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275 results for “psychology_geek”
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DATE: September 27, 2026 at 11:51AM
SOURCE: SOCIALPSYCHOLOGY.ORGTITLE: AI Breaches Add to Safety Fears As Trump Meets with Anthropic's CEO
Source: Yahoo News - Top Headlines
Global anxiety over artificial intelligence risks has intensified after new disclosures that OpenAI models had carried out unauthorized activity, including the breach of an Australian government system and attempts to access dozens of U.S. government and university websites. Friday, OpenAI said it would pause training of its most capable models after discovering that one of its AI systems had escaped a secure testing environment and reached the...
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#psychology #counseling #socialwork #psychotherapy @psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry #mentalhealth #psychiatry #healthcare #depression #psychotherapist #AIBreaches #SafetyFears #OpenAI #Anthropic #AIsecurity #DataBreach #TechNews #Governments #CyberSecurity #AIRegulation
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DATE: September 27, 2026 at 11:51AM
SOURCE: SOCIALPSYCHOLOGY.ORGTITLE: AI Breaches Add to Safety Fears As Trump Meets with Anthropic's CEO
Source: Yahoo News - Top Headlines
Global anxiety over artificial intelligence risks has intensified after new disclosures that OpenAI models had carried out unauthorized activity, including the breach of an Australian government system and attempts to access dozens of U.S. government and university websites. Friday, OpenAI said it would pause training of its most capable models after discovering that one of its AI systems had escaped a secure testing environment and reached the...
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Private, vetted email list for mental health professionals: https://www.clinicians-exchange.org
Unofficial Psychology Today Xitter to toot feed at Psych Today Unofficial Bot @PTUnofficialBot
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#psychology #counseling #socialwork #psychotherapy @psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry #mentalhealth #psychiatry #healthcare #depression #psychotherapist #AIBreaches #SafetyFears #OpenAI #Anthropic #AIsecurity #DataBreach #TechNews #Governments #CyberSecurity #AIRegulation
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DATE: September 27, 2026 at 11:51AM
SOURCE: SOCIALPSYCHOLOGY.ORGTITLE: AI Breaches Add to Safety Fears As Trump Meets with Anthropic's CEO
Source: Yahoo News - Top Headlines
Global anxiety over artificial intelligence risks has intensified after new disclosures that OpenAI models had carried out unauthorized activity, including the breach of an Australian government system and attempts to access dozens of U.S. government and university websites. Friday, OpenAI said it would pause training of its most capable models after discovering that one of its AI systems had escaped a secure testing environment and reached the...
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Private, vetted email list for mental health professionals: https://www.clinicians-exchange.org
Unofficial Psychology Today Xitter to toot feed at Psych Today Unofficial Bot @PTUnofficialBot
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#psychology #counseling #socialwork #psychotherapy @psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry #mentalhealth #psychiatry #healthcare #depression #psychotherapist #AIBreaches #SafetyFears #OpenAI #Anthropic #AIsecurity #DataBreach #TechNews #Governments #CyberSecurity #AIRegulation
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DATE: September 27, 2026 at 08:58AM
SOURCE: SOCIALPSYCHOLOGY.ORGTITLE: Your Worldview Might Dictate How You Perceive Neutral Faces
Source: PsyPost
People who view the world as an inherently dangerous place consistently overestimate the likelihood of specific threats, from violent crimes to animal attacks. A new series of psychological evaluations reveals that this broad worldview also leads individuals to perceive the neutral faces of strangers as less trustworthy and more aggressive. The findings were published in the Journal of Individual Differences.
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#psychology #counseling #socialwork #psychotherapy @psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry #mentalhealth #psychiatry #healthcare #depression #psychotherapist #Worldview #Perception #Trustworthiness #NeutralFaces #SocialPsychology #CognitiveBias #ThreatPerception #FacePerception #PsychologyResearch #JournalOfIndividualDifferences
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DATE: September 27, 2026 at 08:56AM
SOURCE: SOCIALPSYCHOLOGY.ORGTITLE: Popular Joint Supplement Linked to Faster Alzheimer’s Progression
Source: Science Daily - Top Health
A widely used supplement for joint pain has been linked to a potentially concerning outcome in people with early cognitive problems. Researchers tied glucosamine use to a greater likelihood that mild cognitive impairment would progress to dementia. Mild cognitive impairment, or MCI, describes measurable problems with memory or thinking that are greater than expected with normal aging but do not necessarily interfere substantially with everyday...
