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psychbot , 6 months ago to psychology

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DATE:
February 10, 2024 at 07:00AM
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TITLE:
Scientists demonstrate that a virtual “Cybertruck” can be controlled while dreaming
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URL:
https://www.psypost.org/2024/02/scientists-demonstrate-that-a-virtual-cybertruck-can-be-controlled-while-dreaming-221379

<p>In a pioneering study that sounds straight out of a science fiction novel, researchers from California startup REMspace have successfully demonstrated two-way control of a virtual object by individuals in the midst of a lucid dream. This groundbreaking experiment, which involved five participants, revealed that people can not only control virtual environments in their dreams but also respond to feedback within those dreams, marking a significant step towards the realization of productive or therapeutic activities during sleep.</p>
<p>The study has been accepted for publication in the <a href="https://journals.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/index.php/IJoDR/index"><em>International Journal of Dream Research</em></a>.</p>
<p>Lucid dreaming, the phenomenon where dreamers become aware that they are dreaming and can sometimes control their dreams, has fascinated scientists and the public alike for decades. The term was first coined in 1913 by Dutch psychiatrist Frederik van Eeden, but it wasn&#8217;t until the mid-20th century that lucid dreaming was verified in laboratory conditions.</p>
<p>Since then, the interest in lucid dreaming has skyrocketed, with research expanding into how these dream states can affect waking life, from improving mental health to enhancing problem-solving skills. The team at REMspace was motivated by the potential to harness the untapped hours we spend asleep, envisioning a future where people can interact with computers or solve tasks in their dreams, much like scenes from the movie &#8220;Inception.&#8221;</p>
<p>The researchers have previously demonstrated that <a href="https://www.psypost.org/2023/09/lucid-dreamers-transmit-musical-melodies-from-dreams-to-reality-in-real-time-in-groundbreaking-study-183621" target="_blank" rel="noopener">lucid dreamers can potentially transmit musical melodies</a> from their dreams to reality in real time. In their new study, they focused on expanding the scope of communication between the dream state and the waking world by exploring the ability of lucid dreamers to engage in complex problem-solving tasks while dreaming.</p>
<p>&#8220;We all live in two realms, physical reality and dreams. I think it&#8217;s time to connect these two worlds together. Experiments like this demonstrate that it is possible. As the first step, we needed to see it by ourselves,&#8221; said Michael Raduga, the lead author of the study and CEO of <a href="https://remspace.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">REMspace</a>.</p>
<p>The study involved five participants, all experienced in lucid dreaming techniques, including two of the study&#8217;s authors. These individuals were chosen for their ability to enter and control their dream states consciously. The experiment required participants to spend one to four nights in a sleep lab. Here, they were outfitted with electrodes that measured muscle activity (electromyography or EMG) and devices that could transmit light signals.</p>
<p>Initially, participants were trained while awake to control a virtual car (a Tesla Cybertruck) by tensing their muscles—a contraction of the biceps or forearm muscles would steer the car, while tensing the quadriceps would drive it forward. The car&#8217;s virtual environment included obstacles, which, when encountered, triggered light signals through diodes. These signals, tailored to each participant&#8217;s sensitivity, were designed to be perceivable even with closed eyes, instructing the dreamer to turn the car away from obstacles.</p>
<div class="jeg_video_container jeg_video_content"><iframe title="Driving Tesla Cybertrucks from lucid dreams" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/0ptY3wP4oLE?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
<p>Once asleep, the real challenge began. The participants aimed to replicate this control within their lucid dreams. Upon successfully entering a lucid dream—verified by a series of pre-agreed eye movements to signal consciousness within the dream—they attempted to navigate the virtual car, responding to obstacles as they had trained. The dreamers&#8217; muscle movements, picked up by the EMG sensors, were translated into movements of the virtual car on a screen, observed in real-time by the research team.</p>
<p>Over the course of the study, the participants induced 18 lucid dreams, with attempts to control the virtual car made in 12 of these instances. Despite some technical hiccups, the researchers recorded 12 successful moves and 28 appropriate turns in response to obstacles within the virtual environment.</p><div class="addrop-wrap" data-id="64749"><p style="text-align: center;">
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<p>Detailed accounts from the participants revealed varied experiences, with some managing straightforward navigation and others facing challenges such as malfunctioning equipment or difficulty in generating detectable muscle signals. Despite these hurdles, the study confirmed the feasibility of two-way interaction within lucid dreams, opening up new avenues for exploration in dream control and its applications.</p>
<p>&#8220;The most exciting part of the experiment is that almost all lucid dreamers could do this (if they could fall asleep with all the cords, etc.). All we need is to build more convenient tech, and everybody could use it for different goals,&#8221; Raduga told PsyPost.</p>
<p>However, the study was not without its limitations. Participants sometimes struggled to send strong enough EMG signals from within the dream state, likely due to the natural muscle paralysis that occurs during rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, the sleep stage most associated with vivid dreaming. Additionally, technical issues with sensor sensitivity and placement occasionally hindered the experiment&#8217;s success. Moreover, ensuring that feedback signals (like the light indicating an obstacle) were detectable without waking the participant proved challenging.</p>
<p>Looking to the future, the REMspace team envisions a broad spectrum of applications for their findings. Beyond the realm of entertainment, the ability to interact with technology during lucid dreams could have therapeutic benefits, such as treating phobias or enhancing learning. The study lays the groundwork for more ambitious endeavors.</p>
<p>&#8220;The primary goal was to build this technology, create a proof of concept, and test it,&#8221; Raduga explained. &#8220;What for? We have a huge list of how we could use it with further developments. Now we are ready for even more advanced leaps forward.&#8221;</p>
<p>&#8220;For example, now we can connect dreamers with real physical objects and tech. We can change settings of different gadgets from within a dream, which is very important if we talk about gadgets that help to get into lucid dreams. Now it looks possible to connect to the Internet from dreams as well. And each of these opportunities has many perspectives by its own.&#8221;</p>
<p>&#8220;Though many researchers were aware that two-way communication from dreams with computers was possible in theory, all other people had no idea that it could go so far,&#8221; Raduga added. &#8220;There was no technology to demonstrate this lucid dreaming application. So, one of the goals was to demonstrate this two-way communication in general.&#8221;</p>
<p>The study, &#8220;<a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/377810396_Two-way_control_of_a_virtual_avatar_from_lucid_dreams">Two-way control of a virtual avatar from lucid dreams</a>&#8220;, was authored by Michael Raduga, Andrey Shashkov, and Andrey Vanin.</p>
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psychbot , 6 months ago to psychology

