reveals significant insights into how cannabis consumption among teenagers could impact their cognitive development, particularly in areas related to memory and attention. The research suggests that even light to moderate cannabis use in early adolescence is associated with cognitive deficits.</p>
<p>Cannabis, often known as marijuana, has been at the center of an evolving conversation, especially as various countries and states have begun to change its legal status. Known for its psychoactive properties primarily due to the compound tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), cannabis has been increasingly used for both medicinal and recreational purposes.</p>
<p>Despite its growing acceptance, concerns have persisted about its impact on adolescent users, whose brains are still in a critical developmental stage. This concern, coupled with the observation that cannabis potency and the methods of its use have significantly changed over recent decades, prompted researchers to conduct a comprehensive study aimed at understanding the substance&#8217;s effects on young users more clearly.</p>
<p>&#8220;Cannabis use in adolescents is not uncommon, though it is unclear if younger teens are comfortable disclosing their use,&#8221; said study author Natasha E. Wade, an assistant professor at the University of California at San Diego and head of <a href="https://wade-lab.ucsd.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the Neuro D-Tox Lab</a>. &#8220;We wanted to improve our methods for identifying those who have used cannabis by both asking teens if they had use and by using objective, toxicological testing through hair samples. Having more accurate group categorization may improve our ability to determine cognitive correlates of cannabis use — which we also assessed here.&#8221;</p>
<p>The study leveraged data from <a href="https://abcdstudy.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study</a>, a large-scale, longitudinal research effort tracking nearly 12,000 youth across the United States from the age of 9-10 years into late adolescence. Researchers focused on a subset of participants from whom hair samples were collected during the fourth year of the study, when the participants were around 13-14 years old.</p>
<p>Hair samples were analyzed for THC, THCCOOH (an inactive metabolite of THC that indicates personal use rather than exposure to smoke), and cannabidiol (CBD). This method provided an objective measure of cannabis exposure, which was then correlated with self-reported cannabis use and cognitive performance assessed through the NIH Toolbox—a collection of neurocognitive tests.</p>
<p>Out of the 2,971 hair samples analyzed, 601 were from the Year 4 follow-up, and 123 of these were identified as belonging to youth who reported using cannabis or had cannabinoids detected in their hair. These participants were compared with 123 matched controls who did not report cannabis use and had no cannabinoids detected in their hair. The matching process ensured that both groups were comparable in terms of age, sex, race/ethnicity, and socioeconomic status, thus isolating cannabis use as the variable of interest.</p>
<p>The researchers found that adolescents who used cannabis showed notably poorer performance on tasks measuring episodic memory, the ability to recall specific events or experiences from one&#8217;s past, and marginal deficits in receptive language skills, which involve understanding words and sentences.</p>
<p>Moreover, higher concentrations of THCCOOH in the hair were linked to lower scores in both receptive language and attention tasks. These associations suggest that the impact of cannabis on young brains might be more pronounced than previously understood, affecting key cognitive functions that are critical during the developmental stage of adolescence.</p>
<p>&#8220;When we carefully determine cannabis use group status in teens 13-14 years-old and match those with cannabis use to sociodemographically matched controls, we do see that there are group differences in memory, and that more cannabis use was associated with poor verbal abilities, inhibition, working memory, and episodic memory,&#8221; Wade told PsyPost.</p><div class="addrop-wrap" data-id="64749"><p style="text-align: center;">
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<p>&#8220;We also found that combining hair toxicology with self-report data shows more brain-behavior relationships than self-report data alone. This indicates that within substance use research and in other domains, too, we need to use more objective measurement to improve our ability to accurately investigate important research questions.&#8221;</p>
<p>However, the study is not without its limitations. Not all participants could provide hair samples due to various reasons, such as hairstyles that could be disrupted by sampling or unwillingness to participate in this aspect of the study. Financial constraints also limited the number of hair analyses that could be conducted, potentially affecting the sample size and the study&#8217;s generalizability. Furthermore, the cross-sectional nature of this analysis means that it captures a snapshot in time, making it challenging to determine causality or the direction of the relationships observed.</p>
<p>&#8220;Our analyses were all cross-sectional, so causation cannot be inferred,&#8221; Wade explained. &#8220;While we do have longitudinal data from this cohort, we could not use the same grouping process (of combining self-reported substance use history with toxicology results) to determine whether youth had used cannabis at prior time points, and so we could not run analyses longitudinally. It is interesting to note, though, that when participants were initially enrolled in the study at 9-10 years-old, there were no significant differences between groups in cognitive performance.&#8221;</p>
<p>Looking ahead, the researchers plan to use more data from the ABCD study to investigate cognitive changes over time in relation to cannabis use.</p>
<p>&#8220;With this longitudinal data, we hope to expand our use of objective measures to carefully investigate patterns of substance use initiation and escalation in teens and how that impacts their development, brain health, mental health, and physical health,&#8221; Wade said. &#8220;We are also running smaller, more detailed projects to similarly investigate risk and resilience factors of substance use during adolescence and young adulthood.&#8221;</p>
<p>The study, &#8220;<a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0306460323003258" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Cannabis use and neurocognitive performance at 13–14 Years-Old: Optimizing assessment with hair toxicology in the Adolescent brain cognitive development (ABCD) study</a>&#8220;, was authored by Natasha E. Wade, Alexander L. Wallace, Marilyn A. Huestis, Krista M. Lisdahl, Ryan M. Sullivan, and Susan F. Tapert.</p>
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psychbot , 5 months ago to psychology

Psychology News Robot
DATE:
February 05, 2024 at 10:42AM
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TITLE:
Phone Calls Can Reduce Loneliness and Depression, Major Study Shows
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URL:
http://www.socialpsychology.org/client/redirect.php?from=rss_feed&id=177181&url=https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/02/240201212327.htm

<div><p>Source: <a href="https://www.sciencedaily.com/" rel="tag" target="_blank">Science Daily - Top Health</a></p>A major clinical trial carried out during the COVID pandemic showed rapid and enduring improvements in mental health and quality of life when older people received weekly phone calls over eight weeks from a coach who encouraged them to maintain social connections and remain active. The study, published in the journal The Lancet (Healthy Longevity), was based on data from 26 sites across the United Kingdom.</div><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><br /><a href="https://www.socialpsychology.org/client/redirect.php?action=rssHomepage" target="_blank"><img title="Brought to you by Social Psychology Network" alt="Brought to you by SocialPsychology Network" src="https://www.socialpsychology.org/images/rss-footer-large.png" border="0" width="400" height="45" /></a><br><br>
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psychbot , 5 months ago to psychology

Psychology News Robot
DATE:
February 06, 2024
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TITLE:
Self-Care A-Z: F-That - Flexibility as a Form of Self-Care
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URL:
https://www.socialworker.com/feature-articles/self-care/f-that-flexibility-self-care/

When you find yourself saying “F-that,” consider taking it as an opportunity to incorporate flexibility as a form of self-care. This prioritization will likely mean approaching situations critically, assertively, and creatively.
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psychbot , 5 months ago to psychology

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DATE:
February 05, 2024 at 12:00PM
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TITLE:
Accelerated orbitofrontal cortex thinning might serve as a link between childhood adversity and adult depression
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URL:
https://www.psypost.org/2024/02/accelerated-orbitofrontal-cortex-thinning-might-serve-as-a-link-between-childhood-adversity-and-adult-depression-221259

<p>A longitudinal study conducted in Germany revealed that negative life events experienced during childhood can predict depressive symptoms later in life. This development of depressive symptoms was preceded by the accelerated thinning of the orbitofrontal cortex region of the brain. The research was published in <a href="https://doi.org/10.1002/jcv2.12210"><em>JCPP Advances</em></a><em>.</em></p>
<p>Negative life events are unpleasantly perceived events that may exceed an individual’s ability to cope. These can include accidents, illnesses, and deaths, issues with family, friends, sexuality, or challenges in social and academic environments. Negative life events in childhood also include abuse, neglect, parental divorce, or the loss of a loved one. These events may adversely affect a child’s social and cognitive development, leading to difficulties in forming healthy relationships and achieving academic success.</p>
<p>Studies have proposed that severe forms of negative life events might be associated with alterations to the volume of the orbitofrontal cortex region of the brain. The orbitofrontal cortex is a brain region involved in decision-making, emotional regulation, and the processing of rewards and punishments. It helps individuals make choices and evaluate the potential consequences of their actions. Studies have indicated that thickness of this brain region might be reduced in adolescents exposed to childhood adversity compared to adolescents without such experiences.</p>
<p>Study author Lea L. Backhausen and her colleagues wanted to better explore the findings about the reduced thickness of the orbitofrontal cortex region in a longitudinal study. They decided to follow a group of adolescents starting at the age of 14 and observe, using magnetic resonance imaging, whether adolescents who experienced severe negative life events in childhood indeed undergo accelerated thinning of this region of the brain. They were also interested in the links between this process and the development of depression.</p>
<p>The study included 534 adolescents participating in a larger longitudinal project known as IMAGEN, with 175 of them being girls. The researchers conducted assessments at four points, beginning when the participants were 14 years old, with the final assessment occurring when they were, on average, 22 years old.</p>
<p>During the first assessment, participants completed a measure of negative life events (the Life Events Questionnaire) covering 39 life events that typically occur during childhood and adolescence. At the fourth (the last) assessment, participants completed a measure of depression (the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale). At each of the four assessments, participants also underwent magnetic resonance imaging of their brains.</p>
<p>Results showed that 99% of participants reported at least one early negative life event. The median number of reported events was 6. By the fourth assessment, 76% of the participants reported experiencing subclinical depressive symptoms. Overall, as participants got older, their orbitofrontal cortex areas became gradually thinner. However, the trend of this changes showed substantial variation between individuals.</p>
<p>Further analysis showed that individuals reporting a higher number of early negative life events tended to exhibit more depressive symptoms at the study&#8217;s conclusion. However, the number of negative life events did not correlate with the orbitofrontal cortex&#8217;s thickness at the study&#8217;s outset. The study found no association between the changes in thickness of this area and the negative life events.</p>
<p>However, participants who had thicker orbitofrontal cortices at the beginning and experienced accelerated thinning over the course of the study reported more depressive symptoms at the end. Additionally, males had thicker orbitofrontal cortices at the beginning of the study than females, but no gender differences were observed in the rate of thinning.</p>
<p>“Taken together, current findings extend previous studies by showing that early NLE [negative life events] can predict depressive symptoms in the long term. Moreover, using a complete longitudinal design with four waves, results indicate that accelerated OFC [orbitofrontal cortex] thinning may precede depressive symptoms giving new insight into the neurodevelopmental factors associated with the development of depression,&#8221; the study authors concluded.</p><div class="addrop-wrap" data-id="64749"><p style="text-align: center;">
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<p>The study sheds light on the neural and psychological mechanisms underpinning the development of depression. However, it also has limitations that need to be taken into account. Notably, the participants generally reported low levels of negative life events at the study&#8217;s start, which might have influenced the observed lack of effect on orbitofrontal cortex thinning. Additionally, the study treated negative life events as a singular score without considering the timing, frequency, duration, or other details of these events. Consequently, studies on children who have experienced more intensive early negative life events might not produce identical results.</p>
<p>The paper, “<a href="https://doi.org/10.1002/jcv2.12210">Interplay of early negative life events, development of orbitofrontal cortical thickness and depression in young adulthood,</a>” was authored by Lea L. Backhausen, Jonas Granzow, Juliane H. Fröhner, Eric Artiges, Marie‐Laure Paillère‐Martinot, Hervé Lemaître, Fabio Sticca, Tobias Banaschewski, Sylvane Desrivières, Antoine Grigis, Andreas Heinz, Rüdiger Brühl, Dimitri Papadopoulos‐Orfanos, Luise Poustka, Sarah Hohmann, Lauren Robinson, Henrik Walter, Jeanne Winterer, Gunter Schumann, Jean‐Luc Martinot, Michael N. Smolka, and Nora C. Vetter.</p>
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psychbot , 5 months ago to psychology

