Latest

phobias

Featured Neuroscience Psychology Visual Neuroscience

·July 13, 2023·5 min read

Eyeing Fear: Neurons That Drive Visual Aversion Uncovered

Scientists have unearthed a cluster of neurons, which control our urge to avert our gaze from frightening situations. The team studied fruit fly brains and found these neurons release a chemical, tachykinin, that triggers aversion towards perceived threats.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·October 25, 2022·9 min read

Where Do Fears Come From?

Exposure therapy for fears and phobias may only have a 50% success rate because fear memories outlast competing safety memories learned from therapy. Researchers investigate the genesis of fear memories and have developed a new mathematical model to help strengthen exposure therapies.

This shows vaccine vials with COVID written on them

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·March 12, 2021·7 min read

Ouch! Needle-Phobic People Scarred by So Many Images of COVID Shots

Constant exposure to images of syringes and people getting the COVID-19 vaccine on TV and social media may discourage those with phobias of needles from getting their shots, researchers report.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·January 28, 2020·3 min read

NICU babies have greater risk of mental health issues

Children who were admitted to NICUs as babies are twice as likely to be diagnosed with mental health problems, including ADHD, phobias, and separation anxiety.

This shows raised hands behind barbed wire

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·July 27, 2019·5 min read

The politics of fear: How it manipulates us to tribalism

Using fear as a political platform has created a resurgence in feelings of tribalism. The utilization of fear as a political tool is uninformed, illogical and can result in increased social violence. A new study looks at the impact of the politics of fear on tribalism.

This shows the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade Spiderman ballon

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·April 23, 2019·3 min read

Seven seconds of Spiderman viewing yields a 20% phobia symptom reduction

Study reports people with insect phobias reported a 20% reduction in symptoms following seven-seconds of exposure to the superhero movies Spiderman and Antman.

Featured Genetics Neuroscience Videos Psychology

·February 19, 2019·5 min read

Extinguishing Fear Memories Relies On An Unusual Change to DNA

Researchers report fear extinction memories form as a result of an adenosine modification, which help to increase the activity of specific genes.

Autism Featured Neuroscience Neuroscience Videos Open Neuroscience Articles Psychology

·February 16, 2019·8 min read

Immersive Virtual Reality Therapy Shows Lasting Effect in Phobia Treatments For Children with ASD

Researchers report children on the autism spectrum who experience specific phobias may benefit from immersive virtual reality therapy. The study reports immersive VR helped almost 45% of children with ASD remain free from their phobias six months after treatment.

Featured Psychology

·October 30, 2018·3 min read

An End to Arachnophobia Just a Heartbeat Away

Researchers say phobias can be treated more effectively by linking computerized therapy to the rhythm of a person's heart.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·October 19, 2017·4 min read

Itsy Bitsy Phobia: Fear of Spiders and Snakes is Deeply Embedded in Us

Stress reactions are evoked in infants when they see snakes and spiders, even if they have never encountered them before. Based on this knowledge, researchers propose phobias of snakes and spiders are of evolutionary origin.