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Psychiatry/Neuroscience

Cyberbullying at the Office
It's not just something that happens at school. Cyberbullying at work is common and may affect your mental health...   > >
November 13, 2012

Teens' Fear is Different
Problems with anxiety often show up in adolescence. A study shows why, and why it's hard for teens to calm down...   > >
November 10, 2012

I'm Rubber; You're Glue
Some people find it pretty easy to shed a stressful day, but for others, it lingers and can cause chronic health problems...   > >
November 06, 2012

Sleep Those Calories Off
People who sleep too little have reduced insulin sensitivity, leading to weight gain and diabetes. The fix is simple...   > >
November 05, 2012

Smoking Bans' Huge Health Impact
When cities or states prohibit smoking, the health benefits are immediate, enormous and not restricted to smokers...   > >
November 01, 2012

Ambushed by Manhole Covers
As if looking for work wasn't hard enough: now interviews feature "trick" questions designed to test creative thinking. Fair?   > >
October 25, 2012

Time in Front of a Screen Slows Development
Screen time is physiologically distinct from other sedentary activities like reading or being read to. And that's a problem...   > >
October 22, 2012

Grandparents on Xanax
When elderly people take benzodiazepines for anxiety and insomnia, their risk of dementia increases by 50%...   > >
October 17, 2012

The Next Prozac?
Ketamine is a pediatric anesthetic, a club drug, and now, the most promising antidepressant in decades...   > >
October 13, 2012

Antipsychotics for ADHD?
Off-label prescribing for kids is way up. So are their serious side effects. The search for a magic bullet continues...   > >
October 12, 2012

Gaining Weight Changes the Brain
Obese rats show brain changes consistent with an inability to regulate consumption. It may be the same for people...   > >
October 11, 2012

Deconstructing Depression
Are you happy, excited or alert? Depressed, frustrated or angry? Knowing the difference can make a difference...   > >
October 10, 2012

What's Your Playground Personality?
Your friends know you better than you think. In fact, kids we played with in first grade are surprisingly accurate...   > >
October 9, 2012

Neural Processing Issues and Autism
Researchers are looking at autism in new ways and may have found a possible treatment for one form of the disorder...   > >
October 5, 2012

Helping Parents Understand Tantrums
Temper tantrums are inescapable. But certain behaviors suggest worrisome personality issues to come...   > >
October 01, 2012

The New OxyContin's Unintended Consequences
Abuse of Rush Limbaugh's favorite painkiller prompted a reformulation. Unfortunately, that prompted heroin use...   > >
September 29, 2012

Why Cramming Is a No-Brainer
Students who sacrifice sleep to study tend to see diminishing returns. There is time for both...   > >
September 26, 2012

A New Drug for PTSD?
Post-traumatic stress disorder is more than anxiety. A new drug may help the cognitive problems that come along with it...   > >
September 22, 2012

The Shy-Kid Disadvantage
Children who are quiet or withdrawn may not reap the same benefits of education as the outgoing ones. The remedy?   > >
September 17, 2012

Ladies, A Happiness Gene
A gene previously dubbed the “warrior gene” because of its links to aggression may also influence happiness – at least in women...   > >
August 12, 2012

The Loneliness of the Long Distance Bus Ride
It's common to place your coat on the bus or train seat next to you hoping for solitude. But when the bus will be full...   > >
September 9, 2012

The Loneliness of the Long Distance Bus Ride
It's common to place your coat on the bus or train seat next to you hoping for solitude. But when the bus will be full...   > >
September 8, 2012

Students, You Can Learn While You Sleep
But don't try it in place of studying. The brain does pick up, or at least cement, information while we sleep...   > >
September 6, 2012

Alcohol Makes Brain Less Able to Cope with Stress
Alcohol addiction may rewire the brain so that it can’t rebound from stress. PTSD suffers may want to take note...   > >
September 5, 2012

The Road to Well-Being: Paved with Relationships
Parents should pay more attention to kids' friendships than academics, a study suggests. Having friends matters more...   > >
August 30, 2012

For Those Senior Moments: Chocolate
Seniors who took higher concentrations of cocoa flavanols had significant improvements on a variety of cognitive tests...   > >
August 28, 2012

Relief for Loneliness
A simple program of mindfulness mediation replaced lonely feelings with a greater appreciation of the present...   > >
August 27, 2012

Remembering Not to Forget
Forgetting to do what we intend to do is common. There are ways, however, to remember the milk and make that call...   > >
August 22, 2012

What Rituals Offer
Rituals tend to provide a level of comfort, a sense of control. They also tell us a bit about human logic and reasoning...   > >
August 20, 2012

Mind-Blowing, Literally
We thought we knew how the brain cleans itself out. Then a completely unexpected and very fast new cleaning system showed up...   > >
August 17, 2012

Windows to Make You Happy
A new window coating lets in more light at the blue end of the spectrum. This shift could improve health in a number of ways...   > >
August 16, 2012

You Can Hide Those Lying Eyes
A widely accepted method for telling if someone is telling the truth just went out the window. Now what?   > >
August 10, 2012

A Cure for Chronic Pain
Pain that won't go away may actually really be all in your head... in the excessive signals between two brain areas...   > >
August 3, 2012

Dental Fillings May Pose Risk to Children
Fillings with a form of the chemical BPA raise the likelihood that a child will have emotional or behavioral problems...   > >
August 1, 2012

What the Munchies Are Teaching Us About Weight Loss
A new drug desensitizes cannabinoid receptors and improves the appetite-reducing action of leptin...   > >
July 27, 2012

Courting Karma When You Need It
When faced with uncertainty, we are more likely to believe in the power of good deeds. Take that job hunt for example...   > >
July 25, 2012

Dementia As Autoimmune Disorder
One form of dementia may be the result of the immune system going haywire. Luckily, there might be a treatment...   > >
July 24, 2012

The Highway to Heavy
Where you live and the roads along which you walk or drive have a big impact on the likelihood you will become obese...   > >
July 23, 2012

Short-Term Contraception Woes
Women taking the pill or patch or ring were far more likely to have an unplanned pregnancy than those using IUDs or implants...   > >
July 20, 2012

Remember Enron?
Those who aspire to the success of Bill Gates or Mark Zuckerberg might consider role models a rung down the ladder...   > >
July 18, 2012

Anxiety That Won't Subside
Researchers discover why anxiety can persist for months or years after a stressful event. It's all about a brain chemical...   > >
July 11, 2012

Women and Fatigue
Low iron is often under-diagnosed in pre-menopausal women. Iron supplements may help. Check with your doctor first...   > >
July 10, 2012

The Truth About Texting
People tend to be more thoughtful, honest, and accurate when texting than when giving opinions over the phone...   > >
July 5, 2012

For Dyslexics, It's the Space Between Letters that Matters
Reading speed and comprehension improved with there was more space around each letter and word...   > >
July 3, 2012

Good Books Can Change You
Reading a book can actually change who you are, teaching you about yourself as you live through other characters' experiences...   > >
June 29, 2012

R-E-S-P-E-C-T, Find Out What It Means...
When it comes to what makes you happy, feeling respected and admired is better than money, a new study has found...   > >
June 27, 2012

Facebook Photos as Cultural Symbols
What does your Facebook photo say about you? A recent study suggests it is a cultural indicator of the way you view yourself...   > >
June 26, 2012

Bullying, Violence Take a Toll on Children's Cells
Stress, particularly violence, appears to prematurely age children at a cellular level, leaving them vulnerable to disease...   > >
June 21, 2012

Keeping the Mind Sharp: Use It or Lose It
Many elderly people are plenty sharp. Just think of that white-haired teacher who was always a step ahead of you...   > >
June 20, 2012

Oxytocin for Autism
Oxytocin, the mother-infant bonding hormone, activates the "social" areas of the brain. It may one day help treat autism...   > >
June 15, 2012

The Café as Office and Personal Territory
If you frequent a coffee shop, you know what it is like to have Wi-Fi access problems or someone at your favorite table...   > >
June 13, 2012

