ScienceDaily: Mind & Brain News

Burnt-out workers more likely to make irrational decisions Posted: 07 Jan 2015 05:46 PM PST Employees who are suffering from burnout are more likely to make spontaneous and irrational decisions. Analysis showed that participants who showed signs of burnout displayed more spontaneous and irrational decision-making. They were also more likely to avoid making decisions.

University or University of Life? Neither provides workers with necessary people skills Posted: 07 Jan 2015 05:46 PM PST Whilst university degrees and work experience offer value in terms of employees’ work performance, neither prepare individuals for the softer people skills necessary in the workplace. In a study of 2,500 individuals, neither a degree nor experience were related to an employees’ performance in softer skills, such as building relationships with others or giving support. Speaking of this link, the authors suggest that such people skills may be innate or developed earlier in childhood.

Does 'dyslexia' disable teachers? Posted: 07 Jan 2015 05:46 PM PST Different labels for difficulties with reading have been found to be associated with varying beliefs in how effective teachers believe they can be. Researchers asked a sample of primary school teachers to complete two questionnaires about children who were having difficulty with learning to read. One questionnaire sought to discover how much the teachers believed they could do to help the children. The other questionnaire sought to discover the extent to which the teachers believed that the children’s difficulties were ’essential’- that is, how far they marked out the difficulties as having a distinct biological basis.

Staying in touch during out-of-office hours damages workers' wellbeing Posted: 07 Jan 2015 05:45 PM PST Employees using various technological devices to stay “switched on” for work outside of office hours may face detrimental effects to their wellbeing and private life.

Good quality me-time vital for home and work wellbeing Posted: 07 Jan 2015 05:45 PM PST High quality me-time not only improves your psychological wellbeing it can also make you a more engaged employee.

Misfit or Miss Goody Two Shoes? Adolescent misperceptions abound Posted: 07 Jan 2015 01:23 PM PST It's true: teens are misunderstood. But apparently, teens themselves have dramatic misperceptions about what their peers are doing when it comes to sex, drugs and studying, possibly prompting them to conform to social norms that don't exist.

Music cuts across cultures Posted: 07 Jan 2015 01:22 PM PST Whether you are a Pygmy in the Congolese rainforest or a hipster in downtown Montreal, certain aspects of music will touch you in exactly the same ways. Researchers found that although the groups felt quite differently about whether specific pieces of music made them feel good or bad, their subjective and physiological responses to how exciting or calming they found the music to be appeared to be universal.

Study finds partisanship most fierce among highly educated Americans Posted: 07 Jan 2015 12:11 PM PST A new study has found partisanship is at its highest levels among the most-educated Americans, who gravitate toward facts that agree with their own political leanings.

Muslims and Latinos much more prominent in TV crime news than in real-life crime Posted: 07 Jan 2015 12:11 PM PST A new study found that Muslims and Latinos were significantly overrepresented, and African-Americans largely missing, in crime stories aired over five years on prominent network and cable breaking news programs.

Research on jealousy: Impact of sexual vs. emotional infidelity Posted: 07 Jan 2015 12:11 PM PST In the largest study to date on infidelity, researchers have learned that men and women are different when it comes to feeling jealous. In a poll of nearly 64,000 Americans this study provides the first large-scale examination of gender and sexual orientation differences in response to potential sexual versus emotional infidelity in US adults.

New discoveries in key pathway for neurological diseases Posted: 07 Jan 2015 12:07 PM PST A new intermediate step and unexpected enzymatic activity in a metabolic pathway in the body, which could lead to new drug design for psychiatric and neurodegenerative diseases, has been discovered by researchers. This pathway produces several neurotransmitter regulators and is responsible for metabolizing nearly 99 percent of the tryptophan in the body. Tryptophan is a precursor of serotonin, the neurotransmitter responsible for mood.

Major study sends clear safety message to prevent brain injury in children Posted: 07 Jan 2015 11:07 AM PST An exhaustive analysis of data from more than 40,000 cases of brain trauma in children provides convincing evidence that protecting children in advance from head injuries is the key to reducing their severity.

Couples' conflicts: Withdrawal or expecting your romantic partner to mind-read hurts relationships, but in different ways Posted: 07 Jan 2015 10:13 AM PST When you have a conflict with your significant other, do you withdraw like a turtle into its shell? Or do you expect your partner to be a mind reader about what ticks you off? Both of those can be harmful, but in different ways and for different reasons, according to a new study.

Caregiver, families with mentally ill members all need help, CWRU researchers find Posted: 07 Jan 2015 09:39 AM PST Listening to older sisters of mentally ill siblings discuss their mothers' difficult caregiving experiences made a researcher wonder if something important about families was missed in a prior study that focused on women caregivers of mentally ill family members.