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DATE:
February 10, 2024 at 06:00AM
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TITLE:
Weightlifters using testosterone-boosting steroids tend to have poorer sleep, study finds
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URL:
https://www.psypost.org/2024/02/weightlifters-using-testosterone-boosting-steroids-tend-to-have-poorer-sleep-study-finds-221371

<p>A study from Norway has found that men who use muscle-boosting steroids are more likely to suffer from poor sleep quality. The findings, published in <a href="https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-024-05516-6"><em>BMC Psychiatry</em></a>, suggest that these sleep issues might persist even after steroid use ends, highlighting the need for increased awareness of the side effects associated with these substances.</p>
<p>Anabolic-androgenic steroids, commonly referred to simply as &#8220;steroids,&#8221; are synthetic substances that mimic the effects of the male sex hormone testosterone. They are used medically to treat conditions like delayed puberty and muscle loss from certain diseases. However, steroids are more commonly known for their use by athletes and bodybuilders to enhance muscle mass, strength, and physical performance.</p>
<p>The motivation for this study stemmed from the observation that steroid hormones naturally present in the body have a profound influence on sleep patterns. Since steroids are derivatives of these natural hormones, there was a scientific interest in understanding whether and how synthetic steroids might affect sleep. Prior evidence suggested that individuals using steroids could experience sleep disturbances, but there was a lack of extensive research exploring this connection.</p>
<p>&#8220;Anabolic-androgenic steroids (AAS) and their relations to sleep and psychological distress are areas that still hold many unanswered questions,&#8221; said study author Sandra Klonteig of Oslo University Hospital.</p>
<p>&#8220;Being a relatively new substance, introduced in the 80s, we are still exploring the long-term effects of AAS. Given the reported sleep problems among men who use AAS and the established relationship between sleep and psychological distress, it was interesting to delve deeper into these relations, in particular how sleep quality varies during on/off periods of AAS use and its relations to psychological distress.&#8221;</p>
<p>The study included a sample of 126 adult male weightlifters, with 68 being current or past users of steroids and 58 non-users serving as a control group. Recruitment channels included social media outreach, online forums dedicated to weightlifting and bodybuilding, and direct contact within gyms in the Oslo region. The study sought participants deeply engaged in heavy resistance training, which was quantified by the ability to bench press a minimum of 220 pounds. For the steroid users, a minimum of one year of cumulative steroid use was required for inclusion.</p>
<p>The researchers collected data using detailed questionnaires, which the participants filled out to report on their sleep quality, medication use, and any side effects from steroid use. To measure sleep quality, the study employed the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and the Jenkins Sleep Scale — both established tools in the assessment of sleep issues. Participants&#8217; mental health was also evaluated using the Hopkins Symptom Checklist, a recognized gauge for symptoms of anxiety and depression.</p>
<p>The sleep quality of steroid users, as per the PSQI , was significantly worse than that of the control group. The researchers discovered that nearly all components of the PSQI showed greater disturbance among steroid users, except for sleep latency — the time it takes to fall asleep. This was supported by Jenkins Sleep Scale scores, which also pointed to troubled sleep among steroid users.</p>
<p>Furthermore, a notable proportion of the steroid-using participants, approximately two-thirds, reported experiencing sleep problems as a side effect of their steroid use. This self-reported data provided real-world corroboration of the clinical measurements.</p>
<p>The researchers observed a strong association between poor sleep and psychological distress. Using the Hopkins Symptom Checklist, they found that symptoms of depression and anxiety were not only more prevalent among steroid users but were also closely linked to the poor sleep outcomes measured by the PSQI. Interestingly, while depression seemed to partially mediate the relationship between steroid use and poor sleep, anxiety did not have a significant mediating effect.</p><div class="addrop-wrap" data-id="64749"><p style="text-align: center;">
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<p>For a more nuanced analysis, a subset of 22 participants was closely observed over approximately 22 weeks, covering periods of active steroid use (&#8220;on-cycle&#8221;) and abstinence (&#8220;off-cycle&#8221;). This sub-study aimed to understand the impact of hormonal fluctuations on sleep during and after steroid use.</p>
<p>The findings from this subset reinforced the broader results. It showed that sleep quality fluctuated with the cycles of steroid use. During periods of active steroid use and withdrawal, the participants&#8217; sleep quality was worse than that of the control group, with the withdrawal periods marked by particularly poor sleep. This suggests that the hormonal fluctuations associated with periods of steroid use and cessation may play a significant role in sleep disturbance.</p>
<p>&#8220;Our study found that poor sleep quality is a common side effect of AAS use, with 66% of men with current or previous long-term AAS use reporting sleep problems, and 38% reporting use of sleep medications,&#8221; Klonteig told PsyPost. &#8220;There&#8217;s a strong association between poor sleep and psychological distress, but psychological distress does not fully mediate the relationship between AAS use and poor sleep.&#8221;</p>
<p>&#8220;We found that sleep quality was poorest during withdrawal from AAS, potentially due to anabolic steroid-induced hypogonadism. The link between mental health, AAS use, and sleep underlines the importance of addressing sleep problems when devising treatment strategies for AAS use and mental health issues.&#8221;</p>
<p>However, the study wasn&#8217;t without its caveats. The cross-sectional nature of the data meant that the researchers couldn’t confirm if steroid use caused the sleep problems, just that there was a connection. The research, focused on a Norwegian male population, may not apply universally. There were also potential lifestyle factors related to steroid use that weren&#8217;t fully accounted for, which could influence sleep, such as diet or other substance use.</p>
<p>Despite these limitations, the research paves the way for future studies to delve deeper, perhaps including a wider demographic and employing longitudinal follow-ups with a variety of measurements to better understand the biological and psychological mechanisms at play.</p>
<p>The implications of this study are significant for public health, particularly for those involved in sports and fitness who might consider or are using steroids. It suggests that individuals using steroids could be at risk of not just short-term sleep disturbances but potentially long-term sleep-related and mental health issues. The study underscores the importance of awareness around the side effects of steroid use and provides a strong foundation for further research that might lead to better support and treatment for those affected.</p>
<p>The study, &#8220;<a href="https://bmcpsychiatry.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12888-024-05516-6" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sleep pathology and use of anabolic androgen steroids among male weightlifters in Norway</a>,&#8221; was authored by Sandra Klonteig, Morgan Scarth, and Astrid Bjørnebekk.</p>
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psychbot , 6 months ago to psychology