Computer Time for the Aging Brain
Using the computer (along with exercise) might help prevent mild cognitive impairment...   > >
June 12, 2012

Touch Me, Hear Me
The better a person's hearing, the better his or her sense of touch. These senses may share a genetic basis...   > >
June 09, 2012

A Quick Fix for Arachnophobia
People so afraid of spiders that they wouldn't walk on grass were cured of their phobia with only one brief therapy session...   > >
June 08, 2012

You've Got Rhythm
Neurons firing in the brain produce organized movement in the body. But how? It may take a neural orchestra...or mosh pit...   > >
June 05, 2012

Brain Injury in Young Stars
The number of high school football players suffering from “catastrophic” brain injury rose last year. But luckily numbers are low...   > >
June 04, 2012

The Happy Brain Revealed?
Everyday experiences change the brain. Researchers consider the effects of well being and kindness on the brain's anatomy...   > >
May 30, 2012

Antidepressants to Relieve Pain
Duloxetine (Cymbalta) can help ease arthritis pain, though few patients receive it. Some experience side effects...   > >
May 26, 2012

Mortality, The Spice of Life
Thinking about death can actually help us live richer, fuller lives. Just don't obsess about it...   > >
May 25, 2012

Chores Keep You Sharp
Everyday activities could reduce the likelihood of developing Alzheimer's. So go cook, clean, or do the dishes...   > >
May 22, 2012

Sleeping Pills: Think Twice
People who took even small numbers of sleeping pills were over three times more likely to die in a given year...   > >
May 18, 2012

Social Jet Lag
Our daily schedules are out of sync with our internal clocks. It started with the light bulb and can make you fat...   > >
May 17, 2012

Girls, Alcohol and BDD
Teenaged girls who drink have an increased risk of benign breast disease and ultimately, breast cancer. Can folate help?   > >
May 11, 2012

Sunscreen and Kids' Brainpower
If you use sunscreen to protect your child's skin, are you also preventing vitamin D synthesis and mental development?   > >
May 08, 2012

The Stress of the Millennium
The Millennial generation is more stressed than generations before. They are also less able to cope with stress well...   > >
May 07, 2012

Ball or Strike?
Quick categorization is a skill that streamlines thought. Now we know more about how it occurs...   > >
May 05, 2012

Body Weight vs. Body Image
Sometimes losing weight does not solve a young woman's body image issues...   > >
May 03, 2012

Chronic Fatigue in the Brain
Certain brain centers are less active in chronic fatigue syndrome patients, suggesting a new approach to this condition...   > >
May 02, 2012

Just say "S" for No More Tears
The five S's calm babies who have just felt the sting of a vaccination; it's likely they can help at other times, too...   > >
May 01, 2012

Biological Clock Ticking? Time to Pay Attention
Once female fertility declines, it may be gone for good, even with treatment...   > >
April 30, 2012

Marijuana and Memory
Cannabinoid receptors are found on glial cells as well as neurons, raising some new prospects for pot's medical benefits...   > >
April 27, 2012

Why Optimists Live Longer
Being generally upbeat actually offers some protection from heart disease. But there's more to it than meets the eye...   > >
April 26, 2012

A Blood Test to Diagnose Teen Depression
Markers found in a simple blood test reliably distinguished depressed teens from those who weren't. Treatment is trickier...   > >
April 25, 2012

Using the Eye to See into the Brain
Measuring degeneration of the eye could tell us if it is also occurring in the brain...   > >
April 20, 2012

How to Stay Married
Even the happiest newlyweds can go on to divorce. But early warning signs might predict who does and who doesn’t...   > >
April 13, 2012

Death and Taxes
The stress of doing taxes can distract us on the road. Traffic fatalities rise every tax day, and it's getting worse...   > >
April 12, 2012

Teaching Kids It's OK to Fail
Teaching kids that failing is a part of learning can give them the confidence to do well...   > >
April 05, 2012

When Workplaces Go to the Dogs
Taking your pup to work can reduce stress and may increase workers' productivity, even for those who don't own pets...   > >
April 02, 2012

A 3-D Street Map of the Brain
Remarkable new scans of monkeys' brains completely change our understanding of how the brain is wired...   > >
March 30, 2012

Berries Are Brain Food
Berries change the way that neurons in the brain communicate, and can help protect against dementia, including Alzheimer's...   > >
March 29, 2012

Can A Scent Make You Smarter?
People performed better on certain math tasks when they had inhaled a little whiff of rosemary, but contentment took a hit...   > >
March 26, 2012

Neurons Help Each Other Out
Brain connections that form when we learn something new are strengthened when there are “friends” nearby...   > >
March 25, 2012

Training Parents of Autistic Kids
Training parents helps them help their children behave better. It's no different for parents of kids with ASD...   > >
March 23, 2012

Cognition with A Little Personality
When seniors improve their cognitive skills, their personalities also get a boost...   > >
March 20, 2012

Mediterranean Diet Helps Your Brain
People who follow the Mediterranean diet do better mentally as they age. Now we know at least one reason why...   > >
March 17, 2012

Behind the Culture at Goldman Sachs
Are the rich really more ethically-challenged than the rest of us? They test that way, but there are other factors at work...   > >
March 16, 2012

How Stress Makes You Sick
We've heard about the stress-immunity connection, but now we understand which chemicals are the culprits...   > >
March 15, 2012

The Power of Good Intentions
Food tastes better and pain hurts less when it comes from people with good intentions. What about bad intentions?   > >
March 12, 2012

Women on Testosterone Are a Lot Like Men
When women were given testosterone and asked to solve a problem, cooperation went way down — and worse...   > >
March 10, 2012

Why Alcohol Feels So Good
Endorphins, the brain’s “feel good” chemicals, may explain why alcohol makes us feel happy — and why we often want more...   > >
March 09, 2012

Antidepressants, Adolescents and Suicide
A new study finds that antidepressants do not raise the risk of suicide, but offer some protection. Kids are different...   > >
March 06, 2012

Mental Illness Rising
In America, one in five people is facing a mental health issue. Worldwide, it's the single greatest cause of disability...   > >
March 04, 2012

Brain Imaging Studies Misunderstood
Brain scans provide valuable information, but their meaning is often oversimplified. Your amygdala is about more than fear...   > >
March 03, 2012

Is Grief A Mental Illness?
A top medical journal questions whether the move to classify grief as depression has merit...   > >
February 28, 2012

Physical Activity Improves Academic Performance
Want kids to pay attention in school? Give them more time to be active...   > >
February 23, 2012

A Friend Request
People with heartfelt Facebook posts about what's wrong in their world may end up with less traffic...   > >
February 22, 2012

Spanking's Lasting Effects
Physical punishment can make children prone to aggression and certain psychological problems. There are other options...   > >
February 21, 2012

Erasing Painful Memories
Fear can be crippling. A study shows how a combination of antidepressants and therapy helps reduce memories' impact...   > >
February 18, 2012

Bad Bosses are Bad for Business
A controlling, coercive boss can take a toll on your well being. But there is more to it than that...   > >
February 17, 2012

A Litmus Test for Relationships
Trying to figure out whether your partner is a keeper? A new study suggests where you should look...   > >
February 14, 2012

Overeating and Memory Loss
Older people who ate many calories were over twice as likely to suffer cognitive impairment as those who ate moderately...   > >
February 13, 2012

Humble and Helpful
If you’re in need of assistance, call on your most humble friends. Those who are arrogant may let you down. ..   > >
February 11, 2012

Feeling Overlooked?
Our need to connect is so strong that being ignored or given the air gaze, even by groups we dislike, bothers us...   > >
February 10, 2012

Lonely Hearts, Go Online
Internet dating is now one of the top methods for finding love. But whether the pros outweigh the cons is another story...   > >
February 08, 2012

Obese Teens
Teens rated as less attached during infancy were almost 2.5 times more likely to become obese. It's no coincidence...   > >
February 07, 2012