Tracking subtle brain mutations, systematically Posted: 07 Jan 2015 09:31 AM PST DNA sequences were once thought to be identical from cell to cell, but it's increasingly understood that mutations can arise during brain development that affect only certain groups of brain cells. A new technique allows these subtle mutation patterns to be traced and mapped spatially for the first time.

Ohio's diversion program helps juvenile offenders with behavioral health issues Posted: 07 Jan 2015 09:31 AM PST An evaluation of Ohio's Behavioral Health/Juvenile Justice initiative in 11 counties found the program benefits most young offenders diverted from detention centers to community-based agencies to treat mental health issues, drug problems or both.

Expressing anger linked with better health in some cultures Posted: 07 Jan 2015 09:29 AM PST In the US and many Western countries, people are urged to manage feelings of anger or suffer its ill effects -- but new research with participants from the US and Japan suggests that anger may actually be linked with better, not worse, health in certain cultures.

PTSD doubles diabetes risk in women Posted: 07 Jan 2015 09:29 AM PST Women with post-traumatic stress disorder are nearly twice as likely to develop type 2 diabetes compared with women who don't have PTSD, according to new research. The longitudinal cohort study provides the strongest evidence to date of a causal relationship between PTSD and type 2 diabetes.

Brain imaging may help predict future behavior Posted: 07 Jan 2015 09:29 AM PST Noninvasive brain scans have led to basic science discoveries about the human brain, but they've had only limited impacts on people's day-to-day lives. A review article highlights a number of recent studies showing that brain imaging can help predict an individual's future learning, criminality, health-related behaviors, and response to drug or behavioral treatments. The technology may offer opportunities to personalize educational and clinical practices.

How society makes it worse for people who self-harm Posted: 07 Jan 2015 09:25 AM PST Social attitudes are reinforcing the negative beliefs towards people who self harm, according to research. The first ever study of the life stories of people who self-harm and who were also diagnosed with a personality disorder revealed that several spoke of being refused pain relief while being sutured by hospital staff. Others had met staff who thought they were immune to pain because they self-harmed.

Physical recovery in critically ill patients can predict remission of anxiety, PTSD symptoms Posted: 07 Jan 2015 09:23 AM PST Better physical functioning — basic and complex activities considered essential for maintaining independence — is associated with remission of general anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, a two-year longitudinal study involving 13 intensive care units in four U.S. hospitals has found.

Genetics in depression: What's known, what's next Posted: 07 Jan 2015 09:23 AM PST Even with modern genomewide analysis techniques, it has proven difficult to identify genetic factors affecting risk for depression, according to a new review article. "Given the established heritability of depression, there is every reason to expect that with larger studies we will be able to identify genetic loci," said one author. "Identifying ways to generate these larger samples is one of the many challenges before us."

Brain scientists figure out how a protein crucial to learning and memory works Posted: 07 Jan 2015 09:23 AM PST Researchers have found out how a protein crucial to learning works: by removing a biochemical "clamp" that prevents connections between nerve cells in the brain from growing stronger. The finding moves neuroscientists a step closer to figuring out how learning and memory work, and how problems with them can arise.

Too much gas, too little food appear major factors in injury, disease-related memory loss Posted: 07 Jan 2015 07:11 AM PST Inflammation plays a role in learning and memory loss that can result from brain injury or disease, and researchers now have evidence that neurons may be suffering from too much gas and too little food.

Was Beethoven's music literally heartfelt? Could a cardiac arrhythmia have influenced famous works by the musical great? Posted: 07 Jan 2015 06:13 AM PST Could it be that when Ludwig van Beethoven composed some of the greatest masterpieces of all time that he was quite literally following his heart?

After weight loss surgery, people could experience discrimination when interviewing for jobs Posted: 07 Jan 2015 06:12 AM PST People say that they would be more likely to hire someone who has lost weight through exercise and dieting than through surgery. This is just one of the stigmas faced by obese people who undergo weight-reducing bariatric surgery, report researchers. Over 100,000 bariatric surgeries are performed annually in the US, and in many cases ensure substantial and sustained long-term weight loss for obese people.

Networks of the brain reflect the individual gender identity Posted: 07 Jan 2015 05:21 AM PST Our sense of belonging to the male or female gender is an inherent component of the human identity perception. As a general rule, gender identity and physical sex coincide. If this is not the case, one refers to trans-identity or transsexuality. In a current study, brain researchers were able to demonstrate that the very personal gender identity of every human being is reflected and verifiable in the cross-links between brain regions.

How do Palestinians cope in the midst of the conflict? Posted: 07 Jan 2015 05:17 AM PST Living in the midst of the conflict in the Middle East entails plenty of suffering, but it also challenges people to look for coping mechanisms. For many Palestinians, voluntary work and family are sources of meaningfulness in life. Furthermore, humor, nature and maintaining everyday routines are also important factors supporting coping, according to new research.

