Negative Distractions Most Disrupt Attention and Linger in Memory

Summary: A new study reveals that upsetting distractions significantly impair our ability to sustain attention and also linger more strongly in memory. Researchers tested this by having participants perform a…

Natural Disaster Trauma Disrupts Brain’s Decision Circuits

Summary: Survivors of the 2018 Camp Fire in California exhibit long-term cognitive changes, particularly in decision-making. Participants directly exposed to the wildfire showed reduced ability to choose long-term rewards and…

Early Maternal Affection Shapes Key Personality Traits for Life

Summary: Affectionate mothering in early childhood may play a lasting role in shaping personality traits that influence educational, professional, and health outcomes. A study of over 2,200 identical twins found…

From Anxiety to Alzheimer’s, Music Makes a Difference

Summary: Music therapy is proving to be a powerful adjunct treatment for a range of conditions, including Alzheimer’s disease, chronic pain, movement disorders, and mental health issues. Research highlights how…

Dark Personality Traits in Politicians Fuel Political Polarization

Summary: New research reveals that politicians with narcissistic, psychopathic, or Machiavellian traits significantly increase affective polarization among voters. When citizens identify ideologically with such leaders, they become more hostile toward…

LSD-Inspired Drug Reverses Psychosis Brain Damage Without Hallucinations

Summary: A new LSD-derived compound called JRT shows promise for treating schizophrenia and other brain disorders without inducing hallucinations. Developed by researchers who altered just two atoms in LSD’s structure,…

Nearly Half of U.S. Adults Report Weekly Stress from News

Summary: A new national survey reveals that 45% of U.S. adults experience stress at least once a week due to news or social media, with 16% feeling stressed daily. While…

When Obsession Masquerades as Love: Understanding Limerence

Summary: Limerence is an intense, involuntary obsession with another person, often marked by intrusive thoughts, emotional dependency, and a fixation on perceived signs of interest or rejection. Coined by psychologist…

What Are Thoughts? Exploring the Mystery of the Mind

Summary: The nature of thought remains one of philosophy’s greatest mysteries, with deep implications for neuroscience and artificial intelligence. Two main theories compete: materialism, which sees thoughts as brain states,…

Delusions Often Appear Before Hallucinations in Early Psychosis

Summary: A new study has found that delusions typically emerge before hallucinations in individuals at high risk for psychosis, overturning a long-standing belief that hallucinations drive delusional thinking. By analyzing…