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DATE: July 05, 2024 at 08:01AM
SOURCE: Psychiatric Times
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DATE: July 05, 2024 at 06:00AM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG

TITLE: Chronic stress can alter genetic material in sperm, leading to changes in offspring behavior

URL: https://www.psypost.org/chronic-stress-can-alter-genetic-material-in-sperm-leading-to-changes-in-offspring-behavior/

Recent research published in Molecular Psychiatry provides evidence that chronic stress can impact the genetic material in sperm and consequently affect the behavior of offspring. The study reveals that high levels of stress hormones disrupt the long non-coding RNAs in sperm. When these altered RNAs are injected into fertilized eggs, they lead to developmental changes and behavioral alterations relevant to affective disorders such as anxiety and depression.

The researchers aimed to explore how paternal stress before conception influences the behavior of future generations. Previous studies had shown that environmental factors experienced by parents could affect their offspring’s behavior, a phenomenon known as epigenetic inheritance. The team previously found that stress-related changes in small non-coding RNAs in sperm could lead to increased anxiety-like behaviors in male offspring. However, the role of long non-coding RNAs in this process remained unclear.

RNA, or ribonucleic acid, is a molecule essential for coding, decoding, regulation, and expression of genes. It acts as a messenger carrying instructions from DNA for controlling the synthesis of proteins.

Small non-coding RNAs are a category of RNA molecules, typically about 20-30 nucleotides long, that do not code for proteins but play crucial roles in regulating gene expression and maintaining genomic stability. On the other hand, long non-coding RNAs are longer RNA molecules, over 200 nucleotides in length, which are involved in a variety of cellular processes, including chromatin remodeling, gene expression regulation, and the modification of other RNA molecules.

“We published a study 8 years ago (Short AK et al., 2016, Translational Psychiatry) showing that increased stress hormones caused changes to small non-coding RNAs in sperm of father mice, and changes in anxiety and social behavior in their offspring. We therefore wanted to study long non-coding RNAs and investigate whether these changes in sperm RNAs could contribute to changes in offspring brain and behaviour,” explained study author Anthony Hannan of the Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health at the University of Melbourne.

The study was conducted using mice. The researchers used male mice of the C57BL/6 strain from two different facilities in Australia. These male mice were divided into two groups: one group received corticosterone (a stress hormone) in their drinking water for four weeks to mimic chronic stress, while the control group received normal drinking water.

After the treatment, sperm was collected from the males and analyzed using a technique called CaptureSeq to identify changes in the long non-coding RNAs. To test the impact of these changes, the researchers injected long non-coding RNAs from both the corticosterone-treated and control groups into fertilized mouse eggs. These eggs were then implanted into female mice to produce offspring.

The offspring underwent various behavioral tests to assess anxiety, depression, social dominance, and attractiveness. Tests included the elevated-plus maze, light-dark box, social dominance tube test, mate-choice test, and Porsolt swim test.

The study found that exposure to corticosterone led to significant changes in the long non-coding RNAs profile of sperm. Out of 7,552 long non-coding RNAs, 2,382 were differentially expressed, with 772 being upregulated and 1,610 downregulated. These changes included alterations in specific long non-coding RNAs known to be involved in neural differentiation.

“I was surprised that so many (over 2,000) different large non-coding RNAs were altered by the increase in stress hormone levels,” Hannan told PsyPost.

When the altered long non-coding RNAs were injected into fertilized eggs, the resulting offspring exhibited notable behavioral differences. Male offspring from the microinjection group spent more time in the light zone of the light-dark box, suggesting increased anxiety-like behavior. They also displayed more depressive-like behavior in the Porsolt swim test, spending more time immobile compared to control offspring.

The study also found that the microinjected offspring had increased body weight compared to naturally conceived mice, highlighting that the presence of additional long non-coding RNAs could impact physical growth during early adulthood.

“These findings suggest that increased levels of stress hormone (modelling chronic stress) can cause major changes to the long non-coding RNAs in sperm, and that these changes can contribute to altered behaviour in offspring,” Hannan explained. “These changes in offspring are relevant to depression and anxiety disorders. We need to know whether these changes also occur in human sperm, and whether they contribute to brain disorders in the next generation.”

The study provides compelling evidence linking paternal stress to behavioral changes in offspring, but it is important to note that the research was conducted in mice. Human studies are needed to determine if similar mechanisms are at play.

“The main caveat is that our study was in mice and we urgently need to know whether this also occurs in human sperm,” Hannan noted. “But we do know that human sperm has a similar array of large non-coding RNAs. We also know that the RNA content of human sperm can be altered by environmental exposures, including stress.”

“We urgently want to understand the mechanisms involved, both prior to and after conception. Whilst exploring these mechanisms in mouse models, we also want to pursue human studies, including long-term cohort studies with detailed data on mothers, fathers and their children.”

Understanding these mechanisms could have important implications for human health, particularly in understanding the heritability of affective disorders such as anxiety and depression. This line of research also has a broader impact on our understanding of evolution. The researchers propose that such epigenetic inheritance mechanisms could be an adaptive response, allowing offspring to better cope with the environmental conditions experienced by their parents.

“These kinds of epigenetic inheritance studies have important evolutionary implications,” Hannan said. “I propose that Darwinian evolution (which acts very slowly and involves genetic mutations and natural selection over many generations) has generated ‘Lamarckian mechanisms’ which allow information on changing paternal environmental exposures to be transmitted to offspring so as to enhance adaptive fitness in the next generation.”

The study, “Chronically high stress hormone levels dysregulate sperm long noncoding RNAs and their embryonic microinjection alters development and affective behaviours,” was authored by L. B. Hoffmann, B. Li, Q. Zhao, W. Wei, L. J. Leighton, T. W. Bredy, T. Y. Pang, and A. J. Hannan.

URL: https://www.psypost.org/chronic-stress-can-alter-genetic-material-in-sperm-leading-to-changes-in-offspring-behavior/

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DATE: July 04, 2024 at 06:00PM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG

TITLE: AI outshines humans in humor: Study finds ChatGPT is as funny as The Onion

URL: https://www.psypost.org/ai-outshines-humans-in-humor-study-finds-chatgpt-is-as-funny-as-the-onion/

Artificial intelligence has been making headlines for its capabilities in various fields, but can it make us laugh? A recent study published in the journal PLOS ONE suggests that AI might have the upper hand in humor as well. The research shows that AI-generated humor was rated as equally funny or funnier than human-created jokes, even when pitted against professional satirists from The Onion.

Creating humor is notoriously difficult. To be perceived as funny, jokes need to strike a balance between being surprising and benign. Most people develop their sense of humor through exposure and practice, picking up on patterns that make jokes work. Researchers wanted to see if large language models (LLMs), a type of artificial intelligence designed to understand, generate, and manipulate human language, could replicate this human skill.

LLMs are built using vast amounts of textual data and complex algorithms to create models capable of predicting and generating text. These models learn by processing and analyzing extensive datasets, which enables them to recognize patterns, understand context, and produce coherent text responses to prompts.

The study aimed to explore whether LLMs could generate humor that resonates with people. This question is particularly relevant given the entertainment industry’s ongoing debate about the use of AI in creative fields. The study’s lead researcher, Drew Gorenz of the University of Southern California, noted that recent strikes by Hollywood writers and actors highlight the fear that AI could threaten jobs and creativity in the entertainment industry.

The researchers conducted two main studies to compare the humor production abilities of AI and humans. They used OpenAI’s ChatGPT 3.5 for the AI-generated content. The first study focused on comparing ChatGPT’s humor with that of laypeople, while the second compared ChatGPT’s humor with professional satirists from The Onion.

In the first study, 105 participants from Amazon Mechanical Turk, an online workforce platform, were asked to complete three humor tasks. These tasks involved creating humorous phrases for given acronyms, answering fill-in-the-blank prompts humorously, and crafting roast jokes in response to hypothetical scenarios. Participants were explicitly told to use their own imagination and not to copy jokes from other sources.

ChatGPT 3.5 was given the same tasks, producing 20 responses for each prompt. These AI-generated jokes were then mixed with human-created jokes and evaluated by a separate group of 200 participants, who rated their funniness on a seven-point scale.

The AI’s jokes were consistently rated higher in funniness across three different tasks: creating humorous acronyms, completing fill-in-the-blank statements humorously, and crafting roast jokes. Overall, ChatGPT’s jokes outperformed the majority of human-generated jokes, with the AI excelling particularly in the roast joke task.

Specifically, ChatGPT outperformed 73% of the human participants in the acronyms task, 63% of the human participants in the fill-in-the-blank task, and 87% of human participants in the roast joke task.

In the second study, the researchers compared AI-generated satirical headlines to those from The Onion. They used a convenience sample of 217 students from the University of Southern California. Each student rated the funniness of a mix of headlines generated by ChatGPT and The Onion, without knowing the source of each headline.

The results showed no significant difference in the average funniness ratings between the AI-generated headlines and those from The Onion. Among the top four highest-rated headlines, two were generated by ChatGPT and two by The Onion. Notably, the highest-rated headline was an AI-generated one: “Local Man Discovers New Emotion, Still Can’t Describe It Properly.” This suggests that ChatGPT can produce satirical content that is on par with professional writers.

These findings indicate that AI, specifically ChatGPT 3.5, has a surprising proficiency in humor production. Despite lacking emotions and personal experiences, the AI was able to analyze patterns and create jokes that resonated well with people.

“Since ChatGPT can’t feel emotions itself but it tells novel jokes better than the average human, these studies provide evidence that you don’t need to feel the emotions of appreciating a good joke to tell a really good one yourself,” Gorenz said.

The researchers also explored whether demographic factors influenced humor ratings. It was found that age, sex, and political orientation did not significantly affect participants’ preferences for AI-generated versus human-generated jokes. This suggests that the AI’s humor appeal was broad and not limited to specific demographic groups.

While the study’s findings are intriguing, they come with several caveats. For example, the humor tasks were text-based and did not involve delivery, which is a critical component of humor. AI-generated jokes might not perform as well in formats that require timing and presentation, such as stand-up comedy or sketch shows.

“That ChatGPT can produce written humor at a quality that exceeds laypeople’s abilities and equals some professional comedy writers has important implications for comedy fans and workers in the entertainment industry,” the researchers wrote. “For professional comedy writers, our results suggest that LLMs can pose a serious employment threat. The implications are more positive for people who merely want to reap the benefits of elevating their everyday communications with a dose of humor. They can turn to LLMs for help.”

The study, “How funny is ChatGPT? A comparison of human- and A.I.-produced jokes,” was authored by Drew Gorenz and Norbert Schwarz.

URL: https://www.psypost.org/ai-outshines-humans-in-humor-study-finds-chatgpt-is-as-funny-as-the-onion/

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DATE: July 04, 2024 at 04:00PM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG

TITLE: What the 3.2 million-year-old Lucy fossil reveals about nudity and shame

URL: https://www.psypost.org/what-the-3-2-million-year-old-lucy-fossil-reveals-about-nudity-and-shame/

Fifty years ago, scientists discovered a nearly complete fossilized skull and hundreds of pieces of bone of a 3.2-million-year-old female specimen of the genus Australopithecus afarensis, often described as “the mother of us all.” During a celebration following her discovery, she was named “Lucy,” after the Beatles song “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds.”

Though Lucy has solved some evolutionary riddles, her appearance remains an ancestral secret.

Popular renderings dress her in thick, reddish-brown fur, with her face, hands, feet and breasts peeking out of denser thickets.

This hairy picture of Lucy, it turns out, might be wrong.

Technological advancements in genetic analysis suggest that Lucy may have been naked, or at least much more thinly veiled.

According to the coevolutionary tale of humans and their lice, our immediate ancestors lost most of their body fur 3 to 4 million years ago and did not don clothing until 83,000 to 170,000 years ago.

That means that for over 2.5 million years, early humans and their ancestors were simply naked.

As a philosopher, I’m interested in how modern culture influences representations of the past. And the way Lucy has been depicted in newspapers, textbooks and museums may reveal more about us than it says about her.

From nudity to shame

The loss of body hair in early humans was likely influenced by a combination of factors, including thermoregulation, delayed physiological development, attracting sexual partners and warding off parasites. Environmental, social and cultural factors may have encouraged the eventual adoption of clothing.

Both areas of research – of when and why hominins shed their body hair and when and why they eventually got dressed – emphasize the sheer size of the brain, which takes years to nurture and requires a disproportionate amount of energy to sustain relative to other parts of the body.

Because human babies require a long period of care before they can survive on their own, evolutionary interdisciplinary researchers have theorized that early humans adopted the strategy of pair bonding – a man and a woman partnering after forming a strong affinity for one another. By working together, the two can more easily manage years of parental care.

Pair bonding, however, comes with risks.

Because humans are social and live in large groups, they are bound to be tempted to break the pact of monogamy, which would make it harder to raise children.

Some mechanism was needed to secure the social-sexual pact. That mechanism was likely shame.

In the documentary “What’s the Problem with Nudity?” evolutionary anthropologist Daniel M.T. Fessler explains the evolution of shame: “The human body is a supreme sexual advertisement… Nudity is a threat to the basic social contract, because it is an invitation to defection… Shame encourages us to stay faithful to our partners and share the responsibility of bringing up our children.”

Boundaries between body and world

Humans, aptly described as “naked apes,” are unique for their lack of fur and systematic adoption of clothing. Only by banning nudity did “nakedness” become a reality.

As human civilization developed, measures must have been put in place to enforce the social contract – punitive penalties, laws, social dictates – especially with respect to women.

That’s how shame’s relationship to human nudity was born. To be naked is to break social norms and regulations. Therefore, you’re prone to feeling ashamed.

What counts as naked in one context, however, may not in another.

Bare ankles in Victorian England, for example, excited scandal. Today, bare tops on a French Mediterranean beach are ordinary.

When it comes to nudity, art doesn’t necessarily imitate life.

In his critique of the European oil painting tradition, art critic John Berger distinguishes between nakedness – “being oneself” without clothes – and “the nude,” an art form that transforms the naked body of a woman into a pleasurable spectacle for men.

Feminist critics such as Ruth Barcan complicated Berger’s distinction between nakedness and the nude, insisting that nakedness is already shaped by idealized representations.

In “Nudity: A Cultural Anatomy,” Barcan demonstrates how nakedness is not a neutral state but is laden with meaning and expectations. She describes “feeling naked” as “the heightened perception of temperature and air movement, the loss of the familiar boundary between body and world, as well as the effects of the actual gaze of others” or “the internalized gaze of an imagined other.”

Nakedness can elicit a spectrum of feelings – from eroticism and intimacy to vulnerability, fear and shame. But there is no such thing as nakedness outside of social norms and cultural practices.

Lucy’s veils

Regardless of her fur’s density, then, Lucy was not naked.

But just as the nude is a kind of dress, Lucy, since her discovery, has been presented in ways that reflect historical assumptions about motherhood and the nuclear family. For example, Lucy is depicted alone with a male companion or with a male companion and children. Her facial expressions are warm and content or protective, reflecting idealized images of motherhood.

The modern quest to visualize our distant ancestors has been critiqued as a sort of “erotic fantasy science,” in which scientists attempt to fill in the blanks of the past based on their own assumptions about women, men and their relationships to one another.

In their 2021 article “Visual Depictions of Our Evolutionary Past,” an interdisciplinary team of researchers tried a different approach. They detail their own reconstruction of the Lucy fossil, bringing into relief their methods, the relationship between art and science, and decisions made to supplement gaps in scientific knowledge.

Their process is contrasted with other hominin reconstructions, which often lack strong empirical justifications and perpetuate misogynistic and racialized misconceptions about human evolution. Historically, illustrations of the stages of human evolution have tended to culminate in a white European male. And many reconstructions of female hominins exaggerate features offensively associated with Black women.

One of the co-authors of “Visual Depictions,” sculptor Gabriel Vinas, offers a visual elucidation of Lucy’s reconstruction in “Santa Lucia” – a marble sculpture of Lucy as a nude figure draped in translucent cloth, representing the artist’s own uncertainties and Lucy’s mysterious appearance.

The veiled Lucy speaks to the complex relationships among nudity, covering, sex and shame. But it also casts Lucy as a veiled virgin, a figure revered for sexual “purity.”

And yet I can’t help but imagine Lucy beyond the cloth, a Lucy neither in the sky with diamonds nor frozen in maternal idealization – a Lucy going “Apeshit” over the veils thrown over her, a Lucy who might find herself compelled to wear a Guerrilla Girls mask, if anything at all.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

URL: https://www.psypost.org/what-the-3-2-million-year-old-lucy-fossil-reveals-about-nudity-and-shame/

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DATE: July 04, 2024 at 02:00PM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG

TITLE: The science of magic mushrooms: Fascinating findings from 7 new studies of psilocybin

URL: https://www.psypost.org/the-science-of-magic-mushrooms-fascinating-findings-from-7-new-studies-of-psilocybin/

In recent years, the resurgence of interest in psychedelic substances has spotlighted psilocybin as a potential breakthrough in mental health treatment.

Psilocybin is a naturally occurring psychedelic compound found in certain species of mushrooms, commonly referred to as “magic mushrooms.” When ingested, psilocybin is converted into psilocin, which interacts with serotonin receptors in the brain. This interaction leads to altered states of consciousness, including changes in perception, mood, and cognition.

Researchers are interested in psilocybin for its potential therapeutic benefits, particularly in treating mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety, and addiction, as well as its ability to help better understand the nature of consciousness itself.

As research progresses, scientists are uncovering fascinating insights into how psilocybin affects the brain and behavior. Below are seven recent studies that examine the potential of psilocybin, exploring its applications in treating various conditions and providing insights into its mechanisms of action.

  1. Psilocybin-Assisted Therapy for Alcohol Use Disorder

A study published in Scientific Reports examined the effects of psilocybin-assisted therapy on brain function in people with alcohol use disorder (AUD). The therapy, which combines psilocybin with psychological support, showed significant improvements in drinking outcomes for up to eight months. Brain scans revealed changes in regions associated with craving and emotional regulation, suggesting that psilocybin may diminish the salience of alcohol cues and enhance emotional processing. However, the study’s small sample size calls for cautious interpretation and further research.

  1. Psilocybin’s Impact on Anorexia Nervosa

Research in Molecular Psychiatry explored psilocybin’s effects on cognitive flexibility and weight maintenance in a rat model of anorexia nervosa. Psilocybin-treated rats maintained their body weight more effectively and exhibited enhanced cognitive flexibility, particularly in adapting to new reward contingencies. The study highlighted the role of the 5-HT1A serotonin receptor in these effects. These findings suggest that psilocybin could be a promising treatment for anorexia, though further research is needed to confirm these results in humans.

  1. Psilocybin and Long-COVID Symptoms

A case study in Clinical Case Reports detailed the use of psilocybin and MDMA by a woman suffering from Long-COVID symptoms. The patient reported significant improvements in anxiety, depression, cognitive function, and overall well-being after psilocybin sessions. While the case study offers intriguing insights, it underscores the need for more robust, controlled studies to determine the effectiveness of psychedelics in treating Long-COVID.

  1. Psilocybin’s Effect on Learning and Exploration

A study in iScience investigated how psilocybin influences reinforcement learning. Psilocybin was found to maintain learning capabilities similar to a placebo and even improved learning rates at higher doses in specific conditions. Participants exhibited greater exploratory behavior, suggesting increased cognitive flexibility. The nuanced effects of psilocybin on learning and emotional cues highlight its potential for therapeutic use, although more research is needed to fully understand its impact.

  1. Psilocybin and Brain Connectivity

Published in Biological Psychiatry: Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuroimaging, this study found that psilocybin induces a state of hyperconnectivity in the brain. This heightened connectivity is linked to profound changes in perception and a sense of unity with the universe, often described as mystical experiences. The study’s findings suggest that these altered brain states could underlie the therapeutic benefits of psilocybin, particularly for conditions like depression and anxiety.

  1. Psilocybin’s Influence on Auditory Perception

Research in the Journal of Neurophysiology examined how psilocybin affects auditory perception in awake mice. The study revealed that psilocybin alters the balance between intrinsic neural activity and stimulus-driven responses in the auditory cortex. These changes suggest that psilocybin influences sensory processing and could provide insights into its broader therapeutic potential. The findings offer a foundation for future research into how psychedelics affect sensory perception and cognition.