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Private, vetted email list for mental health professionals: https://www.clinicians-exchange.org
Unofficial Psychology Today Xitter to toot feed at Psych Today Unofficial Bot @PTUnofficialBot
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#psychology #counseling #socialwork #psychotherapy @psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry #mentalhealth #psychiatry #healthcare #depression #psychotherapist #glucosamine #jointhealth #alzheimers #dementia #MCI #cognitivehealth #neuroscience #healthnews #sciencedaily #earlydementia
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DATE: September 27, 2026 at 08:58AM
SOURCE: SOCIALPSYCHOLOGY.ORGTITLE: Your Worldview Might Dictate How You Perceive Neutral Faces
Source: PsyPost
People who view the world as an inherently dangerous place consistently overestimate the likelihood of specific threats, from violent crimes to animal attacks. A new series of psychological evaluations reveals that this broad worldview also leads individuals to perceive the neutral faces of strangers as less trustworthy and more aggressive. The findings were published in the Journal of Individual Differences.
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Private, vetted email list for mental health professionals: https://www.clinicians-exchange.org
Unofficial Psychology Today Xitter to toot feed at Psych Today Unofficial Bot @PTUnofficialBot
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#psychology #counseling #socialwork #psychotherapy @psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry #mentalhealth #psychiatry #healthcare #depression #psychotherapist #Worldview #Perception #Trustworthiness #NeutralFaces #SocialPsychology #CognitiveBias #ThreatPerception #FacePerception #PsychologyResearch #JournalOfIndividualDifferences
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DATE: September 27, 2026 at 08:56AM
SOURCE: SOCIALPSYCHOLOGY.ORGTITLE: Popular Joint Supplement Linked to Faster Alzheimer’s Progression
Source: Science Daily - Top Health
A widely used supplement for joint pain has been linked to a potentially concerning outcome in people with early cognitive problems. Researchers tied glucosamine use to a greater likelihood that mild cognitive impairment would progress to dementia. Mild cognitive impairment, or MCI, describes measurable problems with memory or thinking that are greater than expected with normal aging but do not necessarily interfere substantially with everyday...
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Private, vetted email list for mental health professionals: https://www.clinicians-exchange.org
Unofficial Psychology Today Xitter to toot feed at Psych Today Unofficial Bot @PTUnofficialBot
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#psychology #counseling #socialwork #psychotherapy @psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry #mentalhealth #psychiatry #healthcare #depression #psychotherapist #glucosamine #jointhealth #alzheimers #dementia #MCI #cognitivehealth #neuroscience #healthnews #sciencedaily #earlydementia
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DATE: September 27, 2026 at 08:58AM
SOURCE: SOCIALPSYCHOLOGY.ORGTITLE: Your Worldview Might Dictate How You Perceive Neutral Faces
Source: PsyPost
People who view the world as an inherently dangerous place consistently overestimate the likelihood of specific threats, from violent crimes to animal attacks. A new series of psychological evaluations reveals that this broad worldview also leads individuals to perceive the neutral faces of strangers as less trustworthy and more aggressive. The findings were published in the Journal of Individual Differences.
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Private, vetted email list for mental health professionals: https://www.clinicians-exchange.org
Unofficial Psychology Today Xitter to toot feed at Psych Today Unofficial Bot @PTUnofficialBot
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#psychology #counseling #socialwork #psychotherapy @psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry #mentalhealth #psychiatry #healthcare #depression #psychotherapist #Worldview #Perception #Trustworthiness #NeutralFaces #SocialPsychology #CognitiveBias #ThreatPerception #FacePerception #PsychologyResearch #JournalOfIndividualDifferences
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DATE: September 27, 2026 at 08:56AM
SOURCE: SOCIALPSYCHOLOGY.ORGTITLE: Popular Joint Supplement Linked to Faster Alzheimer’s Progression
Source: Science Daily - Top Health
A widely used supplement for joint pain has been linked to a potentially concerning outcome in people with early cognitive problems. Researchers tied glucosamine use to a greater likelihood that mild cognitive impairment would progress to dementia. Mild cognitive impairment, or MCI, describes measurable problems with memory or thinking that are greater than expected with normal aging but do not necessarily interfere substantially with everyday...
