ScienceDaily: Mind & Brain News

New genetic clues found in fragile X syndrome Posted: 16 Jan 2015 10:47 AM PST New insight into fragile X syndrome -- the most common cause of inherited intellectual disability -- has been gained by researchers studying the case of a person without the disorder, but with two of its classic symptoms.

Performance-based funding in community colleges hinders success of at risk students Posted: 16 Jan 2015 10:47 AM PST Performance-based funding (PBF) for Texas community colleges could disproportionately penalize colleges that predominately serve students from disadvantaged backgrounds, a new report suggests.

Is it possible to reset our biological clocks? Posted: 16 Jan 2015 06:30 AM PST Imagine being able to easily get over all of the discomfort and problems of jet lag or night-shift work. Science is not quite there, but recent has opened new therapeutic avenues for improving the synchronization of the body's different biological clocks.

Closing your eyes boosts memory recall, new study finds Posted: 16 Jan 2015 05:56 AM PST Further evidence has been found to suggest that eyewitnesses to crimes remember more accurate details when they close their eyes. The team also discovered that building a rapport with witnesses also helped them to remember more.

Investigations and complaints procedures have a serious impact on doctors' health, risk harming patients, study suggests Posted: 16 Jan 2015 05:53 AM PST Doctors who are the subject of complaints procedures or investigation by the General Medical Council experience high rates of serious depression and anxiety as well as suicidal thoughts, according to a new study based in England.

Could our brain instruct our bodies to burn more fat? Posted: 15 Jan 2015 10:48 AM PST By uncovering the action of two naturally occurring hormones, scientists may have discovered a way to assist in the shedding of excess fat. Fat in adult humans is typically stored in adipocytes, specialized cells that comprise white fat. But around the neck and shoulders, there is a second form of fat made of brown adipocytes. Rather than storing fat, these cells can be induced to burn it off, experts say.

State performance funding falling short in student retention, degree completion, experts say Posted: 14 Jan 2015 11:05 AM PST State higher education performance funding is falling short of its intended goals of raising student retention and degree completion rates at community colleges, according to new research. Investigators found that retention and degree completion at Washington's community and technical colleges were not distinguishable from the performance of colleges in states without similar accountability policies.

A paradox revealed: Cues associated with infant abuse may help reduce stress in the adult brain Posted: 14 Jan 2015 11:00 AM PST Neurobiologists have found a surprising and paradoxical effect of abuse-related cues in rat pups: those cues also can lower depressive-like behavior when the rats are fully grown. This could shed light on why certain cues associated with early life abuse can reduce stress in those same individuals as adults.

Blood test for brain injury may not be feasible afterall Posted: 13 Jan 2015 03:41 PM PST Complications involving the brain's unique waste removal system -- the existence of which has only recently been brought to light -- may thwart efforts to identify biomarkers that detect traumatic brain injury. That is because proteins that are triggered by brain damage are prevented from reaching the blood system in levels necessary for a precise diagnosis, experts explain.

Clinical trial shows benefits of animal-assisted therapy in adult cancer patients undergoing complex cancer treatment with chemotherapy, radiation therapy Posted: 13 Jan 2015 12:40 PM PST Therapy dogs may improve the emotional well-being of some cancer patients, according to results of a clinical study, the first to document the benefits of animal-assisted therapy in adult cancer patients. "Thanks to this rigorously designed study, we now have strong evidence that pet therapy is an effective tool to help cancer patients get through challenging treatments," said one researcher.