Raising Teens' IQs
An extra year or two of education can raise IQ significantly, even if the students are already teens...   > >
February 04, 2012

Pity the Insomniac
Insomnia is a major health risk. It erodes your quality of life. But too few doctors even ask patients about sleep...   > >
February 03, 2012

Gossip Is Good for Your Health
It isn't always bad to gossip. In fact, it has social and health benefits. It depends on what you are gossiping about...   > >
January 31, 2012

A New Alzheimer's Approach
Good nutrition and a sharper brain are more strongly linked that we knew. Resist the fries and resist cognitive decline...   > >
January 28, 2012

A Real Write Off
Writing can help you lose weight, a study has found. It just depends on what you write about...   > >
January 23, 2012

A Cure for Shyness?
The mother-baby bonding hormone, oxytocin, made introverts feel more outgoing and trusting...   > >
January 20, 2012

The Agony of Indecision
Some people constantly doubt themselves rather than committing to their choices, no matter how small. But it's not all bad...   > >
January 19, 2012

Teaching Kids to Think Positively
At what age do children learn that one can choose to see a situation in a more positive light? Does it matter?   > >
January 16, 2012

Marijuana's Paranoid Side
Smoking pot can make people calm, anxious, or even psychotic. A study reveals the chemical culprit...   > >
January 13, 2012

Happy Quitters
Struggling with the resolution to quit smoking? It gets better: Quitters report being happier and healthier...   > >
January 12, 2012

Feed Your Head
Good nutrition and a sharper brain are more strongly linked that we knew. Resist the fries and resist cognitive decline...   > >
January 10, 2012

Doubly Disadvantaged
Underprivileged kids have less chance to play at school, at home, in their neighborhoods. The effects aren't just physical...   > >
January 09, 2012

Make Way for DHEA
The hormone DHEA sounds like a miracle: it may ease menopause symptoms and boost sexual interest...   > >
January 07, 2012

Help for Chocoholics
Self-proclaimed chocolate-lovers who were asked to do this ate half as much chocolate as a similar group who didn't...   > >
January 06, 2012

Beat Depressive Thinking, Be Concrete
A simple, low-cost training program helped people with depression overcome their self-defeating thought patterns...   > >
January 02, 2012

The Evolution of Prejudice
A new look at prejudice finds it may mostly exist just because we're afraid of germs...   > >
December 30, 2011

Men Less Preoccupied with Sex
Men don't think about sex every seven seconds. It's more like 19 times a day. And many women aren't so far behind...   > >
December 29, 2011

Brain Tsunamis
As their name implies, these waves of depolarization destroy brain function the way their watery counterparts wipe out homes...   > >
December 28, 2011

Move Over, Xanax
Researchers discover an important step in the stress response, which, if blocked, could stop the reaction from erupting...   > >
December 27, 2011

Family Combat Fatigue
The brains of children exposed to family violence show changes similar to those of soldiers back from combat...   > >
December 26, 2011

Why “Don’t Be Prejudiced” Backfires
When people are told to be less prejudiced, their response is to be more so. Luckily, there’s a better way...   > >
December 22, 2011

Bad Bosses Can Follow You Home
Having a difficult boss at work strains workers' personal relationships at home. But some relationships are more immune...   > >
December 21, 2011

Soccer Headers Damage Brain Cells
DTI brain scans of players found the most damage in those who headed the ball the most. And the players were amateurs...   > >
December 09, 2011

Can Dreams Heal All Wounds?
REM sleep offers a neuro-chemically safe environment that reduces the emotional strength of traumatic memories...   > >
December 06, 2011

An Autism Conundrum
Autism spectrum disorders are increasingly being linked to different genetic mutations. This poses problems for treatment...   > >
December 03, 2011

A Little Less Holiday Cheer, Perhaps?
A study of alcoholics found higher death and disease rates across the board. But the news is not all bad...   > >
November 28, 2011

A Flexible New View of the Brain
A new ultra-thin probe enables scientists to gather information about brain activity without invasive electrodes...   > >
November 27, 2011

No Way to Quit
The anti-smoking drug varenicline (Chantix) can bring on depression, suicide and violence. The FDA found differently...   > >
November 22, 2011

Txt2Stop Smoking
People in a British study had double the quit rate thanks to support and tips delivered by cell phone. Just text "crave."...   > >
November 18, 2011

Too Many Neurons in Autistic Brains
Runaway neuronal growth in the prefrontal cortex. That's what researchers found when they checked the brains of kids with autism...   > >
November 17, 2011

Study Overturns Alzheimer's Theory
The idea that a build-up of beta-amyloid plaques is behind Alzheimer's has been turned on its head...   > >
November 14, 2011

The G8 Summit in Your Brain
Clusters of highly influential regions of brain cells do serious collaboration. They're called "rich clubs" for good reason.   > >
November 11, 2011

BPA in Utero Affects Girls' Brains
BPA exposure in the womb was linked to behavioral and emotional problems in girls. Why not boys?   > >
November 09, 2011

Teaching Doctors Empathy
Can listening to their own encounters with patients help doctors become more responsive to patients' concerns?   > >
November 04, 2011

Does Living Happy = Living Longer?
Happiness measured at one point in time was linked to lower mortality five years later. Cause or coincidence?   > >
November 03, 2011

Middle-Aged Stressors Up Death Risk
Going through a string of difficult life events in middle age raises one's death risk. But there is a silver lining.   > >
October 31, 2011

What Works for Migraine Relief?
A study comparing stress reduction, medication and exercise found a surprisingly effective way to reduce migraine episodes...   > >
October 28, 2011

Soda's Violent Side
The "Twinkie defense" returns: The more sugary, fizzy sodas a teen drank, the more likely he or she was to become violent...   > >
October 27, 2011

Soda's Violent Side
The "Twinkie defense" returns: The more sugary, fizzy sodas a teen drank, the more likely he or she was to become violent...   > >
October 27, 2011

Educational TV? Not for Toddlers
The AAP has come out with a statement outlining just how bad television and media are for little kids...   > >
October 26, 2011

Mental Health Boosts Economic Health
The economic benefits of offering mental health help to those living in poverty are enormous...   > >
October 24, 2011

Magic Mushrooms and Personality Change
A small study found that one experience with the hallucinogen psilocybin created lasting, positive, personality changes...   > >
October 22, 2011

Preventing Stroke in at-Risk Brains
Drugs to reduce the brain's immense energy needs may serve to help preserve it when its blood supply is compromised...   > >
October 21, 2011

In a Lather over Sponge Bob
Why do cartoon-viewing kids exhibit poorer "executive functioning" than those who watch educational TV? It is overload?   > >
October 19, 2011

Making Movies of the Mind
Brain scans taken while researchers all watched the same film clips were used to reveal what they saw later. Mindreading...   > >
October 15, 2011

Good News: Your Brain Can Grow
Contrary to popular belief, the brain can form new connections into adulthood — years after it was thought to have stopped...   > >
October 14, 2011

Easily Embarrassed = Trustworthy?
People who become embarrassed more readily are also more dependable and generous...   > >
October 12, 2011

Why It's Hard to Quit
Brain scans of former drinkers reveal that alcohol damages brain areas key to impulse control, making it harder to stop...   > >
October 11, 2011

Can Parents Compete with Cartoons?
It's hard to encourage kids to eat well when you have to compete with cartoon character marketing, but it is possible...   > >
October 10, 2011

Possible Mad Cow Treatment
The brain-wasting prion diseases are slow-growing. Two drugs seem to bring them almost to a standstill...   > >
October 08, 2011

ED Linked to a Broken Heart
A study finds that ED predicts future heart disease. But another finds an easy way to improve sexual function...   > >
October 07, 2011

Tweets Track Global Mood Swings
The timing and emotional tenor of Twitter posts around the world offer a picture of when we are happiest and when we are not...   > >
September 30, 2011

Mind Games
The mind is notorious for playing tricks, but researchers discover paying attention can actually mislead us...   > >
September 27, 2011