.
DATE:
February 05, 2024 at 08:00AM
.
TITLE:
Elon Musk’s Neuralink puts its first chip in a human brain, but faces a long road ahead — and a potential nightmare scenario
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URL:
https://www.psypost.org/2024/02/elon-musks-neuralink-puts-its-first-chip-in-a-human-brain-but-faces-a-long-road-ahead-and-a-potential-nightmare-scenario-221255

<p>Earlier this week, Elon Musk <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1752098683024220632">announced</a> his brain-computer interface company, Neuralink, had implanted a device in a human for the first time. The company’s <a href="https://neuralink.com/blog/first-clinical-trial-open-for-recruitment/">PRIME</a> study, approved by the US Food and Drug Administration last year, is testing a brain implant for “people with paralysis to control external devices with their thoughts”.</p>
<p>In the past few years, Neuralink has faced investigation for <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2022/dec/20/neuralink-animal-testing-musk-investigation">mistreatment of lab animals</a> and seen the <a href="https://futurism.com/president-neuralink-exit">departure of several company executives</a>. Nevertheless, the PRIME trial is a significant milestone for a company less than ten years old.</p>
<p>However, Neuralink’s challenges are far from over. Implanting a device is just the beginning of a decades-long clinical project beset with competitors, financial hurdles and ethical quandaries.</p>
<h2>Decades of development</h2>
<p>The <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28275048/">first reported demonstration</a> of a brain-computer interface occurred in 1963. During a lecture at the University of Oxford, neuroscientist William Grey Walter bewildered his audience by linking one of his patient’s brains to the projector, where they advanced the slides of his presentation using only their thoughts.</p>
<p>However, the current wave of exploration in using brain-recording techniques to restore movement and communication to patients with severe paralysis began in the early 2000s. It draws on studies from the 1940s which measured the activity of single neurons, and more complex experiments on rats and monkeys in the 1990s.</p>
<p>Neuralink’s technology belongs to the next generation of recording devices. These have multiple electrodes, greater precision, and are safer, longer-lasting, and more compatible with the body. The <a href="https://www.jmir.org/2019/10/e16194/">Neuralink implant</a> is thinner, smaller and less obtrusive than the “Utah array” device, widely used in existing brain-computer interfaces, which has been available since 2005.</p>
<p>Neuralink’s device is implanted by a special robot which rapidly inserts polymer threads, each containing dozens of electrodes. In total, the device has 3,072 electrodes – dwarfing the 100 electrodes of the Utah array.</p>
<h2>Competitors</h2>
<p>Neuralink faces stiff competition in the race to commercialise the first next-generation brain-computer interface.</p>
<p>Arguably its most fierce competitor is an Australian company called <a href="https://theconversation.com/weve-been-connecting-brains-to-computers-longer-than-youd-expect-these-3-companies-are-leading-the-way-197023">Synchron</a>. This Melbourne-based start-up recently used a microelectrode mesh threaded through the blood vessels of the brain. This allowed paralysed patients to use tablets and smartphones, surf the internet, send emails, manage finances (and <a href="https://twitter.com/tomoxl/status/1473724411073212426?lang=en">post on X</a>, formerly Twitter).</p>
<p>The Synchron implant is described as a “minimally invasive” brain-computer interface. It requires only a minor incision in the neck, rather than the elaborate neurosurgery required by Neuralink and most other brain-computer interfaces.</p><div class="addrop-wrap" data-id="64749"><p style="text-align: center;">
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<p>In 2021, Synchron received a “<a href="https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210728005305/en/Synchron-Receives-Green-Light-From-FDA-to-Begin-Breakthrough-Trial-of-Implantable-Brain-Computer-Interface-in-US">Breakthrough Device Designation</a>” in the United States, and is now onto its third clinical trial.</p>
<h2>Patient welfare</h2>
<p>This competitive landscape raises potential ethical issues concerning the welfare of patients in the PRIME study. For one, it is notoriously difficult to recruit participants to neural implant studies. Patients must meet strict criteria to be eligible, and the trials are inherently risky and ask a lot of participants.</p>
<p>Musk’s public profile may help Neuralink find and enrol suitable patients. However, the company will need to be prepared to provide long-term support (potentially decades) to patients. If things go wrong, patients may need support to live with the consequences; if things go right, Neuralink may need to make sure the devices don’t stop working.</p>
<p>In 2022, a company called Second Sight Medical Product demonstrated the risks. Second Sight made retinal implants to treat blindness. When the company <a href="https://spectrum.ieee.org/bionic-eye-obsolete?utm_source=digg">went bankrupt</a>, it left more than 350 patients around the world with obsolete implants and no way to remove them.</p>
<p>If Neuralink’s devices are successful, they are likely to transform patients’ lives. What happens if the company winds up operations because it can’t make a profit? A plan for long-term care is essential.</p>
<p>What’s more, the considerable hype surrounding Neuralink may have implications for obtaining informed consent from potential participants.</p>
<p>Musk <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/johnkoetsier/2020/08/28/elon-musk-wants-to-put-a-fitbit-in-your-skull-to-summon-your-tesla/?sh=aee2ce6586a9">famously compared</a> the implant to a “Fitbit in your skull”. The device itself, Musk recently revealed, is misleadingly named “Telepathy”.</p>
<p>This techno-futurist language may give participants unrealistic expectations about the likelihood and kind of individual benefit. They may also underappreciate the risks, which could include severe brain damage.</p>
<h2>The way forward</h2>
<p>In this next chapter of the Neuralink odyssey, Musk and his team must maintain a strong commitment to research integrity and patient care. Neuralink’s establishment of a <a href="https://neuralink.com/patient-registry/">patient registry</a> to connect with patient communities is a step in the right direction.</p>
<p>Long-term planning and careful use of language will be necessary to preventing harm to patients and families.</p>
<p>The nightmare scenario for all neurotechnology research would be a repeat of Walter Freeman’s <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/science/2008/jan/13/neuroscience.medicalscience">disastrous pre-frontal lobotomy experiments</a> in the 1940s and 1950s. These had catastrophic consequences for patients and set research back by generations.<!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><img decoding="async" style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/222497/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/neuralink-has-put-its-first-chip-in-a-human-brain-what-could-possibly-go-wrong-222497">original article</a>.</em></p>
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psychbot , 5 months ago to psychology

Psychology News Robot
DATE:
February 02, 2024 at 05:02AM
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TITLE:
As Kids, They Thought They Were Trans. They No Longer Do.
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URL:
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/02/opinion/transgender-children-gender-dysphoria.html

Trans activists have pushed an ideological extremism by pressing for an unproven treatment orthodoxy.
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psychbot , 5 months ago to psychology

Psychology News Robot
DATE:
February 01, 2024 at 01:47PM
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TITLE:
Why February Is the Best Month for New Year’s Resolutions
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URL:
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/01/well/live/new-years-resolutions-february.html

Psychologists say now is the perfect time to reflect on what you want and how to get there.
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psychbot , 5 months ago to psychology

Psychology News Robot
DATE:
February 01, 2024 at 11:48AM
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TITLE:
Russia Makes First Convictions for "LGBT Extremism" Following Ban
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URL:
http://www.socialpsychology.org/client/redirect.php?from=rss_feed&id=177125&url=https://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2024-02-01/russia-makes-first-convictions-for-lgbt-extremism-following-ban

<div><p>Source: <a href="http://www.usnews.com/" rel="tag" target="_blank">U.S. News and World Report</a></p>Two Russian courts have meted out the first convictions related to what the government calls the &quot;international LGBT social movement.&quot; A Volgograd court fined a man 1,000 rubles Thursday after he posted a photograph of an LGBT flag online. The man repented, saying he posted the image &quot;out of stupidity.&quot; And a court east of Moscow sentenced a woman to five days in administrative detention for wearing earrings that displayed an image of a rainbow.</div><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><br /><a href="https://www.socialpsychology.org/client/redirect.php?action=rssHomepage" target="_blank"><img title="Brought to you by Social Psychology Network" alt="Brought to you by SocialPsychology Network" src="https://www.socialpsychology.org/images/rss-footer-large.png" border="0" width="400" height="45" /></a><br><br>
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psychbot , 5 months ago to psychology