  1. Psilocybin as a Treatment for Cluster Headaches

A study in the Journal of the Neurological Sciences investigated psilocybin’s potential to reduce the frequency of cluster headaches. Participants who received psilocybin experienced nearly a 50% reduction in headache attacks. The therapeutic benefits appeared to be independent of psilocybin’s hallucinogenic effects, suggesting a unique mechanism of action. While the study’s small sample size limits its generalizability, the results are promising and warrant further investigation into psilocybin as a treatment for cluster headaches.

URL: https://www.psypost.org/the-science-of-magic-mushrooms-fascinating-findings-from-7-new-studies-of-psilocybin/

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DATE: July 04, 2024 at 12:00PM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG

TITLE: Exercise mitigates cognitive decline linked to gut microbiota disruption

URL: https://www.psypost.org/exercise-mitigates-cognitive-decline-linked-to-gut-microbiota-disruption/

A new study of rats with disrupted gut microbiota found that exercise mitigated the negative effects of this disruption on the capacity of the hippocampus region of the brain to produce new neurons. This protected them from cognitive impairments observed in rats with disrupted gut microbiota who led a sedentary lifestyle. The research was published in Translational Psychiatry.

Human brain cells – neurons – generally stop dividing shortly after birth. After this initial period, the brain continues to undergo changes through creating new links between neurons, but there is generally no creation of new neurons. There are, however, some exceptions.

The hippocampus, a region of the brain involved in memory formation and spatial navigation, retains the ability to generate new neurons. This is called adult hippocampal neurogenesis. Studies suggest that hippocampal adult neurogenesis may play a key role in learning, memory processes, and mood regulation.

Recent studies indicate that this ability of the hippocampus to create new neurons is also influenced by gut microbiota – the trillions of microorganisms living in the gut. This influence is achieved through the microbiota-gut-brain axis, a bidirectional pathway that allows gut microbiota to influence processes in the brain and vice versa.

Study author Sarah Nicolas and her colleagues note that previous studies have indicated that exercise enhances cognitive performance in rats. Previous research also showed that exercise can increase adult hippocampal neurogenesis in rats, i.e., improve the ability of their hippocampus regions to create new neurons. These researchers wanted to examine whether exercise can also ameliorate the potential negative effects the disruption of gut microbiota has on hippocampal neurogenesis.

They conducted a series of experiments on 9-week old Sprague-Dawley rats, a strain of rats often used in scientific research. Rats were kept in a 12h-12h light-dark cycle i.e., with lights turned on during one half of a day and turned off during the other. They had free access to food and water.

The researchers randomly divided the rats into two groups: a sedentary group and an exercise group. Each of these two groups was further subdivided into two subgroups: a group that would undergo antibiotic treatment (to destroy/disrupt their gut microbiota) and a group that would not.

The rats undergoing the antibiotic treatment received drinking water that contained dissolved antibiotics. The exercise group was housed in cages with free access to a running wheel, while the sedentary group lived in standard cages without running wheels. Researchers monitored the number of running wheel revolutions to ensure that the exercise group was engaging in physical activity as intended.

Three weeks after these treatments started, the rats completed a number of behavioral tests to assess their cognitive abilities. After this, researchers euthanized the rats and analyzed their tissue to assess hippocampal neurogenesis.

The results showed that disruption of the gut microbiota using antibiotics did not change the rats’ body weight nor their running activity. However, it did induce low-grade peripheral inflammation. The metabolism of the hippocampus was not affected by the disruption in gut microbiota.

However, rats with disrupted microbiota who also led a sedentary lifestyle performed worse on behavioral tests designed to assess cognitive performance and exhibited more anxiety-like behaviors compared to rats with intact gut microbiota. Exercise mitigated these adverse changes, as they were not present in rats with disrupted microbiota who exercised.

Gut microbiota disruption reduced hippocampal neurogenesis, but this effect was attenuated in the group that exercised. By examining specific biochemical compounds associated with these changes, the researchers identified the level of expression of ethyl 2-(4-oxo-4,5-dihydro-1,3-thiazol-2-yl) acetate as being associated with most of the observed changes.

“We observed that exercise partially reversed behavioral and neurogenic changes induced by gut microbiota disruption and that these impairments occurred without significant changes in the hippocampal metabolome [a set of compounds indicative of the metabolic activity of the hippocampus), despite drastic shifts in the caecal metabolome [the metabolites present in the caecum, a pouch-like structure at the junction of the small and large intestines].”

“Taken together, these data highlight the importance of the gut microbiota in AHN-dependent behaviors [behaviors that depend on adult hippocampal neurogenesis] and demonstrate the power of lifestyle factors such as voluntary exercise to attenuate these changes,” the study authors concluded.

The study sheds light on the effects of exercise on preserving adult hippocampal neurogenesis. However, this study was conducted on rats. Although rats and humans share many physiological similarities, they are still very different species. The effects on humans might not be identical.

The paper, “Exercise mitigates a gut microbiota-mediated reduction in adult hippocampal neurogenesis and associated behaviours in rats,” was authored by Sarah Nicolas, Sebastian Dohm-Hansen, Aonghus Lavelle, Thomaz F. S. Bastiaanssen, Jane A. English, John F. Cryan, and Yvonne M. Nolan.

URL: https://www.psypost.org/exercise-mitigates-cognitive-decline-linked-to-gut-microbiota-disruption/

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DATE: July 04, 2024 at 10:03AM
SOURCE: Psychiatric Times
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DATE: July 04, 2024 at 08:03AM
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DATE: July 04, 2024 at 08:00AM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG

TITLE: Afraid of holes? Evolution may hold the answer to trypophobia

URL: https://www.psypost.org/psychology-afraid-of-holes-evolution-may-hold-the-answer-to-trypophobia/

Trypophobia, characterized by a fear or aversion to clusters of small holes, is subject of both popular intrigue and scientific investigation. While it might seem trivial or peculiar, trypophobia significantly impacts a notable portion of the population. A recent paper published in Evolutionary Psychological Science examined the evolutionary underpinnings of trypophobia, offering two primary hypotheses to explain its origins: the dangerous animal hypothesis and the skin disease-avoidance hypothesis.

Gaëtan Thiebaut and colleagues situate trypophobia within the broader context of evolutionary psychology, a discipline that posits human behavior and mental processes are shaped by evolutionary pressures. Evolutionary psychologists argue that our brains are equipped with mental algorithms fine-tuned by natural selection to respond to environmental cues crucial for survival and reproduction.

This framework helps explain why certain phobias, such as fear of spiders or heights, are common—they provided survival benefits to our ancestors. Trypophobia may similarly have roots in evolutionary adaptations.

Studies have consistently found that a significant portion of the population exhibits symptoms of trypophobia. These findings suggest an inherent, possibly adaptive, reaction to specific visual stimuli.

One hypothesis explored in the paper is the dangerous animal hypothesis, which suggests that trypophobic reactions are a byproduct of an evolutionary adaptation to avoid dangerous animals. Many venomous creatures, like certain snakes and spiders, exhibit patterns that resemble clusters of holes.

Trypophobic patterns and images of venomous animals elicit similar neural responses, implying an innate avoidance mechanism. It may be our ancestors who quickly recognized and avoided these dangerous animals had a survival advantage, and this trait has been passed down through generations.

The dangerous animal hypothesis is supported by research showing that images of trypophobic patterns, like those found on venomous animals, provoke an increase in early posterior negativity—a neural response associated with the automatic processing of threatening visual information. This automatic response suggests that the aversion may be deeply embedded in our neural circuitry, evolved to enhance survival in environments where venomous creatures posed significant threats.

Another perspective is the skin disease-avoidance hypothesis, which argues that trypophobia is an evolved response to avoid infectious diseases. Many skin diseases and ectoparasites create patterns on the skin that resemble clusters of holes. This hypothesis is supported by studies showing that trypophobic reactions are closely linked to disgust, a primary emotion involved in disease avoidance. Research shows that individuals with higher sensitivity to pathogen-related disgust are more likely to experience trypophobia, suggesting that the fear of holes is linked to mechanisms evolved to protect against disease.

This hypothesis is further supported by physiological studies measuring heart rate, pupil dilation, and skin conductance in response to trypophobic images, which consistently show that trypophobic images elicit stronger physiological responses compared to neutral images, reinforcing the idea that trypophobia is tied to our biological makeup. By invoking disgust, trypophobia may have helped our ancestors steer clear of sources of infection and disease.

Despite its prevalence, trypophobia is not officially recognized in major diagnostic manuals like the DSM-5. The authors argue that the significant distress and avoidance behaviors observed in trypophobic individuals warrant its recognition as a legitimate phobia. While some researchers question the classification of trypophobia as a “true phobia,” the evidence presented in the paper suggests that it meets many of the diagnostic criteria outlined for specific phobias.

The debate centers on whether trypophobia causes clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning. Thiebaut and colleagues point out that many individuals with trypophobia report intense discomfort and avoidance behaviors that interfere with their daily lives, indicating that the condition has a substantial impact.

They advocate for more research to better understand the clinical characteristics of trypophobia and to determine its place within the spectrum of specific phobias. The paper notes that cognitive-behavioral therapy, exposure therapy, and medication are promising in treating trypophobia, with case studies demonstrating significant symptom improvement, though further research is needed to refine these therapeutic interventions.

Overall, this review underscores the importance of investigating trypophobia and similar conditions to better understand their origins, implications, and potential treatments within the framework of evolutionary psychology.

The paper, “Why are we Afraid of Holes? A Brief Review of Trypophobia Through an Adaptationist Lens”, was authored by Gaëtan Thiebaut, Alain Méot, Pavol Prokop, and Patrick Bonin.

URL: https://www.psypost.org/psychology-afraid-of-holes-evolution-may-hold-the-answer-to-trypophobia/

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DATE: July 03, 2024 at 08:00PM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG

TITLE: YouTubers can fulfill emotional needs better than casual friends, study suggests

URL: https://www.psypost.org/youtubers-can-fulfill-emotional-needs-better-than-casual-friends-study-suggests/

A recent study published in Scientific Reports suggests that one-sided relationships with YouTube creators can be more emotionally satisfying than casual friendships. The research suggests that people feel their connections with YouTube creators fulfill their emotional needs better than acquaintances do, although not as effectively as close personal relationships.

The researchers aimed to explore the psychological benefits of parasocial relationships, or one-sided relationships, which are formed with figures who cannot reciprocate the sentiment, such as celebrities and fictional characters. Historically, these relationships were thought to serve as a substitute for real interactions for those struggling to form meaningful connections. However, recent perspectives suggest that parasocial relationships might play a valuable role in fulfilling emotional needs.

The researchers conducted a series of three studies to compare the effectiveness of parasocial relationships in fulfilling emotional needs to that of traditional in-person relationships. They focused specifically on YouTube, which offers a unique platform where viewers can regularly engage with creators through video content. This frequent and personal interaction makes YouTube creators ideal subjects for studying the impact of parasocial relationships.

In the first study, researchers aimed to understand how effective parasocial relationships with YouTube creators are at fulfilling emotional needs compared to in-person relationships. To recruit participants, they collaborated with ten influential YouTube creators who promoted the survey link in their videos. Participants, aged 16 to 78, were encouraged to join voluntarily and had the chance to win gift vouchers.

Participants were asked to identify two types of in-person relationships: a strong tie, described as someone they are very close to and confide in, and a weak tie, described as someone they are friendly with but not very close to. Similarly, they identified two YouTube creators: one they felt a strong parasocial connection with and one they felt a weak connection with. For each of these four relationships, participants rated the effectiveness of the relationship in fulfilling their emotional needs on a seven-point scale. They also assessed the closeness and perceived responsiveness of these relationships.

To replicate and expand the findings of the first study, researchers conducted a second study with a more diverse and representative sample. They recruited participants from Prolific Academic, focusing on individuals from the United States and the United Kingdom who reported being fluent in English. The goal was to reach a broader audience and examine a wider range of parasocial relationships, including celebrities and fictional characters.

Participants first answered pre-screening questions to determine if they had strong parasocial relationships with YouTube creators or other figures. Those who qualified were asked to identify and rate both strong and weak in-person relationships, as well as strong and weak parasocial relationships, using the same measures as in the first study. This ensured consistency in evaluating the emotional need fulfillment, perceived responsiveness, and closeness of these relationships.

Across both studies, the results consistently showed that strong parasocial relationships were rated as more effective at fulfilling emotional needs than weak in-person relationships. Specifically, strong in-person relationships were rated as the most effective, followed by strong parasocial relationships, weak in-person relationships, and weak parasocial relationships. Participants felt closer to strong parasocial relationships than to weak in-person relationships. Strong parasocial relationships were seen as more responsive than weak in-person relationships, though they did not differ significantly in perceived responsiveness compared to strong in-person relationships.

The findings suggest that strong parasocial relationships, such as those with YouTube creators, can play a significant role in fulfilling emotional needs, often surpassing the support provided by casual acquaintances.

The third study aimed to explore how people use their parasocial relationships to regulate their emotions after experiencing social rejection. The researchers recruited 960 participants, who were randomly assigned to either recall a socially hurtful experience (social threat condition) or a supportive experience (no threat condition). This manipulation was designed to elicit feelings of social rejection or support, respectively.

Participants first reported their self-esteem using a standard measure. They were then asked to nominate the YouTube creator they felt they knew the most (a strong parasocial relationship) and rate how responsive and close they felt this parasocial relationship was to their needs.

The results of the third study provided additional insights into how parasocial relationships function in times of emotional need. Participants with high self-esteem perceived their parasocial relationships as more responsive when they recalled a socially hurtful experience, similar to how they would respond with close in-person relationships. This suggests that people with high self-esteem may defensively affirm that their parasocial relationships are responsive in times of social threat.

Participants with low self-esteem consistently perceived their parasocial relationships as highly responsive, regardless of whether they were recalling a supportive or hurtful experience. This indicates that individuals with low self-esteem may chronically rely on their parasocial relationships for emotional support.

Overall, the third study revealed that people turn to their parasocial relationships for emotional regulation, especially when experiencing social rejection. High self-esteem individuals seem to affirm their parasocial relationships’ responsiveness in times of threat, while low self-esteem individuals maintain a stable perception of their parasocial relationships’ responsiveness, regardless of the social context.

Together, these studies demonstrate that parasocial relationships, particularly with YouTube creators, can significantly fulfill emotional needs. These one-sided relationships are seen as more effective and reliable than casual in-person relationships, highlighting their integral role in modern social portfolios.

“Parasocial relationships are an important part of our psychological toolbox when it comes to feeling like we have people out there who are able to validate and support us in times of need, even if we can never actually meet with them in reality,” said study author Veronica Lamarche of the University of Essex. “This isn’t a last resort for very young or lonely among us in our studies, people of all ages reported feeling like they had a strong connection to at least one fictional character, celebrity or online personality that they’ve never met.”

But, as with all research, there are some caveats to consider. The researchers measured participants’ perceptions of how well their parasocial relationships met emotional needs, rather than actual emotional outcomes. There might be a self-selection bias, as participants with strong parasocial relationships could be more inclined to believe in their effectiveness.

Future research could investigate the mechanisms through which parasocial relationships effectively regulate emotions and compare these to traditional two-sided relationships. It would also be beneficial to explore how different types of parasocial relationships, beyond YouTube creators, influence emotional fulfillment.

The study, “People perceive parasocial relationships to be effective at fulfilling emotional needs,” was authored by Shaaba Lotun, Veronica M. Lamarche, Ana Matran-Fernandez, and Gillian M. Sandstrom.

URL: https://www.psypost.org/youtubers-can-fulfill-emotional-needs-better-than-casual-friends-study-suggests/

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DATE: July 03, 2024 at 06:00PM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG

TITLE: Psychedelic compound reduces cluster headache frequency by 50% in new study

URL: https://www.psypost.org/psychedelic-compound-reduces-cluster-headache-frequency-by-50-in-new-study/

A recent study published in the Journal of the Neurological Sciences has found that psilocybin, the psychoactive compound in psychedelic “magic mushrooms,” can reduce the frequency of cluster headaches. This research builds on anecdotal reports and preliminary studies, offering the first controlled evidence of psilocybin’s potential as a treatment for this debilitating condition.

Cluster headaches are one of the most excruciating types of headaches, often characterized by severe, burning, or piercing pain that typically occurs around one eye or one side of the head. These headaches, which can last from 15 minutes to three hours, often strike suddenly and recur multiple times a day, frequently at the same time each day.

The pain is so intense that it has been nicknamed “suicide headache” due to the desperation it can cause in sufferers. Unlike migraines, cluster headaches are generally not accompanied by nausea or sensitivity to light and sound, but they can be accompanied by other symptoms such as redness in the eye, nasal congestion, and restlessness.

Anecdotal reports and preliminary research suggested that psilocybin might offer relief, but there was a lack of rigorous scientific evidence to support these claims. This drove Emmanuelle A. D. Schindler, an assistant professor of neurology at Yale School of Medicine, and her colleagues to investigate whether psilocybin could provide a safe and effective treatment for cluster headache sufferers.

The study was designed as an extension of a pilot study that had previously examined the effects of psilocybin on cluster headaches. The researchers recruited 16 adults aged 21 to 65 years who experienced cluster headaches but had no other serious medical or psychiatric conditions. These participants had previously been involved in the initial study and were eligible to return for a second round of participation after at least six months from their last test day.

Participants were randomly assigned to receive either three doses of psilocybin or a placebo, with sessions spaced approximately five days apart. The psilocybin was administered in a carefully controlled setting, with both participants and research staff blinded to the dose given. Participants maintained headache diaries starting two weeks before and continuing until eight weeks after the first session, documenting the frequency, duration, and intensity of their headaches.

The study was approved by the necessary regulatory bodies, including the Veterans Affairs Connecticut Healthcare System and Yale University, and was conducted under an Investigational New Drug application with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Funding for the extension phase came from Ceruvia Lifesciences.

Schindler and her team found that psilocybin significantly reduced the frequency of cluster headaches. Participants who received psilocybin experienced nearly a 50 percent reduction in the number of headache attacks per week. On average, the weekly attacks decreased from 18.4 to 9.8, marking a substantial improvement. This reduction was observed in both episodic and chronic cluster headache sufferers, although the effects approached but did not always reach statistical significance in some subgroups.

Additionally, the study noted that the therapeutic benefits of psilocybin appeared to be independent of its hallucinogenic effects. This suggests that the relief provided by psilocybin might not be linked to its ability to induce altered states of consciousness, which is a key finding for considering psilocybin’s broader therapeutic applications.

The researchers also reported significant reductions in pain severity and the need for abortive medications. Pain severity dropped by about 10 percent on a numerical rating scale, and the use of medications to stop attacks fell by 37 percent, indicating an overall improvement in the quality of life for participants.

Importantly, the study reported no serious adverse events, reinforcing the safety of psilocybin when administered in a controlled setting. Common side effects included nausea, fatigue, and cluster attacks during the dosing sessions, but these were self-limiting and manageable.

While the results of this study are encouraging, there are several caveats to consider. First, the sample size was small, with only 10 participants completing the extension phase. This limits the generalizability of the findings and underscores the need for larger studies to confirm these results. The study was also did not include a comparison with other preventive treatments, making it difficult to assess how psilocybin stacks up against existing options.

Despite these limitations, the study represents a significant step forward in understanding the potential of psilocybin as a treatment for cluster headaches. The findings suggest that psilocybin can reduce the frequency and severity of attacks, offering hope to those who have found little relief from traditional treatments. However, further research with larger, more diverse samples and longer follow-up periods is necessary to fully gauge the safety and efficacy of psilocybin for this condition.

The study, “Psilocybin pulse regimen reduces cluster headache attack frequency in the blinded extension phase of a randomized controlled trial,” was authored by Emmanuelle A.D. Schindler, R. Andrew Sewell, Christopher H. Gottschalk, L. Taylor Flynn, Yutong Zhu, Brian P. Pittman, Nicholas V. Cozzi, and Deepak C. D’Souza.

