Researchers discover many genetic keys needed to unlock autism
Hundreds of small genetic variations are associated with autism spectrum disorders, including an area of DNA that may be a key to understanding why humans are social animals, according to a multi-site...
View ArticleSocial deficits associated with autism, schizophrenia induced in mice with...
Researchers at Stanford University School of Medicine have been able to switch on, and then switch off, social-behavior deficits in mice that resemble those seen in people with autism and...
View ArticleNew form of brain plasticity: Research shows how social isolation disrupts...
Animals that are socially isolated for prolonged periods make less myelin in the region of the brain responsible for complex emotional and cognitive behavior, researchers at the University at Buffalo...
View ArticleGroup interaction among elderly is the key to significant health outcomes
The health benefits of 'water clubs' in care homes for the elderly, where residents gather together regularly to drink water , owe as least as much to the social nature of the activity as to the value...
View Article'Mean girls' be warned: Ostracism cuts both ways
If you think giving someone the cold shoulder inflicts pain only on them, beware. A new study shows that individuals who deliberately shun another person are equally distressed by the experience.
View ArticleAutism model in mice linked with genetics
For the first time, researchers have linked autism in a mouse model of the disease with abnormalities in specific regions of the animals' chromosomes. The regions contain genes associated with aberrant...
View ArticleHow we understand people and why it's important
Social cognition is our ability to understand other people, and it enables us to predict their behaviour and share experiences.
View ArticleCan one model the social deficits of autism and schizophrenia in animals?
5 May 2011 - The use of animal models to study human disease is essential to help advance our understanding of disease and to develop new therapeutic treatments.
View ArticleSteady relationships reduce amphetamine's rewarding effects
Long-term relationships make the commonly abused drug amphetamine less appealing, according to a new animal study in the June 1 issue of The Journal of Neuroscience. The findings suggest that social...
View ArticleDenying mental qualities to animals in order to eat them
(Medical Xpress) -- New research by Dr Brock Bastian from UQ's School of Psychology highlights the psychological processes that people engage in to reduce their discomfort over eating meat.
View ArticleChildhood adversities contribute to bullying behaviors
(Medical Xpress) -- An accumulation of childhood adversities increases the likelihood that one becomes a bully, a new study found.
View ArticleThe pupils are the windows to the mind
The eyes are the window into the soul -- or at least the mind, according to a new paper published in Perspectives on Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science....
View ArticleWhat can animals' survival instincts tell us about understanding human emotion?
Can animals' survival instincts shed additional light on what we know about human emotion? New York University neuroscientist Joseph LeDoux poses this question in outlining a pioneering theory, drawn...
View ArticleCrime and punishment: The neurobiological roots of modern justice
A pair of neuroscientists from Vanderbilt and Harvard Universities has proposed the first neurobiological model for third-party punishment. It outlines a collection of potential cognitive and brain...
View ArticleAutism Speaks and SAGE Labs develop rat models for translational autism research
Autism Speaks, the world's leading autism science and advocacy organization, today announced its expanded collaboration with Sigma Advanced Genetic Engineering (SAGE) Labs, an initiative of Sigma Life,...
View ArticleScientists reverse disorder of neuronal circuits in autism
People with autism suffer from a pervasive developmental disorder of the brain that becomes evident in early childhood. Peter Scheiffele and Kaspar Vogt, Professors at the Biozentrum of the University...
View Article'Kawaii' power sharpens worker focus, says Japanese study
(Medical Xpress)—Office workers who wonder why there are so many new framed pictures of piglets, calves, and puppies in the employee lunch room may learn their boss has read about research coming from...
View ArticleStudy links disease, poverty and biodiversity
Poverty and disease often come together. That much is well understood. But how much does poverty foster disease? Or, how much can disease perpetuate poverty? And what's the role of nature, given that...
View Article'Love hormone' may aid women's recovery after childbirth
(HealthDay)—Chronic pain from childbirth is rare and biologic changes after a woman gives birth may prevent the development of pain after birth, according to two new studies.
View ArticleChildren with autism show increased positive social behaviors when animals...
The presence of an animal can significantly increase positive social behaviors in children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), according to research published February 20 in the open access journal...
View ArticleExpert discusses how BRAIN Initiative will affect neuroscience
Mapping the human brain, with its billions of neurons, is one of science's most elusive projects. But a new federal program—the $100 million Brain Research through Advancing Innovative...
View ArticleHow parents see themselves may affect their child's brain and stress level
A mother's perceived social status predicts her child's brain development and stress indicators, finds a study at Boston Children's Hospital. While previous studies going back to the 1950s have linked...
View ArticleBreakthrough model holds promise for treating Graves' disease
Researchers have developed the first animal model simulating the eye complications associated with the thyroid condition Graves' disease, a breakthrough that could pave the way for better treatments,...
View ArticleDominant people can be surprisingly social
In contrast to the lay stereotype, dominant people prove to be avid social learners, just like dominant individuals in the animal kingdom. Neuroscientists from Radboud University show this with a...
View ArticleHow people defend eating meat
Meat eaters who justify their eating habits feel less guilty and are more tolerant of social inequality say researchers.
View ArticleAnimals' presence may ease social anxiety in kids with autism
When animals are present, children with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) have lower readings on a device that detects anxiety and other forms of social arousal when interacting with their peers.
View ArticleVideo: Social interactions and the brain
Many animals, from insects to humans, are social. Their brains have evolved to be sensitive to sensory cues that carry social information, such as: speech sounds, pheromones and visual cues. But very...
View ArticleEvaluating animal threats and human intentions uses common brain network
Assessing whether a fluffy bunny or a giant spider poses a threat to our safety happens automatically. New research suggests the same brain areas may be involved in both detecting threats posed by...
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