-------------------------------------------------
Private, vetted email list for mental health professionals: https://www.clinicians-exchange.org
Unofficial Psychology Today Xitter to toot feed at Psych Today Unofficial Bot @PTUnofficialBot
-------------------------------------------------
#psychology #counseling #socialwork #psychotherapy @psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry #mentalhealth #psychiatry #healthcare #depression #psychotherapist #glucosamine #jointhealth #alzheimers #dementia #MCI #cognitivehealth #neuroscience #healthnews #sciencedaily #earlydementia
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DATE: September 27, 2026 at 06:00PM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG** Research quality varies widely from fantastic to small exploratory studies. Please check research methods when conclusions are very important to you. **
-------------------------------------------------TITLE: People in strained relationships show somewhat higher preference for hearing lies
A study in Poland asked participants whether they preferred their partner to lie or tell the truth. Results showed that people less satisfied with their relationship tended to show a somewhat greater preference for hearing lies, both prosocial and egoistic. They also tended to perceive blatant truth as more harmful. The paper was published in The Journal of Social Psychology.
Honesty is widely regarded as a foundation of healthy romantic relationships. It is widely believed to support trust, commitment, and relationship satisfaction. At the same time, people do not always view complete truthfulness as the best response when honesty is likely to cause unnecessary emotional pain.
Prosocial lies, which are intended to benefit another person rather than the liar, are often judged more favorably than selfish deception. In romantic relationships, such lies can sometimes protect a partner’s feelings, preserve self-esteem, and help maintain harmony. They may also support positive illusions, in which partners view themselves, each other, or their relationship somewhat more favorably than objective reality would justify.
These positive beliefs can promote optimism, reduce conflict, and contribute to relationship satisfaction, particularly when they reinforce a sense of security and connection. Emotional resilience—the ability to adapt and recover from stress or adversity—may influence whether people prefer difficult truths or more reassuring forms of communication, with less resilient individuals potentially finding harsh information more difficult to manage.
The Theory of Resilience and Relational Load suggests that supportive and validating interactions help build emotional reserves that allow couples to cope more effectively with stress. From this perspective, occasional prosocial dishonesty can sometimes function as a protective form of communication, although it creates an ongoing tension between the values of honesty, kindness, and relationship stability.
Study authors Sebastian Wnęk and Katarzyna Cantarero conducted a study aiming to examine the relationship between relationship satisfaction, emotional resilience, and the preference for prosocial lies. They hypothesized that higher relationship satisfaction is associated with a greater preference for hearing prosocial lies, and a lower preference for hearing egoistic lies (lies told primarily to benefit the liar). They also expected individuals with lower emotional resilience to show a greater preference for hearing prosocial lies.
Study participants were 672 residents of Poland who had been in a romantic relationship for at least one year, recruited from a research panel. 336 of them were women. Their average age was 46 years. For their participation, they received points that could be exchanged for various goods such as headsets or flash drives.
Participants were first shown six stories that described different scenarios involving themselves and their partner. In three of these scenarios, the partner had the option to lie egoistically or tell the truth, while in the other three, the partner could tell a prosocial lie, or the truth.
Participants’ task was to choose which option they would prefer to hear from their partner (the lie offered in the scenario or the truth) in each scenario. After this, they completed assessments of relationship satisfaction (the Relationship Assessment Scale), emotional resilience (the Brief Resilience Scale), closeness, perceived importance of truth, perceptions of how blatant truth affects a romantic relationship, conflict avoidance, and whether participants would lie prosocially to their partner.
The results showed that participants preferred prosocial lies more than egoistic lies. Participants who showed a higher preference for lies, both prosocial and egoistic, tended to be somewhat less satisfied with their relationships and to perceive truth as more harmful. They also saw themselves as more likely to tell a prosocial lie to their partner, and showed a lower preference for the truth. Participants with a higher preference for egoistic lies tended to see themselves as somewhat less close to their partner.
The study authors tested a statistical model proposing that lower relationship satisfaction might make individuals perceive blatant truth as more harmful, leading to a higher preference for hearing prosocial lies. The results showed that such a dynamic is possible.
This model also supported the notion that the relationship between relationship satisfaction and the perception of blatant truth as harmful might depend on emotional resilience. It turned out that in individuals with high emotional resilience, the strength of the association between low relationship satisfaction and perception of blatant truth as harmful was stronger than in individuals with low emotional resilience.