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DATE:
February 09, 2024 at 08:00AM
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TITLE:
Teens exposed to parental phubbing tend to have more sleep problems, study finds
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URL:
https://www.psypost.org/2024/02/teens-exposed-to-parental-phubbing-tend-to-have-more-sleep-problems-study-finds-221355

<p>A study in China recently found that adolescents who experience parental phubbing—when parents ignore their children in favor of their smartphones—are more likely to suffer from sleep disturbances. The research, published in the journal <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1094488/full"><em>Frontiers in Psychology</em></a>, sheds light on the growing concern over how parental phone usage can negatively impact children&#8217;s well-being.</p>
<p>When looking at parents with children in restaurants, parks, or at family gatherings, it has become increasingly common to see parents deeply focused on their phones instead of engaging with their children and bonding with them. In the recent decade, this type of behavior has been becoming ever more frequent and it can easily be observed in many settings that were traditionally considered an opportunity for parent-child interactions.</p>
<p>The term “phubbing“ combines &#8220;phone&#8221; with &#8220;snubbing,&#8221; highlighting the neglect of face-to-face interactions for the sake of interacting with a mobile phone. The phenomenon of phubbing has attracted a lot of research attention in recent years. Studies consistently link this behavior to various adverse consequences, such as worse subjective well-being of persons exposed to it, decreased self-esteem, and worse interpersonal relationships with the person doing the phubbing. While most often researched in the context of partner relationships, parental phubbing of their children has also started to receive notable research attention.</p>
<p>Study author Qian Ding and her colleagues wanted to investigate the relationship between parental phubbing, negative emotions, self-control, and sleep quality problems in adolescents. Their expectation was that parental phubbing might be causing negative emotions in adolescents. These negative emotions would, in turn, lead to sleep problems. They also hypothesized that adolescents’ self-control might be moderating this relationship.</p>
<p>The participants were 781 students from two junior high schools (grades 7-12) and two senior high schools in central China. Of these, 506 came from rural areas, while 275 were from urban areas. 366 students were female. 389 were from junior high schools. Participants were between 12 and 18 years of age.</p>
<p>Students completed assessments of parental phubbing (the Parental Phubbing Scale), negative emotions (the Ultra-brief Screening Scale for Depression and Anxiety revised), self-control (the Self-Control Questionnaire for Chinese children), and sleep quality problems (the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index scale).</p>
<p>The results showed that adolescents who reported higher levels of parental phubbing were more likely to experience negative emotions and sleep problems. Interestingly, parental phubbing was not linked to the adolescents&#8217; self-control.</p>
<p>The researchers also tested a statistical model to examine the potential pathway from parental phubbing to sleep quality issues through negative emotions, with self-control acting as a moderating factor. Results showed that such a state of relationships between the studied factors is indeed possible. Additionally, self-control was shown to moderate the relationship between parental phubbing and negative emotions. Parental phubbing more consistently led to negative emotions in children with lower self-control. This link was greatly diminished in children with better self-control.</p>
<p>&#8220;In summary, parental phubbing is an important factor that influences adolescent sleep quality problems,&#8221; the study authors concluded. &#8220;Negative emotions mediate the relationship between parental phubbing and adolescent sleep quality problems. And self-control moderated the effect of parental phubbing on adolescent negative emotions.&#8221;</p>
<p>&#8220;Specifically, the mediating effect of negative emotions was more significant for adolescents low in self-control relative to those high in self-control. Therefore, in order to help adolescents decrease sleep quality problems, we can reduce their parental phubbing, reduce their negative emotions, and maintain their moderate self-control.&#8221;</p><div class="addrop-wrap" data-id="64749"><p style="text-align: center;">
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<p>The study contributes to the scientific understanding of the links between parental behavior and psychological characteristics of their children. However, it should be noted that the design of this study does not allow any cause-and-effect conclusions to be drawn from the data.</p>
<p>The study, “<a href="https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1094488">Does parental phubbing aggravates adolescent sleep quality problems?</a>“, was authored by Qian Ding, Siwei Dong, and Yongxin Zhang.</p>
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psychbot , 6 months ago to psychology

Psychology News Robot
DATE:
February 09, 2024 at 07:00AM
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TITLE:
Aggression Disorders Are Serious, Stigmatized and Treatable
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URL:
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/aggression-disorders-are-serious-stigmatized-and-treatable/

<p>Researchers have a clearer picture than ever before of how common conditions that involve aggressive behavior emerge and how treatment can help</p>
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psychbot , 6 months ago to psychology

.
DATE:
February 09, 2024 at 06:00AM
.
TITLE:
Despite the hype, ketone supplements probably won’t enhance your cognitive performance, study suggests
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URL:
https://www.psypost.org/2024/02/despite-the-hype-ketone-supplements-probably-wont-enhance-your-cognitive-performance-study-suggests-221346