Typical — Like Me
What does a typical American or European or African look like? It depends on whom you ask; it may have sinister implications...   > >
September 24, 2011

Breastfeeding and Kids' Brains
Kids who were breastfed scored higher on reasoning and language tests at age 5. The effects on preemies were even greater...   > >
September 22, 2011

Controlling Instant Gratification
The brains of impulsive people are different from those who can delay gratification. It's all in the prefrontal cortex...   > >
September 21, 2011

Nicotine's New Disguise
Hookah lounges are on the rise in California and with them, tobacco use. The dangers are the same as cigarettes, and worse...   > >
September 16, 2011

Alcohol and Food Habits
Drinkers eat fewer healthy calories in favor of empty, alcoholic ones. This compounds their risk of disease...   > >
September 8, 2011

Making Your Fat Burn More Calories
Brown fat burns many more calories than white fat. Now, a surprising new way to make white fat behave like brown...   > >
September 7, 2011

Don't Choke on that Test
U.S. Open players take note: A new study shows that it’s how we interpret our stress can make or break a performance...   > >
September 5, 2011

Superhuman Vitamin-Users
Vitamins are good for you, right? Not necessarily. In some people they lead to more health risks. It's called licensing...   > >
September 3, 2011

Stress and Depression
Stress can lead to depression, but new brain cells may be responsible for stopping the process and relieving the stress...   > >
August 31, 2011

Memory Loss: New Hope
In aging brains cyclic AMP, a cytokine, weakens cell firing, slowing working memory. Blocking it reverses the effect...   > >
August 30, 2011

Children Behaving Badly
Kids' nagging can wear down moms' resistance. But a study found some winning strategies (for moms, that is...)   > >
August 29, 2011

Stopping Panic Attacks Before They Start
Subtle cues precede most attacks. The trick is listening to them and preventing them...   > >
August 26, 2011

Parents and Kids Not Always a Good Fit
A study asks: Can parents make a positive – or negative – difference in the temperaments of anxious and depressed kids?   > >
August 22, 2011

Endless Worry Colors Relationships
People with anxiety often have problematic social relationships, partly as a result of their worries. What can be done?   > >
August 15, 2011

Risky Business
Teens are surprisingly risk-aversive in some situations, while women are apt to take more risks than men in others...   > >
August 12, 2011

Antidepressants' Boomerang Effect
For all the good they do, antidepressants may lead to another bout of depression. Here's why, according to a large review.   > >
August 10, 2011

A New Way to Treat Depression
Studies find that the brain's reward system appears to be stimulated by these positive behaviors and may ease depression...   > >
August 08, 2011

Pets and Self Esteem
Pet owners score higher on a variety of measures of healthy adjustment. Can pets say the same?   > >
August 06, 2011

Speech Processing in Dyslexia
The root of dyslexia may be in speech processing, a surprise to researchers. How will this knowledge help treat it?   > >
August 05, 2011

Are You An Overweight Personality?
A new study shows that certain personality traits are linked to a tendency to be overweight. There were some surprises. ..   > >
August 2, 2011

Massage For Back Pain
Two types of massage were offered to back pain sufferers. Guess who got better?   > >
August 01, 2011

Grapes vs. Alzheimer's
Grape seed extract – and perhaps red wine – shows promise as a way to slow the progression of Alzheimer's...   > >
July 30, 2011

Teaching Teens Positive Thinking
A simple computer program seems to help teens avoid negative thinking, which may help with anxiety and depression...   > >
July 26, 2011

One Less Thing for Parents to Worry About
Do kids who aren't talking by two in trouble? Not usually. A study has found they tend to catch up...   > >
July 21, 2011

Social Problems Are Killers
Proof that public health must be seen in a broader light than it currently is. Save healthcare dollars; improve schools...   > >
July 20, 2011

Unhealthy Habits = Less Sex
Why people who drink to excess, smoke, use drugs or are overweight are less likely to have satisfying sex...   > >
July 15, 2011

Time to Get Rocking
Break out the hammocks. Rocking to sleep is not just for babies. It provides a deeper sleep. Here's why...   > >
July 13, 2011

Looking into the Mind's Eye
New research shows how our ability to imagine affects on our reactions and our ability to plan for the future.   > >
July 11, 2011

Men Who Buy Flashy Cars...
Men who engage in "conspicuous spending" (think Porsches) have one thing on their minds. But are women really impressed?   > >
July 08, 2011

ER Not Best for Kids' Mental Health Issues
Too often, children with behavioral or emotional issues are taken to the ER. A bad idea for a number of reasons...   > >
June 28, 2011

Panic Not
You might think people with panic disorder would fall apart in a crisis, but that's not necessarily the case...   > >
June 25, 2011

Scanning the Brain's Networks
A new technique enables researchers to view patterns of activity within the whole brain, rather than just discrete regions...   > >
June 24, 2011

What Math Does to Kids' Brains
Don't worry, it's all good. Children's brains change as they learn math skills. Adults' too, hopefully...   > >
June 14, 2011

Plastic Surgeons' Best Customers
Why do some people believe their physical flaws are far more noticeable than they are? It's about the brain...   > >
June 10, 2011

Giving New Meaning to "Seeing Red"
Looking at the color red actually boosts the strength and speed of our physical reactions...   > >
June 08, 2011

It's All About Action
Contrary to popular belief, kids do not enjoy violent cartoons any more than nonviolent ones. So why do producers make them?   > >
June 06, 2011

Paxil and Pravachol: A Bad Combo
Drug interactions can be surprising. Alone, neither Paxil nor Pravachol raise blood sugar. Together, they do...   > >
June 02, 2011

Social Support Systems
Getting along well with the coworkers may lengthen your life. Getting along with the boss…not so much...   > >
June 01, 2011

Therapy Goes to the Dogs
The presence of a therapy dog can help reduce the anxiety of patients waiting for an MRI — unless they're afraid of dogs...   > >
May 30, 2011

The Agony of Ecstasy?
The club drug Ecstasy produces changes in brain chemistry. But these may not be the type of changes its users are after...   > >
May 27, 2011

Purses and Punching Bags
Little things – like being asked to hold a purse – can make men feel their manhood has been threatened. Guess what happens...   > >
May 24, 2011

How Guilt Makes Us Nicer
Do we cooperate with others to experience positive feelings or avoid the bad ones? A new study shows how guilt motivates us...   > >
May 19, 2011

Easing Stress Can Boost IVF Success
Women taking a stress relief program while undergoing IVF got pregnant significantly more often than those who didn’t...   > >
May 17, 2011

Prozac Not Working For You?
People taking anti-inflammatory drugs like aspirin and ibuprofen may find that their SSRI antidepressants don't work as well...   > >
May 12, 2011

Sleepy Neurons Lead to Mistakes
In sleep-deprived rats random brain cells take "naps" while the animal is awake. This leads to performance problems...   > >
May 06, 2011

It's Never Too Late to Start Exercising
A study of women over 60 found that moderate exercise – just walking – significantly improved blood flow and BP...   > >
April 30, 2011

Alcohol, Impulsivity, and the Brain
People with alcoholism in the family tend to have a gene variation affecting impulsivity. Their brains reflect this...   > >
April 29, 2011

No More Pain
People briefly taught a form of meditation experienced a 40% reduction in pain intensity, far better than with morphine...   > >
April 21, 2011

Food Addictions
The same areas of the brain are activated in food addiction and drug addiction. But you can't go cold turkey on food...   > >
April 20, 2011

Longer Work Day, Shorter Life
People who regularly work long days have a far higher risk of heart disease. How long is too long?   > >
April 19, 2011

Political Wisdom
Conservatives and liberals really are different. It's not just their beliefs; it's their brains. Scans tell the story...   > >
April 16, 2011

Are Food Dyes Safe for Kids?
Some studies show a link between artificial dyes and ADHD. So why did an FDA panel reject warning labels for these foods?   > >
April 15, 2011

