If people facing an acute stress situation receive social support from a “human” avatar, behind which there is (or is at least perceived to be) a real person, this works just as well as social support from a real person. Such is the main finding of a study led by Anna Felnhofer and Oswald Kothgassner […]
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New research published in Depression and Anxiety indicates that, unlike other anxiety disorders, social anxiety disorder may have a direct effect on alcoholism. For the study, researchers assessed alcoholism, social anxiety disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, agoraphobia, and specific phobias through interviews with 2,801 adult Norwegian twins. Social anxiety disorder had the strongest association […]
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Credit: CC0 Public Domain A new study indicates the prevalence rates of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have now grown to 1 in 40, a jump from the rate of 1 in 65 published just two years ago. Indeed, ASD is now the fastest growing neurodevelopmental disorder in the U.S. Social deficits are core to a […]
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Women aged 50-79 who believed they had more social support were less likely to die during the course of the study, according to a new study led by Dr. Nancy Freeborne, adjunct professor in George Mason University’s College of Health and Human Services. Published in Menopause this week, Freeborne and her colleagues at multiple institutions […]
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Study based on Women’s Health Initiative data demonstrates relationship between psychological factors and health in postmenopausal women Having good friends can save your life, as a study based on data from the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) demonstrates how strong social support may reduce the risk of death from cardiovascular disease (CVD) in postmenopausal women. Study […]
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Positive interactions on social media are not making young adults feel more connected, whereas negative experiences increase the likelihood of them reporting loneliness, scientists with the University of Pittsburgh Center for Research on Media Technology and Health (MTH) report today in the American Journal of Health Promotion. The findings build on award-winning research the center […]
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Credit: CC0 Public Domain Bad decision-making is a trait oftentimes associated with drug addicts and pathological gamblers, but what about people who excessively use social media? New research from Michigan State University shows a connection between social media use and impaired risky decision-making, which is commonly deficient in substance addiction. “Around one-third of humans on […]
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Feeding behavior and social stimulation activate intermingled but distinct brain circuits, and activating one circuit can inhibit the other, according to a new study by researchers at Stanford University. The researchers demonstrated in mice that direct stimulation of fewer than two dozen nerve cells, or neurons, linked to social interaction was enough to suppress the […]
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New University of Liverpool research, published in Pediatrics, highlights the negative influence that social media has on children’s food intake. Current research shows celebrity endorsement and television advertising of unhealthy foods increases children’s intake of these foods. However, children are increasingly exposed to marketing through digital avenues, such as on social media, and the impact […]
Continue Reading ...Article Body Social Media Today’s teens and tweens are connected to one another, and to the world, via digital technology more than any previous generation. Recent data suggests that social media venues like Facebook and Twitter have surpassed e-mail as the preferred method of communication in all age groups. While today’s tweens and teens may […]
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Credit: CC0 Public Domain This is a teen’s brain on marijuana. This is a teen’s brain on social media. See any difference? In a groundbreaking study, a UCSD psychiatrist is investigating whether social media affects the adolescent brain in the same way as cannabis. Establishing a link could change how medical professionals view teens’ engagement […]
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The effectiveness of psychotherapies for social anxiety disorder (SAD) is typically evaluated using self- and clinician-reported symptom change, while biomarkers of treatment response are rarely measured. This randomized controlled trial aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of single-session group interventions for SAD – imagery rescripting and verbal restructuring versus waitlist control (WC). The imagery rescripting intervention […]
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Jan 22 2019 First clinical study of mavoglurant to show positive effect in humans Researchers at MIND Institute at UC Davis and Rush University Medical Center have found that mavoglurant, an experimental drug known as a mGluR5 negative modulator, can positively modify a key characteristic behavior in individuals with fragile X syndrome (FXS). David Hessl […]
Continue Reading ...Most teens use some form of social media and have a profile on a social networking site. Many visit these sites every day. There are plenty of good things about social media — but also many risks and things kids and teens should avoid. They don’t always make good choices when they post something to […]
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Bad decision-making is a trait oftentimes associated with drug addicts and pathological gamblers, but what about people who excessively use social media? New research from Michigan State University shows a connection between social media use and impaired risky decision-making, which is commonly deficient in substance addiction. “Around one-third of humans on the planet are using […]
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