<p>In a recent study, researchers discovered that consuming a ketone supplement did not enhance cognitive performance in female athletes, despite increasing levels of ketone bodies in the blood. This finding challenges the popular notion that ketone supplements, often associated with the ketogenic diet, could offer a mental edge in high-stress situations. The research was recently published in the <em><a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s41465-023-00275-w" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Journal of Cognitive Enhancement</a></em>.</p>
<h3>Understanding Ketone Bodies and the Ketogenic Diet</h3>
<p>Ketone bodies are compounds produced by the body when it breaks down fat for energy, a process that occurs when glucose—the body&#8217;s usual energy source—is scarce. This can happen during fasting, intense exercise, or when following a ketogenic diet, a low-carbohydrate, high-fat diet designed to induce a state of ketosis.</p>
<p>In ketosis, the body shifts from relying on glucose to using ketone bodies as its primary energy source, which has been suggested to offer various health benefits, from weight loss to improved brain function.</p>
<h3>The Motivation Behind the Study</h3>
<p>The study was inspired by the unique energy demands of the human brain and the potential of ketone bodies as an alternative fuel source during periods of reduced carbohydrate intake or increased physical activity. Previous research suggested that ketone supplements might mimic the effects of the ketogenic diet, offering a shortcut to the cognitive benefits of ketosis without the need to strictly limit carbohydrates.</p>
<p>This possibility has garnered significant interest, particularly among athletes looking for ways to enhance performance both physically and mentally. The researchers aimed to explore whether exogenous ketone supplementation could indeed offer cognitive benefits, specifically in female athletes experiencing mental fatigue.</p>
<p>&#8220;My research interests lie in optimizing metabolic health and cognition through nutrition interventions and dietary supplements,&#8221; explained study author <a href="https://www.una.edu/faculty/hswaldman.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Hunter S. Waldman</a>, an assistant professor of exercise science at the University of North Alabama. &#8220;Many individuals are interested in following the ketogenic diet for brain clarity, but the actual diet is fairly tough to adhere to. I wanted to see if taking a ketone might allow the user the same cognitive clarity without following the actual diet.</p>
<h3>How the Study Was Conducted</h3>
<p>The study involved twelve female athletes, each participating in rigorous training schedules, who were given a ketone supplement known as ketone monoester (KME) or a placebo in a controlled, blind testing environment. Over several visits to the laboratory, participants underwent a series of cognitive tests before and after consuming the supplements.</p>
<p>These tests were designed to measure various aspects of cognitive performance, including attention, memory, and executive function. The researchers also measured blood levels of ketone bodies, glucose, and lactate to assess the metabolic impact of the ketone supplement.</p>
<h3>Findings of the Study</h3>
<p>The study&#8217;s primary finding is that while ketone supplementation effectively induced ketosis, as evidenced by elevated blood βHB levels and altered glucose and lactate metabolism, it did not confer observable benefits on cognitive performance following mental fatigue. Participants reported feeling more mentally challenged and fatigued during the testing sessions, regardless of whether they had taken the ketone supplement or the placebo.</p>
<p>Interestingly, despite the lack of objective cognitive improvements, participants perceived an improvement in performance under the ketone condition, highlighting a discrepancy between subjective experience and objective cognitive metrics. Some participants were able to correctly guess when they had received the ketone supplement, suggesting that the effects were perceptible in some way, although not in the form of enhanced cognitive function.</p><div class="addrop-wrap" data-id="64749"><p style="text-align: center;">
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<p>These results contribute to the ongoing discussion about the role of exogenous ketones in enhancing cognitive performance, particularly in contexts of physical or mental stress. The study underscores the complexity of metabolic and cognitive responses to ketone supplementation and suggests that benefits observed in some contexts (e.g., physical endurance) may not directly translate to cognitive performance benefits, especially in the absence of a baseline cognitive impairment or significant physical fatigue.</p>
<p>&#8220;I would say that in the absence of any serious detriment to cognitive health (e.g., TBI, concussion, dementia), there is a ceiling effect for exactly how much dietary supplements can have an impact,&#8221; Waldman told PsyPost. &#8220;Ketone supplements were suggested to give a &#8216;boost&#8217; in IQ for those that take it and like other supplements, I don’t think this is the case. So be skeptical of promises that sound too good to be true.&#8221;</p>
<h3>Future Directions</h3>
<p>Looking ahead, researchers suggest that future studies should explore different contexts and conditions under which ketone supplementation might prove beneficial for cognitive performance. For instance, investigating whether longer durations of supplementation, higher doses, or combinations with other dietary components might yield different results. Additionally, understanding the specific circumstances or types of cognitive tasks where ketone supplementation could offer an advantage remains an area ripe for exploration.</p>
<p>&#8220;The biggest limitation to our study was simply that we were unable to induce significant mental fatigue so that even if the supplement does work, it would have been hard to find that in our own study,&#8221; Waldman explained. &#8220;This is really just the beginning of this research in this area with ketone supplements and I think we have a whole area to pursue, especially how these supplements work when mental fatigue or cognitive decline are absolutely present.&#8221;</p>
<p>This research contributes to the ongoing debate about the role of diet and supplements in enhancing brain health and cognitive abilities. While the promise of a simple nutritional supplement to boost brain power is appealing, this study suggests that the reality may be more complex.</p>
<p>&#8220;Just remember that supplements are just that – something to supplement your other behavioral choices,&#8221; Waldman said. &#8220;There’s really nothing that holds a light to a well-rounded diet, exercising regularly, stress management, and good sleep.&#8221;</p>
<p>The study, &#8220;<a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s41465-023-00275-w">No Benefit of Ingesting a Low-Dose Ketone Monoester Supplement on Markers of Cognitive Performance in Females</a>,&#8221; was authored by Hunter S. Waldman, Eric K. O’Neal, Gaven A. Barker, Craig R. Witt, David A. Lara, Anna K. Huber, Valerie N. Forsythe, Andrew P. Koutnik, Dominic P. D’Agostino, Walter Staiano, and Brendan Egan.</p>
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psychbot , 6 months ago to psychology

Psychology News Robot
DATE:
February 09, 2024 at 05:01AM
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TITLE:
6 Self-Help Books That Therapists Read Themselves
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URL:
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/09/well/live/self-help-books-therapists.html

Experts recommend these contemplative texts and workbooks to help shift your perspective.
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psychbot , 6 months ago to psychology

Psychology News Robot
DATE:
February 08, 2024 at 08:37AM
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TITLE:
Psychology-Based Tool Designed to Boost Global Climate Action
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URL:
http://www.socialpsychology.org/client/redirect.php?from=rss_feed&id=177272&url=https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/02/240207195054.htm