Psychology News Robot
DATE:
February 01, 2024 at 11:47AM
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TITLE:
Common Gynecologic Condition Tied to Cognitive Issues
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URL:
http://www.socialpsychology.org/client/redirect.php?from=rss_feed&id=177124&url=https://www.usnews.com/news/health-news/articles/2024-02-01/common-gynecologic-condition-tied-to-cognitive-issues

<div><p>Source: <a href="http://www.usnews.com/" rel="tag" target="_blank">U.S. News and World Report</a></p>Women with a common ovarian disorder might be more likely to have memory and thinking problems in middle age, a new study suggests. Females diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) scored lower on cognitive tests than women without the condition, according to a report published January 31 in the journal Neurology. The condition specifically appeared to affect memory, attention, and verbal abilities, researchers said.</div><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><br /><a href="https://www.socialpsychology.org/client/redirect.php?action=rssHomepage" target="_blank"><img title="Brought to you by Social Psychology Network" alt="Brought to you by SocialPsychology Network" src="https://www.socialpsychology.org/images/rss-footer-large.png" border="0" width="400" height="45" /></a><br><br>
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psychbot , 5 months ago to psychology

.
DATE:
February 01, 2024 at 12:00PM
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TITLE:
Research shows family’s role in protecting adolescents from problematic internet pornography use
.
URL:
https://www.psypost.org/2024/02/research-shows-familys-role-in-protecting-adolescents-from-problematic-internet-pornography-use-221178

<p>In a significant exploration of family dynamics and adolescent behavior, a recent study published in the journal <a href="https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2023.1199835"><em>Frontiers in Public Health</em></a> suggests that a supportive family environment can be a crucial factor in protecting teenagers from excessive and uncontrolled use of internet pornography.</p>
<p>For years, psychologists have been delving into how family life influences adolescent development and behavior. This study builds upon previous research that has consistently shown the impact of family dynamics on various aspects of adolescent lives —including their online activities.</p>
<p>Problematic internet pornography use has emerged as a concern in recent years, particularly among teenagers. PIPU is characterized by an inability to control the excessive consumption of online pornography — a behavior often leading to adverse consequences. Understanding the family&#8217;s role in this context becomes crucial, as family is often the primary influence on a young person&#8217;s development and self-perception.</p>
<p>The researchers for this study aimed unravel the complex dynamics between family functioning and adolescent PIPU. The main goal was to establish a correlation and understand the underlying mechanisms –- specifically, how self-esteem plays a mediating role, and how the need to belong influences this relationship.</p>
<p>The researchers surveyed 771 high school students averaging the age of 16 from Sichuan Province in China. Researchers used validated scales to measure family functioning, self-esteem, the need to belong, and the extent of PIPU. By analyzing these correlations, the researchers could deduce the intricate relationships between these variables. This approach offered a comprehensive view of how various aspects of a teenager&#8217;s life interplay to impact their behavior concerning internet pornography usage.</p>
<p>The findings of the study were revealing. Firstly, there was a clear negative correlation between healthy family functioning and PIPU. In other words, teenagers from families with positive dynamics showed lower tendencies towards problematic internet pornography use.</p>
<p>This relationship was significantly brought on by higher self-esteem and a stronger sense of self-worth stemming from a supportive family environment — which seemed to shield adolescents from PIPU. Intriguingly, the study also discovered that this protective effect of self-esteem was more pronounced in teenagers with a higher need to belong.</p>
<p>While the study sheds light on important aspects of adolescent behavior and family dynamics, it&#8217;s crucial to acknowledge its limitations. The study&#8217;s focus on a specific geographical area might limit the applicability of its findings to adolescents in other regions or cultural contexts. Furthermore, the researchers did not control for factors like socioeconomic status, which could influence internet usage patterns and family dynamics.</p>
<p>The study, “<a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2023.1199835/full">Family functioning and problematic internet pornography use among adolescents: a moderated mediation model</a>”, was authored by Liang Li, Xizhou Wang, Shaoyue Tang, and Jianfeng Wang at Chengdu Medical College.</p>
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psychbot , 5 months ago to psychology

.
DATE:
February 01, 2024 at 08:00AM
.
TITLE:
Scientists develop method to identify drunk individuals by analyzing their voice
.
URL:
https://www.psypost.org/2024/02/scientists-develop-method-to-identify-drunk-individuals-by-analyzing-their-voice-221176

<p>Researchers in Canada enlisted a group of study participants to read a tongue twister before consuming alcohol and then each hour for up to seven hours afterward. By analyzing these recordings, they developed a machine learning system capable of determining with 98% accuracy whether the individual reading the text was under the influence of alcohol. The paper was published in <a href="https://doi.org/10.15288/jsad.22-00375"><em>Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs</em></a>.</p>
<p>Alcohol is one of the oldest known psychoactive substances. Its consumption is deeply ingrained in numerous cultural and social practices worldwide. People drink alcohol for fun, to socialize, when they are happy or sad, but also in different cultural or religious occasions. Historically, it has been used to purify drinking water (such as grog provided to 18th-century sailors), as a disinfectant, and even as fuel for cars and rockets, among other purposes.</p>
<p>However, excessive alcohol consumption can lead to a variety of negative health effects. In the short term, it can cause drunkenness, characterized by mood swings, reduced inhibition, impaired judgment and coordination, blurred vision, slurred speech, and difficulties in walking or standing. Prolonged and excessive alcohol use can result in addiction or alcoholism, liver diseases, cardiovascular issues, and an increased risk of certain cancers, such as those of the liver, mouth, and throat.</p>
<p>In their new study, Brian Suffoletto and his colleagues noted that, currently, there are no commercially available tools to unobtrusively and effectively identify alcohol intoxication (i.e., drunkenness). Specialized devices like transdermal alcohol sensors and portable breath alcohol meters can accurately estimate blood alcohol content, but they are often expensive and are not widely available. They can often be too burdensome for widespread practical use.</p>
<p>On the other hand, it is well-known that alcohol alters speech and speech can easily be recorded using widely available everyday devices (e.g. mobile phones, microphones). So, analysis of voice samples could be a very easy and effective way to detect alcohol intoxication, without the need for specialized devices, if such a method existed. These authors set out to develop such a method.</p>
<p>The study involved 20 adults, but analyses were conducted on 18 participants as two did not provide voice samples. The average age of these participants was 29 years, with 72% being male.</p>
<p>On the study day, participants arrived at the laboratory at 8:00 AM. Each was asked to read a tongue twister aloud, which was recorded using a mobile phone. After this initial recording, the researchers administered a quantity of vodka, mixed with lime juice and simple syrup, sufficient to achieve a breath alcohol concentration above 0.20%. The participants had an hour to consume this mixture. Subsequently, every half hour for up to seven hours, the researchers measured the participants&#8217; alcohol levels and recorded them reading a tongue twister.</p>
<p>They used these recordings of participants reading tongue twisters to develop a machine learning model for predicting alcohol intoxication. The final model was 98% accurate in predicting alcohol intoxication. It demonstrated that alcohol intoxication can accurately be predicted by analyzing voice recordings.</p>
<p>“We found in this proof-of-concept lab study that brief English speech samples are useful to classify alcohol-intoxicated states in adults. A much larger participant pool with more varied voice samples collected before and during the ascending and descending curves of alcohol intoxication is urgently needed to move the science of remote alcohol intoxication detection forward,&#8221; the study authors concluded.</p>
<p>The study made a valuable contribution to developing ways to measure alcohol intoxication using voice analysis. However, this study used a small sample of English speakers who cooperated with researchers. Results might not be the same if the sample of voices was more diverse or if participants actively tried to conceal their alcohol intoxication, as people are often motivated to do in real-world alcohol intoxication measurements.</p><div class="addrop-wrap" data-id="64749"><p style="text-align: center;">
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<p>The study, “<a href="https://doi.org/10.15288/jsad.22-00375">Detection of Alcohol Intoxication Using Voice Features: A Controlled Laboratory Study</a>”, was authored by Brian Suffoletto, Ayman Anwar, Sean Glaister, and Ervin Sejdic.</p>
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psychbot , 5 months ago to psychology

Psychology News Robot
DATE:
February 01, 2024 at 07:00AM
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TITLE:
People Have Very Different Understandings of Even the Simplest Words
.
URL:
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/people-have-very-different-understandings-of-even-the-simplest-words/

<p>Distinctive meanings for a word like &ldquo;risk&rdquo; can have a big impact on public messaging, especially when it comes to issues like climate change</p>
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psychbot , 5 months ago to psychology

Psychology News Robot
DATE:
February 01, 2024
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TITLE:
Biopsychosocial-Tech Assessment: Navigating With Humility
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URL:
https://www.socialworker.com/feature-articles/technology-articles/biopsychosocial-tech-assessment-navigating-with-humility/

Social workers are on the front lines of digital spaces as we observe and process with people about their digital experiences. You do not have to be a tech expert, but you must remain curious and ask deep questions about what clients do online.
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psychbot , 5 months ago to psychology

Psychology News Robot
DATE:
January 31, 2024 at 06:40AM
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TITLE:
Injected Antipsychotics More Effective Than Pills in Treating Schizophrenia
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<div><p>Source: <a href="http://www.upi.com/Health_News/" rel="tag" target="_blank">United Press International - Health News</a></p>For people with schizophrenia hospitalized after a psychotic episode, getting an antipsychotic injection works far better than pills to keep them from returning to hospital care. That's the finding of a new study in the Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology. The study found that injected antipsychotic meds&mdash;which provide continuous treatment from two weeks up to six months&mdash;were 75% more effective in reducing rehospitalization than the same...</div><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><br /><a href="https://www.socialpsychology.org/client/redirect.php?action=rssHomepage" target="_blank"><img title="Brought to you by Social Psychology Network" alt="Brought to you by SocialPsychology Network" src="https://www.socialpsychology.org/images/rss-footer-large.png" border="0" width="400" height="45" /></a><br><br>
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psychbot , 5 months ago to psychology