URL: https://www.psypost.org/psychedelic-compound-reduces-cluster-headache-frequency-by-50-in-new-study/

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DATE: July 03, 2024 at 04:00PM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG

TITLE: We judge political violence differently based on victim’s party affiliation, study shows

URL: https://www.psypost.org/we-judge-political-violence-differently-based-on-victims-party-affiliation-study-shows/

In the wake of recent political violence in the United States, a new study examines how partisan bias influences people’s reactions to such events. The study found that partisan bias significantly influences people’s judgment, leading them to prefer harsher penalties for political violence against those who share their political affiliation compared to political rivals. The findings were published in American Politics Research.

The research was motivated by growing concerns about partisan bias in public reactions to political violence, particularly in the highly polarized political climate of the United States. Recent events, such as the January 6th attack on the U.S. Capitol and the violent incidents during Black Lives Matter protests, have highlighted the potential for political violence to exacerbate divisions and influence public judgment.

Prior research has indicated that most U.S. citizens categorically reject political violence in abstract terms. However, there has been limited exploration of how individuals react to specific, concrete episodes of political violence, especially when the partisanship of the actors involved is known. This gap in knowledge is significant because it leaves unanswered questions about the real-world implications of partisan bias in cases of political violence.

To investigate this, Justin Michael Zyla from Arizona State University conducted a study with 342 students from a large southwestern university. The participants were recruited from introductory political science courses and received course credit for their participation.

Participants were presented with a fictional report detailing a controversy at a college, where a student sent death threats to a history professor over perceived grading bias. The key experimental manipulation was the political affiliation of the professor, which was randomly varied across three conditions: Democrat, Republican, or unspecified (non-descript). This was embedded in the death threats, where the student accused the professor of failing them due to their political beliefs.

After reading the report, participants were asked to report their emotions (anger, anxiety, disgust, happiness, sadness, satisfaction), preferred penalty severity for the student, and their level of partisan strength (psychological attachment to their political party).

The study found significant evidence of partisan bias in participants’ reactions to political violence. When the victim of the death threats was described as sharing the participants’ political affiliation (a copartisan), they preferred harsher penalties for the perpetrator.

But when the victim was described as belonging to an opposing political group (an outparty member), participants’ reactions did not differ significantly from the control condition, where the victim’s political affiliation was unspecified. This suggests that the presence of an outparty victim did not evoke the same desire for harsher penalties.

“This experiment explored whether the ‘political’ in episodes of violence impacts how we react,” the researcher wrote. “Changing the partisan label of the victim – a few words in an otherwise detail-rich text –mattered in terms of how peers punished the perpetrator. This experiment hopes to contribute to conversations about how we, as a democratic society, construct institutions and policies that respond to political violence. How do we maintain principles dedicated to the rule of law and fairness in the presence of persistent partisan bias?”

Further analysis revealed that while anxiety played a central role in driving the partisan bias, anger did not significantly impact penalty preferences. Specifically, participants reported higher levels of anxiety when the victim was a copartisan, which in turn influenced their preference for more severe penalties, such as expulsion. This is notable because anger is often assumed to be a primary emotional driver in responses to political violence.

Additionally, the level of partisan strength did not vary significantly based on the political affiliation of the victim, suggesting that the psychological attachment to one’s political party did not mediate the observed bias.

The results provide evidence that partisan bias and emotional responses to political violence. But the study used a convenience sample of university students, which may limit the generalizability of the findings to the broader population. The reactions of older adults, non-students, or individuals with different socio-economic backgrounds might differ. Future research could build on these findings to explore additional emotional drivers and broader contexts, ultimately contributing to a more nuanced understanding of how we respond to political violence.

The study, “Partisan Bias in Episodes of Political Violence,” was published online March 28, 2024.

URL: https://www.psypost.org/we-judge-political-violence-differently-based-on-victims-party-affiliation-study-shows/

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DATE: July 03, 2024 at 02:00PM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG

TITLE: Men’s reluctance to talk about porn use tied to lower sexual satisfaction

URL: https://www.psypost.org/mens-reluctance-to-talk-about-porn-use-tied-to-lower-sexual-satisfaction/

A study of heterosexual couples found that men avoid talking about problematic pornography use more than they avoid talking about the division of chores or alcohol use. This tendency was absent in women – they were equally likely to avoid talking about pornography as they were to avoid other topics that could cause conflict. The paper was published in Psychology & Sexuality.

Pornography refers to various sexually explicit materials, including videos, images, or texts, created to sexually arouse viewers or readers. These materials are considered taboo in many cultures because their explicit nature challenges social norms regarding sexuality and morality. Concerns about pornography also stem from its potential effects on issues such as objectification, exploitation, and the impact on relationships and values.

Despite these taboos, pornography is widely used worldwide, especially among men. A 2020 survey in the U.S. found that 94% of men and 87% of women had viewed pornography at least once in their lives. On average, the age of first exposure to pornography was 14 years for men and 18 years for women. Studies also indicate that men tend to use pornography more when their sexual satisfaction is lower and declining. In contrast, women’s use of pornography is not associated with their or their partner’s sexual satisfaction.

Study author Uzma S. Rehman and her colleagues wanted to investigate how much partners communicate about pornography use or how much they avoid communication about this topic. They wanted to understand where communication about pornography stands compared to communication about other topics that might lead to conflict between romantic partners. To address this, they conducted two studies.

The goal of the first study was to develop a way to assess topic avoidance. The researchers searched the literature to compile a list of topics frequently avoided by romantic partners. They asked 94 Amazon MTurk workers to rate the breadth of each of these topics. Based on their responses and the initial list of topics, they created the Topic Avoidance Questionnaire, which included 8 topics couples frequently avoid discussing. Pornography use was one of these topics.

The goal of the second study was to investigate how much couples avoid talking about pornography compared to the other seven topics couples tend to avoid. They predicted that men, but not women, would tend to avoid discussions of pornography more than other topics.

Study participants included 191 individuals in committed relationships recruited through Amazon’s MTurk. Participants’ average age was 35 years, and they had been with their partners for an average of 9 years. Participants completed assessments of relationship satisfaction (the Quality of Marriage Index), sexual satisfaction (the Global Measure of Sexual Satisfaction), pornography use (“How much pornography do you currently consume?”), and the Topic Avoidance Questionnaire (developed in study 1).

Results showed that participants who avoided communicating about pornography also tended to avoid communication about other topics. Their overall communication quality with their partner tended to be lower. Men avoided talking about pornography more than they avoided discussing how to engage in sexual activity, how much time to spend with family, how much money to save, division of chores, and alcohol use. However, they did not avoid talking about pornography more than they avoided discussing how much money to spend or their partner’s tone of voice. Women did not avoid talking about pornography more than they avoided other topics.

Men who were less satisfied with their sexual relationship tended to avoid talking about pornography more strongly. This association was not present in women.

“The current study demonstrated the critical role of topic avoidance when examining the interrelationship between pornography use, gender, and sexual satisfaction. Findings highlight that both men and women tend to avoid the topic of pornography, though this was particularly true for men. For men, the association between pornography topic avoidance and sexual satisfaction remained significant, even after accounting for pornography use and an overall tendency to avoid potentially conflictual topics.”, study authors concluded.

The study sheds light on communication about pornography among couples. However, it should be noted that all the study participants were MTurk workers, a group that might not be representative of the U.S. general population. Additionally, the study was based on self-reports, leaving room for reporting bias to affect the results.

The paper, ““Let’s not talk about it”: examining the interpersonal context of pornography use by investigating patterns of communicative avoidance,” was authored by Uzma S. Rehman, David A. Herman, Chantal Gautreaua, and Jessica Edwards.

URL: https://www.psypost.org/mens-reluctance-to-talk-about-porn-use-tied-to-lower-sexual-satisfaction/

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DATE: July 03, 2024 at 12:00PM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG

TITLE: Scientists shed light on molecular switch that protects brain against Parkinson’s disease

URL: https://www.psypost.org/scientists-shed-light-on-molecular-switch-that-protects-brain-against-parkinsons-disease/

Researchers at the University of Dundee have made significant progress in understanding how a particular molecular switch protects the brain from Parkinson’s disease. By uncovering the mechanisms that activate the protective PINK1 enzyme, scientists have opened new pathways for potential treatments to slow or stop the progression of this debilitating condition.

Their findings were recently published in Science Advances.

Parkinson’s disease is a chronic and progressive neurological disorder that affects millions of people worldwide. It primarily impacts movement control, leading to symptoms such as tremors, stiffness, slowness of movement, and difficulty with balance and coordination. These symptoms are caused by the degeneration of dopamine-producing neurons in a specific area of the brain called the substantia nigra. As these neurons die, dopamine levels drop, resulting in the characteristic symptoms of Parkinson’s disease.

While the exact cause of Parkinson’s remains unknown, several factors are thought to contribute to its development. These include genetic mutations, environmental exposures, and aging. Among the genetic factors, mutations in the PINK1 gene have been identified as one of the causes of early-onset Parkinson’s disease.

PINK1 is known to play a protective role in brain cells by helping to manage cellular stress and maintain mitochondrial function. Mitochondria are the powerhouses of cells, generating the energy needed for cellular activities. When mitochondria are damaged, it can lead to cell death and contribute to the progression of Parkinson’s disease.

The primary motivation behind the new study was to better understand the mechanisms by which the PINK1 gene protects brain cells from damage and degeneration. Previous research had established that PINK1 is crucial for activating a protective pathway that clears damaged mitochondria and proteins from cells. This pathway involves two key proteins, ubiquitin and Parkin, which work together to eliminate damaged components and maintain cellular health.

However, despite knowing the protective role of PINK1, the precise mechanism by which PINK1 is activated remained unclear. Understanding this activation process is critical because it could lead to the development of new therapies that enhance PINK1’s protective effects. Such therapies could potentially slow or halt the progression of Parkinson’s disease, addressing a significant unmet need as there are currently no treatments available that can stop or reverse the condition.

To address this knowledge gap, the researchers aimed to uncover how PINK1 is switched on and how it interacts with other cellular components to exert its protective function. The international research team, which included scientists from the UK, Netherlands, and Germany, utilized a combination of biological experiments and artificial intelligence to model the activation process of PINK1. They focused on how PINK1 interacts with the Translocase of the Outer Membrane (TOM) complex, a key component at the surface of mitochondria.

The researchers discovered that PINK1 is activated through a unique relay mechanism involving its interaction with specific subunits of the TOM complex, particularly TOM20 and TOM70. These subunits play crucial roles in stabilizing and activating PINK1 at the mitochondrial membrane.

The model proposed by the researchers indicates that PINK1 is initially stabilized at the TOM complex through interactions with TOM20 and TOM70. This stabilization is essential for PINK1 to exert its protective function, as it allows the enzyme to target and clear damaged proteins and mitochondria effectively. The study identified unique structural elements within PINK1 that are not found in other enzymes, which are critical for this relay switch mechanism. These elements facilitate the interaction between PINK1 and the TOM complex, enabling the enzyme to become active and perform its protective role.

Another significant finding was the identification of several previously unknown interactions between PINK1 and the TOM complex. These interactions are mediated by distinct regions within PINK1, which the researchers mapped using both experimental data and computational models. This detailed mapping provides a comprehensive understanding of how PINK1 is recruited and activated at the mitochondrial membrane.

“As a clinician who treats Parkinson’s patients, the goal of our research is to discover fundamental mechanisms that may point to new ways to better treat the disease in the future,” said Professor Miratul Muqit, consultant neurologist at the Medical Research Council Protein Phosphorylation and Ubiquitylation Unit (MRC-PPU) at the University of Dundee.

“Our new findings add to a number of emerging treatment strategies targeting the PINK1 pathway, some that are now entering clinical trials for Parkinson’s patients this year. This work provides a framework to undertake future studies directed at finding new drug-like molecules that can target PINK1 at the TOM complex.”

Professor Dario Alessi, director of the MRC-PPU, added, “This is bold and painstaking molecular research which allows us to better understand the biology that underlies Parkinson’s disease, and provides new ideas on how PINK1-controlled Parkinson’s disease could be better diagnosed and treated, opening the door for further important research.”

However, the study also has its limitations. The research primarily used yeast cells to model human PINK1 activation, and while yeast provides a convenient and powerful system for genetic analysis, it is not identical to human cells. Thus, further studies in mammalian systems are necessary to confirm these findings and translate them into clinical applications.

“Overall, our current analysis provides insights into human PINK1 activation that will be of utility in the development of small-molecule activators as a therapeutic strategy against Parkinson’s disease,” the researchers concluded.

The study, “Mechanism of human PINK1 activation at the TOM complex in a reconstituted system,” was authored by Olawale G. Raimi, Hina Ojha, Kenneth Ehses, Verena Dederer, Sven M. Lange, Cristian Polo Rivera, Tom D. Deegan, Yinchen Chen, Melanie Wightman, Rachel Toth, Karim P. M. Labib, Sebastian Mathea, Neil Ranson, Rubén Fernández-Busnadiego, and Miratul M. K. Muqi.

URL: https://www.psypost.org/scientists-shed-light-on-molecular-switch-that-protects-brain-against-parkinsons-disease/

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DATE: July 03, 2024 at 10:02AM
SOURCE: Psychiatric Times
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DATE: July 03, 2024 at 10:00AM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG

TITLE: Study exposes the dark side of benevolent sexism in India

URL: https://www.psypost.org/study-exposes-the-dark-side-of-benevolent-sexism-in-india/

A study published in Psychological Science found that hostile sexism increases tolerance for all forms of violence against women in India, while benevolent sexism reduces tolerance for public harassment but increases acceptance of intimate partner violence.

Violence against women in India has often drawn international attention, especially following high-profile cases of sexual assault. However, the more pervasive forms of violence, including routine sexual harassment and domestic violence, often go underreported.

Approximately one in five Indian women experience frequent public sexual harassment, and the lifetime rate of domestic violence is estimated to be 41%. In this work, researchers Nikhil K. Sengupta and colleagues examined the relationship between ambivalent sexism—comprising both hostile and benevolent sexism—and tolerance of violence against women in India.

Ambivalent sexism theory, proposed by Glick and Fiske, distinguishes between hostile sexism, which involves overtly negative attitudes towards women, and benevolent sexism, which includes seemingly positive but patronizing views of women as pure and needing protection. While hostile sexism promotes gender inequality and violence, the role of benevolent sexism is more complex. It can both reduce and increase tolerance for violence, depending on whether the perpetrator is an outsider or an intimate partner. Thus, it’s necessary to examine both forms of sexism to understand their overall impact on gender relations and violence in India.

The researchers utilized data from the Centre for the Monitoring of the Indian Economy’s consumer pyramid sample, as part of the Samaj Survey Project conducted in 2017. This representative national sample included over 160,000 households from diverse regions across India. A total of 133,398 individuals who made face-to-face contact with interviewers were included in the final sample.

Participants completed measures for hostile sexism (e.g., “Women seek to gain power by controlling men”) and benevolent sexism (e.g., “Women should be cherished and protected by men”), rating agreement on a 5-point scale. Tolerance of violence was assessed with single-item indicators: “Women should accept eve-teasing as a normal part of life” for outsider violence, and “A husband has the right to discipline his wife” for spousal violence. These items were validated in a separate study with 503 Indian adults, confirming their reliability in capturing the intended constructs.

Sengupta and colleagues found that hostile sexism predicted both tolerance of outsider violence and spousal violence for both men and women, revealing a strong relationship in both cases. Similarly, hostile sexism predicted higher tolerance of spousal violence for both men and women. These results confirm that hostile sexism consistently promotes tolerance of violence against women, regardless of the violence source.

In contrast, benevolent sexism had opposing effects depending on the context for violence. It was negatively associated with tolerance of outsider violence, indicating that individuals with benevolent sexist beliefs were less accepting of public harassment. However, benevolent sexism was positively associated with higher tolerance of spousal violence, suggesting that such beliefs increase acceptance of intimate partner violence.

This paradox highlights that while benevolent sexism can seemingly protect women from strangers, it simultaneously legitimizes intimate partner violence under the guise of protection or discipline.

A limitation to this work is the reliance on cross-sectional data, which precludes definitive conclusions about the directionality of the observed relationships. While the study provides strong evidence that sexist attitudes correlate with tolerance of violence, it cannot conclusively determine whether these attitudes precede the tolerance or vice versa. Longitudinal research would be needed to explore these causal pathways more definitively.

The study, “Ambivalent Sexism and Tolerance of Violence Against Women in India”, was authored by Nikhil K. Sengupta, Matthew D. Hammond, Chris K. Deak, and Ragini Saira Malhotra.

URL: https://www.psypost.org/study-exposes-the-dark-side-of-benevolent-sexism-in-india/

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DATE: July 03, 2024 at 09:22AM
SOURCE: Psychiatric Times
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DATE: July 03, 2024 at 09:00AM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG

TITLE: Fireworks can torment veterans with PTSD – here’s how to celebrate with respect for those who served

URL: https://www.psypost.org/fireworks-can-torment-veterans-with-ptsd-heres-how-to-celebrate-with-respect-for-those-who-served/

For some combat veterans, the Fourth of July is not a time to celebrate the independence of the country they love. Instead, the holiday is a terrifying ordeal. That’s because the noise of fireworks – loud, sudden, and reminiscent of war – rocks their nervous system. Daily fireworks in many U.S. cities in recent weeks have no doubt been interfering with the sleep and peace of mind of thousands of veterans.

This reaction is not unique to veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD. Also affected are millions of others, including civilians, refugees, and first responders. As a psychiatrist who specializes in trauma and PTSD, I urge you not to overdo an act which causes so much suffering for so many of your fellow Americans.

What is PTSD?

PTSD can occur when someone is exposed to extreme exposure traumatic experience. Typically, the trauma involves a threat of death, serious injury, or sexual violence. Along with war veterans, it happens to refugees; to victims of gun violence, rape and other physical assaults; and to survivors of car accidents and natural disasters like earthquakes or tornadoes.

PTSD can also happen by witnessing trauma or its aftermath, often the case with first responders and front-line workers.

All this adds up to tens of millions of Americans. Up to 30% of combat veterans and first responders, and 8% of civilians, fulfill the diagnostic criteria for PTSD. And that criteria is not easily met: symptoms of PTSD include nightmares, flashbacks, intrusive trauma memories, difficulty sleeping, avoidance of reminders of trauma, negative emotions, and what we call “hyperarousal symptoms.”

Fireworks can trigger flashbacks

Hyperarousal, a core component of PTSD, occurs when a person is hyper-alert to any sign of threat – constantly on edge, easily startled and continuously screening the environment.

Imagine, for instance, stepping down the stairs in the dark after hearing a noise; you’re worried an intruder might be downstairs. Then a totally unpredictable loud sound explodes right outside your window.

For people with PTSD, that sound – reminiscent of gunfire, a thunderstorm or a car crash – can cause a panic attack or trigger flashbacks, a sensory experience that makes it seem as if the old trauma is happening here and now. Flashbacks can be so severe that combat veterans may suddenly drop to the ground, the same way they would when an explosion took place in combat. Later, the experience can trigger nightmares, insomnia or worsening of other PTSD symptoms.

Those of us who set off fireworks need to ask ourselves: Are those few minutes of fun worth the hours, days, or weeks of torment that will begin for some of our friends and neighbors – including many who put their lives on the line to protect us?

Who else is affected?

Millions of others, though not diagnosed with PTSD, may similarly be affected by fireworks. One in five Americans have an anxiety disorder, many with symptoms of hyperarousal. Also impacted are those with autism or developmental disabilities; they find it difficult to cope with the noise, or just the drastic change from life routines. Then there are people who have to work, holiday or not: nurses, physicians and first responders, who have to be up at 4 a.m. for a 30-hour shift.

How to reduce the negative impact

There are ways to reduce how fireworks affect others:

•For those with PTSD, the unexpected nature of fireworks is probably the worst part. So at least make it as predictable as possible. Do it in designated areas during designated times. Don’t explode one, for instance, two hours after the designated time window. And avoid setting them off on the 3rd. People are less prepared then.

•

•If you’re aware that a veteran or trauma survivor lives in the neighborhood, move the noise as far as possible from their home and give them prior warning. Consider putting a sign in your front yard noting the time you’ll set the fireworks.

•

•Remember, it doesn’t have to be super loud to make it fun. Consider using silent fireworks. And you don’t have to be the one who lights the fireworks. Simply enjoy watching while your city or township does it safely.