<div><p>Source: <a href="https://www.sciencedaily.com/" rel="tag" target="_blank">Science Daily - Top Society</a></p>An international team of scientists has created a tool to increase climate awareness and climate action globally by highlighting messaging themes shown to be effective through experimental research. A description of the web-based tool appears in the journal Science Advances. The tool stems from a study involving nearly 250 researchers that drew more than 59,000 participants from 63 countries, including China, Germany, Israel, Japan, and the...</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 , 6 months ago to psychology

Psychology News Robot
DATE:
February 08, 2024 at 08:36AM
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TITLE:
Viagra and Similar Drugs Might Help Keep Alzheimer's at Bay
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URL:
http://www.socialpsychology.org/client/redirect.php?from=rss_feed&id=177290&url=https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiVWh0dHBzOi8vZ2l6bW9kby5jb20vdmlhZ3JhLWFuZC1zaW1pbGFyLWRydWdzLW1pZ2h0LWhlbHAta2VlcC1hbHpoZWltZXJzLWF0LTE4NTEyMzU5MDfSAQA?oc=5

<div><p>Source: <a href="http://news.google.com/" rel="tag" target="_blank">Google News</a></p>One of the world's most famous drug classes may have another trick up its sleeve. In a study published in the journal Neurology, scientists have found that erectile dysfunction drugs like sildenafil (more widely known as Viagra) are linked to a lowered risk of Alzheimer's disease, the most common form of dementia. The findings don't prove a cause-and-effect connection, the team says, but do merit clinical trials that could confirm a benefit.</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 , 6 months ago to psychology

Psychology News Robot
DATE:
February 08, 2024 at 08:36AM
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TITLE:
Pregnant Women Should Avoid Fast Foods, Experts Warn
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URL:
http://www.socialpsychology.org/client/redirect.php?from=rss_feed&id=177256&url=https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/02/240207195205.htm

<div><p>Source: <a href="https://www.sciencedaily.com/" rel="tag" target="_blank">Science Daily - Top Health</a></p>If you're pregnant, you may want to think twice before making a hamburger run, according to research published in the journal Environmental International. Oddly enough, it's not the food that the report targets&mdash;not the fries, burgers, or shakes&mdash;but what touched them before consumption. Research shows that phthalates, a class of chemicals associated with plastics, can shed into food from the wrapping, packaging, and even plastic gloves worn...</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 , 6 months ago to psychology

Psychology News Robot
DATE:
February 08, 2024 at 08:35AM
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TITLE:
Fewer Than Half of Americans Feel "Very Satisfied" with Their Life
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URL:
http://www.socialpsychology.org/client/redirect.php?from=rss_feed&id=177280&url=https://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2024/02/08/47-americans-feel-satisfied-mood-of-nation-gallup-poll/4391707401640/

<div><p>Source: <a href="http://www.upi.com/Science_News/" rel="tag" target="_blank">United Press International - Science News</a></p>Fewer than half of Americans said they feel &quot;very satisfied&quot; with the current state of their personal life, according to the latest &quot;Mood of the Nation&quot; Gallup poll. The survey, taken between January 2-22 and released on Thursday, shows only 47% of U.S. adults are highly content with their daily life, down from 50% this time last year and just above the all-time record low of 46% in 2011, Gallup 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 , 6 months ago to psychology

.
DATE:
February 08, 2024 at 02:00PM
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TITLE:
New study shows how human-like qualities of voice assistants influence shopping habits
.
URL:
https://www.psypost.org/2024/02/new-study-shows-how-human-like-qualities-of-voice-assistants-influence-shopping-habits-221318

<p>A recent study published in<em> <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0747563223004752">Computers in Human Behavior</a> </em>shows that the more human-like virtual assistants sound, the safer people feel using them for voice shopping. The research indicates that when these digital helpers exhibit characteristics similar to our own, such as having a friendly voice, users are not only more inclined to trust them with personal information but are also more likely to use them for shopping.</p>
<p>In the digital age, virtual assistants like Alexa, Google Home, and Siri have become household staples, capable of performing tasks ranging from setting alarms to purchasing products online. Yet, despite their convenience, a lingering question of safety and trust has inhibited some users from fully embracing these technologies for shopping.</p>
<p>Researchers in Spain embarked on a study to explore how the human-like qualities of these assistants might influence users&#8217; perceptions of safety, ultimately affecting their willingness to engage in voice shopping. The team was driven by the observation that while virtual assistants are increasingly integrated into our daily lives, their use for shopping through voice commands remains relatively unexplored.</p>
<p>&#8220;This topic is vital as it bridges the gap between technological innovation and human psychology, offering insights into how voice technology can be made more appealing and trustworthy,&#8221; said study author Guillermo Calahorra-Candao, PhD in Economics and Business Research at the University of Zaragoza.</p>
<p>&#8220;It emphasizes the importance of understanding user perceptions in the rapidly evolving world of e-commerce, where trust plays a critical role in adoption. The study also points to broader implications for the design of AI interfaces, suggesting that the humanization of technology could be key to its wider acceptance and use in various sectors beyond just shopping.&#8221;</p>
<p>The study involved an online survey with participants who were already familiar with virtual assistant technology and the concept of voice shopping. Each participant was randomly assigned to interact with one of three popular virtual assistants: Alexa, Google Home, or Siri.</p>
<p>Participants listened to audio clips of these assistants reading product reviews and were then asked questions to ensure they were paying attention to the content. The survey aimed to assess participants&#8217; perceptions of the virtual assistant&#8217;s human-like qualities, including their voice and the sense of presence or friendliness they conveyed.</p>
<p>Participants reported feeling safer and more inclined to use virtual assistants for shopping when these devices exhibited more human-like characteristics, such as a warm and friendly voice. This sense of increased safety was directly linked to a higher likelihood of participants using virtual assistants for making purchases and recommending voice shopping to others. Essentially, the study found that the more we can relate to these assistants on a human level, the more trustworthy and useful they become in our eyes.</p>
<p>&#8220;This study highlights that the more human-like a virtual assistant appears, particularly in terms of its voice, the more likely it is to be trusted by users,&#8221; Calahorra-Candao told PsyPost. &#8220;This insight is important as it shows that technological advancements in making virtual assistants seem more &#8216;human&#8217; can significantly impact user behavior.&#8221;</p>
<p>&#8220;We suggest that as virtual assistants become more prevalent in daily life, particularly in areas like voice shopping, their design will play a crucial role in user acceptance and trust. Our study indicates that users might not only feel more comfortable but also more secure when interacting with voice assistants that have human-like qualities.&#8221;</p><div class="addrop-wrap" data-id="64749"><p style="text-align: center;">
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<p>However, the study is not without its limitations. The research focused primarily on general information and purchase searches, hinting at the need for future studies to delve into specific product categories. Additionally, the cross-sectional nature of the study suggests that longitudinal research, tracking changes over time, could provide deeper insights into how our interactions with virtual assistants evolve as technology advances. The researchers also highlighted the potential for further investigation into how different types of voices — beyond simply being human-like — might impact users&#8217; perceptions of safety and their shopping behavior.</p>
<p>&#8220;Our study&#8217;s findings on perceived safety are based on current technology and user attitudes, which are subject to change as voice-assisted shopping evolves,&#8221; Calahorra-Candao said. &#8220;This dynamic nature suggests that what is perceived as safe today might be viewed differently in the future. Additionally, our study primarily focuses on the voice aspect of virtual assistants, leaving room for exploring other elements like visual representation and interactive capabilities. These areas could further influence user trust and acceptance, pointing to a broader scope for future research in human-technology interaction.&#8221;</p>
<p>&#8220;This research not only informs the field of technology design but also offers insights into consumer psychology and marketing strategies,&#8221; Calahorra-Candao added. &#8220;The findings suggest that as voice shopping and virtual assistants become more integrated into our lives, businesses and developers need to pay close attention to how these technologies are humanized to foster trust and ease of use among consumers. Furthermore, this study serves as a foundation for exploring other aspects of human-technology interactions, encouraging a multidisciplinary approach to understand the full impact of anthropomorphism in digital interfaces.&#8221;</p>
<p>The study, &#8220;<a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0747563223004752" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The effect of anthropomorphism of virtual voice assistants on perceived safety as an antecedent to voice shopping</a>&#8220;, was authored by Guillermo Calahorra-Candao and María José Martín-de Hoyos.</p>
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psychbot , 6 months ago to psychology