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DATE:
January 31, 2024 at 04:00PM
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TITLE:
Study shows how efforts to combat misinformation might undermine trust in real news
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URL:
https://www.psypost.org/2024/01/study-shows-how-efforts-to-combat-misinformation-might-undermine-trust-in-real-news-221160

<p>In a recent study published in <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/1461670X.2023.2187652"><em>Journalism Studies</em></a>, researchers uncovered that efforts to combat misinformation, such as issuing warnings and fact-checking, may inadvertently reduce the credibility ratings of factually accurate news. This study highlights the complex relationship between the fight against misinformation, and public trust in legitimate news sources.</p>
<p>Misinformation — false or incorrect information — has increasingly infiltrated the digital news landscape. This has posed challenges for public perception and decision-making, and prior research has indicated that exposure to misinformation can lead to false beliefs that hinder the ability to differentiate between fake and real news. This issue has been made worse in the age of digital media, where the mass volume of information available makes it difficult for individuals to assess the accuracy of news content.</p>
<p>The preset study builds on the truth-default theory — a concept that suggests people generally assume the information they receive is honest. However, in the context of rampant misinformation, this assumption might be shifting towards a deception bias — leading individuals to suspect dishonesty more frequently.</p>
<p>Researchers in Amsterdam and Berlin started this study to explore the potential unintended consequences of communicative efforts against misinformation. The primary concern was whether these efforts, while aiming to protect the audience from false information, might lead to a general decrease in the credibility of accurate news. This is vital, considering the crucial role of credible information in a well-functioning democracy and the potential impact of misinformation on public trust.</p>
<p>An experimental design was implemented where 1,305 participants — all US based and recruited through Dynata, were exposed to different types of stimuli: misinformation, corrective information, misinformation warnings, and news media literacy (NML) interventions. The study aimed to simulate real-life exposure to various types of news information, assessing how this affects the credibility assessment of factual news.</p>
<p>Participants&#8217; credibility ratings of factually accurate news were measured following exposure to these different types of information. This approach allowed the researchers to isolate the effects of each type of exposure on participants&#8217; perceptions of news credibility.</p>
<p>The findings of the study revealed that participants exposed to misinformation, or warnings about misinformation, consistently rated factual news as less credible. However, exposure to fact-checking interventions did not have a similar negative impact on credibility perceptions. And, while NML interventions did not increase the accuracy of news assessment compared to a control group, they were found to be effective in contexts where misinformation was prevalent or warnings about misinformation were present.</p>
<p>These findings suggest that while misinformation, and warnings about it, can prime audiences toward a deception bias — NML interventions may help mitigate this effect in specific contexts.</p>
<p>It is important to consider that this study’s artificial setting might not fully capture the complexity of real-world news consumption. Additionally, the exclusion of source cues and focus on only two specific topics and one type of NML intervention may not represent the wide array of misinformation themes and potential literacy interventions.</p>
<p>Despite these limitations, the study provides important insights into the interplay between misinformation awareness, efforts to combat it, and public trust in news media. Overall, while initiatives to counter misinformation are crucial, they must be carefully designed to avoid reducing trust in legitimate news sources.</p><div class="addrop-wrap" data-id="64749"><p style="text-align: center;">
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<p>Toni van der Meer, Michael Hameleers and Jakob Ohme at the University of Amsterdam and the Weizenbaum Institute for the Networked Society authored this study, published as “<a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/1461670X.2023.2187652">Can Fighting Misinformation Have a Negative Spillover Effect? How Warnings for the Threat of Misinformation Can Decrease General News Credibility</a>”.</p>
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psychbot , 5 months ago to psychology

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DATE:
January 31, 2024 at 02:00PM
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TITLE:
Could hooking up a humanoid robot to ChatGPT benefit people with autism?
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URL:
https://www.psypost.org/2024/01/could-hooking-up-a-humanoid-robot-to-chatgpt-benefit-people-with-autism-221152

<p>In a recent scientific paper published in <em><a href="https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1232177" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Frontiers in Psychology</a></em>, a team of Italian researchers have developed an innovative approach to assist individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) using a humanoid robot named Pepper, integrated with OpenAI&#8217;s advanced conversational artificial intelligence. This novel system aims to enhance social interaction, communication, and cognitive skills for individuals with ASD, offering a promising avenue in therapeutic and educational settings.</p>
<p>Autism Spectrum Disorder presents unique challenges to individuals and their families, often requiring tailored educational and therapeutic approaches. Traditional methods, while effective, can sometimes fall short in addressing the diverse needs and preferences of those with ASD. Recognizing this gap, researchers were driven to explore the potential of combining advanced robotics with cutting-edge artificial intelligence. Their goal was to create a more dynamic, engaging, and adaptive learning environment that could cater to the specific requirements of individuals with ASD.</p>
<p>The use of technology in ASD therapy is not entirely new, but the integration of a social robot like Pepper with AI technologies like OpenAI&#8217;s ChatGPT is a novel approach. This combination aims to leverage the predictability and consistency of robotic interactions with the natural language processing capabilities of AI, creating a hybrid system that is both reliable and responsive to the nuances of human communication.</p>
<p>&#8220;As a multidisciplinary group, we were interested in exploring the intersection of technology and healthcare, particularly in the context of Neurodevelopmental Disorders (NDDs), which present a significant challenge to families and society,&#8221; said study author <a href="https://www2.unical.it/portale/strutture/dipartimenti_240/fisica/personal_pages/ebilotta/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Eleonora Bilotta</a>, a professor of general and cognitive psychology at the University of Calabria. &#8220;The potential of AI and social robotics, like the Pepper robot integrated with ChatGPT, to support individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) represents a promising, innovative approach in educational interventions.&#8221;</p>
<p>At the heart of this study is the Pepper robot, a humanoid robot designed for social interaction. Pepper is equipped with cameras, microphones, and various sensors, enabling it to perceive and respond to its environment. The robot&#8217;s operating system, NAOqi, supports its physical movements and interaction capabilities.</p>
<p>The innovative twist in this research comes from integrating Pepper with OpenAI technology. This integration enables real-time processing of language and speech, allowing Pepper to engage in natural conversations with individuals. The system uses advanced speech recognition to convert spoken language into text, which is then processed by OpenAI&#8217;s language understanding algorithms. The AI generates appropriate responses, which Pepper delivers using speech synthesis.</p>
<p>&#8220;The adaptability and responsiveness of the ChatGPT-integrated Pepper robot in simulating real-life interaction scenarios with ASD subjects were particularly striking,&#8221; Bilotta told PsyPost. &#8220;The nuanced and context-aware dialogues initiated by the robot demonstrated a level of engagement that was encouraging for future educational and possibly, with the support of an expert, therapeutic applications.&#8221;</p>
<p>The researchers outlined two primary interaction scenarios &#8211; informal and structured &#8211; both tailored to enhance the learning experience for individuals with ASD. In the informal scenario, Pepper engages in open-ended conversations, allowing for spontaneous communication and social interaction. This setting aims to create a comfortable environment for individuals to express themselves freely and build a rapport with the robot.</p>
<p>By engaging in casual, unstructured conversations, individuals with ASD can practice social skills in a low-pressure environment.</p>
<p>In contrast, the structured scenario is more guided, with Pepper leading problem-solving tasks and structured activities. This approach is designed to develop critical thinking, decision-making, and cognitive skills in a supportive and methodical environment. The robot guides the individual through various stages of problem-solving, offering feedback and encouragement. For many with ASD, predictability and routine are essential and structured scenarios would provide a consistent framework.</p><div class="addrop-wrap" data-id="64749"><p style="text-align: center;">
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<p>Both scenarios utilize Pepper&#8217;s capabilities, including speech recognition, facial expressions, and body language, along with OpenAI&#8217;s natural language understanding and generation. This creates a dynamic and interactive experience, adapting to the individual&#8217;s responses and promoting engagement.</p>
<p>&#8220;The key takeaway is the potential of advanced technology, such as AI-integrated social robots, to aid in cognitive functioning for individuals with ASD,&#8221; Bilotta told PsyPost. &#8220;This study shows how these technologies can be adapted to meet specific educational needs, offering personalized and interactive experiences that can complement traditional approaches.&#8221;</p>
<p>But the benefits at this point are only theoretical. &#8220;One major caveat is the need for extensive real-world testing to validate the effectiveness of such systems. Questions regarding long-term impacts, the generalizability of results, and the integration of these technologies into existing educational/therapeutic frameworks still need to be addressed,&#8221; Bilotta explained.</p>
<p>She added that &#8220;it&#8217;s important to consider the ethical implications and ensure the development of such technologies is guided by a human-centric approach, focusing on enhancing the quality of life for individuals with ASD, while respecting their autonomy and privacy.&#8221;</p>
<p>The ethical implications are multifaceted. Firstly, there&#8217;s the matter of informed consent: ensuring that guardians of individuals with ASD fully understand and agree to the use of such technology in therapy. Privacy and data protection are paramount, as personal information and interaction data must be securely handled and used responsibly. It&#8217;s also crucial to ensure that the technology does not replace human interactions but rather complements them, maintaining a balance between technological and human engagement.</p>
<p>&#8220;We are actively working on a project that aims to enhance the capabilities of our existing system by integrating not only ChatGPT&#8217;s advanced conversational and visual features but also incorporating the creative prowess of DALL-E,&#8221; Bilotta said. &#8220;This initiative is particularly focused on enriching the experiences of individuals with ASD and those with visual impairments. Our multidimensional approach is designed to foster more engaging and impactful interactions, catering to the unique needs of these individuals by leveraging the combined strengths of conversational AI and visual creativity.&#8221;</p>
<p>The study, &#8220;<a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1232177/full" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A social robot connected with chatGPT to improve cognitive functioning in ASD subjects</a>&#8220;, was authored by Francesca Bertacchini, Francesco Demarco, Carmelo Scuro, Pietro Pantano, and Eleonora Bilotta.</p>
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psychbot , 5 months ago to psychology