•

Coping with the stress

If you can’t stand fireworks, there are ways to reduce the stress:

•If the fireworks are a scheduled event, know the time they start and end.

•

•Use earplugs or background sounds or music to reduce the intensity of the noise.

•

•Be with loved ones who will support and help distract you.

•

•Talk to your therapist, psychiatrist or primary care doctor for help in managing PTSD and anxiety symptoms. Effective treatments are available. Your doctor may provide medication that helps during those difficult hours. But definitely do not get medications from others, as some may have serious consequences if not used properly.

•

And finally, don’t be shy. You can kindly talk with your fireworks-happy neighbors in advance.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

URL: https://www.psypost.org/fireworks-can-torment-veterans-with-ptsd-heres-how-to-celebrate-with-respect-for-those-who-served/

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DATE: July 03, 2024 at 08:01AM
SOURCE: Psychiatric Times
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DATE: July 03, 2024 at 08:00AM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG

TITLE: Muscle dysmorphia linked to use of social media photo filters

URL: https://www.psypost.org/muscle-dysmorphia-linked-to-use-of-social-media-photo-filters/

Photo filters are a ubiquitous feature of social media platforms like Snapchat, Instagram, and TikTok. These tools allow users to alter their images, changing hair color, skin tone, and even the shape and size of their bodies or facial features. A recent study published in the journal Body Image reveals a concerning link between the use of these photo filters and increased muscle dysmorphia symptoms among adolescents and young adults.

Muscle dysmorphia is a psychological condition characterized by an obsessive preoccupation with not being muscular enough. Individuals with this condition often perceive their bodies as insufficiently lean or muscular, despite often having a more muscular build than the average person.

This condition can lead to significant distress and impairment in daily functioning. Symptoms include excessive time spent exercising, a preoccupation with diet and supplements, and avoidance of social situations due to perceived body inadequacies.

Photo filters, which can alter one’s appearance in selfies, are widely used among adolescents and young adults. Previous research has largely focused on the negative effects of these filters on body satisfaction among females, often linking them to disordered eating and body dissatisfaction. However, there was a notable gap in understanding how these filters might influence muscle dysmorphia, particularly in males who are under pressure to achieve a muscular physique.

The researchers utilized data from the second wave of the Canadian Study of Adolescent Health Behaviors. This study originally recruited participants aged 16-30 from across Canada using Instagram and Snapchat advertisements. In the second wave, conducted a year later, 912 valid participants from the initial 2731 were included in the final analysis after excluding those who completed the survey too quickly.

Participants were asked about their use of photo filters with options ranging from “Never” to “Constantly.” For the analysis, responses were dichotomized into “Never/Rarely/Sometimes” and “Often/Constantly.”

The study also assessed muscle dysmorphia symptoms using the Muscle Dysmorphic Disorder Inventory, which measures symptoms across three subscales: Drive for Size, Appearance Intolerance, and Functional Impairment. Sociodemographic variables such as age, race/ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, and education level were also collected and controlled for in the analyses.

The study found that 8.3% of participants reported frequent use of photo filters. Among the overall sample, frequent photo filter use was significantly associated with higher total muscle dysmorphia scores and greater Appearance Intolerance. This suggests that those who often use photo filters are more likely to be dissatisfied with their muscle size and overall appearance.

Importantly, the study found that gender moderated the relationship between photo filter use and muscle dysmorphia. Boys and young men who frequently used photo filters reported significantly higher scores for Drive for Size and Functional Impairment compared to girls and young women. This indicates that males who use photo filters are more likely to be preoccupied with increasing their muscle size and may experience greater social and functional difficulties related to their body image concerns.

“It was clear in our study that frequent use of photo filters is associated with higher levels of muscle dissatisfaction and overall muscle dysmorphia symptoms,” explained lead author Kyle T. Ganson, an assistant professor at the University of Toronto. “Notably, gender plays a significant role, with boys and men who use photo filters exhibiting greater drive to increase their muscularity and social and occupational functioning challenges compared to girls and women in the study.”

As technology and social media continue to evolve, these findings underscore the need for further research into the impact of photo filters on body image and mental health.

“Our study sheds light on the often-overlooked impact of photo filter use on muscle dysmorphia, especially among boys and men,” Ganson said. “As digital image manipulation becomes more advanced and widespread, it is essential to understand and mitigate its potential harm on body image and mental health.”

The study, “Use of photo filters is associated with muscle dysmorphia symptomatology among adolescents and young adults,” was authored by Kyle T. Ganson, Alexander Testa, Rachel F. Rodgers, and Jason M. Nagata.

URL: https://www.psypost.org/muscle-dysmorphia-linked-to-use-of-social-media-photo-filters/

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DATE: July 03, 2024 at 06:00AM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG

TITLE: Stimulant and non-stimulant ADHD medications equally effective in enhancing cognitive functions

URL: https://www.psypost.org/stimulant-and-non-stimulant-adhd-medications-equally-effective-in-enhancing-cognitive-functions/

A new study published in Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews provides the first comprehensive meta-analysis of the chronic effects of medications on cognitive functions in people with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). The findings suggest that two commonly prescribed medications, methylphenidate and atomoxetine, have comparable long-term benefits on executive functions such as attention, inhibition, reaction time, and working memory, with the most pronounced effects seen in improved attention.

ADHD is a prevalent neurodevelopmental disorder, affecting 4-7% of the population. It is characterized by persistent, age-inappropriate symptoms of inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsiveness. These symptoms often extend into adulthood, impacting various cognitive functions, particularly executive functions like sustained attention, working memory, and inhibitory control. Despite the significant role that medication plays in managing ADHD symptoms, understanding the specific cognitive benefits of long-term medication use has been limited.

“It is very important to understand whether the medications given to ADHD children have longer-term effects on cognitive performance as this is very relevant for their academic performance at school or at their occupation in adults with ADHD,” said study author Katya Rubia, a professor of cognitive neuroscience at King’s College London.

“These medications improve the symptoms of ADHD but there was no systematic review on the longer term effects of these medications on their cognitive performance. There are a lot of studies and meta-analyses that have tested the short term effects of stimulant medication. However, no meta-analyses have been conducted that assess specifically the longer-term effects of these medication in ADHD.’

“For atomoxetine, there is no review or meta-analysis on the effects on cognitive functions. Lastly, we were also particularly interested which of these two typical ADHD medications is better in improving cognitive functions.”

The researchers undertook a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies examining the chronic effects of ADHD medications on cognitive functions. They conducted a comprehensive literature search across multiple databases, including PubMed, Embase, Ovid MEDLINE, and PsycINFO, up until June 2023. The inclusion criteria focused on randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled studies involving children, adolescents, and adults diagnosed with ADHD.

Studies had to have at least 10 participants and assess the impact of medication over a minimum of three days. The analysis included a total of 28 studies, with 18 examining methylphenidate and 7 examining atomoxetine. Methylphenidate is a stimulant that works by increasing the levels of certain neurotransmitters, such as dopamine and norepinephrine, in the brain, which helps improve attention and reduce impulsivity and hyperactivity. Atomoxetine, on the other hand, is a non-stimulant medication also used to treat ADHD. It primarily works by inhibiting the reuptake of norepinephrine.

The meta-analysis revealed that both methylphenidate and atomoxetine significantly improved attention, with medium to large effect sizes. Methylphenidate showed a medium effect size (Hedges’ g = 0.59), while atomoxetine had a slightly larger effect size (Hedges’ g = 0.64). This finding suggests that both medications are highly effective in helping individuals with ADHD maintain focus and sustain attention, which are critical areas of impairment in this disorder.

In addition to attention, both drugs showed positive effects on inhibition, which is the ability to control impulses and resist distractions. Methylphenidate had a small to medium effect size (Hedges’ g = 0.37), and atomoxetine demonstrated a medium effect size (Hedges’ g = 0.47). These improvements in inhibitory control are crucial for managing the impulsivity and hyperactivity symptoms of ADHD.

Reaction time also improved with both medications, although the effect sizes were smaller: Methylphenidate (Hedges’ g = 0.34) and atomoxetine (Hedges’ g = 0.36). These improvements indicate better processing speed and response accuracy.

The study found that methylphenidate significantly improved working memory (Hedges’ g = 0.36), whereas atomoxetine showed a positive trend but did not reach statistical significance (Hedges’ g = 0.30). This difference might be due to the smaller number of atomoxetine studies included in the analysis. Overall, the meta-analysis highlights that both medications provide significant cognitive benefits, with similar efficacy in improving key executive functions in people with ADHD.

“Both drugs commonly used for ADHD do not just improve ADHD behaviors but also improve cognitive functions,” Rubia told PsyPost. “This is important as it suggests they will be useful to improve school performance or occupational performance. Both ADHD medications are equally good in improving cognitive performance and stimulants are not better than non-stimulants in doing that.”

While the meta-analysis provides robust evidence that both methylphenidate and atomoxetine can improve key cognitive functions in people with ADHD, there are some caveats to consider, such as the relatively small number of studies on atomoxetine compared to methylphenidate. The meta-analysis was unable to include other stimulant and non-stimulant medications due to insufficient data, leaving a gap in understanding the full spectrum of ADHD medication effects on cognition.

“We are trying to understand the longer and shorter term effects of ADHD drugs on cognition, and brain function,” Rubia said. “We are also testing currently the effects of newer licenced drugs for ADHD such as lisdexamfetamine and guanfacine on ADHD cognition and brain function using fMRI.”

The study, “The effects of chronic administration of stimulant and non-stimulant medications on executive functions in ADHD: A systematic review and meta-analysis,” was authored by Ferdous Isfandnia, Sahid El Masri, Joaquim Radua, and Katya Rubia.

URL: https://www.psypost.org/stimulant-and-non-stimulant-adhd-medications-equally-effective-in-enhancing-cognitive-functions/

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DATE: July 02, 2024 at 10:48PM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG

TITLE: Tablets and tantrums: Digital pacifiers may hinder children’s emotional development

URL: https://www.psypost.org/tablets-and-tantrums-digital-pacifiers-may-hinder-childrens-emotional-development/

Tantrums are part of growing up. How these outbursts of anger or frustration are managed, however, can impact children’s emotional development. An international team of researchers has investigated how giving children digital devices as ‘digital pacifiers’ to avoid or manage tantrums impacts children’s later anger management skills. They found that children who were routinely given digital devices when they threw a tantrum, had more difficulties regulating their emotions. The researchers also stressed the importance of letting children experience negative emotions and the crucial role parents play in the process.

Children learn much about self-regulation – that is affective, mental, and behavioral responses to certain situations – during their first few years of life. Some of these behaviors are about children’s ability to choose a deliberate response over an automatic one. This is known as effortful control, which is learned from the environment, first and foremost through children’s relationship with their parents.

In recent years, giving children digital devices to control their responses to emotions, especially if they’re negative, has become common. Now, a team of researchers in Hungary and Canada has investigated if this strategy, referred to as parental digital emotion regulation, leads to the inability of children to effectively regulate their emotions later in life. The results were published in Frontiers in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.

“Here we show that if parents regularly offer a digital device to their child to calm them or to stop a tantrum, the child won’t learn to regulate their emotions,” said Dr Veronika Konok, the study’s first author and a researcher at Eötvös Loránd University. “This leads to more severe emotion-regulation problems, specifically, anger management problems, later in life.”

More devices, less control

“We frequently see that parents use tablets or smartphones to divert the child’s attention when the child is upset. Children are fascinated by digital content, so this an easy way to stop tantrums and it is very effective in the short term,” Prof Caroline Fitzpatrick, a researcher at the Université de Sherbrooke and senior author of the study, explained. However, the researchers expected that in the long run, the practice has little benefit. To confirm their thesis, they carried out an assessment in 2020 and a follow-up one year later. More than 300 parents of children aged between two- and five-years-old completed a questionnaire which assessed child and parent media use.

They found that when parents used digital emotion regulation more often, children showed poorer anger and frustration management skills a year later. Children who were given devices more often as they experienced negative emotions also showed less effortful control at the follow-up assessment.

“Tantrums cannot be cured by digital devices,” Konok pointed out. “Children have to learn how to manage their negative emotions for themselves. They need the help of their parents during this learning process, not the help of a digital device.”

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Helping parents support children

The researchers also found that poorer baseline anger management skills meant that children were given digital devices more often as a management tool. “It’s not surprising that parents more frequently apply digital emotion regulation if their child has emotion regulation problems, but our results highlight that this strategy can lead to the escalation of a pre-existing issue,” Konok said.

It is important not to avoid situations that could be frustrating to the child, the researchers pointed out. Instead, it is recommended that parents coach their children through difficult situations, help them recognize their emotions, and teach them to handle them.

To equip parents of children with anger management problems for success, it is important that they receive support, the researchers said. For example, health professionals working with families could provide information on how parents can help their children manage their emotions without giving them tablets or smartphones. “Based on our results, new training and counselling methods could be developed for parents. If peoples’ awareness about digital devices being inappropriate tools for curing tantrums increases, children’s mental health and well-being will profit,” Fitzpatrick concluded.

URL: https://www.psypost.org/tablets-and-tantrums-digital-pacifiers-may-hinder-childrens-emotional-development/

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DATE: July 02, 2024 at 06:00PM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG

TITLE: Breakups can trigger trauma in emerging adults

URL: https://www.psypost.org/breakups-can-trigger-trauma-in-emerging-adults/

What should I study? What do I want to be? How will I pay for my education? Who do I want to spend the rest of my life with? These are the life-changing decisions many young people face.

Emerging adulthood (between the ages of 18 and 25 years) is a critical stage in the life course, especially for identity development. Emerging adults are neither dependent adolescents nor independent adults. It is a time of exploration and frequent change.

And all this is happening while their brains are still developing, especially in areas associated with higher cognitive and emotional functioning. This functioning helps an individual plan, monitor and successfully execute their goals.

Amid all these important life choices, romantic relationship breakups can be devastating. After a breakup people may experience poorer academic performance, intrusive thoughts of the ex-partner and intense grief, and can even attempt suicide.

Yet, breakups among emerging adults are often dismissed or trivialised as a rite of passage. A trauma response is shrugged off as exaggerated or overblown.

Added to this, the psychiatric literature does not see breakups as potentially traumatic events.

As a mental health researcher with experience in romantic attachment and trauma research, I co-authored a paper exploring romantic relationship breakups as potentially traumatic events among university students. The research aimed to investigate whether their experiences fitted the official psychiatric diagnosis of post-traumatic stress.

Identifying potential trauma following a breakup could help young adults get appropriate treatment and support.

When the romantic attachment figure is no longer there

In several studies we tested the idea that breakups can be deemed a potentially traumatic event based on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual 5th Edition (DSM-5) definition. Mental healthcare providers use the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual as a guide to diagnose patients with, for example, post-traumatic stress disorder.

A diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder is based on various criteria, including Criterion A: exposure to actual or threatened death, serious injury, or sexual violence. Criterion A acts as the “gatekeeper” to this diagnosis.

Asking the questions

Based on their self-reported responses on the Post-traumatic Stress Checklist for DSM-5, our participants fell into three groups:

Group one (breakup group): 886 participants who endorsed post-traumatic stress symptoms based on their most traumatic breakup.

Group two (trauma group): 592 participants who endorsed post-traumatic stress symptoms based on a DSM-5-defined traumatic event (for example physical and sexual assault).

Group three (control group): 544 participants who endorsed post-traumatic stress symptoms based on their most stressful experience (for example relocating homes or a parental divorce).

We found breakup participants, those in Group One, reported significantly more post-traumatic stress symptoms, such as flashbacks, recurring memories, and nightmares about their former partner, than both the other two groups.

Looking at the brain

After the questionnaire, a subset of students from each of the three groups completed brain scans so we could see which brain areas were activated in response to specific stimuli.

During the scans, they rated images as positive, negative, or neutral.

•36 participants from Group One (breakup group), rated photos of their ex-partners

•

•15 participants from Group Two (trauma group), who specifically indicated physical or sexual assault as their most traumatic event, rated photos of physical or sexual assault

•

•28 participants from Group Three (control group) rated general negative images (such as children playing in polluted water). These photographs were part of the International Affective Picture system, widely used in studies of human emotion.

•

We analysed the brain activation (increased blood flow) of the amygdala and hippocampus within the temporal lobe. These regions of the brain are associated with post-traumatic stress disorder and form part of the fear-based limbic system that is part of our “fight or flight” system. They have also been linked to real and imagined romantic attachment rejection.

We found similar activation levels in the amygdala and hippocampus when breakup group participants rated images of their ex-partners to when trauma group participants rated images of physical and sexual assault.

Sex, religion, and other factors

Thirdly, we focused on the breakup participants only. We found that their emotional response to the breakup was influenced by:

•demographic characteristics such as sex, sexual orientation and religion. Specifically, participants with a minority sexual orientation and who reported not being religious reported higher levels of breakup distress.

•

•characteristics of the breakup such as the perceived closeness of the relationship and reasons for the breakup.

•

Moving forward

The combined results support our hypothesis that romantic breakups can be potentially traumatic events for emerging adults and may be experienced as life-threatening.

Validating experiences of breakups as potentially traumatic may cushion their negative impacts, encourage emerging adults to seek help, and promote mental health.

Mental healthcare providers and student counselling services should recognise the possible intensity of breakups and consider screening for post-traumatic stress symptoms following a breakup.

Trauma-focused treatment, such as prolonged exposure therapy, may help students, especially those who cannot avoid breakup-related cues such as seeing their former partners in class or on social media.

Since romantic breakups are not considered traumatic events within the psychiatric literature, our findings are controversial, and we do not claim that all breakups are necessarily traumatic.

More research must be done, especially with a more diverse set of students and a larger sample size for the brain scans.

•I acknowledge the contributions of Prof S Seedat, Prof E Lesch, Dr A Roos, Prof Kidd, and Prof S du Plessis to my research.

•

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

URL: https://www.psypost.org/breakups-can-trigger-trauma-in-emerging-adults/

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DATE: July 02, 2024 at 04:00PM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG

TITLE: The dark side of social media: Study reveals link to disturbing nightmares

URL: https://www.psypost.org/the-dark-side-of-social-media-study-reveals-link-to-disturbing-nightmares/

A recent study published in BMC Psychology has uncovered a startling connection between social media usage and the frequency of distressing nightmares. The study introduces a new concept: social media-related nightmares, defined as nightmares that revolve around social media themes like cyberbullying, online hate, and excessive social media use.

The rise of social media has been meteoric, with millions of users worldwide engaging daily. This surge has sparked interest in how social media affects various aspects of life, including sleep and dreams. Past research has shown that daytime experiences often influence nighttime dreams, a theory known as the Continuity Hypothesis of Dreaming. While some studies have explored the general impact of media on dreams, few have examined the specific effects of social media on nightmares.

In their new study, the researchers surveyed 595 adult social media users in Iran, chosen based on their use of at least one social media platform for a minimum of 15 minutes per day over the past month. Most participants reported using Instagram, followed by Twitter and Facebook.

To measure social media-related nightmares, the researchers created the Social Media Nightmare-Related Scale, which included items assessing the frequency of nightmares related to social media themes such as cyberbullying, online hate, and excessive social media use. Participants rated how often they experienced these nightmares on a scale from 0 (never) to 7 (several times a week).

The Social Media Use Integration Scale was used to gauge the extent to which social media is woven into participants’ daily lives. This scale included items like “I prefer to communicate with others mainly through social media platforms” and “Using social media is part of my everyday routine,” rated on a scale from 1 (strongly disagree) to 6 (strongly agree).

To assess anxiety levels, researchers used the Anxiety Subscale of the Brief Symptom Inventory, where participants rated how much they were bothered by symptoms like nervousness or shakiness in the past week on a scale from 0 (not at all) to 4 (extremely). The Peace of Mind Scale evaluated participants’ overall mental peace with items like “My mind is free and at ease,” rated from 1 (not at all) to 5 (all of the time).

Sleep quality was measured using the Single-Item Sleep Quality Scale, where participants rated their sleep quality over the past week on a scale from 0 (terrible) to 10 (excellent). Lastly, the Nightmare Distress Questionnaire assessed the distress caused by nightmares and their impact on daily life with items rated on various Likert-type scales.

