What makes us happy? Family? Money? Love? How about a peptide?
The neurochemical changes underlying human emotions and social behavior are largely unknown. Now though, for the first time in humans, scientists at UCLA have measured the release of a specific peptide, a neurotransmitter called hypocretin, that greatly increased when subjects were ...
Date Posted: March 9, 2013
Categories: Depression, Happiness
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Psychologists and philosophers have long thought of the brain as the primary tool for all abstract thinking, like reasoning or judgment. But recently, science has been changing its mind on this.
Over the last decade researchers have produced ...
Mar 9
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A group of psychologists are launching a project this week that they hope will make studies in their field radically more transparent and prompt other fields to open up as well. With a pledge of $5.25 million from private supporters, they have set ...
Mar 8
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A new study from the University of Utah shows that individuals who describe themselves as being more mindful have more stable emotions and perceive themselves to have better control over their mood and behavior throughout the day. Higher mindful ...
Mar 8
Categories: Mindfulness Meditation
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Two prominent neuroscientists have published a commentary in the Feb. 28th Nature suggesting that video games might be crafted to improve brain function and enhance personal well-being. In “Games To Do You Good,” they cite prospects for ...
Mar 8
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New research from North Carolina State University finds that older adults who play video games report higher levels of emotional well-being.
The study found that participants who played video games reported higher ...
Mar 7
Categories: Aging & Geriatric Issues, Health / Illness / Medical Issues
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Relationship anxiety is known to be tough on a person's mental well-being, but a new study suggests that fear of rejection -- and worry that someone doesn't love you enough -- can also serve as chronic stressors that tax the immune system.
In a ...
Mar 7
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Columbia University Medical Center (CUMC) researchers have found the first evidence that selective activation of the dentate gyrus, a portion of the hippocampus, can reduce anxiety without affecting learning. The findings suggest that therapies ...
Mar 7
Categories: Anxiety
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If you were to undergo brain surgery, would you care if the surgeon regularly carried out mental practice of the operation? Or, would you only be interested in the physical practice?
Quite naturally you'd probably be much more interested in how ...
Mar 6
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Researchers at Karolinska Institutet have found an explanation for why the level of kynurenic acid (KYNA) is higher in the brains of people with schizophrenia or bipolar disease with psychosis. The study, which is published in the scientific ...
Mar 6
Categories: Bipolar
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More people worldwide now live in cities than in the countryside. Combined with sprawl and the loss of urban green spaces, this means that many of us are unable to enjoy the restorative effects of a natural setting. But what's to say the built ...
Mar 6
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The psychiatric illnesses seem very different — schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, autism, major depression and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Yet they share several genetic glitches that can nudge the brain along a path to mental ...
Mar 5
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The first large, population-based study to follow children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder into adulthood shows that ADHD often doesn't go away and that children with ADHD are more likely to have other psychiatric disorders as adults. ...
Mar 5
Categories: Adult ADHD, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
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Sometimes you just need to know the basics. For instance, if you think something is wrong with your mind, your emotional life, and you want to get help for it, where do you even begin?
With today’s knowledge, the steps toward getting a valid ...
Mar 5
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The interplay of money and happiness is subject to diminishing marginal returns, noted Gilbert, who showed a graph revealing a correlation between the two increases at lower income levels and lower returns at higher levels. What’s the sweet spot ...
Mar 4
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Praising children, especially those with low self-esteem, for their personal qualities rather than their efforts may make them feel more ashamed when they fail, according to new research published by the American Psychological Association.
“This ...
Mar 4
Categories: Child Development
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New evidence shows the calming power of reminiscing about happy times
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