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DATE:
January 31, 2024 at 12:00PM
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TITLE:
Slimming significantly alters your microbiome and brain activity
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URL:
https://www.psypost.org/2024/01/slimming-significantly-alters-your-microbiome-and-brain-activity-221158

<p><strong>Researchers from China monitored 25 obese patients losing weight during and after intermittent energy restriction (IER) for changes in their gut bacteria and in brain regions for appetite and addiction. They showed that changes in both these compartments of the </strong><a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/subjects/brain-gut"><strong>brain-gut</strong></a><strong>-microbiome axis are tightly coupled in time. These results suggest that these changes could be linked by an as yet unknown mechanism: either changes in the gut microbiome drive changes in the brain or vice versa.</strong></p>
<p>Worldwide, more than one billion people are obese. Obesity is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and some cancers. But permanently losing weight isn’t easy: complex interactions between body systems such as <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/subjects/gut-physiology">gut physiology</a>, hormones, and the brain are known to work against it. One method for weight loss is intermittent <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/subjects/energy-restriction">energy restriction</a> (IER), where days of relative fasting alternate with days of eating normally.</p>
<p>“Here we show that an IER diet changes the human brain-gut-microbiome axis. The observed changes in the gut microbiome and in the activity in addiction-related brain regions during and after weight loss are highly dynamic and coupled over time,” said last author Dr Qiang Zeng, a researcher at the Health Management Institute of the PLA General Hospital in Beijing. The results are published in <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcimb.2023.1269548/full"><em>Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology</em></a>.</p>
<h2><strong>The fast track to weight loss</strong></h2>
<p>The authors used metagenomics on stool samples, blood measurements, and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to study changes in the composition of the gut microbiome, physiological parameters, and serum composition, and brain activity in 25 obese Chinese women and men on an IER diet. Participants were on average 27 years old, with a BMI between 28 and 45.</p>
<p>“A healthy, balanced gut microbiome is critical for energy homeostasis and maintaining normal weight. In contrast, an abnormal gut microbiome can change our eating behavior by affecting certain brain area involved in addiction,” explained coauthor Dr Yongli Li from the Department of Health Management of Henan Provincial People’s Hospital in Henan, China.</p>
<hr />
<p><a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcimb.2023.1269548/full">Read original article</a></p>
<p><a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcimb.2023.1269548/pdf">Download original article (pdf)</a></p>
<hr />
<p>First, the participants underwent a ‘high-controlled fasting phase’ of 32 days where they received personalized meals designed by a dietician, with a caloric value decreasing stepwise to one quarter of their basic energy intake. They then spent 30 days in a ‘low-controlled fasting phase’, where they were given a list of recommended foods: participants who adhered perfectly to this diet would receive 500 calories per day for women and 600 calories per day for men.</p>
<h2><strong>Synchronous changes in brain activity and gut microbiome</strong></h2>
<p>By the end of the study, their body weight had decreased by an average of 7.6kg, or 7.8%. As expected, they had undergone reductions in body fat and waist circumference.</p>
<p>Likewise, their blood pressure and serum levels of fasting plasma glucose, total cholesterol, HDL and LDL had decreased, and the activity of key <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/subjects/liver-enzymes">liver enzymes</a>. These suggest that IER helps to reduce obesity-related comorbidities like hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/subjects/liver-dysfunction">liver dysfunction</a>.</p><div class="addrop-wrap" data-id="64749"><p style="text-align: center;">
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<p>The authors observed decreases after IER in the activity of brain regions implicated in the regulation of appetite and addiction. Within the gut microbiome, the abundance of the bacteria <em>Faecalibacterium prausnitzii</em>, <em>Parabacteroides distasonis</em>, and <em>Bacterokles uniformis</em> increased sharply, while that of <em>Escherichia coli</em> fell.</p>
<p>Further analyses showed that the abundance of <em>E. coli</em>, <em>Coprococcus comes</em>, and <em>Eubacterium hallii</em> bacteria were negatively associated with the activity of the brain’s left orbital inferior frontal gyrus – known to play a key role in executive function, including our will to lose weight. In contrast, the abundance of the bacteria <em>P. distasonis</em> and <em>Flavonifractor plautii</em> were positively correlated with the activity brain regions associated with attention, <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/subjects/motor-inhibition">motor inhibition,</a> emotion, and learning.</p>
<h2><strong>Weighing the evidence</strong></h2>
<p>These results suggest that changes in the brain and microbiome during and after weight loss are linked – either because they cause each other, or because an unknown other factor causes both. Because the study is correlational, it can’t resolve the direction of the underlying causality.</p>
<p>“The gut microbiome is thought to communicate with the brain in a complex, two-directional way. The microbiome produces neurotransmitters and <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/subjects/neurotoxins">neurotoxins</a> which access the brain through nerves and the blood circulation. In return the brain controls eating behavior, while nutrients from our <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/subjects/diet-change">diet change</a> the composition of the gut microbiome,” said coauthor Dr Xiaoning Wang from the Institute of Geriatrics of the PLA General Hospital.</p>
<p>Coauthor Dr Liming Wang, likewise from the Health Management Institute in Beijing, said: “The next question to be answered is the precise mechanism by which the gut microbiome and the brain communicate in obese people, including during weight loss. What specific gut microbiome and brain regions are critical for successful weight loss and maintaining a healthy weight?”</p>
<p><a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/news/2023/12/20/frontiers-cellular-infection-microbiology-weight-loss-changes-microbiome-brain-coupled"><img fetchpriority="high" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-60249 size-full" src="https://www.psypost.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Frontiers-banner.png" alt="" width="855" height="70" srcset="https://www.psypost.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Frontiers-banner.png 855w, https://www.psypost.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Frontiers-banner-600x49.png 600w, https://www.psypost.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Frontiers-banner-300x25.png 300w, https://www.psypost.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Frontiers-banner-768x63.png 768w, https://www.psypost.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Frontiers-banner-750x61.png 750w" sizes="(max-width: 855px) 100vw, 855px" /></a></p>
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psychbot , 5 months ago to psychology

Psychology News Robot
DATE:
January 31, 2024 at 10:47AM
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TITLE:
Finding Power and Purpose Within Yourself
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URL:
https://ct.counseling.org/2024/01/finding-power-and-purpose-within-yourself/

<p>Olivia Fadul, LPCC, turned her disability into a personal and professional strength. </p>
<p>The post <a href="https://ct.counseling.org/2024/01/finding-power-and-purpose-within-yourself/">Finding Power and Purpose Within Yourself</a> appeared first on <a href="https://ct.counseling.org">Counseling Today</a>.</p>

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psychbot , 5 months ago to psychology

.
DATE:
January 31, 2024 at 08:00AM
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TITLE:
People with worse body image and lower self-efficacy are more prone to phubbing others
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URL:
https://www.psypost.org/2024/01/people-with-worse-body-image-and-lower-self-efficacy-are-more-prone-to-phubbing-others-221156

<p>A recent study has found that individuals prone to phubbing others tend to have worse body image and self-efficacy. The research also found that single individuals are more likely to phub others compared to those who are married. The paper was published in <em><a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/00332941231219467">Psychological Reports</a>.</em></p>
<p>The widespread use of mobile phones has allowed people to become more connected than ever. While, in previous centuries, people could only communicate with those in their immediate surroundings, modern mobile devices allow individuals to be in constant communication with others regardless of where they are (with some exceptions!). This has also presented every individual with a choice about who they will devote their attention to – those in their immediate surroundings, or to people not physically present, through the use of mobile devices (or generally to contents available on mobile devices).</p>
<p>In these situations, some people at least some of the time, decide to devote their attention to their mobile devices instead of individuals in their company. This behavior has come to be known as <a href="https://www.psypost.org/definitions/definition-what-is-phubbing">phubbing</a>. Phubbing is a term that combines &#8220;phone&#8221; and &#8220;snubbing.&#8221; It refers to the act of ignoring someone in a social setting by paying attention to one’s phone instead of the person one is with. This behavior is often seen as rude and can negatively impact personal relationships. Because of its rising prevalence, it has become the focusing of many new research studies.</p>
<p>Study authors Selma Kılıç and Eyüp Çelik of Sakarya University in Turkey wanted to investigate the links between phubbing (the tendency to phub others), body image, and self-efficacy. They argue that the modern virtual environment has become a platform where people display a perfect body and appearance, idealizing themselves visually.</p>
<p>As this “ideal body” beauty standard is not obtainable in real life, people who accept it may become dissatisfied with their own bodies. If people prone to phubbing are people generally more immersed into the virtual world, they would also be more likely to accept to the “ideal body” beauty standard and thus be more dissatisfied with their bodies i.e., have a more negative body image.</p>
<p>In a similar fashion, people spending more time on social media might be left with less time to perform other important activities in life. This may lead to lower feelings of self-efficacy, meaning a person&#8217;s belief in their ability to succeed in specific situations or accomplish a task.</p>
<p>The study involved 301 adults from Turkey, with 76% being male and 37% married. Participants completed the General Phubbing Scale, the General Self-efficacy Scale, and the Body Image Scale.</p>
<p>Results showed that participants more prone to phubbing others tended to have lower self-efficacy and worse body image. However, the correlation was weak. Males and females had similar average scores on the assessment of phubbing. However, single individuals were, on average, somewhat more prone to phubbing others than married persons.</p>
<p>“Phubbing exposure in social life may become more widespread in the future. This situation can negatively affect interpersonal relationships, an essential variable for human mental health, and can cause other psychosocial (addiction, loneliness, social isolation, etc.) problems. Thus, identifying factors related to phubbing can contribute to individual and societal health,&#8221; the study authors concluded.</p>
<p>The study makes a valuable contribution to understanding the relationship between phubbing and other psychological characteristics. However, it should be noted that the study was solely based on self-reports. Studies using other methods of collecting data might not yield equal results.</p><div class="addrop-wrap" data-id="64749"><p style="text-align: center;">
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<p>The paper, “<a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/00332941231219467">Being Virtual in Real Interpersonal Interaction: What Makes People Prone to Phubbing?</a>”, was authored by Selma Kılıç and Eyüp Çelik.</p>
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psychbot , 5 months ago to psychology

