News tagged with social factors


Mouse research links adolescent stress and severe adult mental illness

Working with mice, Johns Hopkins researchers have established a link between elevated levels of a stress hormone in adolescence—a critical time for brain development—and genetic changes that, in young adulthood, cause ...

Neuroscience created Jan 17, 2013 | popularity 5 / 5 (5) | comments 3 | with audio podcast

Study: Common gene mutation affects kids with autism spectrum disorders

(Medical Xpress)—Over the past decade, researchers have made great strides in identifying genes that lead to an increased risk of autism spectrum disorders (ASD), which result in a continuum of social deficits, communication ...

Autism spectrum disorders created Sep 14, 2012 | popularity 4.5 / 5 (2) | comments 0 | with audio podcast

Risk of depression influenced by quality of relationships, research says

The mantra that quality is more important than quantity is true when considering how social relationships influence depression, say U-M researchers in a new study.

Psychology & Psychiatry created Apr 30, 2013 | popularity 4.2 / 5 (5) | comments 0 | with audio podcast

After age 18, asthma care deteriorates

It is widely accepted that medical insurance helps older adults with chronic health problems to receive better care. But what about young adults between the ages of 18 and 25, a demographic that also tends to have the lowest ...

Pediatrics created Apr 22, 2013 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0 | with audio podcast

Isolation, loneliness may raise death risk for elderly

(HealthDay)—Elderly people who are socially isolated and lonely may be at greater risk of early death, British researchers report.

Health created Mar 25, 2013 | popularity 4.8 / 5 (4) | comments 1 | with audio podcast

A 'purpose in life' lowers risk of stroke for older adults

(Medical Xpress)—Among older American adults, a greater purpose in life is linked with a lower risk of stroke, a new University of Michigan study found.

Health created Mar 07, 2013 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0 | with audio podcast

Public obsession with obesity may be more dangerous than obesity itself, UCLA author says

Much has been made about who or what is to blame for the "obesity epidemic" and what can or should be done to stem the tide of rising body mass among the U.S. population.

Overweight and Obesity created Dec 20, 2012 | popularity 3.3 / 5 (3) | comments 0 | with audio podcast

Common heart drug might dampen some autism symptoms

(HealthDay)—A medication typically prescribed to control high blood pressure that's commonly referred to as a water pill may ease some of the symptoms of autism, researchers say.

Autism spectrum disorders created Dec 11, 2012 | popularity 5 / 5 (2) | comments 0 | with audio podcast

Feeling lonely linked to increased risk of dementia in later life

Feeling lonely, as distinct from being/living alone, is linked to an increased risk of developing dementia in later life, indicates research published online in the Journal of Neurology Neurosurgery and Psychiatry.

Psychology & Psychiatry created Dec 10, 2012 | popularity 4.5 / 5 (2) | comments 0 | with audio podcast

Listen up, doc: Empathy raises patients' pain tolerance

A doctor-patient relationship built on trust and empathy doesn't just put patients at ease – it actually changes the brain's response to stress and increases pain tolerance, according to new findings from ...

Health created Dec 03, 2012 | popularity 5 / 5 (1) | comments 0 | with audio podcast

Even moderate drinking in pregnancy can affect a child's IQ, study shows

Relatively small levels of exposure to alcohol while in the womb can influence a child's IQ, according to a new study led by researchers from the universities of Bristol and Oxford using data from over 4,000 mothers and their ...

Health created Nov 14, 2012 | popularity 3.7 / 5 (6) | comments 0 | with audio podcast

Gene that's usually bad news loses its punch if you live to your 90s, study finds

A gene linked to the risk of developing Alzheimer's, heart disease and diabetes becomes less important to quality of life once people hit their 90s, a Mayo Clinic study shows. At that point, good friends and a positive attitude ...

Alzheimer's disease & dementia created Oct 25, 2012 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0 | with audio podcast

Whether we like someone affects how our brain processes movement

Hate the Lakers? Do the Celtics make you want to hurl? Whether you like someone can affect how your brain processes their actions, according to new research from the Brain and Creativity Institute at USC.

Neuroscience created Oct 06, 2012 | popularity 5 / 5 (5) | comments 1 | with audio podcast

Self-image and social interaction help to explain the link between exercise and mental health

We've heard it time and time again: exercise is good for us. And it's not just good for physical health – research shows that daily physical activity can also boost our mental health. But what actually accounts for the ...

Psychology & Psychiatry created Sep 25, 2012 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0 | with audio podcast

Healthy living into old age can add up to 6 years to your life

Living a healthy lifestyle into old age can add five years to women's lives and six years to men's, finds a study from Sweden published in the British Medical Journal today.

Health created Aug 30, 2012 | popularity 5 / 5 (1) | comments 0 | with audio podcast