Summary: New research reveals that cognitive impairments in psychotic disorders, like schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, are connected to brain network organization. This connection is evident even before the first psychotic…
Category: neurobiology
High-Dose Psilocybin Shows Potential as an Antidepressant Treatment
Summary: A meta-analysis suggests that high doses of psilocybin may alleviate depressive symptoms similarly to the SSRI drug escitalopram. While the effect size was small, psilocybin outperformed placebo in clinical…
Why Are We Drawn to Events Focused on Death and Disaster?
Summary: Researchers have developed a new framework to understand why people are fascinated by events centered around themes of death, disaster, and suffering. These “dark events” include everything from historical…
Moral Values Shift with the Seasons
Summary: A study has found that people’s endorsement of moral values fluctuates seasonally, with group-focused values like loyalty, authority, and purity being more strongly supported in spring and fall. This…
Classical Music Synchronizes Brain Waves, Improving Depression
Summary: Western classical music can significantly affect brain activity, particularly in people with treatment-resistant depression. By measuring brainwaves and neural imaging, scientists discovered that music synchronizes neural oscillations between brain…
Hurts to Think: The Unpleasant Truth About Mental Effort
Summary: New research suggests that mental exertion is often associated with unpleasant feelings such as stress and irritation, challenging the notion that people enjoy mentally demanding tasks. A meta-analysis of…
Overthinking Happiness Can Lower Life Satisfaction
Summary: Obsessing over personal happiness can actually decrease life satisfaction, according to new research. In three studies involving over 1,800 participants, individuals who judged their own happiness reported lower well-being,…
Study Reveals Shared Values Among US Voters Despite Political Divide
Summary: New research reveals that most American voters, regardless of political affiliation, share similar values, but fail to recognize their common ground. This misperception exacerbates societal conflict and pessimism about…
Cancer Drug Shows Promise for Autism Cognitive Function
Summary: A new experimental cancer drug could ease cognitive difficulties for those with Rett syndrome, a rare autism-linked disorder, by enhancing brain cell functions. The drug, ADH-503, improves the activity…