“Taken together, our research not only offers a useful material that can be used in future studies that focus on deception, but also underscores the complexity of prosocial lying in romantic relationships. While prosocial lies are often viewed as more acceptable than egoistic lies, their use appears to be nevertheless undesired in satisfied romantic relationships. However, when satisfaction is low and individuals perceive truth-telling as potentially harmful, they may prefer positive illusions to honest communication,” the study authors concluded.
The study contributes to the scientific knowledge about romantic relationships. However, it should be noted that the design of the study does not allow any causal inferences to be derived from the results.
The paper, “If I cannot bounce back easily, can I handle the truth? Satisfaction in romantic relationships, resilience and preference towards prosocial lies,” was authored by Sebastian Wnęk and Katarzyna Cantarero.
-------------------------------------------------
Private, vetted email list for mental health professionals: https://www.clinicians-exchange.org
Unofficial Psychology Today Xitter to toot feed at Psych Today Unofficial Bot @PTUnofficialBot
-------------------------------------------------
#psychology #counseling #socialwork #psychotherapy @psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry #mentalhealth #psychiatry #healthcare #depression #psychotherapist #romanticrelationships #truthvslie #prosociallie #relationshipresearch #emotionalresilience #relationshipsatisfaction #blatanttruth #honestyinrelationships #egoisticlie #positiveillusions
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DATE: September 27, 2026 at 06:00PM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG** Research quality varies widely from fantastic to small exploratory studies. Please check research methods when conclusions are very important to you. **
-------------------------------------------------TITLE: People in strained relationships show somewhat higher preference for hearing lies
A study in Poland asked participants whether they preferred their partner to lie or tell the truth. Results showed that people less satisfied with their relationship tended to show a somewhat greater preference for hearing lies, both prosocial and egoistic. They also tended to perceive blatant truth as more harmful. The paper was published in The Journal of Social Psychology.
Honesty is widely regarded as a foundation of healthy romantic relationships. It is widely believed to support trust, commitment, and relationship satisfaction. At the same time, people do not always view complete truthfulness as the best response when honesty is likely to cause unnecessary emotional pain.
Prosocial lies, which are intended to benefit another person rather than the liar, are often judged more favorably than selfish deception. In romantic relationships, such lies can sometimes protect a partner’s feelings, preserve self-esteem, and help maintain harmony. They may also support positive illusions, in which partners view themselves, each other, or their relationship somewhat more favorably than objective reality would justify.
These positive beliefs can promote optimism, reduce conflict, and contribute to relationship satisfaction, particularly when they reinforce a sense of security and connection. Emotional resilience—the ability to adapt and recover from stress or adversity—may influence whether people prefer difficult truths or more reassuring forms of communication, with less resilient individuals potentially finding harsh information more difficult to manage.
The Theory of Resilience and Relational Load suggests that supportive and validating interactions help build emotional reserves that allow couples to cope more effectively with stress. From this perspective, occasional prosocial dishonesty can sometimes function as a protective form of communication, although it creates an ongoing tension between the values of honesty, kindness, and relationship stability.
Study authors Sebastian Wnęk and Katarzyna Cantarero conducted a study aiming to examine the relationship between relationship satisfaction, emotional resilience, and the preference for prosocial lies. They hypothesized that higher relationship satisfaction is associated with a greater preference for hearing prosocial lies, and a lower preference for hearing egoistic lies (lies told primarily to benefit the liar). They also expected individuals with lower emotional resilience to show a greater preference for hearing prosocial lies.
Study participants were 672 residents of Poland who had been in a romantic relationship for at least one year, recruited from a research panel. 336 of them were women. Their average age was 46 years. For their participation, they received points that could be exchanged for various goods such as headsets or flash drives.
Participants were first shown six stories that described different scenarios involving themselves and their partner. In three of these scenarios, the partner had the option to lie egoistically or tell the truth, while in the other three, the partner could tell a prosocial lie, or the truth.
Participants’ task was to choose which option they would prefer to hear from their partner (the lie offered in the scenario or the truth) in each scenario. After this, they completed assessments of relationship satisfaction (the Relationship Assessment Scale), emotional resilience (the Brief Resilience Scale), closeness, perceived importance of truth, perceptions of how blatant truth affects a romantic relationship, conflict avoidance, and whether participants would lie prosocially to their partner.