The study revealed that social media-related nightmares were not very common, but they were reported more frequently by individuals who integrated social media deeply into their daily lives. The most commonly reported nightmare involved being unable to log into social media, followed by disruptions in relationships with other users. Less common nightmares included being sexually harassed or having one’s identity stolen online.

“As social media becomes increasingly intertwined with our lives, its impact extends beyond waking hours, and may influence our dreams,” said study author Reza Shabahang of Flinders University.

Social media-related nightmares were significantly associated with higher levels of anxiety, lower peace of mind, and poorer sleep quality. Participants who experienced these nightmares reported significant distress, and their sleep was often disrupted.

The study found that social media-related nightmares partially mediated the relationship between social media use and anxiety and fully mediated the relationship between social media use and both peace of mind and sleep quality. This suggests that nightmares are a key pathway through which social media affects mental health and sleep.

“Whilst social media-related nightmares are relatively rare, those who use social media more during their daily lives are more likely to have social media-related nightmares that are associated with negative mental health outcomes, such as anxiety, depression, and sleep quality,” Shabahang said. “This study provides insights into the complex relationships between social media use, mental health, and sleep quality.”

He cautions that as technology continues to advance, it is essential to conduct further research to understand how social media impacts users’ dreaming experiences.

“With the rapid advances in technology and media, including artificial intelligence (AI) and virtual reality, along with the increasing dependency on these technologies and deeper integration, it is anticipated that dreams featuring technological and media content will become more frequent,” Shabahang said.

“Future studies have the potential to expand the scope of this exploration, delving into areas such as nightmares related to the perceived dangers of AI. To mitigate the occurrence of social media-related nightmares we recommend adopting a responsible and mindful use of social media.”

The study, “Social media-related nightmare — a potential explanation for poor sleep quality and low affective well-being in the social media era?,” was authored by Reza Shabahang, Sohee Kim, Mara S. Aruguete, Pegah Azadimanesh, Zahra Ghaemi, Abbas Ali Hossein Khanzadeh, Keivan Kakabaraee, and Ágnes Zsila.

URL: https://www.psypost.org/the-dark-side-of-social-media-study-reveals-link-to-disturbing-nightmares/

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DATE: July 02, 2024 at 02:48PM
SOURCE: Psychiatric Times
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Kisunla (donanemab-azbt) is now approved by the FDA for adults with early symptomatic Alzheimer disease. @EliLillyandCo https://t.co/QoTzR0QYMl
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DATE: July 02, 2024 at 02:01PM
SOURCE: Psychiatric Times
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Check out these examples of digital therapeutics for schizophrenia. https://t.co/3YWe0TrBfL
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DATE: July 02, 2024 at 02:00PM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG

TITLE: Caring for pets linked to greater empathy in men

URL: https://www.psypost.org/caring-for-pets-linked-to-greater-empathy-in-men/

Men who own pets show higher levels of empathy towards animals compared to farmers and those without pets, according to a new study published in Animal Welfare. This research provides insights into how different experiences with animals can shape men’s attitudes and feelings towards animal welfare.

Previous research has hinted at a connection between pet ownership and empathy towards animals. Studies have suggested that caring for pets can increase positive attitudes towards animals in general, a concept known as the “Pets as Ambassadors” hypothesis.

However, the relationship between different types of animal interactions and empathy, particularly among men, remains unclear. Men generally report lower levels of empathy towards animals than women, and understanding how various animal experiences influence men’s empathy could have significant implications for animal welfare and human-animal interactions.

“My own experiences as a dog owner is what sparked my interest in the Pets as Ambassadors Hypothesis, because I’ve always felt that my empathy towards other non-human animals expanded overtime, as a result of the bond I shared with my dog,” said study author Jessica Oliva, a senior lecturer in psychology at James Cook University. “It was as though I would see her eyes in the faces of every other animal that was suffering. I knew other owners must have felt something similar. The focus on men in this study was simply because they are so underrepresented in this kind of research.”

The researchers conducted a survey targeting Australian men aged 18 and over, dividing participants into three groups based on their animal experiences: pet owners, farmers, and non-pet owners. The survey included demographic questions, an assessment of animal-directed empathy using the Animal Empathy Scale (AES), and an open-ended question about participants’ beliefs regarding animal cognition and emotions. A total of 91 participants were included in the study, with 41 identifying as pet owners, 28 as farmers, and 22 as non-pet owners.

The findings revealed significant differences in empathy levels among the groups. Pet owners exhibited the highest levels of empathy towards animals, scoring significantly higher on the AES compared to both farmers and non-pet owners. Farmers, who often had extensive experience with various animals in a work context, displayed lower empathy levels than pet owners but higher than non-pet owners. The results suggest that the personal and emotional connection involved in pet ownership plays a crucial role in fostering empathy towards animals.

“The takeaway is that animal interactions are important, we need that contact with them in order to appreciate that they have internal experiences much like our own,” Oliva told PsyPost. “However, the greatest empathic gains are likely to result from those that demand an investment of typical emotional, financial and lifestyle sacrifices necessary to care for that animal, but without the expectation of financial remuneration. Animal interactions as a result of one’s livelihood may still have a positive impact on understanding animal sentience but they might not result in the same empathic gains. Being aware of this is important for anyone working with animals.”

Qualitative analysis provided further insights into these findings. Pet owners frequently cited their personal experiences and responsibilities as primary factors shaping their beliefs about animals. In contrast, farmers emphasized their work-related interactions with animals, which often involve practical and utilitarian considerations. Non-pet owners mentioned interactions with other people’s pets as influential, though their overall empathy levels were lower.

“When we asked the farmers what non-working animals they owned, it was mostly birds or fish were reported,” Oliva said. “When they were asked what working animals they owned, all of these were dogs (with the exception of one horse). I found it surprising that none of the farmers owned a dog that was non-working. So this common ‘pet’ may not have the same ‘ambassador’ role depending on whether it is a working or non-working animal.”

But the study, like all research, has some caveats to consider. The cross-sectional design also prevents establishing causality, meaning it’s unclear whether pet ownership increases empathy or if more empathetic individuals are drawn to owning pets. Additionally, the self-report nature of the survey may introduce bias.

“We did not look at ambassadorship by species of pet or by degree of pet interactions,” Oliva noted. “This would be a good avenue for future research. We also only looked at empathy levels at one point in time, so it is possible that men with higher levels of empathy are simply more drawn to be pet owners, rather than their empathy levels increasing overtime after becoming an owner. Longitudinal research looking at empathy levels before and after pet acquisition would be able to address this.”

She also highlighted the ethical considerations inherent in pet ownership.

“While pet interactions may lead to increased animal empathy in men, ‘owning’ an animal can be argued to reflect an unequal relationship, whereby the pet lacks certain freedoms and choices,” Oliva explained. “Therefore is could be considered quite the paradox that in order to increase animal empathy, one must enter into a relationship with an animal which strips that animal of basic rights and freedoms that should arguably invoke empathic sentiments.”

“As such, the decision to own a pet should always be an extremely well thought out decision, with a commitment to care for that animal and find ways to enrich its life for the duration of its lifetime. Providing pets with as much agency as possible to make decisions about how they live their lives in our care is one way that we can achieve this. These can involve simple things such as allowing dogs to sniff on walks, allowing them the choice of different spaces to spend their time in at home, allowing them choice in when and what they eat, etc.”

The study, “Support for the ‘Pets as Ambassadors’ hypothesis in men: Higher animal empathy in Australian pet-owners vs non-owners and farmers,” was authored by Georgia Anne Frampton and Jessica Lee Oliva.

URL: https://www.psypost.org/caring-for-pets-linked-to-greater-empathy-in-men/

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DATE: July 02, 2024 at 12:00PM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG

TITLE: Mixing energy drinks with alcohol impairs neural functioning in rats, study finds

URL: https://www.psypost.org/mixing-energy-drinks-with-alcohol-impairs-neural-functioning-in-rats-study-finds/

A study on rats found that binge-like drinking of alcohol mixed with energy drinks during adolescence produced changes in the hippocampus region of the brain that were still detectable when the rats reached adulthood. These changes indicated a temporary boost in neural function while the rats were young, followed by a long-term reduction in the ability of the hippocampus to create new connections (synaptic plasticity) in adulthood. The study was published in Neuropharmacology.

When they reach adulthood, many young people start drinking alcohol. In many cases, they drink a large amount of alcoholic drinks in a short period of time. This is called binge drinking. The formal definition of binge drinking is the consumption of 5 or more drinks on a single occasion for men and 4 or more drinks for women. Binge drinking can lead to serious health risks, including alcohol poisoning, accidents, injuries, and long-term consequences like liver disease and addiction.

Young people prone to binge drinking often mix alcohol with energy drinks. Energy drinks are beverages that contain high levels of caffeine, sugar, and other stimulants like taurine, guarana, and B vitamins, designed to boost energy, alertness, and physical performance. Adolescents typically consume energy drinks for their stimulating effects, especially during social events, studying, or sports activities.

When mixed with alcohol, energy drinks may mask some of the effects of alcohol, leading the individual to drink more. This increased drinking can result in more severely impaired judgment and raise the risk or severity of alcohol poisoning.

Study author Francesca Biggio and her colleagues suspected that binge drinking alcohol, particularly when mixed with energy drinks, might create long-lasting detrimental consequences on the brains of young adults. They conducted a study on rats that simulated binge drinking alcohol, energy drinks, and alcohol mixed with energy drinks.

The study was conducted on Male Sprague-Dawley Charles River rats (a strain widely used in research) bred at the animal facility at the University of Cagliari in Italy. The rats were kept under artificial light in a 12-hour light and 12-hour dark cycle. The rats had free access to food and water.

Study authors randomly divided the rats into four experimental groups and subjected them to different types of treatments corresponding to binge drinking. Starting from when the rats were 28 days old, the researchers inserted a tube directly into the rat’s stomach to administer the experimental substance. This procedure continued until the rats were 37 days old.

One group of rats received a quantity of alcohol corresponding to 1.5-2 strong alcoholic drinks for a human. Another group received Red Bull energy drink in the amount corresponding to 2 cans for a human. The third group received alcohol mixed with Red Bull. The fourth group was the control and they received tap water.

After the treatments, study authors divided each group of rats into further subgroups and conducted different behavioral tests. In the end, the rats were killed, and their brains analyzed.

Results showed that the group that received just the energy drinks tended to be more active than all the other groups but performed worse in a test requiring them to recognize novel objects. Other behavioral tests showed changes with age but no differences between groups that received different treatments.

Further analyses showed that rats treated with alcohol mixed with Red Bull had increased synaptic plasticity when they were 40 days old but decreased synaptic plasticity when they were 60 and 90 days old. This indicates that the mixture of alcohol and Red Bull temporarily enhanced certain aspects of neural function but produced detrimental effects in the long term.

Analysis of levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor, a protein that plays a crucial role in the growth, maintenance, and survival of neurons, showed that its levels tended to be increased in this group when the rats were 40 days old but decreased when the rats were 60 days old. This again indicates a temporary boost in neural function followed by a long-term decline.

“The results show that AMED [alcohol mixed with energy drinks] binge-like administration produces adaptive hippocampal changes at the molecular level, associated with electrophysiological and behavioral alterations, which develop during the adolescence and are still detectable in adult animals. Overall, the study indicates that binge-like drinking AMED adolescent exposure represents a habit that may affect permanently hippocampal plasticity,” the study authors concluded.

The study sheds light on the effects of prolonged consumption of alcohol mixed with energy drinks on neural function. However, the study was conducted on rats and not on humans. While they share many physiological similarities, rats and humans are still distinct species. Findings from one may not always be valid for the other species.

The paper, “Mixing energy drinks and alcohol during adolescence impairs brain function: a study of rat hippocampal plasticity,” was authored by Francesca Biggio, Giuseppe Talani, Gino Paolo Asuni, Valentina Bassareo, Marianna Boi, Laura Dazzi, Maria Giuseppina Pisu, Patrizia Porcu, Enrico Sanna, Fabrizio Sanna, Mariangela Serra, Maria Pina Serra, Carlotta Siddi, Elio Acquas, Paolo Follesa, Marina Quartu.

URL: https://www.psypost.org/mixing-energy-drinks-with-alcohol-impairs-neural-functioning-in-rats-study-finds/

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DATE: July 02, 2024 at 10:02AM
SOURCE: Psychiatric Times
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A 5-year Army veteran spoke on her mental health struggles and the resources she used to combat it: "I wish I would’ve got help sooner." https://t.co/yVa0bfDVog
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DATE: July 02, 2024 at 10:00AM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG

TITLE: Autism severity rooted in embryonic brain growth, study suggests

URL: https://www.psypost.org/autism-severity-rooted-in-embryonic-brain-growth-study-suggests/

A new study has uncovered an important factor behind the varied outcomes observed in children with autism. Researchers at the University of California San Diego found that differences in the biological development of the brain during the first weeks and months of embryonic growth play a significant role in the severity of autism symptoms later in life.

This discovery, published in the journal Molecular Autism, provides a deeper understanding of why some children with autism develop severe, lifelong challenges, while others experience milder symptoms that improve over time.

The research team aimed to solve a longstanding puzzle: why do the symptoms of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) vary so greatly among children? Some children with autism struggle with profound difficulties in social, language, and cognitive skills and might be non-verbal, while others show significant improvements as they grow older.

Understanding the biological roots of these differences is essential for developing more effective, tailored treatments and interventions for autism. Previous studies had suggested that autism has prenatal origins, but no study had definitively linked early brain development with the severity of autism symptoms until now.

To investigate, the researchers used a groundbreaking approach involving inducible pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). These stem cells, which can be reprogrammed to become any type of human cell, were derived from blood samples of 10 toddlers diagnosed with autism and six neurotypical toddlers as controls. The iPSCs were then used to create brain cortical organoids (BCOs), which are three-dimensional models mimicking the brain’s cortex during early embryonic development. These “mini-brains” allowed the researchers to study the development processes in a controlled environment.

This method enabled the researchers to observe and measure brain development as it might occur in the first weeks and months of embryogenesis. A significant finding was that BCOs derived from toddlers with ASD grew substantially larger—about 40% larger—than those derived from neurotypical toddlers.

One of the most critical findings of the study was the correlation between the size of the BCOs and the severity of autism symptoms observed in the children. Toddlers with the most severe form of autism, termed profound autism, exhibited the largest BCOs.

On the other hand, toddlers with milder autism symptoms had only moderately enlarged BCOs. This relationship suggested that the extent of brain overgrowth during embryonic development could be predictive of the severity of autism symptoms later in life.

“We found the larger the embryonic BCO size, the more severe the child’s later autism social symptoms,” said UC San Diego’s Eric Courchesne, the study’s lead researcher and co-director of the Autism Center of Excellence. “Toddlers who had profound autism, which is the most severe type of autism, had the largest BCO overgrowth during embryonic development. Those with mild autism social symptoms had only mild overgrowth.”

The study also incorporated brain imaging to further understand the differences in brain development between children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and neurotypical children. The imaging was conducted on a subset of the toddlers using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). This advanced imaging technique allowed the researchers to capture detailed structural images of the brain, focusing on regions critical for social and language development.

The results from the MRI scans revealed significant differences in brain structure between the toddlers with ASD and the neurotypical controls. The children with ASD, particularly those with profound autism, showed marked overgrowth in several brain regions. For instance, the primary sensory cortices, which are involved in processing auditory, visual, and tactile information, were significantly larger in the children with profound autism compared to the controls. This overgrowth was also evident in the social and language-related cortices.

In addition to overgrowth, the imaging data highlighted specific areas of the brain where growth was reduced. Notably, the visual cortex in children with profound autism was found to be smaller than that in neurotypical children. This reduction in size might contribute to the sensory and social attention issues commonly observed in children with severe ASD.

The imaging results were consistent with the findings from the brain cortical organoids (BCOs) developed from the iPSCs. The correlation between the size of the BCOs and the structural abnormalities observed in the brain scans provided compelling evidence that the overgrowth observed during embryonic development persisted into early childhood. Furthermore, the imaging data corroborated the behavioral observations, linking larger brain size and overgrowth to more severe social and cognitive symptoms.

“The bigger the brain, the better isn’t necessarily true,” said Alysson Muotri, the director of the Sanford Stem Cell Institute’s Integrated Space Stem Cell Orbital Research Center and senior author of the study.

Further analysis revealed a potential mechanism underlying this excessive growth. The researchers discovered that the protein and enzyme NDEL1, which plays a key role in regulating brain growth, was reduced in the BCOs of children with ASD. Specifically, lower expression levels of NDEL1 were associated with larger BCO sizes. This finding indicated that the malfunction of NDEL1 might be a key factor contributing to the abnormal brain growth observed in ASD-derived organoids.

“Determining that NDEL1 was not functioning properly was a key discovery,” Muotri said.

Despite its groundbreaking insights, the study has some limitations. The sample size was relatively small, with only 10 toddlers with ASD and six neurotypical controls. Larger studies are necessary to confirm these findings and explore the full spectrum of ASD severity. Further research is also needed to understand the exact mechanisms through which NDEL1 and other factors influence brain development in ASD.

The research team plans to continue exploring the genetic and molecular underpinnings of brain overgrowth in autism. By pinpointing the exact causes, they hope to develop interventions that can mitigate the developmental abnormalities observed in children with profound autism.

The study, “Embryonic origin of two ASD subtypes of social symptom severity: the larger the brain cortical organoid size, the more severe the social symptoms,” was authored by Eric Courchesne, Vani Taluja, Sanaz Nazari, Caitlin M. Aamodt, Karen Pierce, Kuaikuai Duan, Sunny Stophaeros, Linda Lopez, Cynthia Carter Barnes, Jaden Troxel, Kathleen Campbell, Tianyun Wang, Kendra Hoekzema, Evan E. Eichler, Joao V. Nani, Wirla Pontes, Sandra Sanchez Sanchez, Michael V. Lombardo, Janaina S. de Souza, Mirian A. F. Hayashi, and Alysson R. Muotri.

URL: https://www.psypost.org/autism-severity-rooted-in-embryonic-brain-growth-study-suggests/

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DATE: July 02, 2024 at 08:00AM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG

TITLE: How personality traits predict life satisfaction: Insights from new study

URL: https://www.psypost.org/how-personality-traits-predict-life-satisfaction-insights-from-new-study/

How do personality traits predict life satisfaction? A recent study published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology explored this question while addressing methodological limitations in prior research.

Life satisfaction is a crucial psychological outcome, traditionally studied through the lens of religion and philosophy. Recent inquiries have focused on its links to relatively stable psychological traits, rooted in the idea that beyond situational factors and life circumstances, there may be underlying stable factors, like Big 5 personality, that shape satisfaction with one’s life.

Extensive research has tackled this question, albeit relying on single-method assessments, such as self-reports, which may inflate associations. The multifaceted nature of life satisfaction and possible overlap with personality facets necessitates a more sophisticated methodological approach.

Researchers Mõttus and colleagues employed a multitrait, multirated design across multiple samples to fill these gaps and provide robust estimates of the true correlations between personality and life satisfaction.

Data was collected from three distinct samples to ensure robustness and generalizability of the findings, including 20,886 Estonian-speaking participants, 768 Russian-speaking participants in Estonia and 600-English-speaking participants who were part of dyads (i.e., paired with informants) from various European countries.

Participants completed the 100 Nuances of Personality survey, a 198-item pool designed to comprehensively assess personality traits and life satisfaction, rated on a 6-point scale. Both participants and informants who knew them well completed this measure. Life satisfaction targeted specific domains including job, career choice, financial situation, residence and country.

Longitudinal data was available for 514 Estonian participants who had completed personality and life satisfaction assessments approximately 10 years prior, allowing the researchers to examine the stability of life satisfaction and correlations with personality over time as well.

Mõttus and colleagues observed significant correlations between personality traits and life satisfaction, highlighting the particularly strong predictive power of traits like emotional stability, extraversion, and conscientiousness. These traits were consistently found to be the most influential in determining life satisfaction, while other traits like openness and agreeableness showed minimal impact.

The analysis also revealed specific personality nuances that were strongly associated with lower life satisfaction, such as feelings of being misunderstood, lack of excitement, indecisiveness, and envy. Conversely, traits like confidence in one’s abilities and the belief that effort is rewarded were linked to higher life satisfaction.

