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cortisol

Featured Genetics Neuroscience Psychology

·August 22, 2019·3 min read

Stress in pregnancy impacts childrens’ vulnerability to stress in adulthood

Prenatal stress can have an epigenetic impact on the future mental health of offspring. Adult children of women who experienced prenatal stress are more vulnerable to stress and other mental health disorders.

This shows a mom breastfeeding her newborn at night

Featured Neuroscience

·August 6, 2019·5 min read

Human breast milk may help babies tell time via circadian signals from mom

Breast milk may help train the circadian clock in young babies. The hormonal composition of breast milk changes throughout the day, with cortisol levels being higher in the morning and melatonin levels being higher at night.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·August 2, 2019·3 min read

Why babies born during winter are at higher risk of developing mental health disorders

Cortisol levels are higher in women who give birth during winter months. The findings shed light on why mental health disorders are more common in those born during colder seasons.

Featured Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles Psychology

·July 28, 2019·4 min read

Frog in your throat? Stress might be to blame for vocal issues

Stress can have an impact on voice disorders. Researchers found those with higher salivary cortisol levels also exhibited brain activity that impacted the larynx. Those who were more introverted were more likely to have stress reactions related to speech.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·July 24, 2019·5 min read

Hair could be the key to better mental-illness diagnosis in teens

Hair samples from teens could help detect their risk of mental health problems. Researchers found teens with higher cortisol levels in hair samples were more likely to experience depression. Low cortisol levels were also linked to an increased risk of mental health issues.

Featured Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles Psychology

·July 15, 2019·3 min read

Study demonstrates stress reduction benefits from petting dogs and cats

Cortisol levels associated with stress are reduced after interacting with cats and dogs, researchers report.

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Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·June 9, 2019·4 min read

Posture impacts how you perceive your food

Whether you stand up to eat or sit for dinner, your posture influences how much you enjoy your meal. Standing to eat mutes taste perception and reduces sensory sensitivity, resulting in a decreased enjoyment of food.

This shows two children walking on a path

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·June 7, 2019·5 min read

Early-life challenges affect how children focus and face the day

Experiencing early life adversities leads to disruptions in multiple systems of self-control and cortisol levels, which continues through childhood.

Featured Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles Psychology

·June 6, 2019·5 min read

Dogs mirror owner’s stress

Researchers identify an interspecies correlation between hair cortisol concentrations in humans and dogs during summer and winter months. The cortisol levels were not affected by the amount of activity the dog had during these periods. The study reveals a seasonal effect in higher cortisol levels between humans and animals, and human personality traits significantly affected the dog's level of stress. Findings suggest that dogs often mirror the stress levels of their owners.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·May 26, 2019·5 min read

Simple test can tell if you’re stressed out

Scientists have developed a new, non-invasive stress test that uses ultraviolet light to measure stress hormone levels in bodily fluids.

This shows a spider crawling on a person's hand

Featured Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles Psychology

·April 26, 2019·3 min read

How cortisol affects exposure therapy for anxiety disorders

Cortisol administration after exposure has no beneficial effects for patients suffering from phobias or anxiety disorders. Arachnophobics who received cortisol following exposure were more likely to relapse when they encountered spiders in a different context.