.
DATE:
February 08, 2024 at 10:00AM
.
TITLE:
New study sheds light on depression’s potential impact on political attitudes
.
URL:
https://www.psypost.org/2024/02/new-study-sheds-light-on-depressions-potential-impact-on-political-attitudes-221322

<p>How does our mental health shape our view of politics? A <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.electstud.2023.102737">new study</a> suggests that depression not only affects our emotional well-being but also might influence how we perceive our political world. Researchers from the University of Liverpool and Stanford University have discovered a complex web linking pandemic-related stress, depression, and political attitudes, shedding light on the ways in which our psychological state impacts our political perceptions and behaviors.</p>
<p>The motivation behind this study stems from an urgent need to understand the consequences of depression. With over 280 million people affected globally, understanding the broader implications of this condition is more crucial than ever. Previous research hinted at a connection between political attitudes and depression, but a comprehensive framework to explore this relationship was missing. This study aimed to fill that gap, proposing a cognitive model to examine how depression shapes political perceptions.</p>
<p>&#8220;Depression has always <a href="https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/jonathan-rottenberg/the-depths/9780465069736/?lens=basic-books">existed</a> and is deemed to be one of the most <a href="https://www.who.int/health-topics/depression#tab=tab_1">common</a> mental health difficulties,&#8221; said study author <a href="https://www.liverpool.ac.uk/politics/staff/luca-bernardi/">Luca Bernardi</a>, a senior lecturer in politics at the University of Liverpool.</p>
<p>&#8220;For decades, <a href="https://www.annualreviews.org/doi/abs/10.1146/annurev.clinpsy.121208.131305">psychologists</a> have been studying how depression changes how we perceive ourselves and the world around us. Despite politics being omnipresent in people’s everyday life, political perceptions have been by and large overlooked. Our task is to understand how depression may influence people’s perceptions of their own ability to engage in politics and how representative government is perceived.&#8221;</p>
<p>The researchers developed a cognitive model of depression and political attitudes in which they posited that life stressors can trigger depressive symptoms, which in turn shape political perceptions through specific cognitive processes. These processes include brooding, a form of negative repetitive thinking, and negativity biases in news selection, which refer to a tendency to prefer negative over positive news.</p>
<p>The model suggests a sequential relationship where stress leads to depression, depression exacerbates maladaptive cognitive strategies like brooding and negativity biases, and these cognitive processes then influence political attitudes. Political attitudes, in this context, are understood in terms of how individuals perceive their own efficacy in political matters (internal political efficacy), their trust and satisfaction with the government, and their overall attention to politics.</p>
<p>To test this cognitive model, the researchers conducted an online survey among a demographically and politically representative sample of 1,692 British adults in March 2021, during the COVID-19 pandemic. This timing allowed the researchers to capture the impact of pandemic-related stressors on depression and political attitudes in a real-world context.</p>
<p>The survey measured various factors, including stress and worry related to the pandemic, depressive symptoms using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CESD-9), brooding rumination, and negativity biases in news selection. Political attitudes were assessed through questions related to political attention, internal and external political efficacy, satisfaction with the government&#8217;s handling of the pandemic, and trust in government.</p>
<p>The findings confirmed a significant association between COVID-19-related stressors—such as worry about personal and family health, financial concerns, and the effects of lockdown measures—and symptoms of depression. This crucial link establishes the foundational premise of the researchers&#8217; model: that external stressors, especially those as unprecedented as the pandemic, can exacerbate or trigger depressive symptoms.</p>
<p>The researchers found that individuals with higher levels of depressive symptoms were more likely to engage in brooding and exhibit a negativity bias when selecting news stories. Brooding, in turn, was negatively associated with internal political efficacy, indicating that individuals who engage in this form of rumination feel less capable of understanding and participating effectively in politics.</p><div class="addrop-wrap" data-id="64749"><p style="text-align: center;">
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<p>Similarly, negativity biases in news selection were linked to lower political attention and diminished trust in and satisfaction with the government. This relationship suggests that the cognitive effects of depression can influence how individuals engage with external information. The preference for negative news could potentially overwhelm or discourage individuals, leading them to disengage from political content and, by extension, political participation.</p>
<p>Surprisingly, however, the study did not find a statistically significant direct link between brooding and political attention.</p>
<p>&#8220;Because rumination consumes cognitive resources and fixates attention on depressive symptoms, we were expecting that attention to politics would be reduced,&#8221; Bernardi told PsyPost. &#8220;Instead, what we found is that depressive symptoms may influence attention to politics through negativity biases in news selection. In this respect, depression may not necessarily make people less <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0261379423000203">interested in politics</a>, but it is possible that it leads to political avoidance.&#8221;</p>
<p>These associations suggest that the cognitive effects of depression can extend into the political domain, affecting how individuals perceive their role in the political process and their evaluations of political institutions. Interestingly, the researchers also identified direct associations between depression and certain political attitudes, independent of cognitive processes. In particular, depression was directly linked to reduced external political efficacy and trust in government.</p>
<p>&#8220;The take away of our study is that depression may influence political attitudes both directly and indirectly,&#8221; Bernardi explained. &#8220;On the one hand, due to its symptoms, depression may impinge upon <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/pops.12837">feelings of representation</a> and <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/01402382.2022.2055372?casa_token=HAjaOC0-g9QAAAAA:qExGqkPQVGENMyGKxuNgQ8m-87VIrBEH5RGMmLD6VlYaX13pqSdZlMdZStO_Vtbn7XMnP_OUpepcMQ">trust in government</a>. On the other hand, the manner in which individuals experiencing depressive symptoms process information can tell us something about how they evaluate themselves and the political world.</p>
<p>&#8220;In particular, repetitive negative thinking (<a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/17457289.2023.2246371">rumination</a>) partly explains why depression may reduce one’s confidence to engage in politics; in turn, negativity biases in the way people attend to the news partly explains why depression may reduce one’s feelings of representation, trust in and satisfaction with government.&#8221;</p>
<p>However, the study&#8217;s insights come with a caveat. The researchers caution against drawing firm causal conclusions from their findings due to the observational nature of the study. They also note the reliance on self-reported measures of depression, which may not capture the full spectrum of depressive experiences or account for potential biases in self-reporting.</p>
<p>Looking ahead, future research could delve deeper into these relationships, potentially employing longitudinal or experimental designs to more confidently assert causality. &#8220;In the future, we aim to provide more evidence of causal relationships among the links explored in our model and to further study the role played by cognitive regulation processes in explaining the relation between depression and politics,&#8221; Bernardi said.</p>
<p>The study, &#8220;<a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0261379423001592" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A cognitive model of depression and political attitudes</a>,&#8221; was published in the journal <em>Electoral Studies</em> and was authored by Luca Bernardi, Giovanni Sala, and Ian H. Gotlib.</p>
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psychbot , 6 months ago to psychology

