ScienceDaily: Mind & Brain News

Using fruit flies to understand how we sense hot and cold Posted: 04 Mar 2015 11:15 AM PST Innately, we pull our hand away when we touch a hot pan on the stove, but little is known about how our brain processes temperature information. Scientists now have discovered how a fruit fly's brain represents temperature, mapping it neuron by neuron, which has implications for understanding the much more complex human brain and how it responds to sensory stimuli. The work represents the first comprehensive mapping of the brain circuit that processes temperature information in any animal.

Strong genetic risk factor for MS discovered in family of five affected siblings Posted: 04 Mar 2015 11:14 AM PST A genetic variation has been discovered that, in women, significantly increases their risk of developing multiple sclerosis, scientists report. The variant occurs almost twice as often among women with MS as in women without the disease, making it "one of the strongest genetic risk factors for MS discovered to date,” said the study's senior author.

Time management: Why we feel busier when close to reaching a goal Posted: 04 Mar 2015 10:09 AM PST Is there any worse time to be interrupted than right now? Regardless of what we're doing or the nature of the interruption, we often feel as if we have no time to spare at the moment. According to a new study, consumers feel busier when they are close to finishing a task or reaching a goal.

Mechanism behind most common form of inherited Alzheimer's disease revealed Posted: 04 Mar 2015 10:09 AM PST For the first time, a study reveals exactly how mutations associated with the most common form of inherited Alzheimer's disease produce the disorder's devastating effects. The paper upends conventional thinking about the effects of Alzheimer's-associated mutations in the presenilin genes and provides an explanation for the failure of drugs designed to block presenilin activity.

Mental health soon after war-zone concussions predicts disability Posted: 04 Mar 2015 10:08 AM PST Evaluating military personnel with blast-related mild traumatic brain injuries, researchers have found that early symptoms of post-traumatic stress, such as anxiety, emotional numbness, flashbacks and irritability, are the strongest predictors of later disability. The results were surprising because mental health more closely correlated with disability than assessments typically made after concussions, such as tests of memory, thinking, balance, coordination and severity of headaches and dizziness, according to the study.

Older, white males with advanced bladder cancer at high risk for suicide Posted: 04 Mar 2015 09:41 AM PST Older, single white males with advanced bladder cancer have the highest suicide risk among those with other cancers of the male genitals and urinary system, researchers report. The review identified suicide in these patients as a public health dilemma that needs physician awareness, particularly in patients who are older, male, and have aggressive disease.

Traditional beliefs promote sustainability in West Africa Posted: 04 Mar 2015 08:02 AM PST Sacred forests and traditional beliefs are shaping sustainable farming practices in communities in West Africa, according to new research. Scientists carried out a unique 18-month study in Liberia, examining the traditional agriculture of the Loma people where farmers do not use industrial farming practices or artificial fertilizers. They found sacred forests and ancestral lands were valued more than short-term economic gain through increasing food production.

Twitter helps smokers kick the habit, study finds Posted: 04 Mar 2015 07:45 AM PST When subjects in a smoking cessation program tweet each other regularly, they're more successful at kicking the habit, according to a study. Specifically, daily 'automessages' that encourage and direct the social media exchanges may be more effective than traditional social media interventions for quitting smoking.

Novel drug mechanism that fights brain cancer described by researchers Posted: 04 Mar 2015 07:45 AM PST Researchers have developed and characterized a molecule that interferes with the internal regulation of cancer cells, causing them to self-destruct. The investigators performed a series of studies utilizing high-content analysis, which quantifies changes in living cells in response to a drug treatment. The lab focused on the effects of a patented small molecule, known as UCD38B, on four different human glioma cell lines.

Politics of inequality and the inequality of politics Posted: 04 Mar 2015 07:45 AM PST Economic inequality is at historic highs. The wealthiest one percent own 40 percent of the nation's wealth. This staggering inequality raises the question, what are the psychological causes and effects of inequality?

