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Psychology & Psychiatry news

Psychology & Psychiatry

Hot sauce study finds asymmetric placebo effect can offer insights into pain perception

The expectations humans have of a pleasurable sensation asymmetrically shape neuronal responses and subjective experiences to hot sauce, according to a study published October 8, in the open-access journal PLOS Biology by ...

Medical research

Psilocybin may lead to increased optimism, rat study suggests

Monash University researchers have made a breakthrough in the study of psychedelics to treat disorders including major depression, demonstrating that rats given psilocybin exhibit increased optimism over time.

Psychology & Psychiatry

Screen time tied to depression, anxiety in 9- and 10-year-olds

Spending more time on screens increases the likelihood that 9- and 10-year-olds will develop symptoms of mental illness, according to a study by UC San Francisco that is one of the first long-term looks at the problem.

Psychology & Psychiatry

What's driving the rise in ADHD diagnoses among children and adults?

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is the most commonly diagnosed behavioral disorder in children, and the numbers are only expected to rise. The CDC reported that in 2022, more than 7 million (11.4%) U.S. children ...

Psychology & Psychiatry

Is owning a dog good for your health?

Australia loves dogs. We have one of the highest rates of pet ownership in the world, and one in two households has at least one dog.

Psychology & Psychiatry

Are auditory magic tricks possible for a blind audience?

Magic tricks make the impossible seem possible. Magicians have long captivated audiences with visual tricks, such as pulling a bunny from a hat or sawing someone in half, but tricks that rely on sound are scarce.

Psychology & Psychiatry

Research reveals gene expression's role in depression and immunity

A new study, conducted in a shared effort between U.K. and Italian researchers offers novel insights about the biological mechanisms behind major depressive disorder (MDD), and especially on the role of the immune system.

Psychology & Psychiatry

Researchers find new clues to potential cause of OCD

QIMR Berghofer researchers are a step closer to solving what causes obsessive-compulsive disorder, after discovering changes in how distinct brain regions communicate. This important finding could guide the development of ...

Psychology & Psychiatry

How plants can change your state of mind

Plants look so different from animals, that it's easy for many people to think of them as alien and separate from us. Most people appreciate how pretty flowers and trees look and know photosynthesis is essential to life. ...

Psychology & Psychiatry

Peer support can help ease the pressure after suicide attempts

A previous suicide attempt remains the strongest predictor of future death by suicide, but researchers have discovered that peer support following an attempt can have a remarkable impact on reducing risk.

Psychology & Psychiatry

Four ways touch can boost your health and well-being

Most of us know how good it feels to receive a hug from a loved one or hold hands with a partner. But what many of us may not realize is that touch is far more than just a simple physical sensation—it's an essential element ...

Psychology & Psychiatry

Research reveal eating disorder burden weighs on parents

With eating disorders on the rise among young people, a Flinders University expert is calling for an urgent increase in support for parents as new research reveals the immense burden they often endure.

Psychology & Psychiatry

No magic number for time it takes to form habits, finds new study

Putting on your workout clothes and getting to the gym can feel like a slog at first. Eventually, you might get in the habit of going to the gym and readily pop over to your Zumba class or for a run on the treadmill. A new ...

Psychology & Psychiatry

Emotion-focused therapy for bipolar disorder targets the amygdala

A new study in Biological Psychiatry: Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuroimaging, identifies a therapeutic tool focused on emotional awareness that increased activation and connectivity of an emotion-regulating center in the ...

Psychology & Psychiatry

Effort underway to develop first US guidelines for ADHD in adults

The number of diagnosed cases of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have increased significantly among adults in the United States within the past decade, which could be due to many factors, including overdiagnosis. ...