The study utilized informant data alongside self-reports to estimate true correlations between personality traits and life satisfaction, controlling for biases like shared method variance and occasion-specific effects. This approach revealed that informant-reports generally supported the self-report findings, revealing similar trends.

Further, the aggregated domain satisfactions closely mirrored general life satisfaction, suggesting that an individual’s overall life satisfaction is largely a reflection of their satisfaction with various life domains combined.

Longitudinal data indicated that both life satisfaction and its relationships with personality traits remained stable over time, suggesting that the influences of personality traits on life satisfaction are consistent and persistent over long periods.

The researchers also evaluated the predictability of life satisfaction from personality traits and found that life satisfaction can be predicted with substantial accuracy based on these traits. This highlights the significant role of stable psychological characteristics in shaping how satisfied people are with their lives.

Overall, the results underscore the importance of considering both broad personality domains and specific nuances to fully understand the psychological underpinnings of life satisfaction.

A limitation to this research is the reliance on data from predominantly European samples, which may limit the generalizability of the findings to other cultural contexts.

The study, “Most people’s life satisfaction matches their personality traits: True correlations in multitrait, multirater, multisample data”, was authored by René Mõttus, Anu Realo, Jüri Allik, Liisi Ausmees, Samuel Henry, Robert R. McCrae, and Uku Vainik.

URL: https://www.psypost.org/how-personality-traits-predict-life-satisfaction-insights-from-new-study/

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DATE: July 02, 2024 at 06:00AM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG

TITLE: New study identifies the “ideal” number of sexual partners, according to social norms

URL: https://www.psypost.org/new-study-identifies-the-ideal-number-of-sexual-partners-according-to-social-norms/

A recent study has shed light on societal double standards regarding sexual activity in men and women. The research found that society tends to view men with high sexual activity more favorably than women with high sexual activity, while women with low sexual activity are judged more positively than men with low sexual activity.

Interestingly, both genders are rated most positively when their sexual activity levels are moderate. These findings, published in Social Psychological and Personality Science, offer a nuanced view of sexual norms, suggesting that while traditional double standards persist, they are not as straightforward as previously thought.

For decades, the concept of a sexual double standard has suggested that men are socially rewarded for being sexually active, while women are often punished for the same behavior. This traditional view has been supported by numerous studies, but the results have not always been consistent.

While some studies have shown strong evidence for sexual double standards, others have found only weak or inconsistent patterns. The researchers wanted to explore these differences and determine whether there are overarching trends that could explain the discrepancies. By examining societal evaluations of sexual activity across a range of behaviors and outcomes, they sought to provide a better understanding of how these standards operate in contemporary society.

Two distinct samples were used to ensure robust and generalizable findings. The first sample consisted of young adults recruited from a medium-sized German university and the surrounding community, totaling 190 participants. The second sample included 170 German residents recruited via the online platform Clickworker.

Participants from both samples were asked to consider how society would view a 25-year-old man or woman who exhibited one of seven levels of sexual activity, ranging from very low to very high. These levels were assessed across seven different sexual outcomes: number of sex partners, number of casual sex partners, age at sexual debut, frequency of sexual intercourse, frequency of masturbation, sexual desire, and frequency of sexual fantasies.

The study confirmed several traditional views about sexual double standards while also offering new insights. One of the primary findings was that high levels of sexual activity were rated more favorably for men than for women. This result aligns with long-standing beliefs that society rewards men for being sexually active. On the other hand, low levels of sexual activity were rated more favorably for women than for men, reinforcing the idea that women are praised for sexual restraint.

A significant and novel finding was that moderate levels of sexual activity were rated most favorably for both men and women, challenging the notion that only extremes (very high for men and very low for women) are socially rewarded.

The researchers identified an “ideal level of sexual activity” where societal evaluations were most positive. For men, the ideal number of sex partners was around 4 to 5 in their lifetime, with 2 to 3 casual sex partners, and an age of sexual debut at 18 to 20 years. They were also viewed most favorably with a frequency of sexual intercourse at 4 to 5 times per week, masturbation 3 to 4 times per week, sexual desire 3 times per day, and sexual fantasies 3 times per day.

For women, the ideal levels were lower: around 2 to 3 sex partners in their lifetime, 1 to 2 casual sex partners, and an age of sexual debut at 16 to 18 years. Women were ideally seen to have sexual intercourse 3 to 4 times per week, masturbate 2 to 3 times per week, and experience sexual desire and fantasies 2 times per day.

The researchers also explored whether deviations from the ideal level of sexual activity had asymmetric effects on societal evaluations. They found that women who exceeded the ideal level were more harshly judged than men, reinforcing the societal punishment for high sexual activity in women. But men who fell below the ideal level faced more negative evaluations than women, highlighting the societal pressure for men to be sexually active.

“There are both similarities and differences in the societal evaluation of male and female sexuality,” the researchers concluded. “People perceive that high levels of sexual activity are evaluated more positively for men than for women, while low levels of sexual activity are evaluated more positively for women than for men. However, contrary to common assumptions, moderate rather than extremely low or extremely high levels of sexual activity are most valued for both genders.”

The study’s limitations include its focus on German residents, which may limit the generalizability of the findings to other cultural contexts where sexual norms may differ. Additionally, the research concentrated on perceived societal evaluations rather than personal judgments, which might not fully capture the nuances of individual attitudes.

The study, “Sexual (Double) Standards Revisited: Similarities and Differences in the Societal Evaluation of Male and Female Sexuality,” was authored by Marcel Weber and Malte Friese.

URL: https://www.psypost.org/new-study-identifies-the-ideal-number-of-sexual-partners-according-to-social-norms/

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DATE: July 01, 2024 at 03:13PM
SOURCE: Psychiatric Times
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DATE: July 01, 2024 at 02:02PM
SOURCE: Psychiatric Times
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Despite the progress of 988, dispatchers are noticing an increase in 911 mental health calls. https://t.co/DhqbMY6CKm
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DATE: July 01, 2024 at 02:00PM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG

TITLE: Surge in microdosing interest linked to loosened drug regulations, study finds

URL: https://www.psypost.org/surge-in-microdosing-interest-linked-to-loosened-drug-regulations-study-finds/

Recent changes in drug regulations across the United States appear to have sparked a dramatic increase in public interest in microdosing, a practice involving the consumption of very small amounts of psychedelics. A new study published in JAMA Health Forum has highlighted this surge, noting a 1250% rise in microdosing-related Google searches from 2015 to 2023, with over three million searches in 2023 alone. This trend aligns with the relaxation of local, state, and federal regulations on cannabis and psychedelics, suggesting that legislative changes may be driving public curiosity.

Microdosing refers to the practice of consuming very small, subperceptual doses of psychedelics, typically about one-twentieth to one-fifth of a full dose. This means the dose is low enough that it does not produce the intense hallucinogenic effects associated with larger amounts of these substances.

Instead, proponents of microdosing claim that it can enhance cognitive function, improve mood, and boost overall well-being without causing significant alterations in consciousness. Common substances used for microdosing include lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), psilocybin (the active ingredient in certain mushrooms), and 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA).

Despite its rising popularity, there is a significant gap in scientific understanding of its effects, both positive and negative. Some preliminary studies suggest that any perceived benefits of microdosing might be attributable to placebo effects rather than the substances themselves. Additionally, there are concerns about the potential health risks associated with self-administering these substances, including headaches, anxiety, and the potential for inaccurate dosing.

Given the lack of reliable clinical evidence, the researchers sought to quantify public interest in microdosing and examine how recent legislative changes regarding the decriminalization and legalization of psychedelics and cannabis might be influencing this trend.

The researchers aimed to establish a clear picture of public interest by analyzing Google search trends over an extended period. They wanted to understand whether the loosening of drug regulations at local, state, and federal levels correlated with increased curiosity and potential usage of microdosing practices.

To investigate the public’s interest in microdosing, the researchers analyzed Google search trends from 2010 to 2023, focusing on terms such as “microdosing,” “micro dose,” “microdose,” and “micro dosing.” They utilized data from the Google API Client library to measure the frequency of these searches in the United States and across individual states. The researchers also examined related search queries to understand the context of these searches better.

The study incorporated a difference-in-differences approach to evaluate whether public interest in microdosing increased following the enactment of various cannabis and psychedelic policies. The researchers gathered data on state medical and recreational cannabis use policies, as well as local and statewide psychedelic decriminalization and legalization measures. They compared the search trends in states with and without these policies to assess the impact of legislative changes.

The study revealed a significant rise in microdosing-related searches starting around 2015, with annual increases averaging 12.2 searches per 10 million people. By 2023, the number of searches had increased by a factor of 13.4 compared to 2015 levels. The states with the highest growth rates were Colorado, Oregon, and Washington, with searches peaking in Oregon.

The difference-in-differences analysis showed that the enactment of local psychedelic decriminalization laws, statewide legalization of psychedelic-assisted therapy, and recreational cannabis use laws were all associated with significant increases in microdosing search rates.

For instance, local psychedelic decriminalization laws led to an increase of 22.4 searches per 10 million people, while statewide legalization of psychedelic-assisted therapy and decriminalization of psychedelics resulted in a rise of 28.9 searches per 10 million people. Recreational cannabis laws had the most substantial impact, with an increase of 40.9 searches per 10 million people.

The researchers also found that by 2023, the combination of medical and recreational cannabis policies, local psychedelic decriminalization, and statewide legalization of psychedelic-assisted therapy explained 27% of the variance in monthly microdosing search rates. States with the most permissive substance use policies saw the highest levels of interest in microdosing.

Despite the clear correlation between legislative changes and increased interest in microdosing, the study’s authors caution against drawing direct causal conclusions. Google search data reflects interest rather than actual use, and the motivations behind these searches can vary widely. Additionally, the study did not differentiate between specific substances used for microdosing, making it difficult to determine the relative popularity of different psychedelics.

The reliance on search data also means that the findings might not fully represent the broader population’s behaviors and attitudes. The study’s observational nature cannot account for all potential confounding factors, such as media influence or endorsements by public figures, which might also drive interest in microdosing.

“The findings of this cross-sectional analysis suggest that rigorous clinical studies are needed to evaluate the safety profile and potential benefits of microdosing to inform evidence-based practices and policymaking to match public interest,” the researchers wrote. “Additional population-based surveillance is needed to identify who is microdosing, their reasons, and how these practices might change with the evolving legal landscape.”

The study, “State Cannabis and Psychedelic Legislation and Microdosing Interest in the US,” was authored by Kevin H. Yang, Nora Satybaldiyeva, Matthew R. Allen, John W. Ayers, and Eric C. Leas.

URL: https://www.psypost.org/surge-in-microdosing-interest-linked-to-loosened-drug-regulations-study-finds/

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DATE: July 01, 2024 at 12:00PM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG

TITLE: Does emotional empathy increase with age? New meta-analysis has an answer

URL: https://www.psypost.org/does-emotional-empathy-increase-with-age-new-meta-analysis-has-an-answer/

A recent meta-analysis published in Psychology and Aging revealed higher levels of emotional empathy in older adults compared to younger adults.

Empathy is the ability to understand and share the feelings of others, a quality fundamental to human social interaction. While cognitive empathy refers to the ability to infer another’s emotional state, emotional empathy captures the emotional response to it. Some studies suggest that emotional empathy declines with age, while others indicate an increase or no significant change.

Socioemotional selectivity theory posits that older adults prioritize emotionally meaningful goals, potentially leading to heightened emotional empathy. In contrast, dynamic integration theory suggests that cognitive declines in later life might negatively impact emotional functioning, including empathy.

Amy L. Jarvis and colleagues conducted a meta-analysis to clarify these conflicting findings by examining the relationship between age and emotional empathy using data from multiple studies and various emotional empathy measures.

The researchers searched four major databases, including Embase, APA PsycInfo, Medline, and Scopus—up to October 2022 to identify relevant studies on emotional empathy and age. From an initial pool of 8,782 articles, 6,199 titles and abstracts were screened for eligibility after duplicates were removed. Next, 440 full-text articles were assessed, resulting in the final inclusion of 43 studies that met the criteria for the meta-analysis.

To be included, studies required original empirical data, be published in English, and include healthy younger (≤59 years old) and older adults (≥60 years old) without diagnosed psychiatric or neurological disorders.

Eligible studies had to employ validated measures of emotional empathy that aligned with a specific definition emphasizing congruent emotional responses to another’s emotional state.

The final sample consisted of 33 studies that compared categorical age differences in emotional empathy and 7 studies that examined emotional empathy across a continuous age range. The categorical analysis included 24,353 younger adults and 10,327 older adults while the continuous age analysis included 108,566 adults aged 18 to 100 years.

Jarvis and colleagues found that older adults demonstrated higher emotional empathy compared to younger adults, with a small but statistically significant effect size. This finding supports the socioemotional selectivity theory, suggesting that older adults may focus more on emotionally meaningful interactions, enhancing their emotional empathy. A positive correlation between age and emotional empathy was also observed when age was treated as a continuous variable, further indicating that emotional empathy may increase with age.

Further analyses showed that the type of measure (state vs. trait) did not significantly affect the age-emotional empathy relationship. However, the specific measures used did influence the results. For example, the Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI) Personal Distress subscale indicated a decline in emotional empathy with age, while the IRI Empathic Concern subscale showed no significant age differences.

Emotional Congruence measures, which assess congruent emotional responses, generally indicated an increase in emotional empathy with age. These findings highlight the importance of the specific instruments used.

One limitation is the predominance of cross-sectional designs in the included studies, which cannot definitively establish whether observed age-related differences in emotional empathy are due to actual changes over time or cohort effects.

The study, “Emotional empathy across adulthood: A meta-analytic review”, was authored by Amy L. Jarvis, Stephanie Wong, Michael Weightman, Erica S. Ghezzi, Rhianna L. S. Sharman, and Hannah A. D. Keage.

URL: https://www.psypost.org/does-emotional-empathy-increase-with-age-new-meta-analysis-has-an-answer/

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DATE: July 01, 2024 at 11:34AM
SOURCE: Psychiatric Times
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The Reagan-Udall Foundation for the FDA hosted a hybrid public workshop to explore the current uses and potential of ketamine. https://t.co/jGGBzHHFNm
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DATE: July 01, 2024 at 10:00AM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG

TITLE: Weird connection found between temperature and brain development

URL: https://www.psypost.org/weird-connection-found-between-temperature-and-brain-development/

Recent research provides evidence that exposure to hot and cold temperatures during early life stages can have lasting effects on brain development, particularly affecting the white matter in the brain. A study published in the journal Nature Climate Change has found that children exposed to high or low temperatures, especially those living in poorer neighborhoods, show significant changes in the microstructure of their brain’s white matter.

Climate change poses a severe threat to human health, with its effects becoming increasingly evident as global temperatures rise. Children are particularly susceptible to the adverse effects of extreme temperatures due to their developing thermoregulation systems.

Previous studies have linked temperature variations to various health issues, including increased anxiety, depression, and aggressive behavior in children. However, the underlying structural brain changes due to these temperature exposures remained largely unexplored. This study aimed to fill that gap by investigating the potential impacts of heat and cold exposure on the white matter microstructure in children’s brains.

“Temperature impacts on human health are cause of concern for the scientific community and society, given the ongoing climate change emergency,” said study author Laura Granés, a medical doctor and predoctoral researcher at Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBELL) and at the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal).

“Childhood is a vulnerable period to environmental exposures, and the brain is particularly susceptible during early life. Although some studies had found an association between temperature and mental health/cognitive outcomes, no previous studies had assessed the potential effects of temperature on children’s brain.”

The researchers conducted their study within the framework of the Generation R Study, a long-term research project based in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. They recruited 9,896 pregnant women between April 2002 and January 2006, following their children from birth. For this specific study, 2,681 children aged 9 to 12 underwent brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) sessions to evaluate their white matter microstructure.

To assess temperature exposure, the researchers used the UrbClim model, which provides high-resolution hourly estimates of ambient temperature. They calculated the mean temperature over four-week periods from conception until the children’s MRI assessments. The average four-week mean temperature during the study period was 12.0 degrees Celsius (53.6 degrees Fahrenheit).

Cold and heat exposures were defined based on the temperature distribution during the study period. Cold exposure was defined as the 5th percentile of the monthly temperature distribution. This corresponds to a mean temperature of 2.6 degrees Celsius (36.7 degrees Fahrenheit). Heat exposure was defined as the 95th percentile of the monthly temperature distribution. This corresponds to a mean temperature of 20.2 degrees Celsius (68.3 degrees Fahrenheit).

White matter was analyzed using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), focusing on two key metrics: mean diffusivity (MD) and fractional anisotropy (FA). These metrics help in understanding the density and organization of white matter tracts in the brain. Lower MD values and higher FA values typically indicate healthier white matter.

The study found that exposure to both cold and heat during early life was associated with significant changes in the microstructure of white matter. Specifically, cold exposure from the third month of pregnancy to the fifteenth month of life and heat exposure from the ninth month of life to 2.6 years of age were linked to higher global MD values at ages 9 to 12 years. Higher MD values indicate poorer white matter microstructure, which can affect neural connectivity and cognitive function.

“It is challenging to provide messages for the average person based on findings of one single study,” Granés told PsyPost. “I would say we need to be aware of the vulnerability of fetuses and children to these exposures in early life, but the solutions are not individual actions but public health policies for climate change adaptation and mitigation.”

Interestingly, the study did not find a significant association between temperature exposure and FA values. This suggests that while cold and heat may impact the overall diffusion properties of white matter, they might not affect its directional coherence to the same extent.

In a more detailed analysis, the researchers identified specific windows of susceptibility to temperature extremes. For cold exposure, these periods mostly spanned from pregnancy to the early years of life. For heat exposure, vulnerability periods were identified from around birth to three years of age in several white matter tracts, including the cingulum bundle, corticospinal tract, and superior longitudinal fasciculus.

Furthermore, the study revealed that children living in lower socioeconomic status (SES) neighborhoods were more vulnerable to the effects of temperature extremes. This finding underscores the importance of considering socio-economic factors when assessing the health impacts of climate change.

“It was interesting to see that there were some differences in the effects when we compared children living in neighborhoods with lower socioeconomic status vs those who were living in neighborhoods with a higher socioeconomic status, as we could see more effects in the first group,” Granés said. “Our hypothesis/interpretation of these findings is that these differences could be explained by poorer housing conditions or energy poverty (but this should be further investigated).”

While this study provides valuable insights, it has some limitations. One key limitation is the lack of indoor temperature data. Since children, especially infants, spend significant time indoors, indoor temperatures could differ significantly from outdoor estimates, potentially affecting the accuracy of the findings. Additionally, the study did not account for temperature exposures at daycare centers or schools, which could be relevant for older children.

“We are currently working on other projects to assess the impact of temperature exposure during childhood, considering other health outcomes such as brain function, behavior and psychological symptoms, and sleep quality,” Granés said.

The study, “Early life cold and heat exposure impacts white matter development in children,” was authored by Laura Granés, Esmée Essers, Joan Ballester, Sami Petricola, Henning Tiemeier, Carmen Iñiguez, Carles Soriano-Mas, and Mònica Guxens.

URL: https://www.psypost.org/weird-connection-found-between-temperature-and-brain-development/

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DATE: July 01, 2024 at 08:00AM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG

TITLE: Combining psychological factors and biomarkers shows promise in Alzheimer’s prediction

URL: https://www.psypost.org/combining-psychological-factors-and-biomarkers-shows-promise-in-alzheimers-prediction/

Researchers in Germany have discovered that a combination of psychological factors and specific biological markers can help predict Alzheimer’s disease. By analyzing personality traits, depression and anxiety levels, genetic markers, and cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers, the study offers new insights into early detection. However, distinguishing between mild cognitive impairment and subjective cognitive decline remains challenging. Their study was published in the International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry.

As people age, their cognitive abilities often decline. Neural cells progressively die, resulting in the loss of brain volume and what is commonly referred to as brain shrinkage. However, the pace of this decline is not the same for everyone. While some individuals maintain very good cognitive abilities into very old age, others start experiencing cognitive decline relatively early. One condition associated with an accelerated pace of cognitive decline is Alzheimer’s disease.