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DATE:
February 08, 2024 at 08:00AM
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TITLE:
Borderline personality features amplify mate retention behaviors via suspicious jealousy
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URL:
https://www.psypost.org/2024/02/borderline-personality-features-amplify-mate-retention-behaviors-via-suspicious-jealousy-221330

<p>New research on romantic couples has found that individuals with more pronounced borderline personality features are more inclined to experience suspicious jealousy. In turn, This form of jealousy increases their likelihood of engaging in behaviors aimed at retaining their mate, both by providing benefits and inflicting costs. In other words, suspicious jealousy made these individuals both more likely to show affection and support their partner and to criticize, neglect, or abuse him/her. The study was published in <a href="https://doi.org/10.3390/sexes4040033"><em>Sexes.</em></a></p>
<p>Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) is characterized by a pervasive pattern of instability in interpersonal relationships, self-image, and emotions, as well as marked impulsivity beginning by early adulthood and present in a variety of contexts. Individuals with this disorder may experience intense episodes of anger, depression, and anxiety that can last from a few hours to days.</p>
<p>However, less pronounced levels of psychological features that are the hallmark of this disorder can also be found in individuals not diagnosed with it. These features include difficulty regulating one’s emotions and thoughts, proneness to engage in reckless behavior or have patterns of unstable relationships. These individuals may experience fear of abandonment, persistent feelings of emptiness, frequent mood swings, and inappropriate anger or difficulty controlling anger.</p>
<p>Borderline personality features impact romantic relationships. For example, a pattern of conduct indicative of frantic attempts to prevent rejection or abandonment in a romantic relationship is one of the diagnostic criteria for borderline personality disorder. These individuals may engage in elaborate activities aimed at retaining a romantic partner, more elaborate than a person without this feature would. Individuals with borderline personality features also find it difficult to understand what others are thinking or feeling, making them more prone to attribute malevolent intents to others. Because of this, it is diffult for them to trust others and makes them more prone to become jealous of their partners.</p>
<p>Study authors Virgil Zeigler-Hill and Jennifer Vonk wanted to examine the relationships between borderline personality features and mate retention behaviors i.e., actions aimed at retaining a mate. They believed that this link might be mediated by jealousy.</p>
<p>The researchers categorized mate retention behaviors into two types: benefit-provisioning and cost-inflicting. Benefit-provisioning behaviors positively affect the partner&#8217;s well-being, including expressions of affection, support during tough times, and making the partner happy. These actions are crucial for fostering trust, intimacy, and satisfaction in the relationship, strengthening the bond between partners.</p>
<p>Conversely, cost-inflicting behaviors negatively impact the partner or the relationship through criticism, neglect, dishonesty, or any form of abuse, undermining trust, reducing satisfaction, and potentially leading to the relationship&#8217;s downfall if not addressed.</p>
<p>The concept of jealousy explored by the authors encompasses two forms: suspicious and reactive jealousy. Suspicious jealousy is characterized by doubts about a partner&#8217;s fidelity without solid evidence, often arising from personal insecurities or fears. Reactive jealousy, in contrast, is triggered by an actual threat to the relationship, such as flirtatious behavior or emotional involvement with another person.</p>
<p>The initial study involved 453 participants recruited through Prolific, 79% of whom were married, with an average age of 43. They were assessed for borderline personality features (using the Five Factor Borderline Inventory – Short Form), jealousy (through the Multidimensional Jealousy Scale), and mate retention behaviors (via the Mate Retention Inventory – Short Form).</p>
<p>The second study comprised 197 romantic couples (394 individuals), who had been in a relationship for an average of 12 years, with 73% being married. They underwent the same assessments as the first study.</p><div class="addrop-wrap" data-id="64749"><p style="text-align: center;">
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<p>Findings from the first study indicated that individuals with pronounced borderline personality features are more susceptible to engaging in cost-inflicting behaviors, such as criticizing, neglecting, or abusing their partner to retain them. They were also more prone to suspicious jealousy. Statistical analyses suggested that borderline personality traits could lead to a higher tendency towards suspicious jealousy, which, in turn, makes an individual more likely to engage in both benefit-provisioning and cost-inflicting behaviors.</p>
<p>The second study&#8217;s results confirmed the relationship between borderline personality features, jealousy, and mate retention behaviors. However, gender-specific analysis revealed that both types of jealousy mediated the relationship between borderline personality traits and mate retention behaviors in females, whereas in males, the relationship was mediated solely by suspicious jealousy, alongside a direct link between borderline personality traits and cost-inflicting behaviors.</p>
<p>“We have shown that BPF [borderline personality features] are associated with suspicious jealousy and that this jealousy may mediate the associations that BPF have with both benefit-provisioning and cost-inflicting behaviors in romantic relationships. Suspicious jealousy is often problematic for romantic relationships and may stem from a poor understanding of others’ mental states and motives that is compounded by a tendency to misattribute malevolent intentions to others, which characterizes individuals high in BPF,&#8221; the study authors concluded.</p>
<p>The study sheds light on the links between borderline personality features and behavior in romantic relationship. However, the study solely relied on online samples and self-reports. Studies based on observational data might not yield equal results.</p>
<p>The paper “<a href="https://doi.org/10.3390/sexes4040033">Borderline Personality Features and Mate Retention Behaviors: The Mediating Roles of Suspicious and Reactive Jealousy</a>“ was authored by Virgil Zeigler-Hill and Jennifer Vonk.</p>
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psychbot , 6 months ago to psychology