Love Hurts — Literally.
The emotional pain of romantic relationship break-up has the same effect on the brain as physical pain. Not surprised?   > >
April 12, 2011

Squelcing PMS
Fatty acid supplements may help women beat the symptoms of PMS. How do they work?   > >
April 09, 2011

Fear of Heights
A dose of cortisol, the stress hormone secreted when we are afraid or stressed, helped acrophobics conquer their fear...   > >
April 08, 2011

Is Obese the New Normal?
People who are seriously overweight tend not to see themselves – or their kids – as being as heavy as they really are...   > >
April 05, 2011

Your Personal CEO
Brain scans show how the visual cortex of blind people is recruited by the brain to help them process language...   > >
March 25, 2011

An OTC for the Brain?
Ibuprofen appears to offer protection against Parkinson's disease. Brain inflammation may be the reason...   > >
March 23, 2011

Not Just A Face in the Crowd
Where's Waldo? A study has found that the larger the society, the more distinctive its members tend to become.   > >
March 14, 2011

Cognitive Problems in Cancer Patients
Cancer patients on opioid painkillers often experience confusion, disorientation and forgetfulness. Is there an alternative?   > >
March 11, 2011

Of Mice and, Hopefully, Men
An accidental discovery has resulted in serious hair re-growth in stressed mice. If men are next, let the celebration begin...  > >
March 10, 2011

Exercise Raises Kids' Test Scores
Intelligence scores rose by four points with just 40 minutes of play a day. Planning and decision-making improved too...  > >
March 07, 2011

"Talk Therapy" Rewires the Brain
Anxious? Cognitive behavior therapy can help. The changes it brings can be seen in the brain itself...   > >
March 05, 2011

The Trans-Fat Blues
Certain fats may be as bad for your head as your heart. A study has found a link between hydrogenated fats and depression...   > >
March 03, 2011

Exercise and IBS
Regular exercise significantly reduces IBS symptoms and the likelihood that they'll get worse over the years. Why wait?  > >
February 19, 2011

Memo To Parents of Obese Kids
When parents of overweight children took a healthy lifestyle course, their children's BMI dropped by 10%...  > >
February 15, 2011

The Pen is Mightier Than the Keyboard
Writing by hand furthers learning far more than pressing a key. So what are we to do...  > >
February 14, 2011

Meditation Changes the Brain
People who took a course on mindfulness meditation had significant increases – and decreases – in areas of their brains...  > >
February 11, 2011

How To Beat Test Anxiety
Students who are anxious about tests do as well as their not-so-anxious peers when they write about their fears...  > >
February 10, 2011

Hot Flashes Are Good?
Hot flashes and other menopause symptoms may actually have a protective effect when it comes to certain cancers...  > >
February 05, 2011

Cell Phones and Cancer
A large-scale analysis of cell phone use finds a connection between usage and brain cancer. How to limit your exposure...   > >
February 04, 2011

What Are School Friends For?
Kids' friends may have a bigger influence on how well they do in school than parents do. But boys and girls are different...  > >
February 03, 2011

Walk On
Walking just 5 miles a week slows mental decline significantly, even among those with Alzheimer's. Get started now...   > >
February 01, 2011

Instincts, How Accurate?
Do people who are able to listen to their bodies have better instincts when it comes to making intuitive decisions?   > >
January 28, 2011

Cancer, Pain and Smoking
Is it that smoking actually increases cancer pain, or that greater pain increases smoking? Some findings...   > >
January 21, 2011

New Study Reports Evidence of "ESP"
A new study reports evidence of "ESP" and stirs debate. Critics say we need reevaluate before believing...   > >
January 20, 2011

Mindfulness vs. Fibromyalgia
Can mindfulness therapy reduce the pain experienced by people with this baffling condition?   > >
January 16, 2011

Viva Fruits, Vegetables — and Vino
Seniors who eat – and drink – a more Mediterranean style diet have less cognitive decline than people who don't...   > >
January 13, 2011

Truly Fearless
A woman with a damaged amygdala exhibits no fear at all – even when confronting things (like snakes) she is afraid of...   > >
January 11, 2011

Ban Tobacco Displays?
In Ireland, a ban on displaying tobacco products changed attitudes and didn't hurt shopkeepers' bottom lines...   > >
January 05, 2011

The Unemployed Rebound
Laid off? Here's some good news: Your happiness level will likely rise to pre-unemployment levels within a year...   > >
January 04, 2011

Resolutions 101
There is an art to making resolutions you can actually keep and use to make changes in your life. What works; what doesn't...   > >
January 01, 2011

To Drink or Not to Drink
The health benefits and hazards of alcohol should be on your mind this New Year's Eve. A game plan for the night...   > >
December 31, 2010

Raise the Cholesterol?
More evidence that "good" cholesterol really is good: Higher levels of HDL may reduce risk for Alzheimer's disease...   > >
December 30, 2010

Mood, Creativity and Work
People work better when they are in a good mood. So those stupid pet trick videos really are important to doing your job...   > >
December 25, 2010

Alzheimer's Breakthrough?
It is not that Alzheimer's brains overproduce dangerous plaques; they have trouble getting rid of them once they've formed...   > >
December 22, 2010

Sleeping Beauty
A recent study, complete with before and after photos, finds sleep really does make you more attractive. No surprise...   > >
December 21, 2010

Don't Sleep On It
Scientists have found a way to disrupt upsetting memories of traumatic events: sleep deprivation...   > >
December 20, 2010

Married Men Are Nicer
But are they nicer because of marriage, or just nicer to begin with? A study examines the issue...   > >
December 19, 2010

Paralyzed Monkey Jumps Again
Researchers say that implanting stem cells allowed a paralyzed monkey to walk – and jump – again. Are humans next?  > >
December 18, 2010

Medication or Meditation?
More people are seeking treatment for their depression. But the type of treatment they choose may not be the most effective...  > >
December 15, 2010

Women, Work and Heart Disease
No surprise: women facing job stress have a greatly increased risk of heart disease. But what to do?  > >
December 11, 2010

Fatigued? Depressed? Retire!
Workers with exhaustion and depression felt significantly better after they retired. But is it not working that did it?  > >
December 06, 2010

Red Bull or Rum?
College kids who drink more energy drinks also consume significantly more alcohol: coincidence or cause?  > >
November 27, 2010

K2 and "Spice" Danger
Synthetic marijuana is legal in some states and found in convenience stores. It is sending kids to the ER with seizures...  > >
November 21, 2010

Happiness is Paying Attention
People whose minds are wandering are less happy than those who are focused on the present. Sign up to track yourself...  > >
November 20, 2010

Smart Brain!
When one part of the brain is damaged, it often gets an assist from other, undamaged areas to pick up the slack...  > >
November 19, 2010

Don't Try This At Home
We're talking about smoking, especially if you have children. Turns out, secondhand smoke is even more dangerous for them...  > >
November 18, 2010

With Friends Like These...
Obesity can spread among friends. Rising obesity rates are partly related to a phenomenon known as social contagion...  > >
November 14, 2010

Stress: Not So Bad for the Belly?
Stress isn't behind as much weight gain as was previously thought, but there are sex differences to consider...  > >
November 14, 2010

Preventing Parkinson’s
Parkinson’s disease appears linked to problems in the brain’s energy stores. New research suggests a fix...  > >
November 12, 2010

Smells Good, But It's Toxic
Many of those scented products you love actually give off toxic chemicals. Some are even "green."...  > >
November 11, 2010

Aging Like Wine
So often studies tell us what not to do. Finally, here's one that tells you what you need to do to age well...  > >
November 9, 2010

New Moms, Bigger Brains
The thrill and pleasure of a new baby appear to stimulate brain growth, particularly in areas devoted to emotion and reward...  > >
November 8, 2010

Friends Light Up the Brain
Close friends activate "social" areas of your brain more than strangers do, even if you have more in common with the strangers...  > >
November 5, 2010

