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Chinese Herb May Curb Binge Drinking
An extract of the Chinese herb kudzu may be useful in treating alcoholism and curbing binge drinking, according to a new study by McLean Hospital and Harvard Medical School researchers. Components found in kudzu root can reduce alcohol consumption without adverse side effects, said David Penetar, Ph.D., of the Behavioral Psychopharmacology Research Laboratory at McLean [...]
Researchers Identify Red Flag for Autism in Infants
A new study has found that weak head and neck control in infants is a red flag for autism spectrum disorder (ASD), as well as language and social developmental delays. Researchers at the Kennedy Krieger Institute suggest that a simple “pull-to-sit” task — a simple measure of posture control in infants — could be added [...]
Mania in Teens Just as Common as in Adults
The number of teens who have experienced mania— a hallmark of bipolar disorder, characterized by excessive energy, a lack of sleep and sometimes risky behaviors – is close to the number of adults estimated to have the disorder, suggesting that in many cases, the illness begins during adolescence, according to a new study. “The traditional [...]
Early Substance Use Linked to Less Education Later
A new study has found that early drug and alcohol use is associated with lower levels of educational achievement. A study of 6,242 twins shows a link between fewer years of schooling and the onset of drinking before age 14, report researchers from the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis and the Palo [...]
Children Tend to Bring More Joy than Misery
New research has found that parents are happier than people who are not parents. In the study, “In Defense of Parenthood: Children Are Associated With More Joy Than Misery,” researchers from the University of British Columbia, the University of California-Riverside, and Stanford University say that while the findings contrast sharply with popular beliefs, parenthood comes [...]
Study Finds Nature Beats Nurture in Character Traits
Genes play a greater role in forming character traits — such as self-control, decision-making or sociability — than was previously thought, new research suggests. Psychologists at the University of Edinburgh say that genetically influenced characteristics could well be the key to how successful a person is in life. A study of more than 800 sets [...]
Planning How to Achieve Goals Can Backfire
Planning how to achieve goals can actually interfere with actually achieving those goals, according to new research. The research found that setting goals and making a specific plan to achieve that goal works only when the person has just one goal. More than one goal? People get overwhelmed, said researchers Amy Dalton, Ph.D., of Hong Kong [...]
Heavy Drinking in Youth Linked to Severe Depression
Young people who tend to overuse alcohol are much more likely to suffer from severe depression, anxiety or stress, according to a new study. About 6,000 school-attending teens (ages 12 to 19) and 8,000 young adults (ages 17 to 25) were surveyed for the study by the youth mental health organization Headstrong and psychologists at [...]
Repetitive Head Impacts Can Affect Learning in College Athletes
A new study suggests that athletes who suffer head impacts during contact sports, such as football or hockey, may see a decrease in the ability to acquire new information. The study involved college athletes at three Division I schools, comparing 214 athletes in contact sports to 45 athletes in non-contact sports such as track, crew, [...]
Texting Seems to Boost Truthfulness
Texting is a surprisingly good way to get candid responses to sensitive questions, according to a new study. “The preliminary results of our study suggest that people are more likely to disclose sensitive information via text messages than in voice interviews,” said Fred Conrad, Ph.D., a cognitive psychologist and director of the program in survey [...]
Most Dementia Patients Die at Home, Not in Nursing Home
Individuals with dementia are more likely to be living at home when they pass away rather than in a nursing home, according to new research from the Regenstrief Institute and Indiana University. This contradicts the widely held view that most people with dementia in the United States eventually live and die in nursing homes. This [...]
Genetic Test May Aid in Predicting Schizophrenia Risk
Researchers have created a test that is able to predict whether a person is at a higher or lower risk of schizophrenia. Led by scientists at Indiana University, the research team identified a group of genes most associated with schizophrenia. Using a functional genomics approach that incorporates a number of experimental techniques, the scientists were [...]
Many Female Terrorists Motivated by Revenge
Female terrorists share many similarities with male terrorists in that they are likely to be educated, employed, and native residents of the country where they commit a terrorist act, according to new research published by the American Psychological Association. The latest findings contradict stereotypes presented in previous studies that describe female terrorists as socially isolated [...]
Looks Matter Most When Trusting People With Money
When deciding who we can trust with our money, we rely more on looks than any other information, according to new research. After researchers from Warwick Business School, the University College London and Dartmouth College carried out a series of experiments to see if people made decisions to trust others based on their faces, they [...]
Purpose in Life May Protect Against Alzheimer’s
Having a purpose may be the best way to prevent Alzheimer’s disease and treat those already affected. By working toward a goal each day and performing fulfilling, cognitively stimulating tasks, individuals can train their brains to retain memories instead of lose them. What is a Purpose in Life? There have been numerous studies conducted on [...]

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