The results showed that participants preferred prosocial lies more than egoistic lies. Participants who showed a higher preference for lies, both prosocial and egoistic, tended to be somewhat less satisfied with their relationships and to perceive truth as more harmful. They also saw themselves as more likely to tell a prosocial lie to their partner, and showed a lower preference for the truth. Participants with a higher preference for egoistic lies tended to see themselves as somewhat less close to their partner.
The study authors tested a statistical model proposing that lower relationship satisfaction might make individuals perceive blatant truth as more harmful, leading to a higher preference for hearing prosocial lies. The results showed that such a dynamic is possible.
This model also supported the notion that the relationship between relationship satisfaction and the perception of blatant truth as harmful might depend on emotional resilience. It turned out that in individuals with high emotional resilience, the strength of the association between low relationship satisfaction and perception of blatant truth as harmful was stronger than in individuals with low emotional resilience.
“Taken together, our research not only offers a useful material that can be used in future studies that focus on deception, but also underscores the complexity of prosocial lying in romantic relationships. While prosocial lies are often viewed as more acceptable than egoistic lies, their use appears to be nevertheless undesired in satisfied romantic relationships. However, when satisfaction is low and individuals perceive truth-telling as potentially harmful, they may prefer positive illusions to honest communication,” the study authors concluded.
The study contributes to the scientific knowledge about romantic relationships. However, it should be noted that the design of the study does not allow any causal inferences to be derived from the results.
The paper, “If I cannot bounce back easily, can I handle the truth? Satisfaction in romantic relationships, resilience and preference towards prosocial lies,” was authored by Sebastian Wnęk and Katarzyna Cantarero.
-------------------------------------------------
Private, vetted email list for mental health professionals: https://www.clinicians-exchange.org
Unofficial Psychology Today Xitter to toot feed at Psych Today Unofficial Bot @PTUnofficialBot
-------------------------------------------------
#psychology #counseling #socialwork #psychotherapy @psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry #mentalhealth #psychiatry #healthcare #depression #psychotherapist #romanticrelationships #truthvslie #prosociallie #relationshipresearch #emotionalresilience #relationshipsatisfaction #blatanttruth #honestyinrelationships #egoisticlie #positiveillusions
-
DATE: September 27, 2026 at 06:00PM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG** Research quality varies widely from fantastic to small exploratory studies. Please check research methods when conclusions are very important to you. **
-------------------------------------------------TITLE: People in strained relationships show somewhat higher preference for hearing lies
A study in Poland asked participants whether they preferred their partner to lie or tell the truth. Results showed that people less satisfied with their relationship tended to show a somewhat greater preference for hearing lies, both prosocial and egoistic. They also tended to perceive blatant truth as more harmful. The paper was published in The Journal of Social Psychology.
Honesty is widely regarded as a foundation of healthy romantic relationships. It is widely believed to support trust, commitment, and relationship satisfaction. At the same time, people do not always view complete truthfulness as the best response when honesty is likely to cause unnecessary emotional pain.
Prosocial lies, which are intended to benefit another person rather than the liar, are often judged more favorably than selfish deception. In romantic relationships, such lies can sometimes protect a partner’s feelings, preserve self-esteem, and help maintain harmony. They may also support positive illusions, in which partners view themselves, each other, or their relationship somewhat more favorably than objective reality would justify.
These positive beliefs can promote optimism, reduce conflict, and contribute to relationship satisfaction, particularly when they reinforce a sense of security and connection. Emotional resilience—the ability to adapt and recover from stress or adversity—may influence whether people prefer difficult truths or more reassuring forms of communication, with less resilient individuals potentially finding harsh information more difficult to manage.
The Theory of Resilience and Relational Load suggests that supportive and validating interactions help build emotional reserves that allow couples to cope more effectively with stress. From this perspective, occasional prosocial dishonesty can sometimes function as a protective form of communication, although it creates an ongoing tension between the values of honesty, kindness, and relationship stability.
Study authors Sebastian Wnęk and Katarzyna Cantarero conducted a study aiming to examine the relationship between relationship satisfaction, emotional resilience, and the preference for prosocial lies. They hypothesized that higher relationship satisfaction is associated with a greater preference for hearing prosocial lies, and a lower preference for hearing egoistic lies (lies told primarily to benefit the liar). They also expected individuals with lower emotional resilience to show a greater preference for hearing prosocial lies.
Study participants were 672 residents of Poland who had been in a romantic relationship for at least one year, recruited from a research panel. 336 of them were women. Their average age was 46 years. For their participation, they received points that could be exchanged for various goods such as headsets or flash drives.
