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Psychology News

These research articles involve many aspects of psychology such as cognitive psychology, depression studies, mental health, stress, happiness and neuropsychology, Scroll below for more specific categories.

Decision time predicts the risk of depression relapse

Findings reveal it is possible to predict the risk of a person with MDD lapsing back into depression after stopping antidepressants. Those who relapse take longer to decide how much effort to invest for a reward.

New strategies for helping children process negative emotions

Spending time outdoors and helping to control fears can help children process their negative emotions.

The secret to achieving goals

Researchers analyzed the relationship between reward and effort in achieving goals and identified two critical stages in the decision-making process.

This shows a man looking out of a window

Extended antidepressant use creates physical dependence

Long-term use of antidepressants can create physical dependence and severe withdrawal symptoms for patients looking to stop their treatment. Patients who quit their medication often experience Antidepressant Discontinuation Syndrome, which results in flu-like symptoms, insomnia, nausea, and other symptoms associated with withdrawal.

Neuroimaging reveals empathy can be detected in people whose brains are at rest

Brain activity while in a resting state can predict how empathetic a person is. Researcher used a combination of neuroimaging data and machine learning to identify subtle patterns in brain activity associated with empathy.

Childhood behaviors may predict traumatic brain injuries later in life

Boys who exhibit inattention-hyperactivity by age 10 have an increased risk for traumatic brain injury later in life.

Maternal obesity linked to ADHD and behavioral problems in children

Women who were obese prior to pregnancy were almost twice as likely to report their child had ADHD or other behavioral problems compared to women who were normal weight before pregnancy.

Altered potassium levels in neurons may cause mood swings in bipolar disorder

Increased potassium currents were responsible for hyperactivity of CA3 neurons. When exposed to potassium channel blockers, the hyperactivity disappeared. However, when exposed to lithium, the drug not only reversed hyperactivity but reduced potassium currents at the same time. The findings strengthen the case that potassium currents play a role in bipolar disorder.

Life-course-persistent antisocial behavior may be associated with differences in brain structure

People with a life-long history of antisocial behavior had decreased mean surface area of the brain and lower mean cortical thickness than those with no history of antisocial behavior. Much of the cortical thinning was in areas associated with emotional regulation, motivation, and goal-directed behavior.

Mortality from all causes over 40% higher in female domestic abuse survivors

Women who have experienced domestic violence are 44% more likely to die from any cause compared to the general population. They also have a 51% increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes and a 31% higher risk of being diagnosed with cardiovascular disease.