Soybean oil is everywhere in American life. Websites run by everyone from doctors to random vegans tout it as a healthier alternative to vegetable oils, with some folks claiming unique health benefits ranging from lower blood sugar to X-ray vision. Okay, maybe not X-ray vision, but a quick web search will show you what I… Continue reading Are Brain Changes Strike Three For Soybean Oil?
If you sampled most adults, at least those over about 35 years old, they’ll tell you that playing organized sports is a good thing for kids. Elementary school-aged kids can get plenty of exercise, learn to get along with others, learn the value of competition and how to win and lose with dignity. While youth… Continue reading Youth Sports Participation Linked to Reduced Risk of Emotional Difficulties
Many distinct psychiatric diseases share a common genetic structure, according to new research by scientists at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) and the Psychiatric Genomics Consortium, an international team of investigators. Psychiatric disorders affect more than 25 percent of the population in a given year. In the largest-ever study of its kind, published in the journal… Continue reading Do Psychiatric Disorders Share Common Genes?
Adolescent boredom is surely not a new phenomenon. It’s not hard to imagine children expressing boredom to exasperated parents in just about every era. Of course, with the myriad of distractions and entertainment options available in the modern era, you might think today’s teens would have plenty to keep them from being bored. Apparently not,… Continue reading Adolescent Boredom Rising, Girls Hit Hardest
We all know at least one set of helicopter parents. This species is closely related to the lawn-mower parent. The key difference may be in the level of obnoxiousness and omnipresent “fixing.” While both species are annoying, neither is really helping their kids. Up until now, pretty much anyone with a working brain knew that… Continue reading Helicopter Parents, Hothouse Kids, Anxiety and Failure
Top-level e-sports gamers are athletes, too! Or at least, they apparently feel the same levels of stress and pressure as pro athletes when competing in top-flight tournaments. Performance anxiety, communication tangles and even “brain farts” are common among these competitors under the stress of tournament play. University of Chichester researchers looked into the psychological challenges… Continue reading High Level E-Sport Gamers Stress Like Pro Athletes
PTSD is most commonly associated with military personnel returning from the battlefield or combat situations. However, with symptoms of PTSD being recognized in adults and teens with chronic stress, it is important to understand all the ramifications to the mind and body of the sufferer. To that end, a new study was undertaken by the… Continue reading Infection Risk Doubled In PTSD Sufferers
Is it possible that maternal stress both during and before pregnancy can have a negative effect on the brain development in the baby? Yes, says new research from King’s College London. In a study published in Biological Psychiatry, a research team headed by Alexandra Lautarescu, MRC Doctoral Researcher and Head of Advanced Neuroimaging Professor Serena… Continue reading Stress During Pregnancy Can Affect Baby’s Brain
Many veterans face enormous stress while deployed. Even those not in the heat of battle are faced with significant performance challenges. Those challenges can negatively impact their mental and emotional health. Many veterans feel the effects of this long after their tours of duty end. Now new research from the Uniformed Services University School of… Continue reading Veterans Mental Health Issues Put Them At Higher Stroke, Heart Disease Risk
New research out of the University of Massachusetts Medical School sheds light on how our stress responses, especially the “fight-or-flight” response, may be harming our health over the long term. Specifically, Dr. Mark Alkema, professor of neurobiology, and his crew have been investigating the way in which the dynamic regulation of a stress neurohormone modulates… Continue reading Science Gives Us An Insight Into How Stress Weakens The Body’s System