Psychology News Robot
DATE:
February 07, 2024 at 02:22AM
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TITLE:
Japan Court Approves First Gender Change Not Requiring Surgery
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URL:
http://www.socialpsychology.org/client/redirect.php?from=rss_feed&id=177243&url=https://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2024-02-07/japan-court-approves-a-transgender-mans-request-for-legal-recognition-without-needing-surgery

<div><p>Source: <a href="http://www.usnews.com/" rel="tag" target="_blank">U.S. News and World Report</a></p>A court in Japan on Wednesday approved a transgender man's request to have his gender changed in official records without undergoing sterilization surgery, the first known ruling of its kind since the country's top court struck down a surgery requirement for such record changes. &quot;It's like I'm standing at the start line of my new life,&quot; said Tacaquito Usui, 50, during a televised news conference after the ruling came out. &quot;I'm so excited.&quot;</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 , 6 months ago to psychology

Psychology News Robot
DATE:
February 07, 2024 at 02:23AM
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TITLE:
World's First 3D-Printed Neural Tissue Grows and Works Like Human Brain
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URL:
http://www.socialpsychology.org/client/redirect.php?from=rss_feed&id=177246&url=https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiaWh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LnNjaWVuY2VhbGVydC5jb20vd29ybGRzLWZpcnN0LTNkLXByaW50ZWQtbmV1cmFsLXRpc3N1ZS1ncm93cy1hbmQtZnVuY3Rpb25zLWxpa2UtYS1odW1hbi1icmFpbtIBAA?oc=5

<div><p>Source: <a href="http://news.google.com/?ned=us&topic=m" rel="tag" target="_blank">Google News - Health</a></p>Researchers have created the first functional 3D-printed brain tissue that can develop and form connections in the same way as real human brain tissue. This remarkable accomplishment by a team at the University of Wisconsin&ndash;Madison provides neuroscientists with a new tool for studying communication between brain cells and other parts of the human brain, potentially leading to better ways of treating diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson'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 , 6 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 , 6 months ago to psychology

.
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 , 6 months ago to psychology

.
DATE:
February 07, 2024 at 02:00PM
.
TITLE:
Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v. Wade linked to spike in anxiety and depression
.
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 , 6 months ago to psychology

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DATE:
February 07, 2024 at 12:00PM
.
TITLE:
Heart-brain axis dysfunction: Sports-related concussions can alter cardiovascular function
.
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 , 6 months ago to psychology

.
DATE:
February 07, 2024 at 08:00AM
.
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 , 6 months ago to psychology

.
DATE:
February 07, 2024 at 06:00AM
.
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 , 6 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 , 6 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 , 6 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
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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 , 6 months ago to psychology

.
DATE:
February 06, 2024 at 02:00PM
.
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 , 6 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 , 6 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 , 6 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 , 6 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 , 6 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?
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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 , 6 months ago to psychology

.
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 , 6 months ago to psychology

.
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 , 6 months ago to psychology

Psychology News Robot
DATE:
February 05, 2024 at 10:42AM
.
TITLE:
Phone Calls Can Reduce Loneliness and Depression, Major Study Shows
.
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 , 6 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 , 6 months ago to psychology

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DATE:
February 05, 2024 at 12:00PM
.
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 , 6 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
.
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 , 6 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 , 6 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 , 6 months ago to psychology

Psychology News Robot
DATE:
February 01, 2024 at 11:48AM
.
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 , 6 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 , 6 months ago to psychology

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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
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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 , 6 months ago to psychology

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DATE:
February 01, 2024 at 08:00AM
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TITLE:
Scientists develop method to identify drunk individuals by analyzing their voice
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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 , 6 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
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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 , 7 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 , 7 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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URL:
http://www.socialpsychology.org/client/redirect.php?from=rss_feed&id=177100&url=https://www.upi.com/Health_News/2024/01/31/injected-antipsychotics-schizophrenia/1581706716974/

<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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