ScienceDaily: Mind & Brain News

Sexual objectification increases women's fear of crime Posted: 14 Jan 2015 01:28 PM PST A new study offers an explanation for why women fear face-to-face crime more than men, despite being less likely to experience most crimes. The findings support the theory that women may have a greater fear of crime due to the potential of also being raped during these encounters.

Helicopter parenting better for pets than for kids Posted: 14 Jan 2015 01:28 PM PST Helicopter parenting may not be the best strategy for raising independent kids. But a healthy measure of overprotectiveness could actually be advantageous when raising dogs and cats, according to a new study that compares 'dog people' to 'cat people' and correlates neuroticism with better pet care.

Depression, behavioral changes may precede memory loss in Alzheimer's Posted: 14 Jan 2015 01:25 PM PST Depression and behavioral changes may occur before memory declines in people who will go on to develop Alzheimer's disease, according to new research. Researchers have known that many people with Alzheimer's experience depression, irritability, apathy and appetite loss but had not recognized how early these symptoms appear before now.

Combat veterans' brains reveal hidden damage from IED blasts Posted: 14 Jan 2015 11:06 AM PST The brains of Iraq and Afghanistan combat veterans who survived blasts from improvised explosive devices and died later of other causes show a honeycomb of broken and swollen nerve fibers in critical brain regions, including those that control executive function. The pattern is different from brain damage caused by car crashes, drug overdoses or collision sports, and may be the never-before-reported signature of 'shell shock' suffered by World War I soldiers.

Advanced 3-D facial imaging may aid in early detection of autism Posted: 14 Jan 2015 08:56 AM PST Autism is a spectrum of closely related disorders diagnosed in patients who exhibit a shared core of symptoms, including delays in learning to communicate and interact socially. Early detection of autism in children is the key for treatment. Using advanced 3-D imaging and statistical analysis techniques, researchers have identified facial measurements in children with autism that may lead to screening tools for young children and provide clues to genetic causes.

US needs harm-reduction approach to drug use, researcher says Posted: 14 Jan 2015 08:56 AM PST The United States' law-and-order approach to reducing the supply of drugs and punishing sellers and users has impeded the development of a public health model that views drug addiction as a disease that is preventable and treatable. A new policy paper advocates that a harm-reduction approach would more effectively reduce the negative individual and societal consequences of drug use.

Clinical trial examines safety, effectiveness of drug to treat binge eating disorder Posted: 14 Jan 2015 08:55 AM PST At some doses, the medication lisdexamfetamine dimesylate, a drug approved to treat attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, was effective compared with placebo in decreasing binge-eating days in patients with binge-eating disorder, a public health problem associated symptoms of mental illness and obesity and for which there are no approved medications, according to a study.

Levels of 'Molly,' aka ecstasy, spike in rivers near music festival Posted: 14 Jan 2015 07:17 AM PST The illicit drug called 'Molly' or ecstasy is a serious concern for parents, law enforcement and now for environmentalists. Scientists report that a major music festival in Taiwan coincides with a spike in the drug's levels in nearby rivers. Not only does this highlight drug abuse at the concert, but the scientists say it also focuses attention on potential effects the substance could have on aquatic life.

Stone Age humans weren't necessarily more advanced than Neanderthals Posted: 14 Jan 2015 07:15 AM PST A multi-purpose bone tool dating from the Neanderthal era has been discovered by researchers, throwing into question our current understanding of the evolution of human behavior. It was found at an archaeological site in France.

Professional development programs improve pre-K teacher-child interactions Posted: 14 Jan 2015 06:09 AM PST Two professional development programs for pre-kindergarten teachers have improved their interactions with children, according to a new report that found benefits from both approaches in increased emotional support that children received from their teachers.

People conform to the norm -- even if the norm is a computer Posted: 14 Jan 2015 06:08 AM PST Often enough, it is human nature to conform. This tendency makes us follow the lead of computers, even if the machines give us the wrong advice. This is the finding of a study that investigates how people make judgment calls after playing role-playing video games. Real-life encounters and face-to-face contact with other people are on the decline in a world that is becoming increasingly computerized. Many routine tasks are delegated to virtual characters. People spend hours role-playing through virtual-reality video games by taking on the persona of a virtual character or avatar.

Electrical stimulation 'tunes' visual attention Posted: 14 Jan 2015 06:08 AM PST Picking a needle out of a haystack might seem like the stuff of fairytales, but our brains can be electrically "tuned" to enable us to do a much better job of finding what we're looking for, even in a crowded and distracting scene, new research indicates.

Cone snail venom holds promise for medical treatments for cancer, addiction Posted: 14 Jan 2015 06:08 AM PST While considered a delicacy in some parts of the world, snails have found a more intriguing use to scientists and the medical profession offering a plethora of research possibilities. Cone snails are marine mollusks, just as conch, octopi and squid, but they capture their prey using venom. The venom of these marine critters provides leads for detection and possible treatment of some cancers and addictions.

Autonomous tots have higher cognitive skills Posted: 14 Jan 2015 04:25 AM PST Higher cognitive skills are found in the children of mothers who are consistently able to support the development of their baby's sense of autonomy, according to a study. The researchers specifically looked at executive functioning, which refers to a range of cognitive processes that are essential for cognitive, social and psychological functioning.

Reducing fear avoidance beliefs key to improving symptoms and reducing disability in chronic fatigue syndrome Posted: 13 Jan 2015 05:43 PM PST Reducing fears that exercise or activity will make symptoms worse is one of the most important factors determining the success of cognitive behavior therapy or graded exercise therapy in reducing fatigue and improving physical function in people with chronic fatigue syndrome, according to new analysis.

Bisexual women have worse mental health than lesbians in the UK Posted: 13 Jan 2015 05:43 PM PST Bisexual women are more likely to experience poor mental health and mental distress than lesbians, according to new research from the United Kingdom.

Clinical physiologists must be properly regulated to protect patients Posted: 13 Jan 2015 05:43 PM PST Clinical physiologists must be properly regulated to ensure patient safety, argues an expert. Clinical physiologists are the health professionals who check that medical devices such as pacemakers and hearing aids are working.

Long working hours linked to increased risky alcohol use Posted: 13 Jan 2015 05:43 PM PST Employees who work more than 48 hours per week are more likely to engage in risky alcohol consumption than those who work standard weeks, finds a new study. Risky alcohol consumption is considered as more than 14 drinks per week for women and more than 21 drinks per week for men. It is believed to increase risk of adverse health problems, including liver diseases, cancer, stroke, coronary heart disease and mental disorders.

Men want commitment when women are scarce Posted: 13 Jan 2015 05:41 PM PST The sexual stereotype, in line with evolutionary theory, is that women want commitment and men want lots of flings. But a study of the Makushi people in Guyana shows the truth is more complex, with men more likely to seek long-term relationships when women are in short supply.

Tired of London? Maybe it’s time to change postal districts Posted: 12 Jan 2015 12:45 PM PST "When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life," observed the writer Samuel Johnson in the eighteenth century. In fact, new research suggests such a man may be merely living in the wrong postcode. A study of 56,000 Londoners found that a person's life satisfaction depends, at least in part, on whether their personality suits the place where they live.