When Moms Read, Kids Flourish
For young children in poor communities, having a mom who reads is a huge boost to school success...  > >
November 4, 2010

Boys' Brains on Violence
Boys used to violent video clips have less response to them. Does this increase the likelihood they will become violent?...  > >
November 2, 2010

New Diet Idea
Paying with cash is more psychologically "painful" than paying with credit, which leads to less junk food spending...  > >
November 01, 2010

Dogs Help Autistic Kids
Having a service dog reduces undesirable behavior and eases kids' (and parents') stress...  > >
October 29, 2010

Now Remember This
Higher levels of vitamin B12 were linked to reduced risk of Alzheimer's disease — so eat your eggs!...  > >
October 27, 2010

Morning Sickness, Good?
Women who experience morning sickness are less likely to miscarry than women who do not — but don’t worry, it’s not written in stone...  > >
October 25, 2010

Resilience Training
Facing some adversity in your life may help you better cope with stress and be happier later on...  > >
October 23, 2010

Kids' Psychology
When your child spends more than two hours per day in front of the TV the risk of behavioral and social problems increases...  > >
October 21, 2010

Last Call...Already?
An earlier last call at bars can lower the number of assaults and other alcohol-related violence...  > >
October 20, 2010

Helping Families Get Healthier
A study at IBM shows that modest company-sponsored incentive programs can increase the health of workers and their families...  > >
October 12, 2010

Painful Emotions...Literally
Feeling hostile? Angry? Depressed? Your experience of physical pain is likely to be worse when you have these emotions...  > >
October 11, 2010

No You Didn't
"Observation inflation" occurs when we think we've done something we haven't because we've seen someone else doing it...  > >
October 07, 2010

Bad Habits = Costly Workers
People who smoke, overeat, or don't exercise take more sick days, while those who drink take fewer. Go figure...  > >
October 05, 2010

B for the Brain
People taking high doses of B vitamins had less brain shrinkage than those who didn't in this Oxford University study...  > >
September 27, 2010

Contagious Yawning
Contagious yawning is familiar to most. But did you know it is a form of normal social bonding and can point to problems?  > >
September 25, 2010

Your Hair Knows
Look at the hair of cardiac patients and you can see that in the months before the attack, stress hormone levels were rising...  > >
September 22, 2010

The Root of Loneliness
Feel lonely? A new study finds that the best way to reduce loneliness is to change how you think about yourself and others...  > >
September 18, 2010

New Moms Need Sleep!
Even though they may total enough hours at night, interrupted sleep is what hurts new moms...  > >
September 17, 2010

40-minute Wonder
Ketamine quickly reduced depression in some treatment-resistant bipolar patients, offering hope for a new treatment approach...  > >
September 14, 2010

Medical Marijuana
People with chronic nerve pain found some relief by smoking marijuana in a Canadian study. Medical marijuana is legal there...  > >
September 12, 2010

Disrupting the Biological Clock
Reduced messenger RNA activity appears to be behind the sleep, blood pressure and mood problems seen in alcoholics...  > >
September 08, 2010

Just Be Yourself
Despite earlier theories, stressed out, neurotic people do not get cancer more frequently than laid back, out-going types...  > >
September 05, 2010

Mind over Matter
Seniors who worry about falling actually fall more than those who don't, even when their risk of falling is the same...  > >
September 04, 2010

It's So Infuriating
Angry people have a greater risk for heart attack and stroke than easygoing folks. Artery walls tell the story...  > >
August 31, 2010

ADHD Often Misdiagnosed
Children who are young for their grade tend to be misdiagnosed with ADHD. A million kids may have been affected...  > >
August 29, 2010

Turn down the Volume
Teens' hearing has gotten worse over the past two decades, and it may be from having the iPod or MP3 cranked up too loud...  > >
August 27, 2010

Pump Up Your Brain
People with hearts that pump most effectively (think exercise) tend to have larger brains. Coincidence? Not likely...  > >
August 26, 2010

As You See Them, So You Are
How we see others says more about our own personalities than it does about theirs', a new study has shown...   > >
August 18 , 2010

More Fun With Fruits and Vegetables
You can get your kids to feel positively toward fruits and veggies – and eat them. Carrot puppets, anyone?   > >
August 17 , 2010

Brain It Out
Researchers find that Irritable Bowel Syndrome is linked to changes in the brain as well as the gut. But which come first is a question...  > >
August 16, 2010

Taking In Sync to a New Level
The better we understand another, the more closely our brain patterns resemble theirs, a phenomenon dubbed neural coupling...  > >
August 09, 2010

Take Your Pick, Kids
Let your grade-schoolers read whatever they want during the summer. Keeping those skills sharp is what is important...  > >
August 08 , 2010

Friends, For a Long and Healthy Life
Having a strong social support system rivals quitting smoking in terms of the years it can add to our lives...  > >
August 04, 2010

Practice Makes Perfect
We learn better when we change our routines, rather than doing the same thing over and over, according to a new brain study...  > >
August 01, 2010

Sniffing Insulin for Alzheimer's
Not just for diabetics: A sniff of the hormone insulin may help recover memory function in Alzheimer's patients...  > >
July 28, 2010

The Nose Knows
Zinc nasal sprays, often used as cold remedies, appear to damage, and in some cases, destroy, people's sense of smell...  > >
July 27, 2010

Don't Throw Out the Rabbit's Foot
When people have good luck charms with them they perform better, a study has found. It's about confidence...  > >
July 26, 2010

Put a Little Stress in Your Life
Mice “stressed” by living in stimulating environments fought cancer better, making experts suggest that a little stress may be good...  > >
July 24, 2010

Unintended Medical Consequences
Parkinson's patients receiving tissue transplants developed jerky, uncontrolled movements. This may be a thing of the past...  > >
July 15, 2010

Two Hours Does What?
Whether your child is in grade school or college, video games may be just as bad as TV for their attention spans...  > >
July 11, 2010

Brain Scan Predicts Behavior
A study using functional MRI scans of subjects' brains found that scan results better predict behavior than the subjects did...  > >
July 06, 2010

Baby Blues
No wonder new mothers are at risk for postpartum depression: MAO-A, an enzyme that can deactivate mood, is skyrocketing...  > >
June 27, 2010

Nature: Fuel for the Soul
Spending as little as 20 minutes in nature is a good way to recharge, according to a new study. Even urban gardens can work...  > >
June 21, 2010

CBT and Exercise Help Fibromyalgia
Fibromyalgia patients better manage their pain with cognitive behavior therapy and exercise. Knowing how they cope helps, too...  > >
June 18, 2010

Teens Who Hurt Themselves
The medical community calls it "non-suicidal self-injury" (NSSI); the kids call it "cutting."...  > >
June 14, 2010

Get That Gallbladder Out!
If you suffer from gallbladder inflammation you should probably have it removed to reduce risk and financial cost.   > >
June 13, 2010

Does Anger Bring Closeness?
Feelings of anger seem to make a person want to get closer to the anger-inducing stimulus, rather than further away from it. > >
June 11, 2010

New Dads Get Depressed Too
New and expecting fathers experience depression twice as frequently as other men. Knowing the signs is a first step...  > >
June 06, 2010

ADHD and Pesticide Exposure
Children with ADHD had significantly higher pesticide exposure levels than their peers in a new study...  > >
May 30, 2010

Mozart and Smarts? Unlikely, Study Says
There’s little evidence that exposing your child to Mozart will actually improve his or her intelligence, but it can't hurt....  > >
May 29, 2010

Talk About Sexual Problems
Aging presents some obstacles to sexual satisfaction. Many can be overcome, but talking to your partner or spouse appears key...  > >
May 26, 2010

Drinking at Dillon High and Beyond
Teen drinking is not like on TV. There are real risks, like auto accidents and impaired brain development...  > >
May 24, 2010

Another Look at Antidepressants for Teens
After the reports of increased suicide rates among teens on antidepressants, a new study offers more data...  > >
May 21, 2010