Psychology News Robot
DATE:
January 31, 2024 at 06:45AM
.
TITLE:
Here's the Happiness Research that Stands Up to Scrutiny
.
URL:
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/heres-the-happiness-research-that-stands-up-to-scrutiny/

<p>From meditation to smiling, researchers take a second look at studies claiming to reveal what makes us happy</p>
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psychbot , 5 months ago to psychology

Psychology News Robot
DATE:
January 30, 2024 at 09:33AM
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TITLE:
The Ketamine Economy: New Mental Health Clinics Proliferating
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URL:
http://www.socialpsychology.org/client/redirect.php?from=rss_feed&id=177072&url=https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMihwFodHRwczovL3d3dy5ucHIub3JnL3NlY3Rpb25zL2hlYWx0aC1zaG90cy8yMDI0LzAxLzMwLzEyMjc2MzA2MzAva2V0YW1pbmUtaW5mdXNpb24tY2xpbmljLW1lbnRhbC1oZWFsdGgtZGVwcmVzc2lvbi1hbnhpZXR5LWZkYS1vZmYtbGFiZWzSAQA?oc=5

<div><p>Source: <a href="http://news.google.com/?ned=us&topic=m" rel="tag" target="_blank">Google News - Health</a></p>For-profit ketamine clinics have proliferated over the past few years, offering infusions for a wide array of mental health issues, including obsessive-compulsive disorder, depression, and anxiety. Although the off-label use of ketamine hydrochloride, a Schedule III drug approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration as an anesthetic in 1970, was considered radical just a decade ago, now between 500 and 750 ketamine clinics have cropped up...</div><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><br /><a href="https://www.socialpsychology.org/client/redirect.php?action=rssHomepage" target="_blank"><img title="Brought to you by Social Psychology Network" alt="Brought to you by SocialPsychology Network" src="https://www.socialpsychology.org/images/rss-footer-large.png" border="0" width="400" height="45" /></a><br><br>
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psychbot , 5 months ago to psychology

Psychology News Robot
DATE:
January 30, 2024 at 09:33AM
.
TITLE:
Florida Bans Transgender Drivers From Changing Gender on Licenses
.
URL:
http://www.socialpsychology.org/client/redirect.php?from=rss_feed&id=177085&url=https://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2024/01/30/florida-bans-trans-drivers-changing-gender-license/3991706665891/

<div><p>Source: <a href="http://www.upi.com/Health_News/" rel="tag" target="_blank">United Press International - Health News</a></p>Florida is banning transgender people from changing their gender on their driver's licenses in a new rule to protect the &quot;security and reliability&quot; of government-issued IDs. The new rule was enacted by the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. The department warned that anyone &quot;misrepresenting&quot; their gender assigned at birth will face &quot;criminal and civil penalties,&quot; which could include suspension or revocation of their...</div><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><br /><a href="https://www.socialpsychology.org/client/redirect.php?action=rssHomepage" target="_blank"><img title="Brought to you by Social Psychology Network" alt="Brought to you by SocialPsychology Network" src="https://www.socialpsychology.org/images/rss-footer-large.png" border="0" width="400" height="45" /></a><br><br>
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psychbot , 5 months ago to psychology

Psychology News Robot
DATE:
January 30, 2024 at 06:30PM
.
TITLE:
Elon Musk's Neuralink has Implanted its First Chip in a Human Brain. What's Next?
.
URL:
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/elon-musks-neuralink-has-implanted-its-first-chip-in-a-human-brain-whats-next/

<p>The wealthiest person on Earth has taken the next step toward a commercial brain interface</p>
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psychbot , 5 months ago to psychology

Psychology News Robot
DATE:
January 30, 2024 at 02:17AM
.
TITLE:
Foreign-Born Residents Sue Japan for Alleged Racial Profiling
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URL:
http://www.socialpsychology.org/client/redirect.php?from=rss_feed&id=177066&url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-68137532?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=KARANGA

<div><p>Source: <a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/world/asia" rel="tag" target="_blank">BBC News - Asia</a></p>Three foreign-born residents in Japan have sued the country's authorities over alleged racial profiling. The plaintiffs say they have suffered distress from repeated police questioning based on their appearances. &quot;There's a very strong image that 'foreigner' equals 'criminal',&quot; Pakistan-born Syed Zain told reporters. The lawsuit filed on Monday aims to confirm that racial profiling is illegal and to seek 3m yen ($20,250) in damages for each...</div><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><br /><a href="https://www.socialpsychology.org/client/redirect.php?action=rssHomepage" target="_blank"><img title="Brought to you by Social Psychology Network" alt="Brought to you by SocialPsychology Network" src="https://www.socialpsychology.org/images/rss-footer-large.png" border="0" width="400" height="45" /></a><br><br>
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psychbot , 5 months ago to psychology

Psychology News Robot
DATE:
January 30, 2024 at 02:17AM
.
TITLE:
Schools Are Third-Most Common U.S. Location for Reported Hate Crimes
.
URL:
http://www.socialpsychology.org/client/redirect.php?from=rss_feed&id=177053&url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/hate-crimes-schools-universities-fbi-report/

<div><p>Source: <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/us/" rel="tag" target="_blank">CBS News - U.S. News</a></p>Ten percent of all reported hate crimes in the U.S. that occurred in 2022 happened at a school or college campus, according to a new report by the FBI&mdash;that is, the third most common location where hate-motivated acts occurred. The report also said more than 30% of all juvenile victims were targeted at school. Hate crimes at schools most often occurred at elementary and secondary schools, the report found, and were most commonly motivated by...</div><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><br /><a href="https://www.socialpsychology.org/client/redirect.php?action=rssHomepage" target="_blank"><img title="Brought to you by Social Psychology Network" alt="Brought to you by SocialPsychology Network" src="https://www.socialpsychology.org/images/rss-footer-large.png" border="0" width="400" height="45" /></a><br><br>
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psychbot , 5 months ago to psychology

Psychology News Robot
DATE:
January 30, 2024 at 02:16AM
.
TITLE:
Brazil, Facing Calls for Reparations, Wrestles With Legacy of Slavery
.
URL:
http://www.socialpsychology.org/client/redirect.php?from=rss_feed&id=177067&url=https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/brazil-facing-calls-reparations-wrangles-painful-legacy-slavery-106782882

<div><p>Source: <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/international" rel="tag" target="_blank">ABC News - International</a></p>Brazil&mdash;where more than half the population identifies as Black or biracial&mdash;has long resisted reckoning with its past. That reluctance has started loosening. Public prosecutors have begun probing Bank of Brazil, Latin America's second-largest financial institution by assets, with $380 billion, for its historical links to the slave trade. Their investigation could yield a recommendation, an agreement, or filing of legal action for reparations.</div><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><br /><a href="https://www.socialpsychology.org/client/redirect.php?action=rssHomepage" target="_blank"><img title="Brought to you by Social Psychology Network" alt="Brought to you by SocialPsychology Network" src="https://www.socialpsychology.org/images/rss-footer-large.png" border="0" width="400" height="45" /></a><br><br>
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psychbot , 5 months ago to psychology

Psychology News Robot
DATE:
January 30, 2024 at 01:49AM
.
TITLE:
ChatGPT Violated European Privacy Laws, Regulators Say
.
URL:
http://www.socialpsychology.org/client/redirect.php?from=rss_feed&id=177074&url=https://www.usnews.com/news/business/articles/2024-01-30/chatgpt-violated-european-privacy-laws-italy-tells-chatbot-maker-openai

<div><p>Source: <a href="http://www.usnews.com/" rel="tag" target="_blank">U.S. News and World Report</a></p>Italian regulators said on Monday they told OpenAI that its ChatGPT artificial intelligence chatbot has violated European Union's stringent data privacy rules. The watchdog started investigating ChatGPT last year, when it temporarily banned the AI tool within Italy. Based on the results of its &quot;fact-finding activity,&quot; the regulators said they &quot;concluded that the available evidence pointed to the existence of breaches&quot; in EU privacy rules.</div><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><br /><a href="https://www.socialpsychology.org/client/redirect.php?action=rssHomepage" target="_blank"><img title="Brought to you by Social Psychology Network" alt="Brought to you by SocialPsychology Network" src="https://www.socialpsychology.org/images/rss-footer-large.png" border="0" width="400" height="45" /></a><br><br>
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psychbot , 5 months ago to psychology

.
DATE:
January 30, 2024 at 12:00PM
.
TITLE:
Excessive screen time linked to developmental and behavioral issues in U.S. children
.
URL:
https://www.psypost.org/2024/01/excessive-screen-time-linked-to-developmental-and-behavioral-issues-in-u-s-children-221130