Participants were first shown six stories that described different scenarios involving themselves and their partner. In three of these scenarios, the partner had the option to lie egoistically or tell the truth, while in the other three, the partner could tell a prosocial lie, or the truth.
Participants’ task was to choose which option they would prefer to hear from their partner (the lie offered in the scenario or the truth) in each scenario. After this, they completed assessments of relationship satisfaction (the Relationship Assessment Scale), emotional resilience (the Brief Resilience Scale), closeness, perceived importance of truth, perceptions of how blatant truth affects a romantic relationship, conflict avoidance, and whether participants would lie prosocially to their partner.
The results showed that participants preferred prosocial lies more than egoistic lies. Participants who showed a higher preference for lies, both prosocial and egoistic, tended to be somewhat less satisfied with their relationships and to perceive truth as more harmful. They also saw themselves as more likely to tell a prosocial lie to their partner, and showed a lower preference for the truth. Participants with a higher preference for egoistic lies tended to see themselves as somewhat less close to their partner.
The study authors tested a statistical model proposing that lower relationship satisfaction might make individuals perceive blatant truth as more harmful, leading to a higher preference for hearing prosocial lies. The results showed that such a dynamic is possible.
This model also supported the notion that the relationship between relationship satisfaction and the perception of blatant truth as harmful might depend on emotional resilience. It turned out that in individuals with high emotional resilience, the strength of the association between low relationship satisfaction and perception of blatant truth as harmful was stronger than in individuals with low emotional resilience.
“Taken together, our research not only offers a useful material that can be used in future studies that focus on deception, but also underscores the complexity of prosocial lying in romantic relationships. While prosocial lies are often viewed as more acceptable than egoistic lies, their use appears to be nevertheless undesired in satisfied romantic relationships. However, when satisfaction is low and individuals perceive truth-telling as potentially harmful, they may prefer positive illusions to honest communication,” the study authors concluded.
The study contributes to the scientific knowledge about romantic relationships. However, it should be noted that the design of the study does not allow any causal inferences to be derived from the results.
The paper, “If I cannot bounce back easily, can I handle the truth? Satisfaction in romantic relationships, resilience and preference towards prosocial lies,” was authored by Sebastian Wnęk and Katarzyna Cantarero.
-------------------------------------------------
Private, vetted email list for mental health professionals: https://www.clinicians-exchange.org
Unofficial Psychology Today Xitter to toot feed at Psych Today Unofficial Bot @PTUnofficialBot
-------------------------------------------------
#psychology #counseling #socialwork #psychotherapy @psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry #mentalhealth #psychiatry #healthcare #depression #psychotherapist #romanticrelationships #truthvslie #prosociallie #relationshipresearch #emotionalresilience #relationshipsatisfaction #blatanttruth #honestyinrelationships #egoisticlie #positiveillusions
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DATE: September 27, 2026 at 04:00PM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG** Research quality varies widely from fantastic to small exploratory studies. Please check research methods when conclusions are very important to you. **
-------------------------------------------------TITLE: Scientists identify an overlooked brain region that sustains fear responses
URL: https://www.psypost.org/scientists-identify-an-overlooked-brain-region-that-sustains-fear-responses/
A newly detailed brain region provides the continuous alarm signal needed to keep animals on high alert during a threat. The research, published in Neuron, indicates that the amygdalostriatal transition zone bridges the gap between learning about a danger and sustaining a defensive response.
The amygdalostriatal transition zone, or ASt, is a small cluster of brain cells located between the amygdala, a center for emotion processing, and the striatum, an area involved in controlling movements. When a threat appears, the brain must rapidly detect it and maintain a defensive state until the danger passes.
A 1995 study of rats demonstrated that fear-learning neurons in the amygdala respond to threat sounds in a very brief, rapid burst lasting only milliseconds. Later, a 2002 laboratory study showed that warning signals travel rapidly from the amygdala directly into the neighboring ASt.
The disconnect between brief brain signals and long-lasting fear responses became a major question, as a 2009 study of rodents highlighted the puzzle that amygdala signals fade almost immediately even though defensive behaviors persist for tens of seconds.
The new study explores this fast pathway to determine whether the ASt provides the continuous alarm signal needed to maintain defensive behaviors over longer periods. The research was led by first author Fergil Mills, an assistant professor at the University of Utah who conducted the study as a postdoctoral fellow in the laboratory of senior author Kay M. Tye at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies.
