ScienceDaily: Mind & Brain News

Neuroscientists lead global consortium to crack brain's genetic code Posted: 21 Jan 2015 11:48 AM PST About 300 scientists used more than 30,000 brain scans and DNA samples to find eight gene mutations that affect the size of specific parts of the brain. The study could help identify people who would most benefit from new drugs designed to save brain cells, but more research is necessary to determine if the genetic mutations are implicated in disease, the researchers say.

Fatty acids in fish may shield brain from mercury damage Posted: 21 Jan 2015 11:48 AM PST The benefits of fish consumption on prenatal development may offset the risks associated with mercury exposure, new findings from research in the Seychelles suggests. In fact, the new study suggests that the nutrients found in fish have properties that protect the brain from the potential toxic effects of the chemical.

Job seekers with 'learning' attitude have more success Posted: 21 Jan 2015 10:56 AM PST Job seekers with attitudes focused on 'learning' from the job-seeking process will have more success finding their dream jobs, researchers have discovered.

Blood vessels in older brains break down, possibly leading to Alzheimer's Posted: 21 Jan 2015 10:08 AM PST Researchers used high-resolution imaging of the living human brain to show for the first time that the brain's protective blood barrier becomes leaky with age, starting at the hippocampus, a critical learning and memory center that is damaged by Alzheimer's disease.

Closer than ever to a personalized treatment solution for intellectual disability Posted: 21 Jan 2015 10:06 AM PST Scientists have developed an approach that completely protects animal models against a type of genetic disruption that causes intellectual disability, including serious memory impairments and altered anxiety levels.

Humorous complaining: Funny online reviews get lots of attention but do they get results? Posted: 21 Jan 2015 09:14 AM PST Unless you're just looking to entertain your fellow online shoppers, you may want to think twice about writing that funny Amazon or Yelp review. According to a new study, humorous complaints get a lot more attention from other consumers but may not be taken seriously by businesses.

Weight Watchers: Shed pounds but lose your friends? Posted: 21 Jan 2015 08:50 AM PST If you're trying to lose weight, Weight Watchers might seem like the ideal place to share advice and get support. While this may be true when you first join, a new study shows you'll bond less with the other members of a support group as you get closer to reaching your goals.

Teen girls report less sexual victimization after virtual reality assertiveness training Posted: 21 Jan 2015 08:49 AM PST Teen girls were less likely to report being sexually victimized after learning to assertively resist unwanted sexual overtures and practicing resistance in a realistic virtual environment, a new study finds. 'My Voice, My Choice' teaches girls to stand up for themselves, and that coercive behavior is never okay. The findings suggest that learning resistance skills with virtual simulations can reduce risk of sexual victimization, said the lead researcher.

Editing the brain: How new epigenetic tools could rewrite our understanding of memory and more Posted: 21 Jan 2015 08:46 AM PST Epigenetic changes are implicated in a host of neural conditions, from Alzheimer's-related memory loss to depression. Now, a revolutionary set of molecular editing tools is allowing scientists to alter the epigenome like never before.

When Parkisonism does not mean Parkinson's Posted: 21 Jan 2015 08:45 AM PST Lewy body dementia is often misdiagnosed as Parkinson’s disease. Lewy body dementia refers to two related diagnoses: Parkinson's disease dementia (PDD) and dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB). Both PDD and DLB are considered Lewy body dementias. The difference is in the presentation of symptoms based on the "one-year rule." With DLB, cognitive (thinking) symptoms that interfere with daily living appear before or within a year of movement problems resembling Parkinson's disease. With PDD, cognitive symptoms do not typically develop until more than a year after movement problems begin.

Toward a cocaine vaccine to help addicts kick the habit Posted: 21 Jan 2015 07:32 AM PST In their decades-long search for vaccines against drugs of abuse, scientists have hit upon a new approach to annul cocaine's addictive buzz. They report that their strategy, which they tested on mice, harnesses a bacterial protein to trigger an immune system attack on the drug if it enters the body. This response could dull cocaine's psychotropic effects and potentially help users of the drug kick the habit.

Task length linked with cognitive fatigue in MS Posted: 21 Jan 2015 07:32 AM PST Insight into factors contributing to cognitive fatigue in multiple sclerosis have been gained through a new study. Cognitive fatigue, which is common in MS, has subjective and objective manifestations. Treatment for fatigue is hindered by the lack of understanding of contributing factors. This study examined how the variables of processing speed, working memory, time on task and cognitive load influence cognitive fatigue in 32 individuals with MS and 24 controls.

Seeing is not remembering, it turns out Posted: 21 Jan 2015 07:32 AM PST People may have to 'turn on' their memories in order to remember even the simplest details of an experience, according to psychologists. This finding, which has been named 'attribute amnesia,' indicates that memory is far more selective than previously thought.

Drug targets identified through cell line to potentially treat rare pediatric cancer Posted: 21 Jan 2015 06:35 AM PST A team of investigators has made key new findings about an extremely rare childhood cancer called neurocutaneous melanocytosis. This malignant cancer is characterized by an excessive growth of melanin-producing cells in both the skin and the brain. The study's authors found potential drug targets for the disease by using a molecular analysis of patient tumor cells grown in animal models.

Classic psychedelic use protective with regard to psychological distress and suicidality Posted: 21 Jan 2015 06:35 AM PST Classic psychedelics, such as LSD, psilocybin mushrooms and mescaline, previously have been shown to occasion lasting improvements in mental health. But researchers, through a new study, wanted to advance the existing research and determine whether classic psychedelics might be protective with regard to suicidal thoughts and behaviors.

Men and women process emotions differently Posted: 20 Jan 2015 03:58 PM PST Women rate emotional images as more emotionally stimulating than men do and are more likely to remember them. However, there are no gender-related differences in emotional appraisal as far as neutral images are concerned. These were the findings of a large-scale study that focused on determining the gender-dependent relationship between emotions, memory performance and brain activity.

Majority of young women, men prefer egalitarian relationships, study shows Posted: 20 Jan 2015 07:23 AM PST The majority of young women and men today would prefer an egalitarian relationship in which work and family responsibilities are shared equally between partners if that possibility were available to them, according to a new study.

Automated method beats critics in picking great movies Posted: 19 Jan 2015 12:45 PM PST Don't rely on the Academy Awards next month if you are seeking to know whether the movies deemed great today will survive the test of time. According to a new study, the best predictor of a movie's significance is how often a movie is referenced by other movies. In other words, a movie's significance is decided by today's and tomorrow's film directors -- not the critics. This objective method of movie citations is best at predicting greatness, researchers say.