Obesity is associated with brain's neurotransmitters Posted: 04 Mar 2015 07:45 AM PST Researchers have revealed how obesity is associated with altered opioid neurotransmission in the brain. New research reveals how obesity is associated with altered functioning of brain's opioid system, which is intimately involved in generating pleasurable sensations. The researchers found that obesity was associated with significantly lowered number of opioid receptors in the brain. However, no changes were observed in the dopamine neurotransmitter system, which regulates motivational aspects of eating.

Kids and robots learn to write together Posted: 04 Mar 2015 07:45 AM PST Who is the teacher: the student or the machine? By showing a robot how to write letters, children improve their writing skills and gain self-confidence.

Oxytocin may enhance social function in psychiatric disorders Posted: 04 Mar 2015 07:43 AM PST Inducing the release of brain oxytocin may be a viable therapeutic option for enhancing social function in psychiatric disorders, including autism spectrum disorders and schizophrenia, researchers suggest. The oxytocin system is well-known for creating a bond between a mother and her newborn baby, and oxytocin is a lead drug candidate for treating social deficits in autism.

Marriages more likely to end in divorce when wives get sick Posted: 04 Mar 2015 07:41 AM PST Countless couples have recited the words, ‘in sickness and in health’ on their wedding day with the intention of honoring those vows. But as it turns out, that may be easier said than done.

Men tend to be more narcissistic than women, study finds Posted: 04 Mar 2015 07:40 AM PST With three decades of data from more than 475,000 participants, a new study on narcissism reveals that men, on average, are more narcissistic than women.

Aneurysm screening should be revisited, say experts Posted: 04 Mar 2015 04:54 AM PST Aneurysm screening for men over 65 should be revisited as it is unknown whether the benefits outweigh the harms, argue researchers. An abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is a swelling (aneurysm) of the aorta -- the main blood vessel that leads away from the heart, down through the abdomen to the rest of the body. It usually occurs in men over 65 years old and is more common among smokers.

Analysis of spider venom reveals seven promising compounds with potential to relieve chronic pain Posted: 04 Mar 2015 04:54 AM PST New research shows that seven compounds of the countless found in spider venom block a key step in the body's ability to pass pain signals to the brain.

An alternative to medical marijuana for pain? Posted: 04 Mar 2015 04:53 AM PST Medical marijuana is proliferating across the country due to the ability of cannabis ingestion to treat important clinical problems such as chronic pain. However, negative side effects and the development of tolerance limit the widespread therapeutic use of THC, the major psychoactive ingredient in cannabis. THC's side effects are produced via its actions at cannabinoid CB1 receptors in the brain. Thus, scientists theorized that an agent with similar mechanistic actions, but that activate CB2 receptors instead, may eliminate the unwanted side effects while maintaining an equivalent level of efficacy.

New information on Parkinson’s: GDNF not needed by the midbrain dopamine system Posted: 04 Mar 2015 04:52 AM PST A key factor in the motor symptoms associated with Parkinson’s disease is the gradual destruction of dopamine neurons. The glial cell-derived neurotrophic factor, or GDNF, has been proven to protect dopamine neurons in test tube conditions and in test animal models for Parkinson’s disease. GDNF and its close relative, neurturin, have also been used in experimental treatments of patients with severe Parkinson’s disease. The results have been promising, but vary widely in terms of efficacy. At the moment, two companies are conducting tests to determine the clinical effects of GDNF on Parkinson’s sufferers.

Robots for stroke rehabilitation Posted: 04 Mar 2015 04:52 AM PST A prototype of a robotic glove has been developed which stroke suffers can use in their own home to support rehabilitation and personal independence in receiving therapies. At the chronic stages of stroke, patients are not likely to be receiving treatment but they continue to live with some impairments -- the glove's goal is to provide therapies to target these impairments.

U.S. public sees ill health as resulting from a broad range of causes, poll suggests Posted: 02 Mar 2015 10:07 AM PST More than six in 10 people living in the US are concerned about their future health, a new poll suggests. Additionally, nearly four in 10 said that they had one or more negative childhood experiences that they believe had a harmful impact on their adult health.