Smile to remember a smile: Facial expression used to help recall emotion Posted: 07 Jan 2015 05:17 AM PST We use facial expression to help recall an emotion, researchers say. A new study shows that in order to recall an emotion (positive or negative) we “re-enact” the motor sequence of the facial expression corresponding to that emotion. In other words: when remembering a smile, we smile.

Having a hard time focusing? Research identifies complex of neurons crucial to controlling attention Posted: 07 Jan 2015 05:17 AM PST Our ability to pay attention to certain things while ignoring distractions determines how good we are at a given task, whether it is driving a car or doing brain surgery. Researchers for the first time convincingly identified a network of neurons in a particular area of the brain, the lateral prefrontal cortex, that interact with one another to promptly filter visual information while at the same time ignoring distractions. It's a discovery with potentially far reaching implications for people who suffer from diseases such as autism, ADHD and schizophrenia

Hormonal similarity makes happy couples, at least in birds Posted: 07 Jan 2015 05:12 AM PST Some people say that we become more like our partner as time goes on. Surprisingly, the same seems to be true in the animal world -- studies on compatibility between mates show that individual animals are more successful when they behave in a similar fashion to their mate. New research shows that mating pairs of the bird species known as great tits become more similar in their hormones over time.

Chronic Wound Care: The health warning some smokers aren't hearing from their doctors Posted: 07 Jan 2015 05:12 AM PST While many smokers may make quitting part of their New Year’s resolution – a new study may give some yet another reason to stop – the negative impact cigarette smoke has on chronic wounds. Despite the fact that chronic wounds cost billions to treat annually, healthcare providers often don’t discuss smoking with their chronic wound patients. New research explores the connection between non-healing wounds and smoking – and the missed opportunities to help patients understand how their habit is hurting their ability to heal.

Do infants judge others' language proficiency? It depends on their own, research shows Posted: 07 Jan 2015 05:12 AM PST Monolingual infants expect others to understand only one language, an assumption not held by bilingual infants, a study by researchers has found. "Our results not only offer insight into infants' perception of linguistic abilities, but, more importantly, may help us better understand whom they see as good communication partners," explains one of the study's co-authors.

Alcohol sales linked with alcohol deaths across Great Britain regions Posted: 06 Jan 2015 05:30 PM PST For the first time alcohol sales data, which act as a proxy for alcohol consumption, and alcohol-related deaths for regions in Great Britain have been analyzed. The results show that of 11 regions analyzed, the South West, Central Scotland, North East, North West and Yorkshire had higher levels of alcohol sales per adult than the Great Britain average. There were lower sales in London, Central England and the East of England.

Remapping the damaged brain Posted: 06 Jan 2015 02:12 PM PST A time-dependent interplay between two brain regions that contributes to the recovery of motor function after focal brain damage, such as a stroke, has been identified by scientists. The research shows that when motor functions are remapped through rehabilitative training, brain regions relatively distant from a lesion are recruited during the initial stages and functional connections with regions near the lesion are strengthened during the latter stages.

Hey, guys: Posting a lot of selfies doesn't send a good message Posted: 06 Jan 2015 09:18 AM PST The picture isn't pretty for guys who post a lot of selfies on social media sites like Facebook and Instagram. A new study showed that men who posted more online photos of themselves than others scored higher on measures of narcissism and psychopathy.

Smokers, the obese, have markedly higher health-care costs than peers Posted: 06 Jan 2015 08:25 AM PST Smokers and the obese ring up substantially higher annual health care costs than their nonsmoking, non-obese peers, a new study shows. The added costs are highest among women, non-Hispanic whites and older adults, the study reports.

An unexpected way to recover from a breakup Posted: 06 Jan 2015 08:25 AM PST Breaking up is truly hard to do. And recovery from a breakup can be even harder. Your friends may consul you to put the whole thing out of your mind. But new research suggests that repeatedly reflecting on a breakup -- even through participation in a research study -- actually speeds emotional recovery.

How to sell the drugs of the future Posted: 06 Jan 2015 08:25 AM PST Personalized medicine has shown its effectiveness in the treatment of cancer, and medical professionals are eager to expand it to treat other chronic diseases. Patients will buy in if they are armed with knowledge about their own disease and understand the relative advantages of personalized medicine says a marketing professor and co-author of a new study.

A toast to old age? Substance abuse in retirees Posted: 06 Jan 2015 08:25 AM PST Many older Americans suffering from substance abuse are retired. But according research, it is not retirement alone that leads to drug and alcohol abuse, but rather a host of circumstances surrounding leaving the work force, often coinciding with painful later-life events such as the death of spouses and friends.

Human speech's surprising influence on young infants Posted: 05 Jan 2015 11:17 AM PST America's preoccupation with the 'word gap' -- the idea that parents in impoverished homes speak less to their children, which, in turn, predicts outcomes like school achievement and income later in life -- has skyrocketed in recent years, leading to a rise in educational initiatives aiming to narrow the achievement gap by teaching young children more words. But, according to new research, speech promotes much more than language-learning alone.