Alzheimer’s disease is a neurodegenerative disorder primarily affecting memory, thinking, and behavior. One of the earliest signs is difficulty remembering recent events or conversations, which gradually worsens over time. As the disease advances, individuals experience confusion, disorientation, and difficulty with language, problem-solving, and decision-making.

Normal aging also involves cognitive changes, such as slower processing speeds and occasional memory lapses, but these changes do not significantly interfere with daily life. In Alzheimer’s disease, however, the cognitive decline is more severe and leads to substantial impairment in daily activities and independence.

Study author Konrad F. Waschkies and his colleagues note that the onset of Alzheimer’s disease is typically gradual. Alzheimer’s disease is generally preceded by years during which an individual experiences subjective cognitive decline (feeling that their cognitive abilities have decreased) and mild cognitive impairment.

While effective treatment options are limited once severe cognitive decline has occurred, early intervention might be more beneficial. When Alzheimer’s disease is fully developed, its diagnosis is relatively straightforward. However, detecting the early signs of the disease is much harder.

To address this challenge, these researchers conducted a study to develop a method for differentiating between individuals with Alzheimer’s disease, subjective cognitive decline, mild cognitive impairment, and healthy individuals using a set of psychological characteristics and various biomarkers.

Data for this study came from 733 participants in the DELCODE project, a research initiative in Germany aimed at understanding the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease by studying a cohort of individuals with subjective cognitive decline, mild cognitive impairment, and early-stage Alzheimer’s. All participants were 60 years old or older and fluent in German.

Study participants underwent magnetic resonance imaging scans and completed several psychological assessments. These included assessments of personality (the Big Five Inventory, short form – BFI-10), depression (the Geriatric Depression Scale, short form), and anxiety (the Geriatric Anxiety Inventory, short form).

They also completed a genetic test to identify variations of the APOE gene, a gene associated with the risk of Alzheimer’s disease, and provided samples of their cerebrospinal fluid. This fluid, found in the brain and the spinal cord, allowed the researchers to assess biomarkers of Alzheimer’s disease, which reflect the extent of neuronal damage and the presence of amyloid-beta plaques, a type of peptide that accumulates in the brains of individuals with Alzheimer’s.

Study authors tested various combinations of available data to see how well they could identify Alzheimer’s disease groups. They found that combining age, gender, and participants’ location was not very effective at identifying whether a participant was healthy, had mild or subjective cognitive impairment, or Alzheimer’s disease. The researchers called this the base model.

Adding data on the neural activity of the default mode network (a network of brain regions active while a person is at rest) improved the results somewhat. The researchers were best able to differentiate the healthy participants from the other groups by adding data on participants’ personality, depression, and anxiety levels to the prediction model. Adding cerebrospinal fluid markers to the base model created a prediction system that was very effective at identifying participants with Alzheimer’s disease but poor at differentiating healthy participants from the other groups.

“Our results show that no single combination of the evaluated features achieved consistently superior class accuracies for all assessed participant groups. The combination of depression and anxiety scores was most effective in classifying healthy controls, supporting previous findings that regard late‐life depression as a prodrome of Alzheimer’s disease, while CSF [cerebrospinal fluid] biomarkers were most effective in classifying participants with mild Alzheimer’s disease”, the study authors concluded.

“The highest overall prediction accuracies across all participant groups were achieved by a combination of personality traits with scores of depression and anxiety, closely followed by CSF biomarkers and the ApoE genotype [the test identifying the variant of the APOE gene, associated with Alzheimer’s]. These findings indicate that a combination of CSF biomarkers, personality, depression and anxiety scores, and the ApoE genotype may have complementary value for classification of AD [Alzheimer’s disease] and associated at‐risk states.”

The study explores ways to identify individuals with Alzheimer’s disease using psychological data, cerebrospinal biomarkers, and neuroimaging data. However, it should be noted that psychological characteristics were assessed using self-reports, and some participants received help from their caregivers to complete them, which might have affected the results.

The paper, “Machine learning‐based classification of Alzheimer’s disease and its at‐risk states using personality traits, anxiety, and depression,” was authored by Konrad F. Waschkies, Joram Soch, Margarita Darna, Anni Richter, Slawek Altenstein, Aline Beyle, Frederic Brosseron, Friederike Buchholz, Michaela Butryn, Laura Dobisch, Michael Ewers, Klaus Fliessbach, Tatjana Gabelin, Wenzel Glanz, Doreen Goerss, Daria Gref, Daniel Janowitz, Ingo Kilimann, Andrea Lohse, Matthias H. Munk, Boris‐Stephan Rauchmann, Ayda Rostamzadeh, Nina Roy, Eike Jakob Spruth, Peter Dechent, Michael T. Heneka, Stefan Hetzer, Alfredo Ramirez, Klaus Scheffler, Katharina Buerger, Christoph Laske, Robert Perneczky, Oliver Peters, Josef Priller, Anja Schneider, Annika Spottke, Stefan Teipel, Emrah Düzel, Frank Jessen, Jens Wiltfang, Björn H. Schott, and Jasmin M. Kizilirmak.

URL: https://www.psypost.org/combining-psychological-factors-and-biomarkers-shows-promise-in-alzheimers-prediction/

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DATE: June 30, 2024 at 04:00PM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG

TITLE: Scientists observe faster brain shrinkage in Alzheimer’s patients with high amyloid-beta levels

URL: https://www.psypost.org/scientists-observe-faster-brain-shrinkage-in-alzheimers-patients-with-high-amyloid-beta-levels/

A recent study has revealed significant insights into the early brain changes associated with Alzheimer’s disease, focusing on volume loss in key brain regions. The researchers found that volume loss in the basal forebrain and hippocampus is more pronounced in individuals with high levels of amyloid-beta, a protein linked to Alzheimer’s, even before cognitive symptoms become apparent. The effect of amyloid-beta concentration on the pace of brain shrinkage (volume loss) varied between brain regions. The study was published in the Neurobiology of Aging.

Amyloid-beta is a peptide that accumulates in the brain and forms plaques, disrupting communication between neurons and leading to their death. This peptide, a hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease, contributes to the progressive decline in cognitive functions. Over time, the accumulation of amyloid-beta impairs neurons’ ability to form new connections, crucial for learning and memory.

This accumulation can also impair synaptic plasticity, the ability of neurons to form new connections. Over time, the loss of neurons becomes widespread, leading to a decrease in the volume of neuronal matter in affected brain regions, resulting in brain shrinkage.

Study author Ying Xia and her colleagues wanted to investigate the nature and magnitude of volume loss in the basal forebrain and hippocampus regions of older individuals with and without Alzheimer’s disease. As the brain naturally loses volume with age, leading to overall cognitive decline, the researchers aimed to determine if the pace of this decline is associated with the level of amyloid-beta in the brain.

Data for this study came from 516 individuals aged 60 years or more participating in the Australian Imaging, Biomarker and Lifestyle (AIBL) study of aging. At the start of the study, 40 of these individuals had Alzheimer’s disease, 62 had mild cognitive impairment, and 414 were without cognitive impairments.

At the start of the study, participants underwent positron emission tomography (PET) imaging to assess amyloid-beta levels, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to assess brain volumes, and completed cognitive assessments. They were followed for up to 14 years, with an average follow-up of 5 years. During this period, participants completed at least one more MRI, with 61% completing three or more MRIs, while the remaining participants completed two.

Based on their condition at the start of the study, participants were categorized as either having or not having cognitive impairment and as either having high or low levels of amyloid-beta plaques in their brains. At the start of the study, 56% of participants had neither cognitive impairments nor high amyloid-beta levels. Twenty percent had high amyloid-beta levels but no cognitive impairment. Seventeen percent had both cognitive impairment and high amyloid-beta levels, while 8% had cognitive impairments with low amyloid-beta levels.

Individuals who were cognitively impaired and those with high amyloid-beta levels tended to have lower volumes of the basal forebrain and the hippocampus at the start of the study. Over time, results showed that both the basal forebrain and hippocampus in participants with high amyloid-beta levels lost volume faster compared to those with low amyloid-beta levels.

“These findings strongly support the early and substantial vulnerability of the BF [basal forebrain region] and further reveal the distinctive degeneration of BF subregions in normal aging and AD [Alzheimer’s disease],” the study authors concluded.

The study sheds light on the links between amyloid-beta levels and the pace of brain shrinkage with aging. However, the study authors note that participants in this study tended to be better educated than the general population, had high scores on cognitive tests, and had few additional medical conditions. Results might differ if the study were conducted on individuals more representative of the general population.

The paper, “Longitudinal trajectories of basal forebrain volume in normal aging and Alzheimer’s disease,” was authored by Ying Xia, Paul Maruff, Vincent Doré, Pierrick Bourgeat, Simon M. Laws, Christopher Fowler, Stephanie R. Rainey-Smith, Ralph N. Martins, Victor L. Villemagne, Christopher C. Rowe, Colin L. Masters, Elizabeth J. Coulson, and Jurgen Fripp.

URL: https://www.psypost.org/scientists-observe-faster-brain-shrinkage-in-alzheimers-patients-with-high-amyloid-beta-levels/

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DATE: June 30, 2024 at 02:00PM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG

TITLE: Infant brain microstructure may predict emotional development

URL: https://www.psypost.org/infant-brain-microstructure-may-predict-emotional-development/

A recent study has identified potential early brain markers in infants that may indicate a risk for future mental health problems. Researchers discovered that the microstructural complexity in specific prefrontal brain regions could be linked to higher negative emotionality and lower positive emotionality in infants, providing insights into their future emotional and behavioral development. The findings have been published in Biological Psychiatry.

Microstructural complexity refers to the organization of tiny structures within the brain, such as neurons (nerve cells), axons (nerve fibers), and dendrites (branch-like extensions of neurons). It involves how densely packed these structures are and how they are oriented or arranged. Higher microstructural complexity can indicate more connections and pathways, which can affect how the brain processes information and emotions.

Childhood emotional reactivity, which includes frequent and intense emotional responses, is a significant factor in the development of future mental health issues. Both positive and negative forms of emotionality can be reliably assessed in the first months of life and serve as early behavioral indicators of vulnerability to mental health problems.

High levels of negative emotionality in infants are associated with later mental health issues such as depression, anxiety, and behavioral problems, while low levels of positive emotionality are linked to behavioral inhibition and depression. Understanding the neural substrates of these emotional traits can help identify early targets for preventing emergent psychopathology.

The study involved 62 infants and their caregivers, recruited through various services at the University of Pittsburgh. Infants underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at three months old to assess their brain microstructure.

Researchers used a technique called neurite orientation dispersion and density imaging (NODDI) to measure the density and orientation of neurites (axons and dendrites) in different prefrontal cortex (PFC) subregions. These subregions included areas associated with salience perception, decision making, action selection, and attentional processes. Additionally, caregivers completed a questionnaire assessing their infants’ negative and positive emotionality at three and nine months old.

The researchers found significant relationships between the microstructural complexity in specific PFC subregions and infants’ emotionality. Higher neurite density and orientation dispersion in the rostral anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and caudal ACC were associated with greater negative emotionality at three months. These findings suggest that increased microstructural complexity in these regions may lead to greater integration with other neural networks, resulting in heightened sensitivity to negative external cues and higher negative emotionality.

Similarly, higher neurite orientation dispersion in the lateral orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) was associated with greater negative emotionality at nine months, indicating that this brain region’s microstructural complexity might contribute to sustained negative emotionality over time. On the other hand, higher neurite orientation dispersion in the dorsolateral PFC was linked to lower positive emotionality at three months, suggesting that increased complexity in this region could lead to overregulation of positive emotions.

In other words, the findings provide evidence that the organization and density of tiny structures in specific parts of the brain are important factors in determining how infants experience and regulate their emotions. Infants with more complex brain microstructures in certain areas tend to have stronger negative emotional reactions and fewer positive emotional responses. This early brain development could influence their emotional behavior as they grow, highlighting the significance of brain structure in shaping emotional health from a young age.

Overall, these findings highlight the importance of early brain development in emotional health and provide a potential pathway for early detection and intervention strategies aimed at promoting better mental health outcomes from infancy through adulthood.

Future research should aim to include more nuanced measures of socioeconomic status, such as neighborhood deprivation and family income, to better understand the environmental factors influencing infant brain development and emotionality. Incorporating laboratory-based, independently observed measures of infant behavior by trained experts could also enhance the reliability of emotionality assessments.

The study, “Early Infant Prefrontal Cortical Microstructure Predicts Present and Future Emotionality,” was authored by Yicheng Zhang, Layla Banihashemi, Amelia Versace, Ashok Panigrahy, Alison E. Hipwell, and Mary L. Phillips.

URL: https://www.psypost.org/infant-brain-microstructure-may-predict-emotional-development/

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DATE: June 30, 2024 at 12:00PM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG

TITLE: Do you smell what I smell? New study reveals surprising variability in odor preferences

URL: https://www.psypost.org/do-you-smell-what-i-smell-new-study-reveals-surprising-variability-in-odor-preferences/

A recent study published in Biological Letters found that while there are some cross-cultural similarities in odor pleasantness, cultural and ecological factors significantly influence how smells are perceived.

Odor pleasantness affects a wide range of human behaviors and preferences, ranging from dietary choices to social interactions. Studies have shown that both innate factors and cultural experiences can shape how we perceive smells, but the universality of these perceptions is unclear. By comparing ratings of common odors across various cultural groups, researchers Piotr Sorokowski and colleagues examined whether our preferences are more influenced by the inherent properties of the odors or by the cultural and ecological contexts in which we experience them.

The study involved 582 participants from five culturally and ecologically diverse groups: the Hadza from Tanzania, the Tsimane’ from Bolivia, the Yali from New Guinea, and industrialized populations in Poland and Malaysia. Participants included 86 Hadza, 96 Malaysians, 200 Poles, 144 Tsimane’, and 56 Yali, representing a range of lifestyles from hunter-gatherers to industrialized urban dwellers. This diverse sample allowed the researchers to examine how different cultural and ecological contexts influence odor perception.

Participants were presented with 15 odor samples, which included both familiar scents like banana, coffee, and cinnamon, and less familiar ones like leather and turpentine. These odors were selected to cover a range of pleasantness as judged by Western standards. The participants rated each odor for pleasantness and familiarity. The Hadza and Yali provided ratings on a 3-point scale while the Malaysians, Poles, and Tsimane’ used a 5-point scale, with extremes representing “I do not like it at all” and “I like it a lot.”

To ensure comprehension and consistency, the researchers employed interpreters for non-industrialized groups and conducted checks by asking participants to rate the same odors at different points during the study. The researchers converted the different scales to a common metric using the percent of the maximum possible score (POMP) method, which standardizes scores across different scales while preserving the underlying differences in responses, allowing for meaningful comparisons across the diverse participant groups.

The study found significant differences in how participants from different cultures rated the pleasantness of various odors. The identity of the odors explained a notable portion of the variation in ratings, with odor identity accounting for 14% of the variance in the full sample and 19% when excluding the Yali group. In comparison, the population explained only 7% of the variance, suggesting that the specific odors themselves had a stronger impact on pleasantness ratings than cultural differences alone.

Familiarity with the odors was the strongest predictor of pleasantness, explaining 37% of the variance. This suggests that participants tended to rate familiar odors as more pleasant. The Hadza rated the odors as the least pleasant, followed by the Malaysians, Tsimane’, Yali, and Poles. Including familiarity in the analysis showed even greater differences in how pleasant the odors were perceived, emphasizing the role of cultural exposure.

Familiarity had a greater influence on the ratings of the most pleasant odors (such as peach, strawberry, and coffee) compared to the least pleasant odors (such as butter, butanol, and grass). This finding underscores the role of cultural exposure in shaping preferences, as people tend to have more positive reactions to smells they frequently encounter in their daily lives.

The researchers note that future studies should consider including odors more representative of the ecological and cultural contexts of all participant groups to reduce potential biases and improve the comparability of results.

The study, “Is the perception of odor pleasantness shared across cultures and ecological conditions? Evidence from Amazonia, East Africa, New Guinea, Malaysia and Poland”, was authored by Piotr Sorokowski, Michał Misiak, S. Craig Roberts, Marta Kowal, Marina Butovskaya, Mohd Sofian Omar-Fauzee, Tomás Huanca, and Agnieszka Sorokowska.

URL: https://www.psypost.org/do-you-smell-what-i-smell-new-study-reveals-surprising-variability-in-odor-preferences/

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DATE: June 30, 2024 at 10:00AM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG

TITLE: Psychedelics show promise in enhancing brain plasticity

URL: https://www.psypost.org/psychedelics-show-promise-in-enhancing-brain-plasticity/

Recent studies have started uncovering the potential benefits of psychedelics on the brain, especially concerning cognitive and emotional health. A recent meta-analysis published in the Journal of Psychopharmacology has found that individuals who consume psychedelics exhibit significantly higher levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) compared to healthy non-users. This increase in BDNF suggests that psychedelics might enhance the brain’s ability to adapt and reorganize itself, potentially offering new avenues for treating mental health disorders.

BDNF is a protein that plays a critical role in the health and functioning of the brain. It supports the survival of existing neurons and encourages the growth and differentiation of new neurons and synapses. BDNF is vital for long-term memory, learning, and the overall plasticity of the brain—its ability to change and adapt in response to new experiences.

Alterations in BDNF levels have been linked to various neuropsychiatric disorders, including depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Higher levels of BDNF are generally associated with better cognitive function and mental health, making it a key area of interest for researchers studying the brain and its many functions.

The researchers conducted a meta-analysis on the relationship between psychedelics and BDNF levels to address a significant gap in the existing literature. While individual studies have explored the effects of psychedelics on neurotransmitter systems and immediate brain functions, the long-term molecular impacts, particularly concerning BDNF, are less understood.

By aggregating data from different studies, a meta-analysis can identify patterns, common findings, and potential discrepancies among the studies. This method increases the statistical power and improves the estimate of the effect size, making it easier to draw meaningful conclusions.

“My interest in this topic arises from the growing evidence that psychedelics significantly impact mental health,” said study author Arman Shafiee of the Alborz University of Medical Science.

The researchers followed stringent guidelines to conduct this meta-analysis, adhering to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) framework. They registered their study protocol in the international database PROSPERO.

A comprehensive search was conducted across multiple databases, including Embase, Scopus, Web of Science, and PubMed, from their inception until July 9, 2023. The researchers used a broad range of keywords related to psychedelics and BDNF to ensure a thorough search. Only randomized clinical trials that evaluated changes in BDNF levels after psychedelic use were included. Observational studies, animal studies, and other non-relevant publications were excluded.

Out of an initial pool of 549 articles, nine studies met the inclusion criteria for this meta-analysis. These studies were published between 2019 and 2023 and conducted in Switzerland and Brazil. Most of these studies were of low risk of bias.

The meta-analysis confirmed that psychedelic users had significantly higher BDNF levels than non-users. The pooled standardized mean difference was 0.20, indicating a modest but statistically significant increase. Subgroup analyses showed that the increase in BDNF was more evident with certain psychedelics, particularly dimethyltryptamine (DMT). The results remained consistent across different sources of BDNF measurements, with plasma levels showing more robust evidence than serum levels.

Despite the promising findings, the study had several limitations. The sample sizes in the included studies were relatively small, ranging from 16 to 73, and the heterogeneity between studies could influence the results. Furthermore, variations in the duration of psychedelic use and the gender distribution among participants might have affected the findings.

Future research should aim to include larger and more diverse samples to provide more reliable evidence. Additionally, studies should consider both plasma and serum BDNF levels and explore potential differences in BDNF response between men and women. The researchers also noted the need for more randomized controlled trials to confirm the clinical efficacy and safety of psychedelics as therapeutic agents.

“Our findings suggest that psychedelics may increase BDNF levels, potentially enhancing neuroplasticity and improving mental health outcomes, indicating their potential as treatments for conditions like depression,” Shafiee told PsyPost. “However, more controlled clinical trials are necessary to establish causality, understand long-term effects, and evaluate the risks and safety of psychedelic use.”

The study, “The effect of psychedelics on the level of brain-derived neurotrophic factor: A systematic review and meta-analysis,” was authored by Arman Shafiee, Razman Arabzadeh Bahri, Mohammad Ali Rafiei, Fatemeh Esmaeilpur Abianeh, Parsa Razmara, Kyana Jafarabady, and Mohammad Javad Amini.