“It felt as though an important part of the neural circuitry had yet to be found,” Mills told PsyPost. “In this study, we characterized the ‘amygdalostriatal transition zone’ (ASt), a largely unexplored brain region, and discovered that it maintained responses to threat cues for the full duration that they were present.”
“This was a previously unknown role for the structure, and our work identifies the ASt as a ‘missing piece’ of the neural circuits for learning and behavior,” he added.
The scientists began by examining the genetic makeup of the ASt and surrounding brain structures. They extracted and analyzed the genetic material of 97,434 individual cell nuclei from the brains of mice. The analysis indicated that the ASt has a distinct genetic identity.
Specifically, the ASt contains an unusually high concentration of a specific type of brain cell called a Drd2-positive neuron, which carries a specific receptor for the chemical messenger dopamine. About 71 percent of the neurons in the ASt were of this type, compared to just 26 percent for a related cell type known as Drd1a-positive neurons.
Next, the team measured the electrical activity of ASt neurons in 15 live mice. The mice were trained in an environment where a 20-second auditory tone predicted a mild foot shock, while a different 20-second tone predicted a sweet liquid reward. The researchers found that ASt neurons responded strongly to the shock-predicting tone.
Unlike the brief bursts seen in the amygdala, the ASt neurons fired continuously for the entire 20-second duration of the threat cue. Trials where the mice showed the highest levels of defensive behavior, such as freezing in place, were accompanied by ASt firing rates that were over three times higher than in trials with low defensive behavior.
To see if this brain activity actually produced the defensive behavior, the researchers used optogenetics, a technique that allows scientists to control specific neurons using light. They tested 18 mice that were genetically engineered so their ASt neurons could be activated by blue light lasers. When the researchers shined light into the ASt, the mice immediately began to freeze.
In a separate test where one side of an enclosure triggered the laser, the mice actively avoided that side. The team then isolated the effects of the two different cell types by testing 35 additional mice. They found that activating only the Drd2-positive neurons produced the same freezing and avoidance behaviors, while activating the Drd1a-positive neurons had no effect on these behaviors.
A motor coordination test using a rotating rod showed that the freezing was a defensive response, not a general inability to move. The researchers also tracked the activity of these specific cell types during the tone task using miniature microscopes attached to the heads of 15 mice. By observing calcium levels, which rise when neurons are active, they saw that the Drd2-positive neurons maintained high, sustained levels of activity throughout the threat-predicting tones.
Finally, the team tested whether the ASt is strictly necessary for fear responses. They used a different optogenetic tool to silence the Drd2-positive ASt neurons in a group of 21 mice. During the tone task, blocking these neurons caused the mice to reduce their defensive behaviors, such as freezing or sudden darting, by nearly 50 percent. Blocking these cells did not change the animals’ responses to reward cues, nor did it alter their general movement in an open arena.
“The neural and behavioral results that we observed were striking,” Mills said. “Inhibiting a subpopulation of ASt neurons caused a nearly 50% reduction in fear responses a major decrease for a structure never before established as part of the fear circuit.”
“This tells us that the ASt is not just correlated with fear responses, but makes a meaningful causal contribution to them,” he noted.
As with all research, there are a few things to keep in mind. The experiments used only a single type of threat, which was a foot shock, and a single type of reward, which was a sweet drink. It is not completely settled whether the ASt specifically processes the negative nature of an experience, or if it might also respond to other intense stimuli.
Additionally, the mice did not show ASt activation when placed in a context or environment they associated with fear, only when they heard the specific warning tone.
“An interesting detail of our study was that the ASt maintains responses to specific threat cues, but not to locations where negative experiences occurred,” Mills explained. “This suggests that the ASt has a specialized role in fear triggered by sensory cues, rather than the broader environment we are in a key new insight into how the brain organizes different kinds of fear responses.”
“Importantly, we believe that our findings complement rather than contradict the established amygdala circuits for fear learning,” he said. “We think the ASt is a key part of a much larger circuit, and that the ASt and amygdala likely work together to orchestrate responses to threats. Also, these experiments were performed in mice, so a critical next step will be to determine how these findings translate to humans.”
Scientists hope to investigate whether this pathway plays a role in conditions like anxiety or post-traumatic stress disorder, where responses to external stimuli are disrupted.
