Nothing clinically “wrong” with obsessive gamers
Study reveals there is little evidence that obsessive gaming by adolescents requires medical intervention.... Read More...
addiction
Is there such a thing as an addictive personality?
Researchers examine the psychology and genetics of why some people are more prone to addiction-like behaviors than others.... Read More...
Which Comes First: Smartphone Dependency or Depression?
A person's dependency on their smartphone predicts greater loneliness and depressive symptoms, and not the other way around.... Read More...
Cannabis study reveals how CBD offsets the psychiatric side-effects of THC
CBD blocks the ability of THC to overstimulate the ERK pathway in the hippocampus, preventing negative side effects associated with cannabis use.... Read More...
Opiates reduce the brain’s ability to form and maintain synapses
Opiate exposure causes synaptic rewiring in the nucleus accumbens in addition to decreasing dendritic spines. The findings shed light into the neurobiology of opiate relapse.... Read More...
Warnings on individual cigarettes could reduce smoking
Smokers exposed to individual cigarettes with public health warnings written on them felt the products were offputting and depressing. When surveyed, those who smoke said printing messages on cigarettes would prolong the health message and had the potential to discourage smoking in young people.... Read More...
Women with chronic physical conditions more likely to experience mental illness in pregnancy
Women who suffer from a chronic physical condition, such as asthma or diabetes, are at increased risk of developing mental health problems both during pregnancy and up to one-year postpartum.... Read More...
Night owls may have 10 percent higher risk of early death
A study that spanned 6.5 years reveals night owls have a 10% increased risk of death over those who sleep and rise early. Keeping late hours is also associated with numerous health risks, social isolation, and increased risk of depression.... Read More...
Guns and mental illness – The facts and consequences of using a blanket term so vaguely
Despite widespread propaganda, people with mental illnesses only commit 3-4% of all violent acts within the U.S in any given year. Mental health conditions are more strongly associated with suicide, not homicide. Restricting access to guns for those with mental health issues does not take into account those who already own guns and develop mental health conditions over their lifetime. Researchers say, given the climate of blame, people with severe mental health disorders may be dissuaded from seeking treatment.... Read More...
Impaired brain activity in rats with family history of alcohol abuse
Neural patterns of activity in the medial prefrontal cortex associated with the intention to drink alcohol are influenced by the genetic risk for alcohol use disorder.... Read More...
Study Advances Understanding of How Brains Remember Decisions
The medial prefrontal cortex persistently encodes value based decision variables.... Read More...
Romantic partnerships mitigate influence of genetic predisposition to alcohol consumption
For those with a genetic predisposition for alcohol use disorder (AUD), being in a romantic relationship appears to reduce the high risk to succumbing to alcohol abuse. This protective effect is limited to males only, suggesting males with a genetic risk for AUD may benefit more from romantic relationships.... Read More...