When Antidepressants Don't Work
Administering magnetic pulses to patients with intractable depression seems to be an effective treatment...   > >
May 19, 2010

A Laughing Matter
Break out the sitcom DVDs. Laughter may help stimulate appetite in older adults and people with chronic pain...   > >
May 16, 2010

Pain, New Ideas and Potential Remedies
New research suggests that targeting the OLAM compounds that activate pain receptors may block pain at its root...   > >
May 15, 2010

Seeing Illness Boosts The Immune System
Just seeing people who show symptoms of illness seems to stimulate the immune system...   > >
May 14 2010

Promising New PTSD Treatment
Blocking the nerves of the stellate ganglion, a treatment for chronic pain, provided two veterans with relief from PTSD...   > >
May 13, 2010

Time Outdoors Helps Self Esteem
Good news, couch potatoes: Just five minutes outside can improve mood and self-esteem. Vigorous exercise is not necessary...   > >
May 11, 2010

The Senior Hustle
Dancing improves seniors' balance and prevents falls. It also can raise their spirits. A low impact program helps...   > >
May 10, 2010

Teen Smoking: Talk About It
A simple parent-teen conversation, or several, is the best way to prevent teens from smoking, especially if dad is involved...  > >
May 09, 2010

Depression Meds' Side Effects Under-Reported
A study has found that side effects from these drugs rarely make it to patients' charts. Patient and doctor reporting play a part...  > >
May 06, 2010

Do Computer Games Make You Smarter?
A study in which subjects practiced computer games found that game skills improved, but not overall mental capacity...  > >
May 01, 2010

Exercise As Psychotherapy
Exercise can produce immediate improvement in people with mental health issues. So why is it so rarely prescribed?...  > >
April 26, 2010

Pack Up Your Cares and Woes
If you are having trouble getting over a disappointment, it really may help to seal up an emblem of it and throw it away...  > >
April 22, 2010

Dieting Is Stressful
Dieting raises levels of the stress hormone cortisol, making it harder to lose weight. Exercise can help...  > >
April 19, 2010

Strategies for Managing Stress
Stress is a fact of life, but you can learn to manage it better. There are ways to cope physically and mentally...  > >
April 12, 2010

Deep Conversation Brings Happiness
Small talk may be a social lubricant, but greater happiness comes from meaningful conversations, a new study has found...  > >
March 29, 2010

Zen Mind, Less Pain
Zen meditation reduces a person's sensitivity to pain. Meditators had thicker gray matter, a good sign for aging brains, too...  > >
March 28, 2010

Exercise Lowers Anxiety
Exercise reduces the anxiety people with a chronic illness often feel. Others who are anxious should take note as well...  > >
March 24, 2010

Treating Mild Depression Helps
Those who are feeling a bit depressed, but who resist treatment, are more likely to become depressed than those who seek help...  > >
March 16, 2010

What Stress Does To You
Stress is a feeling, but it is also a biological reaction that has beneficial and harmful effects, depending on its duration. What you need to know...  > >
March 15, 2010

Fish Oil May Reduce Psychosis Risk
A small study of young people at risk for developing a psychotic disorder found that taking fish oil may be protective...  > >
March 14, 2010

Psychiatric Drugs and Pregnancy
Timing makes a difference when it comes to taking antidepressant and anti−anxiety drugs while pregnant...  > >
March 9, 2010

High BP Means More Brain Lesions, Dementia
People with high blood pressure are more likely to have the sorts of white matter brain lesions connected to mental decline and Alzheimer's...  > >
March 2, 2010

A Break Can Help Memory
Just what students want to hear: Taking a break after learning something new may give the brain time to move the information into long−term memory...  > >
March 1, 2010

Two New Oral Drugs for MS
Patients in the clinical trial had to take the medication in only two or four courses of four to five days each per year. The new drugs worked as well as injectable interferon...  > >
February 24, 2010

Antipsychotics' Health Risks
Antipsychotic drugs like clozapine and olanzapine can raise the risk of diabetes, but patients are often not monitored...  > >
February 19, 2010

Soldiers' Families Under Stress
Kids and caregivers left behind during deployment have to shoulder a heavy burden. A study looks at what can help...  > >
February 17, 2010

Diabetes and Depression
When diabetics suffer from depression, treating it can lower blood sugar and blood pressure levels as well...  > >
February 16, 2010

Autism and Education: What's the Connection?
Autism appears to be more common among the children of the well−educated. But is this just the result of more frequent diagnosis? ...   > >
February 5, 2010

Yoga's Effects Revealed
Long−time yoga practitioners have far lower levels of two by−products of stress and inflammation: IL−6 and CRP...   > >
February 4, 2010

Better Relationships Prevent Weight Gain
When teenagers receive help with social skills and have happier peer relations, their weight tends to stabilize....   > >
February 3, 2010

Green Tea An Antidepressant?
The more green tea elderly subjects drank in a day, the less likely they were to be depressed. Theanine may be behind it...   > >
January 28, 2010

Kids' Mental Health Needs
A new survey of children 15 and under offers a picture of their mental health and where treatment is lagging...   > >
January 26, 2010

Oxygen for Cluster Headaches
Good news for headache sufferers: A study has found that high−flow oxygen can relieve the intense pain of cluster headaches...  > >
January 18, 2010

Over 40, Single, and... Happy
People who have never married are as basically as well-adjusted as those who are. But their autonomy has a price...  > >
January 14, 2010

Gooooal! The Psychology of Penalty Kicks
England has lost three World Cups on penalty kicks, so a British researcher has come up with a more winning strategy...  > >
January 20, 2010

Healthy Hearts, Brains, Linked
Seniors who ate the most fruits and vegetables had better cognitive function and reduced risk of heart disease...  > >
January 5, 2010

Sobering News On Coffee
Don't count on coffee, even lots of it, to help you sober up this New Years Eve. It may even make driving more dangerous...  > >
December 31, 2009

Can't Buy Me Happiness
Therapy is far more effective than money (even a raise!) at increasing happiness, according to a new study...  > >
December 24, 2009

Quitters, The Video Game
A video game in which virtual smokers stomp out their cigarettes actually helped real world smokers quit...  > >
December 23, 2009

Expectations Can Hurt Teens
Parents' expectations of adolescent rebelliousness or risky behavior can help create a self−fulfilling prophecy...   > >
December 21, 2009

Depression and Longevity
People who are depressed have a shorter life−span. Is this because doctors tend not to investigate their symptoms?...  > >
December 18, 2009

The Sleepless Can't Decide
People who are sleep−deprived cannot make split-second decisions, even when lives depend on it...  > >
December 17, 2009

Post Surgery Depression
Heart patients who received supportive phone calls not only had less depression, but also stayed out of the hospital...  > >
December 11, 2009

Minimizing Spinal Injury
An experimental approach using micelles to prevent the spread of nerve damage shows promise...  > >
December 10, 2009

Yo-Yo Dieting, It's Addictive
Dieting can cause a withdrawal effect, just as other addictions do. Repeated dieting and relapsing makes the effect worse...  > >
December 9, 2009

Retirees Feel Younger
Retirement is good for your health. In fact, if your work life has been stressful, you are likely to feel much better after you retire. According to one study, it's like turning the clock back eight years...  > >
December 3, 2009

Parks Improve Overall Health
Living near green space seems to make people healthier, both mentally and physically. Time outdoors reduced reports of anxiety, depression and a variety of illnesses...  > >
November 18, 2009

Happiness Is A New Skill
As stressful as learning a new skill can be, the satisfaction and happiness we gain from our new level of competence more than makes up for it, according to a new study. Go ahead, try something new...  > >
November 17, 2009

Coffee Won't Keep You Sharp
A Finnish study has found that drinking coffee offers no protection from the natural decline of mental abilities as we age. But it did find several factors that seemed to be good predictors ...  > >
November 5, 2009

A Vicious Triangle
For women, alcohol, depression and obesity often go together and form a self−perpetuating cycle. Obsessively replaying negative events in one's mind seems to be what links these activities...  > >
October 29, 2009

