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This shows a depressed woman sitting in a room with sunlight coming through the window.

·September 25, 2024·4 min read

How Sunlight Affects Depression and Activity Levels

A new study has revealed a link between sunlight exposure, physical activity, and depression using wrist-based activity sensors. Over two weeks, researchers found that individuals with depression had lower physical activity levels, especially in shorter daylight periods, compared to those without depression.

Featured Neuroscience Pain

·September 24, 2024·3 min read

Dopamine Not Essential for Placebo Effect in Pain Relief

New research reveals that dopamine is not directly responsible for the formation of placebo analgesia, contrary to previous beliefs. In a study with 168 participants, altering dopamine levels did not affect positive treatment expectations or pain relief.

Featured Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles Psychology

·August 21, 2024·5 min read

Neuroticism Alters How Personality Affects Self-Control

Personality traits like conscientiousness and extraversion are linked to higher self-control, while neuroticism can weaken this effect, especially in specific types of self-control like resisting temptation or initiating proactive behaviors. A study involving 480 military cadets reveals that neuroticism moderates the relationship between other personality traits and self-control, suggesting that the interaction effects differ based on the type of self-control. These findings could inform strategies for selecting individuals for roles requiring high self-control and designing interventions for personal growth.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·July 30, 2024·3 min read

Study Finds Americans Have More Friends Than Previously Thought

American adults typically have more friends than recent surveys suggest, with fewer reporting no friends at all. The survey found that an average American adult has four to five friends, and only 2% reported being friendless. Despite general satisfaction, many adults wish for closer friendships and more time with friends. These findings challenge recent concerns about increasing loneliness and declining friendships.

Featured Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles

·June 27, 2024·2 min read

Hypothalamus Key in Switching Between Survival Behaviors

The hypothalamus helps humans switch between survival behaviors like hunting and escaping. Researchers used AI-enhanced fMRI scans to analyze brain activity in 21 participants playing a survival game. They found distinct hypothalamus activity patterns linked to behavior switching. This discovery highlights the hypothalamus's crucial role in survival strategies.

Featured Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles Psychology

·June 20, 2024·4 min read

Decision Speed Reveals Hidden Social Preferences

People can infer hidden social preferences by observing how quickly others make decisions. The study used the Dictator Game to show that decision speed, even without knowing the actual choices, can predict preferences. This finding challenges the notion that only choices reveal social preferences. Incorporating response times into predictive models offers a more nuanced understanding of human behavior.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·June 20, 2024·3 min read

Prior LSD Use Linked to Lower Psychological Resilience

Lifetime LSD use is linked to higher severe psychological distress after job loss, a new study reveals. Analyzing data from 15,854 adults, researchers found those with prior LSD use were 1.6-1.7 times more likely to report severe distress. The study suggests LSD does not confer resilience to stress from job loss. These findings challenge previous claims about the psychological benefits of psychedelic use.

This shows emoji faces and a person's hand.

Featured Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles

·June 12, 2024·4 min read

Tactile Emoticons Boost Social Media Communication

Incorporating tactile emoticons into social media interactions enhances feelings of support and approval. Participants using a mock platform preferred receiving feedback through both visual and tactile cues over visual-only feedback. Tactile feedback, such as a stroke on the forearm, conveyed additional emotional context. The findings suggest touch can improve digital communication, informing future technology developments.

Featured Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles Psychology

·June 4, 2024·3 min read

Study Reveals Shifting Language in Mental Health Over 79 Years

A study of 340,000 texts over 79 years found a shift from terms like “disease” and “disturbance” to “mental health” and “psychiatric,” with “mental illness” now the most-used term. This evolution reflects growing recognition of mental health. The findings highlight the changing language in mental health discourse. Further research is needed to understand the impact of these terms on those experiencing mental ill health.

Featured Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles Psychology

·June 4, 2024·2 min read

Internet Addiction Disrupts Adolescent Brain Networks

A new study reviewed neuroimaging research on internet addiction in adolescents, revealing disrupted brain signaling in critical neural networks. These disruptions affect attention, memory, coordination, and emotional processing, impacting mental health. The review highlights the need for more diverse studies to understand these effects fully.

This shows a person with a blindfold that says Not.

Featured Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles

·May 30, 2024·4 min read

How ‘Not’ Changes Everything: Brain Interprets Negated Adjectives

Researchers found that negating adjectives with "not" affects how our brains interpret their meaning, mitigating rather than inverting their definition. In lab-based experiments, participants took longer to process phrases like "not bad" compared to "good" or "bad."

Featured Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles

·May 29, 2024·4 min read

Babies’ Squeals and Growls Show Early Vocal Practice Patterns

Infants' vocalizations, like squeals and growls, appear in significant clusters, suggesting active noisemaking play and sound practice. Researchers analyzed recordings from 130 infants and found 40% of squeals and growls clustered significantly.