<p>A study published in the <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpsychires.2023.03.014"><em>Journal of Psychiatric Research</em></a> shows a significant link between excessive screen time and various developmental and behavioral problems in children across the United States. The study, focusing on children from infancy to adolescence, emphasizes the heightened vulnerability of preschoolers and boys to the adverse effects of high screen time.</p>
<p>Past research has painted a conflicting picture of the impact of digital media on children&#8217;s development. While some studies suggested detrimental effects, others found no significant correlation. This latest study ventures into this field to unpack both ends of the discourse and provide a more comprehensive understanding. Researchers used statistical methods to examine if there was a notable relationship between the time children spend on screens and their developmental and behavioral health. This approach, known as correlational analysis, helps identify patterns and relationships without necessarily proving one causes the other.</p>
<p>The increasing pervasiveness of digital media in children&#8217;s lives, coupled with these conflicting findings from previous research, rooted the interest of the researchers. Recognizing the critical developmental stages during childhood, the study’s goal was to determine how screen time might affect children&#8217;s psychological and behavioral development.</p>
<p>To explore this relationship, the researchers analyzed data from the 2018 to 2020 National Survey of Children&#8217;s Health. This large-scale survey provided a representative sample of randomly selected U.S. children, aged 0 to 17 years, amounting to more than 100,000 participants. The researchers used logistic regression models — a statistical tool suitable for large datasets — to evaluate the associations between screen time and various developmental and behavioral issues.</p>
<p>The study identified that a significant portion of U.S. children, over 70% of preschoolers and over 80% of older children, were exposed to excessive screen time. What was considered &#8220;excessive screen time&#8221; was based on age groups. For preschoolers aged 0–5 years, excessive screen time was defined as 1 hour or more per day. For children and adolescents aged 6–17 years, it was defined as 2 hours or more per day. This definition aligns with the guidelines on screen time suggested by the World Health Organization.</p>
<p>The researchers found that excessive screen time was positively associated with a range of issues — including behavioral and conduct problems, developmental delays, speech disorders, learning disabilities, autism spectrum disorders (ASD), and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).</p>
<p>The association was particularly pronounced in preschool-aged children and boys, indicating a potential period of heightened sensitivity to screen exposure. The researchers noted, “children with excessive screen time are at high odds of developmental and behavioral problems, especially for preschoolers and boys.”</p>
<p>Although the study’s results were significant, possible limitations are important to consider — such as the study itself being a cross-sectional analysis, which can highlight associations but cannot establish causation. The reliance on caregiver recall for information on screen time and developmental issues might introduce biases, as well, and the study also did not differentiate between subtypes of screen time — which could have varying impacts on children&#8217;s development. Moreover, it focused only on weekdays, potentially overlooking weekend behaviors. These aspects suggest the need for more nuanced and longitudinal studies in the future.</p>
<p>&#8220;Caregivers, educators, policy makers, and health care providers should pay more attention to the screen time of children and it is necessary to take applicable interventions at an early stage for children with excessive digital media use,&#8221; the researchers concluded.</p>
<p>The study, “<a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0022395623001310">Association between screen time and developmental and behavioral problems among children in the United States: evidence from 2018 to 2020 NSCH</a>”, was authored by Guangbo Qu, Wenjing Hu, Jia Meng, Xingyue Wang, Wenqi Su, Haixia Liu, Shaodi Ma, Chenyu Sun, Christy Huang, Scott Lowe, and Yehuan Sun at Anhui Medical University, AMITA Health St. Joseph Hospital, Santa Clara University, and Kansas City University.</p><div class="addrop-wrap" data-id="64749"><p style="text-align: center;">
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psychbot , 5 months ago to psychology

.
DATE:
January 30, 2024 at 10:00AM
.
TITLE:
Ancient brain structure turns out to be more important than realized
.
URL:
https://www.psypost.org/2024/01/ancient-brain-structure-turns-out-to-be-more-important-than-realized-221123

<p>In a groundbreaking study by the Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, researchers have unveiled that a small, often-overlooked part of the brain, known as the superior colliculus, plays a more vital role in how we see and perceive the world than previously understood. This discovery, centering on the brain&#8217;s ability to distinguish objects from their backgrounds, could reshape our understanding of vision and has potential implications for addressing visual impairments.</p>
<p>The new findings have been published in the journal <em><a href="https://elifesciences.org/articles/83708" target="_blank" rel="noopener">eLife</a></em>.</p>
<p>The motivation behind this study stems from a long-standing puzzle in neuroscience: how does the brain differentiate an object from its surroundings? While it&#8217;s known that the visual cortex, a part of the brain typically associated with processing visual information, plays a role in this, there are animals with less developed visual cortices that can still perform this task effectively. This observation led researchers to ponder whether another part of the brain could also be contributing to this ability, particularly the superior colliculus, an evolutionarily ancient structure present in all classes of vertebrates.</p>
<p>To investigate this, the researchers turned to mice due to their anatomical similarity to humans in having both a visual cortex and a superior colliculus. The study involved a series of experiments with 16 mice, where they were trained to recognize and respond to images depicting figures against various backgrounds. This task was designed to mimic the challenge of identifying objects in different visual contexts, similar to how animals in the wild might need to spot prey or predators.</p>
<p>The researchers employed a technique called optogenetics, which involves using light to control cells in living tissue. Specifically, they used this method to temporarily deactivate the superior colliculus in the mice. By comparing the mice&#8217;s performance in the visual tasks with and without the superior colliculus being active, the researchers could gauge the importance of this brain area in visual processing. Additionally, they used electrophysiology, a method of recording electrical activity in the brain, to observe how neurons in the superior colliculus responded during the tasks.</p>
<p>The findings were revelatory. When the superior colliculus was deactivated, the mice struggled significantly more in distinguishing the figures from the backgrounds, indicating that this part of the brain plays a critical role in object detection, especially in complex visual environments. Moreover, the researchers discovered that specific neurons in the superficial layers of the superior colliculus showed increased activity in response to the visual stimuli used in the tasks. This neural behavior correlated with the mice&#8217;s performance, suggesting that the superior colliculus contains a specialized neural code for detecting objects.</p>
<p>One of the study&#8217;s most intriguing aspects was the realization that the brain employs parallel pathways for visual processing. While the role of the visual cortex is well-established, this research highlights the superior colliculus as another key player in the visual system, operating potentially in tandem with the visual cortex.</p>
<p>In a news release, study author J. Alexander Heimel explained: &#8220;Previous research already showed that a mouse can still complete the task if you turn off its visual cortex, which suggests that there is a parallel pathway for visual object detection. In this study, we switched off the superior colliculus using optogenetics to see what effect that would have. Contrary to the previous study, the mice became worse at detecting the object, indicating that the superior colliculus plays an important role during this process. Our measurements also showed that information about the visual task is present in the superior colliculus, and that this information is less present the moment a mouse makes a mistake. So, its performance in the task correlates with what we’re measuring.&#8221;</p>
<p>However, the study is not without limitations. The focus was primarily on the superficial layers of the superior colliculus, leaving the role of its deeper layers somewhat unexplored. Moreover, the study was conducted on mice, and while they share similarities with humans in terms of brain structure, there are notable differences. In humans, for instance, the visual cortex is far more developed, suggesting that the superior colliculus might play a less prominent but still significant role in our vision.</p>
<p>Future research directions could involve exploring the deeper layers of the superior colliculus and investigating how it interacts with other parts of the brain during visual processing. Additionally, studies on humans, possibly using non-invasive imaging techniques, could provide further insights into the role of the superior colliculus in human vision and its potential implications for treating visual impairments.</p><div class="addrop-wrap" data-id="64749"><p style="text-align: center;">
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<p>&#8220;How this works in humans is not entirely clear yet,&#8221; Heimel said. &#8220;Although humans also have two parallel systems, their visual cortex is much more developed. The superior colliculus may therefore play a less important role in humans. It is known that the moment someone starts waving, the superior colliculus directs your gaze there. It is also striking that those who are blind with a double lesion in the visual cortex do not see anything consciously but can often still navigate and avoid objects. Our research shows that the superior colliculus might be responsible for this and may therefore be doing more than we thought.&#8221;</p>
<p>The study, &#8220;<a href="https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.83708">Involvement of superior colliculus in complex figure detection of mice</a>&#8220;, was authored by J. Leonie Cazemier, Robin Haak, T.K. Loan Tran, Ann T.Y. Hsu, Medina Husic, Brandon D. Peri, Lisa Kirchberger, Matthew W. Self, Pieter Roelfsema, and J. Alexander Heimel.</p>
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psychbot , 5 months ago to psychology

Psychology News Robot
DATE:
January 30, 2024 at 09:05AM
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TITLE:
How to Exercise When You Just Do Not Want To
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URL:
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2024/01/24/well/move/exercise-excuses-barriers-fitness.html

We all have reasons we can’t work out as much as we want. You can get over them — just don’t call them excuses.
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psychbot , 5 months ago to psychology

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DATE:
January 30, 2024 at 08:00AM
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TITLE:
Relationship between body weight and depressive symptoms is bidirectional during adolescence, study finds
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URL:
https://www.psypost.org/2024/01/relationship-between-body-weight-and-depressive-symptoms-is-bidirectional-during-adolescence-study-finds-221129