This is Your Brain On Fat index.html
Eating foods high in saturated fats actually changes your brain chemistry, short−circuiting the normal messages telling you that you are full. No wonder those fries are so hard to resist...  > >
October 19, 2009

Mind Games Reduce Decline
When seniors give their minds a workout at least twice weekly, they halve their risk for dementia. The mental effort needs to be active, such as playing cards or doing puzzles; passive activities don't work...  > >
October 14, 2009

Online Support Helps Drinkers
College students who have harmful drinking patterns can be helped to rein in their drinking by receiving personalized online feedback...  > >
October 8, 2009

Bullies and Victims at Risk
Victims of bullying as well as bullies themselves are at risk for mental health problems. In some cases, bullying may itself be a sign of an underlying mental health issue...  > >
October 7, 2009

A Tiny Protein, A Big Impact
In what may be a crucial finding for the treatment and prevention of Alzheimer's disease, a tiny portion of a protein, called N60, appears to be behind the formation of the beta amyloid plaques that disrupt...  > >
October 1, 2009

Bad Habits Fuel Memory Problems
Two studies suggest that if you find you are forgetting more and remembering less, consider your lifestyle. Interestingly, not drinking wine at all was also a risk factor...  > >
September 29, 2009

Multitasking Drains Focus
Is being able to surf the Web, IM and grocery shop at the same time a good thing? Not really, according to a recent study. It's more a sign of distractibility than productivity...  > >
September 24, 2009

Even Toddlers Get The Blues
Depression is not something one sees often in toddlers, but it does exist. It’s useful to intervene early, before depressive patterns become ingrained...  > >
September 23, 2009

Depression Made Visible
The areas of the brain responsible for processing pleasure and rewards are notably inactive in depressed people. This is likely no news to them, but it does point toward an approach to treatment...  > >
September 18, 2009

Larger Waists, Smaller Brains
As your waist is getting larger, your brain is growing smaller, a new study has found. Obese and overweight people has between 4% and 8% less brain tissue...  > >
September 14, 2009

GIFT15 Protein May Reverse MS
Scientists have found a way to reverse multiple sclerosis in mice using a hybrid protein, GIFT15 that turns the body’s own B cells into powerful regulators capable of stopping the demyelination associated with the disease...  > >
September 11, 2009

Stuck on Stress
Stress appears to rewire the brain, making it respond in an obsessive, repetitive rather than creative fashion. The good news is that the flexible, creative thinking comes back when the brain is allowed...  > >
September 9, 2009

Antidepressants Trend Upward
Antidepressant use has doubled over the last decade according to a recent study. Is this a good thing or a sign that the drugs are being over-prescribed?...  > >
September 3, 2009

Come On and Get Happy!
Postmenopausal women who had a positive, as opposed to pessimistic, outlook lived 16% longer. This new finding expands on work done with men. Attitude adjustment is possible...  > >
August 31, 2009

Mindful Eating, The Yoga Diet
It may be no surprise that being mindful about food appears to be very useful to losing weight. But it may surprise you to learn that yoga practice may be a dieting tool...  > >
August 24, 2009

A Face Lift For Migraines?
A promising new treatment using botox dramatically reduced migraines by disarming the nerves around trigger points. The procedure also gave patients' faces a lift...  > >
August 17, 2009

Seafood Fights Depression?
Pregnant women who ate seafood during pregnancy were half as likely to suffer from depression. While one must be careful of mercury levels, depression puts mothers and babies at risk...  > >
August 13, 2009

Many Vets Face War At Home
It is no surprise: there is an epidemic of mental disorders among veterans of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. A lack of social support and homelessness complicate the picture...  > >
August 10, 2009

Clozapine Reconsidered
Clozapine, a highly effective anti−psychotic, is rarely prescribed because of its dangerous side−effects. But a new study finds that its benefits may outweigh its risks...  > >
July 29, 2009

These Are the Good Times
People who pay attention to positive moments each day, no matter how small, are happier, more resilient, and more satisfied with their lives than people who don't. Even when negative events occur...  > >
July 27, 2009

Colicky Babies, Depressed Dads
Mothers who are depressed while pregnant have a greater likelihood of having a baby with colic, but a new study shows that a father's depression during his partner's pregnancy can affect...  > >
July 23, 2009

Anxious and Distracted
People who tend to be quite anxious are more easily distracted than those who aren't. For students this means much more work is required to complete school tasks...  > >
July 17, 2009

Fit Body, Sharp Mind
Being physically fit helps you stay mentally sharp, a new study has found. People who exercised at least once a week were more likely to avoid cognitive decline. Lifestyle plays a part, too...  > >
July 01, 2009

"Let Me Sleep On It," Works
If you have a problem that needs some creative problem solving, a good solid nap may be just the ticket, according to a new study...  > >
June 26, 2009

Exercise Offers A 12-Hour Glow
The good feelings we get from exercising last much longer than anyone suspected. Now to find a way to remind those who don't exercise regularly how good they'll feel...  > >
June 22, 2009

Triglycerides And Neuropathy
When it comes to predicting the likelihood that a diabetic patient will develop neuropathy in the near future, looking at blood fats may be a much more valuable indicator than blood sugars...  > >
June 19, 2009

A Good Mood Expands Focus
When we are in a good mood, we are more likely to see the big picture, enjoying the forest and the trees. But when our mood is not so positive, the trees are all we see ...  > >
June 18, 2009

Teens, Screens, And Caffeine
Teenagers are staying up late using the Internet, texting friends, watching videos, and often drinking caffeinated beverages to fuel their electronic nighttime habit. The results are not good...  > >
June 16, 2009

Will It Make You Happy?
The Amerian Dream goals of fame and fortune alone won't bring happiness, a recent study shows. The people who are the most satisfied and happy with their lives are those who feel...  > >
June 15, 2009

Sleep Well, Weigh Less
A study at Walter Reed Medical Center found that the BMI (body mass index) of "short sleepers" was considerably higher than that of those who slept longer...  > >
June 1, 2009

Hope for Major Depression
Early studies suggest that cortical brain stimulation may offer hope for people suffering from long−term depression. Symptoms in the treatment group decreased by 22% and three subjects reported...  > >
May 29, 2009

Mental Health Agenda Update
In an effort to help prevent mental health issues before they occur, a new report by the National Academy of Sciences seeks to promote resilience, integrated therapies and...  > >
May 27, 2009

Needles Needed -- Maybe Not
Acupuncture can help reduce back pain, but piercing the skin may not be necessary to reap its benefits, a new study has found. The practice can also reduce reliance on pain medication...   > >
May 21, 2009

Work And Depression
Job stress can bring on major depression, according to a new study. Of course, at present, unemployment may be an even bigger stressor...   > >
May 20, 2009

Be Smart −− Sleep More
Every day as you learn new information, you form new connections in your brain. At night, while you sleep, the brain may prune redundant connections for faster processing and better mental efficiency...   > >
April 27, 2009

Alone is OK, Lonely Is Not
Being alone is no risk to older adults' health, but feeling lonely and isolated is. People who feel socially disconnected report more health problems and depression...   > >
April 17, 2009

Mood and Impulsive Behavior
New research has given scientists insight into what it takes to curb those impulsive, indulgent, behaviors like overeating or making purchases just to cheer yourself up...   > >
March 20, 2009

Gamers Don't Feel Your Pain
Playing violent video games and watching violent films make people insensitive to others' pain, according to two new studies. Viewing violence makes people less likely to even notice those in distress...   > >
March 20, 2009

Teens, TV and Depression
A study of 7th through 12th graders found that the more time a teen spent isolated in front of a screen, the greater was his or her risk for depression. Headphones were another story...   > >
March 12, 2009

Play Games for Better Memory
Games, books and even time on the computer can help us maintain mental power as we age. But TV doesn't appear to offer the cognitive exercise the brain needs to stay...   > >
March 6, 2009




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