URL: https://www.psypost.org/psychedelics-show-promise-in-enhancing-brain-plasticity/

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DATE: June 30, 2024 at 08:00AM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG

TITLE: Can inequality affect morality? Research shows potential connection

URL: https://www.psypost.org/can-inequality-affect-morality-research-shows-potential-connection/

New research published in PLOS One suggests that people may expect to engage in more unethical behavior when they perceive higher levels of economic inequality in society. This finding could have implications for societal trust and cooperation.

Economic inequality has been a growing concern globally, with uneven distribution of wealth and income within society affecting various aspects of life.

Previous studies have linked higher inequality to increased unethical behaviors such as corruption and crime.

However, it was unclear whether individuals are aware of this link and whether it influences their expectations of how they would behave on an everyday basis.

Led by Anita Schmalor, researchers at the University of British Columbia and the University of Toronto conducted a series of studies to explore whether perceptions of economic inequality could influence people’s expectations of engaging in unethical behavior.

The studies involved over 3,000 American participants in total, and used a combination of 4 studies, each with different experimental manipulations.

In study 1, participants were asked to imagine living in societies with different levels of inequality. In study 2a and 2b, participants assessed their perceptions of inequality in their actual lives. In study 3, participants were informed via a short video that either described that inequality has been increasing over the last few decades, or that inequality has dropped due to increases in social spending.

For each of the studies, the participants then reported how likely they would be to engage in various unethical behaviors, such as eating food without paying at a restaurant where they worked, or keeping a pair of pants that was delivered to the wrong address.

The results showed that in studies 1 and 2, participants who perceived higher inequality were marginally more likely to expect they would behave unethically. However, the findings were not consistent across all studies. Participants in study 3 who were presented with the video centered on high inequality did not report they would be more likely to act unethically, compared with participants in the low inequality condition.

Because of the discrepant findings, an internal meta-analysis was conducted. It revealed a small but significant overall effect, suggesting a potential link between inequality perceptions and expectations of unethical behavior.

The authors proposed, “the results of this research provide a plausible mechanism for the common finding of past research that higher economic inequality is associated with lower levels of trust. As suggested by the present research, people are expecting that they will act more unethically. In turn, this belief may then decrease levels of trust. If people expect that they will act more unethically, societal functioning and cooperation may become undermined. Further, this belief may also increase the actual occurrence of unethical behavior.”

The studies have several limitations, including the lack of measuring actual unethical behavior, which could differ from people’s expectations and self-reported beliefs of their behaviors. Additionally, the studies were conducted only within the USA, where there are higher levels of inequality compared to other industrialized countries, which limits generalizability of findings.

The study, “When are people more open to cheating? Economic inequality makes people expect more everyday unethical behavior”, was authored by Anita Schmalor, Adrian K. Schroeder, and Steven J. Heine.

URL: https://www.psypost.org/can-inequality-affect-morality-research-shows-potential-connection/

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DATE: June 29, 2024 at 02:00PM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG

TITLE: New study links early maltreatment to higher risk of teen dating violence

URL: https://www.psypost.org/new-study-links-early-maltreatment-to-higher-risk-of-teen-dating-violence/

A recent study published in the Journal of Child & Adolescent Trauma explores the complex relationships between adolescent maltreatment, parent-child attachment, and dating violence and risky sexual behavior. The findings indicate that early maltreatment significantly predicts later dating violence.

Adolescence is an important developmental period marked by significant changes in the brain, body, emotions, and social relationships. During this time, teens begin to explore romantic relationships, which can greatly influence their emotional well-being and future relationship patterns.

High-quality adolescent romantic relationships are linked to positive self-concept, better social support, and healthier adult romantic relationships. However, adolescents who have experienced maltreatment are more likely to enter violent or unhealthy relationships, engage in risky sexual behaviors, and face mental and physical health challenges.

The study followed 179 adolescents aged 12 to 18, predominantly recruited from a youth forensic center or a provincial mental health facility in British Columbia. Participants were mostly white (66%) or Indigenous (23%). Those with intellectual disabilities or severe psychiatric conditions were excluded. Researchers collected data at two points: initially when the participants were around 15 years old and then again five years later when they were around 20 years old.

At the first time point, participants completed questionnaires assessing their experiences of maltreatment (physical abuse, psychological abuse, and witnessing interparental violence) and their attachment to their parents. Maltreatment was measured using the Family Background Questionnaire, while parent-child attachment was assessed with the Adolescent Attachment Anxiety and Avoidance Inventory.

Five years later, participants reported on their involvement in dating violence (using the Revised Conflict Tactics Scale) and risky sexual behaviors (through a phone interview adapted from national health studies). Dating violence measures included instances of physical, psychological, and sexual violence perpetration and victimization. Risky sexual behavior was assessed by examining behaviors like age of sexual onset, contraceptive use, condom use with casual partners, and experiences of sexual solicitation.

The researchers found that 89% of adolescents reported psychological maltreatment, 66% reported physical maltreatment, and 44% witnessed interparental violence. Adolescents who experienced maltreatment were more likely to perpetrate and be victimized by dating violence five years later. This aligns with existing research that suggests early experiences of abuse can set a pattern for future violent relationships.

In terms of parent-child attachment, the study discovered that higher levels of attachment anxiety were linked to greater perpetration of physical dating violence. Attachment anxiety is characterized by a constant need for reassurance and fear of abandonment, which can manifest in aggressive behaviors to maintain closeness and control within relationships.

“These findings add to existing cross-sectional research with community and low-risk samples by demonstrating that maltreatment and attachment anxiety with parents in early adolescence significantly predicts [dating violence] reported five years later among high-risk teens, a population in which maltreatment and strained parent-child relationships are particularly prevalent,” the researchers wrote.

Interestingly, the study also found that attachment avoidance, which involves a tendency to distance oneself from emotional closeness with parents, was associated with lower engagement in risky sexual behaviors. This finding suggests that adolescents who are uncomfortable with intimacy may be more cautious in their sexual relationships, potentially avoiding situations that could lead to risky behaviors. This counterintuitive result points to the complex ways in which different forms of attachment insecurity can influence adolescent behavior.

But as with any study, there are some caveats to consider. The study focused on a high-risk sample, limiting its generalizability to the broader adolescent population. Future research should include diverse samples to better understand these dynamics across different groups.

“More research is needed to identify key risk factors that can be targeted in clinical intervention and prevention programs that aim to promote healthy relationships and conflict management strategies and increase adolescents’ awareness of safe sex practices,” the researchers added. “Future research that considers gender and sexual diversities and how risk and protective factors and teens’ relationship behaviours are conceptualized and measured holds significant promise to strengthen our understanding of these experiences and in turn, mitigate adolescent risk.”

The study, “Maltreatment and Parent-Child Attachment as Predictors of Dating Violence and Risky Sexual Behaviour Among High-Risk Teens,” was authored by Cassia L. McIntyre, Natalie Goulter, and Marlene M. Moretti.

URL: https://www.psypost.org/new-study-links-early-maltreatment-to-higher-risk-of-teen-dating-violence/

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DATE: June 29, 2024 at 12:00PM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG

TITLE: Scientists identify mysterious retinal cells that could alter our understanding of color perception

URL: https://www.psypost.org/scientists-identify-mysterious-retinal-cells-that-could-alter-our-understanding-of-color-perception/

Researchers at the University of Rochester have made groundbreaking advancements in our understanding of color perception. In a recent study published in the Journal of Neuroscience, they identified rare retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) that could fill critical gaps in our knowledge of how we see colors. These findings indicate that, in addition to the established color detection pathways followed by most RGCs, a small number of these non-conventional cells may play an important role in color vision.

The study was driven by a fundamental question in visual neuroscience: how does the human eye process and perceive color? Scientists have long known that the retina contains three types of cone photoreceptors sensitive to short, medium, and long wavelengths of light. These cones transmit information to the brain via retinal ganglion cells.

In the 1980s, research by David Williams at the University of Rochester identified three primary pathways — known as cardinal directions — that describe basic color detection. These cones transmit information to the brain through RGCs, following three cardinal directions: luminance (combining signals from medium and long wavelengths), red-green (opposition between long and medium wavelengths), and blue-yellow (opposition between short wavelengths and the combined signals of medium and long wavelengths).

However, these pathways do not fully explain how humans perceive the richness and diversity of colors. The researchers suspected that alongside these primary pathways, there might be additional, less common RGCs that play a crucial role in color perception.

To explore this hypothesis, the researchers employed advanced imaging techniques. They used adaptive optics, a technology initially developed by astronomers to correct for distortions in telescopic images caused by the Earth’s atmosphere. This technology was adapted to correct for distortions in the eye, providing unprecedented clarity of individual photoreceptor cells.

The study involved imaging the eyes of three macaque monkeys using adaptive optics and calcium imaging. These techniques allowed the scientists to observe and measure the responses of RGCs in the fovea, the central part of the retina responsible for sharp central vision. The macaques were chosen for their similarities to human vision.

The researchers administered viral vectors to the monkeys to express a calcium indicator in the RGCs. This indicator allowed the cells to fluoresce when activated by light, enabling the scientists to track their responses to various color stimuli. The monkeys were shown a series of light patterns designed to isolate responses from different types of cones.

The study confirmed the existence of non-cardinal RGCs in the primate retina. These cells displayed unique response patterns that do not align with the previously established cardinal directions. Specifically, the researchers found RGCs that responded to combinations of red and green, and blue and yellow light in ways not predicted by existing models of color vision.

“We don’t really know anything for certain yet about these cells other than that they exist,” said Sara Patterson, a postdoctoral researcher at the Center for Visual Science, who led the study. “There’s so much more that we have to learn about how their response properties operate, but they’re a compelling option as a missing link in how our retina processes color.”

The presence of these non-cardinal cells suggests that the retina’s role in color perception is more complex than previously thought. These cells could be responsible for the nuanced way humans perceive colors beyond the primary hues dictated by the cardinal pathways. For example, they may contribute to the perception of intermediate colors and the subtle variations in color that enrich our visual experience.

But the researchers noted that their findings are based on a relatively small sample of cells from a specific region of the retina. Further research is needed to confirm these results and explore how these cells function in the broader context of the entire visual system.

Additionally, the study’s focus was on identifying these cells and their basic response properties. More work is required to understand precisely how these non-cardinal RGCs contribute to color perception and how their signals are processed by the brain.

Future research could involve more extensive imaging of the retina and the use of advanced computational models to predict how these cells might influence color vision. Studies could also explore potential clinical applications, such as developing better retinal prosthetics for people with vision loss. Understanding the full range of RGC functions could lead to improved designs that more accurately mimic natural vision.

A deeper understanding of the retina’s complex processes could pave the way for more effective methods to restore vision in people who have lost it.

“Humans have more than 20 ganglion cells and our models of human vision are only based on three,” Patterson explained. “There’s so much going on in the retina that we don’t know about. This is one of the rare areas where engineering has totally outpaced visual basic science. People are out there with retinal prosthetics in their eyes right now, but if we knew what all those cells do, we could actually have retinal prosthetics drive ganglion cells in accordance with their actual functional roles.”

The study, “Cone-Opponent Ganglion Cells in the Primate Fovea Tuned to Noncardinal Color Directions,” was authored by Tyler Godat, Kendall Kohout, Keith Parkins, Qiang Yang, Juliette E. McGregor, William H. Merigan, David R. Williams and Sara S. Patterson.

URL: https://www.psypost.org/scientists-identify-mysterious-retinal-cells-that-could-alter-our-understanding-of-color-perception/

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DATE: June 29, 2024 at 10:00AM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG

TITLE: Individuals with PTSD exhibit numerous neural connectivity pattern alterations

URL: https://www.psypost.org/individuals-with-ptsd-exhibit-numerous-neural-connectivity-pattern-alterations/

A neuroimaging study in Canada found functional connectivity differences between individuals suffering from dissociative PTSD and healthy participants across many different regions of the brain. Researchers discovered widespread functional hyperconnectivity patterns in individuals with PTSD that likely serve a compensatory function, helping preserve global brain functioning. The study was published in Nature Mental Health.

Dissociative post-traumatic stress disorder is a subtype of PTSD characterized by the presence of dissociative symptoms in addition to the typical PTSD symptoms. People with dissociative PTSD experience feelings of detachment or disconnection from their surroundings or themselves, which can manifest as depersonalization (feeling detached from one’s body or self) and derealization (feeling detached from the external world).

This subtype of PTSD often occurs in individuals who have experienced severe and prolonged trauma, such as childhood abuse or multiple traumatic events. Dissociative symptoms serve as a coping mechanism to help the individual manage overwhelming stress and anxiety. These symptoms can complicate the diagnosis and treatment of PTSD, as they can interfere with the person’s ability to process and integrate traumatic memories.

Study author Saurabh B. Shaw and his colleagues note that previous studies found brains of individuals with dissociative PTSD to show specific patterns of neural activity. Neural activity patterns of individuals with dissociative PTSD also tend to be different from those of individuals with other types of PTSD. These researchers sought to build on the previous work and map differences in neural activity patterns across different areas of the brain.

Based on previous findings, the study authors expected to find enhanced resting-state functional connectivity in brain regions involved in sensory and motor-related networks, as well as in the brain’s salience network. The salience network is a group of brain regions, primarily including the anterior insula and anterior cingulate cortex, that work together to detect and filter relevant stimuli and facilitate the switch between different brain networks involved in attention and cognitive control. Resting-state functional connectivity refers to the way different parts of the brain naturally communicate with each other when a person is relaxed and not focused on any specific activity.

The study authors also anticipated that the differences would be most pronounced in the ventromedial prefrontal cortex, cerebellum, and fronto-orbital cortex brain regions, with participants suffering from dissociative PTSD showing altered functional connectivity.

Participants in the study included 50 adults suffering from the dissociative form of PTSD, 84 suffering from other types of PTSD, and 63 healthy individuals serving as controls. They were recruited between 2009 and 2022 through a combination of referrals from healthcare workers and advertisements within the London, Ontario community in Canada. Study participants completed a set of questionnaires assessing their demographic, behavioral, and clinical characteristics. They also underwent magnetic resonance imaging of their brains.

Results showed small functional connectivity differences between participants with PTSD and healthy participants in the temporal regions of the brain and the right frontoparietal network. The right frontoparietal network is a brain network involving the right frontal and parietal lobes. It is associated with attention, working memory, and cognitive control.

Differences in functional connectivity between participants with dissociative PTSD and healthy participants were widespread and much larger. They spanned subcortical regions of the brain, sensorimotor regions, and other intrinsic connectivity networks. Intrinsic connectivity networks are brain networks that show consistent patterns of synchronized activity while the brain is at rest, reflecting its fundamental functional architecture.

“These patterns of hyperconnectivity are thought to serve a compensatory function to preserve global brain functioning in participants experiencing trauma-related dissociation,” the study authors concluded.

The study sheds light on the differences in neural activity patterns between healthy individuals and individuals with PTSD. However, the study used a healthy group of participants who had not experienced trauma as a control, not individuals who survived trauma but remained healthy. Because of this, it remains unknown whether the observed differences are indicators of the traumatic experience or of PTSD.

The paper, “Large-scale functional hyperconnectivity patterns in trauma-related dissociation: an rs-fMRI study of PTSD and its dissociative subtype”, was authored by Saurabh B. Shaw, Braeden A. Terpou, Maria Densmore, Jean Théberge, Paul Frewen, Margaret C. McKinnon, and Ruth A. Lanius.

URL: https://www.psypost.org/individuals-with-ptsd-exhibit-numerous-neural-connectivity-pattern-alterations/

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DATE: June 29, 2024 at 08:00AM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG

TITLE: A common dietary supplement can reduce aggression by up to 28%

URL: https://www.psypost.org/a-common-dietary-supplement-can-reduce-aggression-by-up-to-28/

New research suggests that omega-3 supplements could be an effective tool in reducing aggressive behavior. A recent meta-analysis found that omega-3 supplementation can lead to a modest, yet significant reduction in aggression. The findings indicate a potential 28% decrease in aggression across various demographics and settings. The findings have been published in the journal Aggression and Violent Behavior.

The study was driven by a long-standing interest in the connection between nutrition and behavior. Omega-3 fatty acids, found in fish and fish oil supplements, are known to have a positive association with brain function. Omega-3 fatty acids are crucial components of the cell membrane and contribute to various brain activities, including enhancing neuron growth, regulating neurotransmitters and gene expression, and supporting nerve cell signaling. They also reduce brain inflammation and improve cerebral blood flow.

Previous research has shown a link between poor nutrition and behavior problems, including aggression and violence. Given these connections, Raine has been investigating whether omega-3 supplementation could help mitigate aggressive behavior. He has published five randomized controlled trials from different countries with significant findings but wanted to see if these effects were consistent across a broader range of studies.

“We had previously shown that poor nutrition is a risk factor for aggression. We had also conducted an early intervention that included two extra portions of fish each week, and which showed a 34% reduction in criminal offending 20 years later. That put us onto considering omega-3 as an active ingredient in that early intervention,” explained study author Adrian Raine, a professor at the University of Pennsylvania and author of The Anatomy of Violence: The Biological Roots of Crime.

To explore this, Raine conducted a meta-analysis, which is a statistical technique that combines data from multiple studies to look for overall trends. He and his colleague Lia Brodrick analyzed 29 randomized controlled trials that explicitly measured aggression. These studies spanned nearly three decades and included a total of 3,918 participants. The researchers selected studies that met specific criteria: they had to involve human subjects, use omega-3 supplementation, measure aggression directly, and provide enough data to calculate an effect size.

The studies were sourced from seven different databases, including PubMed and Web of Science, and involved a variety of populations, from children to adults and from community samples to clinical populations. The meta-analysis also examined various moderators, such as age, gender, dosage, and treatment duration, to understand how these factors might influence the effectiveness of omega-3 in reducing aggression.

The meta-analysis revealed that omega-3 supplementation leads to a modest reduction in aggression. The overall reduction in aggression was 16.2% when considering independent samples, and this increased slightly to 20.4% and 27.8% when considering independent studies and laboratories, respectively. These consistent percentages suggest that omega-3 supplementation can be broadly effective across various populations and settings.

“We had thought that there would be a dose effect, with greater benefits with increased omega-3, but we did not find that,” Raine told PsyPost. “Even modest supplementation of omega-3 seems to be helpful.”

Interestingly, the study found that omega-3 supplementation was effective for both reactive aggression (impulsive, emotional responses) and proactive aggression (planned, goal-directed behavior).

Another important aspect of the study is the lack of evidence for publication bias. The researchers used statistical tests to ensure that the positive results were not due to selective publication of studies with significant findings. This strengthens the validity of their conclusions and underscores the reliability of the meta-analysis.

The results provide evidence that “increased omega-3, either through supplements or fish, can help reduce aggressive behavior,” Raine said.

While the findings are promising, the study has some limitations. The effect sizes, while significant, are modest, indicating that omega-3 is not a cure-all for aggressive behavior. The study also only looked at short-term effects; more research is needed to determine whether the benefits of omega-3 supplementation persist over the long term.

“Omega-3 is not a panacea for abolishing aggression,” Raine noted. “We estimate that it may reduce aggression by about 30%, so clearly there are a lot of other factors other than nutrition that are involved in aggression.”

Future research could explore the mechanisms by which omega-3 affects aggression. Since omega-3 plays a crucial role in brain function, it is likely that its effects on aggression are mediated by changes in brain structure and function. Neurocognitive assessments, brain imaging studies, and analyses of neurotransmitter functioning could provide valuable insights into how omega-3 supplementation reduces aggression.

“We have shown that omega-3 supplements to prisoners can reduce aggressive and antisocial behavior in prison, but can it reduce recidivism?” Raine said. “We have pilot data showing that it can, but we need long-term randomized controlled trials to test this further.”

“Given the additional psychological and physical benefits of omega-3 supplementation and ease of implementation, we believe the time has come both to execute omega-3 supplementation in practice and also continue to scientifically investigating its longer-term efficacy.”

The study, “Omega-3 supplementation reduces aggressive behavior: A meta-analytic review of randomized controlled trials,” was published online on May 19, 2024.

URL: https://www.psypost.org/a-common-dietary-supplement-can-reduce-aggression-by-up-to-28/

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