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Psychology

·November 4, 2024·7 min read

Mother’s Role in Buffering Child PTSD

A mother’s ability to regulate her response to trauma can significantly lessen PTSD symptoms in her children, particularly in high-stress regions. The research observed 131 mothers and young children in southern Israel, where security threats are prevalent, linking maternal self-regulation to reduced PTSD in children.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·November 2, 2024·6 min read

Amygdala Cells Linked to Anxiety

Researchers have identified specific cell types in the amygdala linked to anxiety, revealing potential new targets for treatment. By analyzing gene expression in human and macaque brains, scientists discovered clusters of cells with unique roles, including “gatekeeper” cells that help control emotional responses.

Featured Genetics Neuroscience Psychology

·October 28, 2024·5 min read

Childhood Attention Problems and Genes Linked to Psychosis Risk

Childhood attention issues, coupled with genetic predispositions, increase the likelihood of experiencing psychotic-like symptoms in adolescence. By analyzing data from 10,000 youths, researchers discovered that variability in attention spans partially explains how genetic risk factors translate into psychotic-like symptoms.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·October 26, 2024·8 min read

How Curiosity Styles Shape Wikipedia Use and Learning

A study of global Wikipedia browsing patterns reveals three curiosity styles: the focused "hunter," the exploratory "busybody," and the creative "dancer." Data from 482,760 readers in 50 countries shows that cultural factors, such as gender equality and education levels, influence browsing styles, with more egalitarian countries showing greater exploratory browsing.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·October 25, 2024·6 min read

Depression Alters Brain Circuits, Heightening Negative Perception

Scientists have identified how depression alters the brain’s response to positive and negative stimuli, particularly in the amygdala, a key emotional processing center. The study found that depression reduces neural activity linked to positive perceptions while increasing it for negative perceptions.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·October 25, 2024·4 min read

Individual Reward-Seeking Predicts Nicotine Response

A new study finds that individualistic reward-seeking behaviors in mice can predict their responses to nicotine. Conducted in a semi-natural environment called Souris-City, the research observed how male mice developed distinct reward-seeking strategies when isolated from peers.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·October 24, 2024·6 min read

Chick Calls Reveal Emotional States

Researchers have developed a way to measure stress in baby chicks using vocalizations, offering new insights into animal emotions. The study found that chicks alone produced higher-pitched, louder calls, indicating anxiety-like states, while calmer chicks showed more relaxed vocal patterns.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·October 24, 2024·15 min read

Brain Signals Reveal How Aggression and Arousal Are Encoded

New research has uncovered that brain signals for aggression in male mice and sexual arousal in female mice are encoded by similar neural mechanisms. The studies found that a specific type of neural signal, called a line attractor, represents the intensity and persistence of these emotional states.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·October 23, 2024·5 min read

How Social Learning Guides Decisions When Preferences Differ

A new study shows that humans use social information to guide their decisions, even when others’ preferences differ from their own. Researchers found that people treat social cues as helpful but less reliable than their personal experiences, using them as a tool to explore decision options.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·October 23, 2024·6 min read

Youth Face Rising Risks of Harassment and Exploitation in the Metaverse

A new study reveals that youth are vulnerable to various forms of harm in the metaverse, including bullying, harassment, and sexual exploitation. Using data from over 5,000 U.S. teens, researchers found significant incidents of hate speech, sexual harassment, and grooming behavior in virtual reality (VR) spaces.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·October 23, 2024·4 min read

Social Media Verification Drives Polarization and Echo Chambers

A new study shows that X's verification system, which gives verified users priority in algorithms, can increase polarization and trigger the formation of echo chambers. Researchers used computational modeling to simulate how verified users affect the spread of political opinions on social media. They found that when verified users with entrenched opinions post, their influence can drive polarization, while centrist ideologues can reduce it if present in sufficient numbers.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·October 22, 2024·5 min read

Happy Partners Help Reduce Stress in Older Adults

Having a happy intimate partner can lower stress levels in older adults by reducing the production of cortisol, a stress hormone. Couples with higher relationship satisfaction experience an even stronger effect, suggesting that positive emotions in relationships act as a buffer against stress.