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stress

·September 4, 2023·5 min read

Why Household Mess Triggers Stress and Anxiety

The presence of clutter can often lead to feelings of stress and anxiety. The brain tends to favor order, reducing the competition for attention and mental load.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·July 31, 2023·7 min read

Gender Lines in Stress: How Pandemic Pressures Differently Impact Men and Women

Researchers studied the effects of COVID-19 pandemic stressors on mental health, revealing gender-specific responses. Anxiety levels in men increased alongside job-related worries, while in women, anxiety rose with concerns about family and friends. Support from friends and family improved the quality of life for women, but this correlation was not found in men. The study highlights the need to consider social aspects in therapeutic interventions for mental health improvement.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·July 25, 2023·3 min read

Scorching Stress: The Hidden Mental Toll of Summer Heatwaves

Research suggests that extreme summer heat can significantly impact mental health, in addition to physical health. Changes in emotions and behaviors can occur due to heat's influence on serotonin, the neurotransmitter that regulates mood.

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Featured Neuroscience

·July 7, 2023·7 min read

Birth Control Pills Affect Women’s Stress Hormone Levels

Social activity reduces the levels of stress hormone ACTH in women not on birth control pills, but not in women who are. The study, involving women of an average age of 20.5 years, discovered the stress response in women off birth control depends on their menstrual cycle phase.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·June 24, 2023·6 min read

Adolescent Stress Shapes Motherly Behavior

Stress during adolescence alters brain functions, influencing postpartum social behavior in mammals. The research utilizes optogenetics and calcium imaging techniques to understand neuronal communication in mice that experienced psychosocial stress during adolescence.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·June 23, 2023·5 min read

Stress Neurons Mapped the Brain, Exposing Estrogen Link

Researchers pinpointed a specific group of nerve cells in the mouse brain that play a role in negative emotional states and chronic stress. The neurons, which were mapped using a variety of advanced techniques, were found to possess estrogen receptors.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·June 13, 2023·3 min read

Positive Parenting Shields Youth from Stress Impact

Positive parenting, as reported by children and teenagers, can safeguard young individuals from the damaging effects of stressors like financial hardship or serious illness. The research team used MRI data and survey responses from 482 participants aged 10–17.

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Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·June 8, 2023·5 min read

Stressed Brains Amplify Comfort Food Cravings

Researchers uncovered how chronic stress in combination with high-calorie diets can amplify our brain's reward system, driving overeating and weight gain. They found that stress inhibits the lateral habenula, a brain area typically curbing such reward signals.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·May 13, 2023·3 min read

Stress Hormone in Pregnancy Bolsters Child’s Early Language Skills

Higher cortisol levels, a stress hormone, during the third trimester of pregnancy may boost speech and language skills in early childhood. A new study analyzed data from over 1,000 Danish women and children, finding that boys exposed to high prenatal cortisol levels could say more words, while girls understood more words at an earlier age.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·May 8, 2023·5 min read

New Antidepressant Reduces Stress and Depression With Low Side Effects

Scientists developed a potential anti-depressant drug that exhibits anti-stressing and anti-depressant effects with minimal side effects. The drug is KNT-127quickly acts on the patient without inducing resistance. Researchers found that KNT-127 administration during and after extreme psychological stress significantly improved social interaction and reduced inflammation in the hippocampus.

Featured Neurology Psychology

·May 2, 2023·5 min read

Women are More Prone to Alzheimer’s Disease and Stress May Be the Culprit

Stress may be a factor in why women are twice as likely as men to be diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. Amyloid beta rose sharply in the brains of female mice but not males during stressful situations. A molecular pathway that is active in brain cells from female mice but not males accounted for the divergent responses to stress. Reducing stress may be more beneficial for women than men, in terms of lowering the risk of Alzheimer’s disease.

Featured Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles Psychology

·April 26, 2023·5 min read

Pandemic Pet Pals: Exploring the Complex Relationship Between Pet Ownership, Stress, and Loneliness During Lockdown

During the COVID-19 pandemic, US dog and cat owners became closer to their pets, though pet ownership did not consistently alleviate stress and loneliness. The relationship between mental health and pet ownership was complex, with dog owners experiencing a greater reduction in stress and loneliness compared to cat owners and non-pet owners.