Psychology News

These research articles involve many aspects of psychology such as cognitive psychology, depression studies, mental health, stress, happiness and neuropsychology, Scroll below for more specific categories.

Researchers look deeper into animal emotions for clues about decision making. New approaches in the study of animal behavior allow researchers to study the effects of optimistic and pessimistic moods on animal behavior.
Neuroscience researchers suggest that utilizing fMRI studies could help to provide biomarkers for the diagnosis of depression. A recent fMRI study of patients with depression showed marked abnormal activations in the medial prefronal cortex. Researchers believe that by identifying the neurobiological markers for depression, psychiatrists can tailor medications and therapies to suit the needs of individual patients.
A study published in October's Cortex has shown young people who regularly play video games have an advantage in performing tasks which require visuomotor skills. The study also found that gamers show increased activity in the prefrontal cortex when asked to perform visuomotor tasks. By contrast, non-gamers had more reliant use of the parietal cortex, an area which involves hand-eye coordination, when performing visuomotor tasks.
A large study of 70-year-olds born in either 1901-1902, or 1930, provides evidence that the population of 70-year-olds in 2000 did much better on intelligence tests than the 70-year-olds of 1971-72.

These research articles involve depression, seasonal affective disorders, grief, pain, sadness, happiness and generally news regarding mental health research.

A major clinical trial, BRIGhTMIND, reveals that MRI-guided Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) significantly eases symptoms of severe depression for at least six months. The study, involving five centers across England, marks a substantial advancement over previous TMS treatments, which showed improvements lasting only 1-3 months.
New research reveals that coming off antidepressants like Prozac can cause not only physical symptoms but also emotional, cognitive, and social difficulties. The study involved in-depth interviews with 20 individuals who attempted to withdraw from SSRIs in the past year, highlighting the complex challenges they faced, including emotional overwhelm, reduced enjoyment in social situations, and a feeling of detachment.
A new study reveals that patients with schizophrenia or depression struggle with optimal information utilization in learning processes. Using EEG and advanced computer modeling, researchers found that these patients place greater emphasis on less important information, leading to suboptimal decision-making.