Researchers are changing how they study marijuana’s effects on the brain. Historically, many studies excluded tobacco users, but work from the Center for BrainHealth at The University of Texas at Dallas shows that excluding tobacco use can miss important differences: people who use both marijuana and tobacco have distinct brain and memory patterns compared with … Read more

Summary: Experts explain how postpartum depression and postpartum psychosis can, in rare cases, lead some mothers to harm or even kill their young children, and what signs and supports can help prevent such tragedies. Source: Northeastern University A Massachusetts mother is accused of killing her three- and five-year-old children and injuring her seven-month-old, prompting urgent … Read more

Behavior change is widely recognized by policymakers, researchers, and clinicians as essential for addressing many individual and societal challenges. Developing effective behavioral interventions has influenced fields as diverse as healthcare, mental health, policing, education, and public policy (Hagger, Cameron, Hamilton, Hankonen, & Lintunen, 2020). Interventions that successfully change behavior can improve chronic disease management, reduce … Read more

Summary: Two primary Signal Detection Theory metrics—perceptual certainty and response bias—track with changes in cognitive fatigue. Source: Kessler Foundation Researchers in New Jersey report that two central measures from Signal Detection Theory (SDT)—perceptual certainty and response bias—change in parallel with fluctuations in cognitive fatigue. They also show that these SDT measures vary with brain activation … Read more

Can’t cope? Overwhelmed? Stressed? Everyone struggles to cope at times—missed promotions, relationship breakups, looming deadlines. Whether we manage stress well depends largely on how we interpret events. Stress is an emotional and physical response shaped by our thoughts, and adapting how we think can change how we cope. Our brains evolved to solve problems in … Read more

Summary: People who live close to urban parks, nature reserves and other green spaces report higher life satisfaction, greater happiness and a stronger sense of self-worth than those who live farther away. Source: University of Warwick Living within 300 m of urban green space—such as parks, nature reserves or play areas—is linked to higher life … Read more

High error rate on production line triggers slowdown Living cells function like miniature factories, producing more than 25,000 distinct proteins that must fold into precise three-dimensional shapes to work correctly. When cellular stresses overwhelm these production systems, proteins can be synthesized incorrectly and remain unfolded or misfolded, which impairs function and can trigger broader cellular … Read more

In recent decades, interest in mindfulness has grown steadily among healthcare professionals, including physicians, nurse practitioners, and mental health specialists. Research and clinical practice increasingly recognize mindfulness as an effective element in healing and in supporting emotional and psychological wellbeing. This Article Contains: Mindfulness in Counseling Explained 4 Mindfulness-Based Counseling Techniques How to Apply Mindfulness … Read more

Summary: Researchers report promising results treating post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in military veterans by combining noninvasive brain stimulation with immersive virtual reality (VR) exposure therapy. In a double-blind clinical trial, veterans who received low-current transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) targeted to the ventromedial prefrontal cortex during standardized warzone VR sessions showed greater and faster reductions … Read more

Painful emotions and unwelcome thoughts can be hard to tolerate. Often our instinct is to avoid or try to eliminate these experiences, which frequently increases distress. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps people build a healthier relationship with difficult internal experiences and commit to living a meaningful life (Harris, 2011). If you’re considering ACT training, … Read more