Music therapy works, but no one is really sure how. Now, a novel type of brain scan may provide key insight. A new study unravels the brain mechanisms behind the benefits of music therapy. Music is a powerful thing. In fact, it forms the basis of a type of therapy, the aptly named “music therapy.” […]
If you lie to someone, you may find it more difficult to tell what that other person is thinking or feeling. This is the main takeaway of a new study that examines the ‘unintended consequences of dishonest behavior.’ Even a minor dishonest deed can impair our ability to read others’ emotions, new research finds. Whether […]
New research suggests that using controlled electric currents to stimulate certain parts of the ear could readjust the body’s metabolic balance, thus reducing the risk of age related health problems. Can ‘tickling’ the ear with electric stimuli improve health later in life? Scientists from the United Kingdom believe that it can. Vagus nerve stimulation is […]
New research examines how interacting with pets affects cortisol levels among college students. Petting a cat or a dog reduces the levels of the stress hormone cortisol. Pet owners have long known — or rather, felt — that spending time with their beloved animal companion lowers stress and improves mood. An extensive review that Medical […]
Medical research has changed how doctors diagnose conditions for the better. Read this Spotlight feature to find out about the top three “medical conditions” that healthcare professionals no longer recognize as such. In this Spotlight feature, we look at three ‘conditions’ that doctors no longer recognize as such. Throughout history — both recent and distant […]
New research finds that having a larger choroid plexus, which is a vital brain structure, could be involved in psychosis. Research finds clues about psychosis in a brain structure that scientists have not yet fully studied. Variations in the structure of the choroid plexus, which produces cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), could play a key role in […]
It is a common belief that using social media platforms can adversely affect people’s mental health, but new research has shown that using these networking sites can reduce an adult’s risk of experiencing depression or anxiety. Social media may improve the mental health of adults by helping them maintain social relationships, new research finds. Facebook’s […]
How many paid hours per week does a person need to work to maintain good mental health? That is the question a new study aimed to answer, and the findings suggest that shorter work weeks and longer weekends could be most beneficial. What is the ideal ‘dose’ of paid work time per week? In many […]
People’s language could reveal clues about their future risk of developing psychosis. Scientists concluded this after studying the subtle features of people’s everyday speech. Subtle differences in word use can indicate psychosis risk, and machine learning can help identify it. Researchers at Emory University in Atlanta, GA, and Harvard University in Boston, MA, used a […]
Technology has impacted human activities monumentally. Now, scientists want to know if human brains are being affected too. Being constantly connected to the online world may have long-lasting effects on the human brain. The internet has been around for less than 3 decades, but the technology has already had an immense impact on the way […]