<p>An analysis of data from the Twins Early Development Study and the UK Adult Twin Registry has uncovered that the relationship between body mass index (BMI) and depressive symptoms is bidirectional between the ages of 12 and 16. In this age group, depressive symptoms contribute to subsequent weight gain, and an increased BMI leads to the emergence of depressive symptoms. After the age of 16, however, only depressive symptoms contribute to later weight gain. The new research was published in <a href="https://doi.org/10.1017/S0033291723002155"><em>Psychological Medicine</em></a>.</p>
<p>Obesity and depression are two of the most frequent adverse medical conditions. The share of individuals suffering from them has been increasing strongly in the last few decades. Obesity is a medical condition characterized by excessive body fat accumulation that presents a risk to health, often defined by a body mass index of 30 or higher. Body mass index is calculated by dividing a person&#8217;s weight in kilograms by the square of their height in meters.</p>
<p>Depression, on the other hand, is a common and serious mental health disorder characterized by persistent feelings of sadness, loss of interest, and a range of emotional and physical problems, significantly impacting daily functioning. Both obesity and depression carry an increased risk of socio-economic hardship, cardiovascular disease, death from different causes, and other adverse consequences. They also tend to appear together, with obese individuals suffering from depression and vice versa.</p>
<p>Study author Ellen J. Thompson and her colleagues wanted to investigate whether there is a causal relationship between depression and obesity and, if there is such a relationship, which of these two conditions causes the other. They note that it is possible that obesity and depressive symptoms do not cause one another, but that they are both caused by the same environmental processes. There could also be common genetic factors influencing both disorders.</p>
<p>To try to answer this question, the researchers analyzed data from two large, longitudinal twin studies in the UK – the Twins Early Development Study (TEDS) and the UK Adult Twin Registry (TwinsUK). TEDS followed twin pairs born in England and Wales between 1994 and 1996, encompassing about 10,000 pairs, and collected data at ages 12, 16, and 21, including body mass index and depressive symptoms. TwinsUK, established in 1992, includes 14,575 adult twins aged between 18 and 101, born in the UK, initially aimed at studying osteoporosis and osteoarthritis.</p>
<p>In the TEDS study, participants completed the Short Moods and Feelings Questionnaire (SMFQ) for depression assessment and self-reported their weight and height, which researchers used to calculate BMI. The TwinsUK study employed the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale for assessing depressive symptoms and used whole-body dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry scans to measure participants&#8217; height, weight, and body fat percentage.</p>
<p>Because these databases contained data from different timepoints, it was possible to make inferences about their cause-and-effect relationships. Namely, if one of these conditions causes the other one (if one is the cause and the other is the consequence), then the association between past cause and future consequence should be stronger than between past consequence and future cause. Since causes cannot work backwards in time, this reasoning allows researchers to make cause-and-effect inferences even though there was no experimental manipulation of factors involved in the study.</p>
<p>Results showed that depressive symptoms increased with age. Depressive symptoms were associated with body mass index values measured at the same time point, but this association was weak at ages 12, 16, and 21. However, there was a strong correlation between depressive symptoms at one time point and body mass index in the future. Depression scores at different time points were also associated.</p>
<p>Further analysis showed that the relationship between body mass index and depression is bidirectional between ages 12 and 16. Higher body mass index at 12 led to higher depressive symptoms at 16. However, higher depressive symptoms at 12 also led to higher body mass index at 16. Between 16 and 21 years of age, this link was no longer bidirectional. It was only depressive symptoms at age 16 that led to higher body mass index at age 21, but not vice versa.</p>
<p>Analysis of genetic and environmental influences showed that body mass index was highly heritable at ages 12, 16, and 21, while environmental influences were low. Depression was moderately heritable at these ages, but there was also a high influence of environmental factors not shared between twins (those that affect each twin differently, their unique experiences).</p><div class="addrop-wrap" data-id="64749"><p style="text-align: center;">
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<p>“The current study demonstrated a bidirectional association between BMI [body mass index] and depression from ages 12 to 16 with stronger directional effect from BMI to depression,&#8221; the study authors concluded.</p>
<p>The study sheds light on the nature of links between depression and body mass index during adolescence. However, it also has limitations that need to be taken into account. Notably, the study was conducted on twins. Results on singletons might not be the same. The study design also assumes that there are no interactions between genes and environment and this might not be the case.</p>
<p>The paper, “<a href="https://doi.org/10.1017/S0033291723002155">The relationship between weight-related indicators and depressive symptoms during adolescence and adulthood: results from two twin studies</a>”, was authored by Ellen J. Thompson, Georgina Krebs, Helena M.S. Zavos, Claire J. Steves, and Thalia C. Eley.</p>
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psychbot , 5 months ago to psychology

.
DATE:
January 30, 2024 at 06:00AM
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TITLE:
Transforming depression treatment: Ketamine shows promising results in new study
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URL:
https://www.psypost.org/2024/01/transforming-depression-treatment-ketamine-shows-promising-results-in-new-study-221125

<p>A recent study provides additional evidence that ketamine may be effective in treating severe forms of depression. Conducted across four major U.S. medical institutions, the study found that ketamine infusions led to significant improvements in depressive symptoms, including suicidality, in individuals who had not responded to conventional treatments. The research is part of a larger project that seeks to uncover blood-based biomarkers of treatment response.</p>
<p>The new findings were recently published in the <span class="anchor-text"><a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S016503272301501X"><em>Journal of Affective Disorders</em></a>.</span></p>
<h3>The Driving Force Behind the Study</h3>
<p>Major depressive disorder is a common condition globally, affecting a significant portion of the adult population. It&#8217;s not just a health issue but also has considerable economic implications due to its role in long-term disability and associated costs.</p>
<p>Traditional antidepressants and mood stabilizers have shown limited effectiveness. Only a portion of depression patients achieve remission with these treatments, and many do not respond at all. This situation is particularly challenging in bipolar disorder, where depression is a predominant issue, but few effective pharmacological treatments are available.</p>
<p>Intravenous ketamine, a potent NMDA antagonist, has shown promise in several controlled trials. It has demonstrated effectiveness in treating symptoms of depression in patients who have not responded to other treatments. Notably, ketamine&#8217;s effects are rapid, and it has shown a potential in reducing suicidal ideation.</p>
<p>Despite the encouraging results with ketamine, there&#8217;s a lack of understanding about who benefits most from this treatment. Identifying predictors of response, including potential blood-based biomarkers, could significantly enhance the effectiveness of treatment by targeting those most likely to benefit.</p>
<p>&#8220;The main purpose of the study is to find a blood test that can help predict who will benefit from intravenous ketamine,&#8221; explained study author Sagar V. Parikh, a professor of psychiatry at the University of Michigan. &#8220;This first publication looked at whether three infusions were capable of causing remission (it was in 52% of people in less than two weeks, which is wonderful news). We believe that ketamine will be a standard and highly effective treatment for people who don’t respond to traditional antidepressants.&#8221;</p>
<h3>Study Design and Methodology</h3>
<p>The <a href="https://medicine.umich.edu/dept/prechter-program/bio-k-study-biomarker-development-ketamine-clinical-trial-unipolar-bipolar-i-or-ii-depression" target="_blank" rel="noopener">&#8220;Bio-K&#8221; study</a>, an open-label, single-arm trial, was conducted from May 2017 to March 2020 and involved participants from the Mayo Clinic, the University of Michigan, Johns Hopkins University, and Pine Rest Christian Mental Health Services. To participate, individuals had to be between 18 and 65 years old and diagnosed with major depressive disorder or bipolar I or II disorder. Importantly, they needed to have a history of treatment resistance, meaning traditional antidepressants had failed them.</p>
<p>During the study, participants remained on their existing medications. Researchers meticulously monitored their symptoms using a range of measures. The Montgomery Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) was employed to assess depressive symptoms, while the Beck Scale for Suicidal Ideation (BSS) gauged suicidal thoughts. Anhedonia, the inability to feel pleasure, was measured using the Snaith-Hamilton Pleasure Scale (SHAPS). Cognitive function and mood elevation risks were also evaluated.</p>
<p>Participants received three ketamine infusions over an 11-day period, with careful monitoring of their cardiac activity and side effects. The doses were administered over 40 to 100 minutes, depending on individual responses and side effect concerns.</p><div class="addrop-wrap" data-id="64749"><p style="text-align: center;">
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<h3>Key Findings of the Study</h3>
<p>Approximately 52% of the study&#8217;s participants achieved remission, which was determined by a marked reduction in their scores on the MADRS. This result was particularly striking given that all participants had previously not responded to traditional treatments for depression.</p>
<p>The researchers also observed a substantial decrease in suicidal thoughts among participants. At baseline, 81% of the participants had notable suicidal ideation. Following the ketamine treatment, there was an average reduction in BSS scores of 67%, with two-thirds of the participants experiencing at least a 50% reduction in suicidality.</p>
<p>The results indicated a significant decrease in anhedonia, with 92% of participants showing abnormal SHAPS scores at baseline, which reduced to 41% post-treatment. This reduction suggests that ketamine not only alleviated depressive symptoms but also helped improve the overall quality of life and emotional well-being of the participants.</p>
<p>The findings of this study corroborate previous research demonstrating the antidepressant properties of ketamine. Crucially, the study provides a substantial participant base, paving the way for future analyses focused on identifying biological markers associated with treatment response</p>
<p>&#8220;There is great hope that ketamine is a new and highly effective treatment, and that it might be possible to find a blood test to tell us if ketamine is the right choice for a particular person,&#8221; Parikh told PsyPost. The long-term objective of this line of research is &#8220;to find fast and effective treatments for depression, so people don’t have to wait months and use trial and error to find the right treatment.&#8221;</p>
<p>Regarding the side effects, the Ketamine Side Effects Scale (KSES) captured various side effects during and after the infusions. Although some participants experienced notable side effects during the infusion, these largely subsided by 60 minutes post-infusion. The study reported only one serious adverse event related to ketamine administration, involving a case of hypoglycemia in a participant with diabetes.</p>
<p>&#8220;The treatments were extremely well-tolerated,&#8221; Parikh said. &#8220;We also tried to see if even slower infusion would make it more tolerable, and if the speed of infusion (slow at over 100 minutes versus standard over 40 minutes), and found that slower did not have any advantages.&#8221;</p>
<h3>Caveats</h3>
<p>However, as promising as these results are, there are limitations to consider. The study did not include a control group, making it difficult to compare the effects of ketamine against a placebo or other treatment. The open-label nature of the trial also means that both researchers and participants knew they were receiving ketamine, which could introduce bias.</p>
<p>&#8220;These are the clinical findings, we are still waiting to publish our reports on various biomarkers found in the blood,&#8221; Parikh explained. &#8220;Those findings will come out over the next year.&#8221;</p>
<p>The study, &#8220;<a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S016503272301501X">Clinical outcomes in the biomarkers of ketamine (Bio-K) study of open-label IV ketamine for refractory depression</a>&#8220;, was authored by Sagar V. Parikh, Jennifer L. Vande Voort, Anastasia K. Yocum, Eric Achtyes, Fernando S. Goes, Louis Nykamp, Balwinder Singh, Daniela Lopez-Vives, Cortney E. Sera, Daniel Maixner, Vijay Tarnal, Jennifer Severe, Steven Bartek, Susannah J. Tye, Jose Rico, Cynthia J. Stoppel, Alexis Becerra, LeAnn Smart, Christina R. Miller, Mark A. Frye, John F. Greden, and William V. Bobo.</p>
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