Sensorimotor Simulation Contributes To Facial Expression Recognition

Smile! It makes everyone in the room feel better because they, consciously or unconsciously, are smiling with you. Growing evidence shows that an instinct for facial mimicry allows us to empathize with and even experience other people’s feelings. If we can’t mirror another person’s face, it limits our ability to read and properly react to…

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The Difference Between Narcissism And Self-esteem

Narcissists feel superior to others but aren’t necessarily satisfied with themselves. After reviewing the research literature, Universiteit van Amsterdam (UVA) researcher Eddie Brummelman and his colleagues conclude that narcissism and self-esteem are much more distinct than conventional wisdom has led us to believe. Despite the widely held view among psychologists that narcissists have an inflated,…

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Latent Effects Of Early Adolescent Marijuana Use On Cortex Architecture

The age at which an adolescent begins using marijuana may affect typical brain development, according to researchers at the Center for BrainHealth at The University of Texas at Dallas. In a paper recently published, scientists describe how marijuana use, and the age at which use is initiated, may adversely alter brain structures that underlie higher…

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How Cerebral Cortex Malformations Link To Epilepsy Occurrence

Why does a structural irregularity in the temporal lobe make humans more susceptible to epileptic seizures? Experts have been searching for the answer to this question for a long time. A group of scientists at the Freiburg University Medical Center consisting of members of the University of Freiburg’s Cluster of Excellence Brain Links-Brain Tools has…

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How Mind-controlled Bionic Devices Could Help Quadriplegics Walk

The development of “mind-controlled” bionic devices moved another step closer today with the publication of a Nature Biotechnology paper describing how a tiny, 3cm-long stent containing 12 electrodes could one day help people living with spinal cord injury to walk with the power of thought. The device, called the “stentrode”, is inserted into the jugular…

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Vasopressin Promotes Cooperation In Risky Situations

A hormone that seems to promote monogamy and parenting in people may also make us more likely to cooperate with others, even in risky situations. Research in rodents shows while the hormone, called AVP (arginine vasopressin), promotes bonding, it also boosts aggression in males. Says Colin Camerer, a professor of behavioural economics at Caltech; “Part…

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Meditation Plus Aerobic Exercise Helps Reduce Depression

A new study has found that the mind-body combination of meditation and aerobic exercise, done twice a week for only two months, reduced the depression symptoms for a group of students by 40 percent. Says Brandon Alderman, lead author of the research study: “We are excited by the findings because we saw such a meaningful…

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Persistent ADHD Associated With Overly Critical Parents

For many children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, symptoms appear to decrease as they age, but for some they do not and one reason may be persistent parental criticism, according to research published by the American Psychological Association. Erica Musser, PhD, assistant professor of psychology at Florida International University and lead author of the study,…

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Origin Of Sighing Reflex In The Brain Pinpointed

Contrary to the words immortalized by the piano singer in “Casablanca,” a sigh is far more than a sigh. Heaving an unconscious sigh is a life-sustaining reflex that helps preserve lung function. A new study by researchers from UCLA and Stanford has pinpointed two tiny clusters of neurons in the brain stem that are responsible…

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