“Understanding the circuits for fear learning is critical to human health, because maladaptive fear responses are a hallmark of neuropsychiatric disorders such as PTSD and anxiety,” Mills pointed out. “In these disorders, fear responses can become persistent, generalized, or spontaneous, leading to debilitating health outcomes.”
“In order to develop new treatments for these disorders, we have to understand the fundamental circuitry that the brain uses for fear learning,” he added. “That’s what makes the discovery of the ASt’s role in fear so exciting it’s part of a larger puzzle that we need to solve to improve human health.”
Although the amygdala has been heavily researched in the context of psychiatric conditions, the ASt represents a new frontier for understanding how the brain responds to danger. Future studies will need to explore exactly how the ASt communicates with the amygdala during the initial learning of a threat.
“Now that we know the ASt has a role in fear responses, it is also a new site of interest for disorders where fear responses are disrupted,” Mills explained. “It is easy to imagine that if ASt circuits mediate sustained responses to threats, then dysfunction of these circuits could give rise to the maladaptive fear responses we see in different disorders.”
“We are now collaborating with other researchers to study the ASt’s function in humans, establishing a new translational direction for a brain region that has been almost entirely overlooked in mental health research,” he said. “I want to thank Kay Tye for her incredible mentorship, and all the members of the Tye lab and Mills lab who contributed to the study. Exploring the ASt was an amazing adventure, and we are looking forward to the new science that will stem from these discoveries.”
The study, “Amygdalostriatal transition zone neurons encode sustained cue responses to guide defensive behaviors,” was authored by Fergil Mills, Christopher R. Lee, James R. Howe, Hao Li, Maria N. Keisler, Shan Shao, Felix H. Taschbach, Mackenzie E. Lemieux, Faith Aloboudi, Jesse White, May G. Chan, Matilde Borio, Laurel R. Keyes, Hannah S. Chen, Fabiha Bushra, Gates P. Schneider, Dani P. Lemmon, Kyung J. Lee, Alexa L. Gross, Kanha Batra, Reesha R. Patel, Meenakshi M. Asokan, Jeremy Delahanty, Christian Cazares, Christopher R. Heyman, Nicholas B. Poll, Liezl Maree, Romy Wichmann, Talmo D. Pereira, Marcus K. Benna, Cory M. Root, and Kay M. Tye.
URL: https://www.psypost.org/scientists-identify-an-overlooked-brain-region-that-sustains-fear-responses/
-------------------------------------------------
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-------------------------------------------------
#psychology #counseling #socialwork #psychotherapy @psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry #mentalhealth #psychiatry #healthcare #depression #psychotherapist #ASt #AmygdalostriatalTransitionZone #FearCircuit #Neuroscience #Drd2neurons #FearResponse #Optogenetics #Amygdala #PTSDResearch #BrainResearch
-
DATE: September 27, 2026 at 04:00PM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG** Research quality varies widely from fantastic to small exploratory studies. Please check research methods when conclusions are very important to you. **
-------------------------------------------------TITLE: Scientists identify an overlooked brain region that sustains fear responses
URL: https://www.psypost.org/scientists-identify-an-overlooked-brain-region-that-sustains-fear-responses/
A newly detailed brain region provides the continuous alarm signal needed to keep animals on high alert during a threat. The research, published in Neuron, indicates that the amygdalostriatal transition zone bridges the gap between learning about a danger and sustaining a defensive response.
The amygdalostriatal transition zone, or ASt, is a small cluster of brain cells located between the amygdala, a center for emotion processing, and the striatum, an area involved in controlling movements. When a threat appears, the brain must rapidly detect it and maintain a defensive state until the danger passes.
A 1995 study of rats demonstrated that fear-learning neurons in the amygdala respond to threat sounds in a very brief, rapid burst lasting only milliseconds. Later, a 2002 laboratory study showed that warning signals travel rapidly from the amygdala directly into the neighboring ASt.
The disconnect between brief brain signals and long-lasting fear responses became a major question, as a 2009 study of rodents highlighted the puzzle that amygdala signals fade almost immediately even though defensive behaviors persist for tens of seconds.
The new study explores this fast pathway to determine whether the ASt provides the continuous alarm signal needed to maintain defensive behaviors over longer periods. The research was led by first author Fergil Mills, an assistant professor at the University of Utah who conducted the study as a postdoctoral fellow in the laboratory of senior author Kay M. Tye at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies.
“It felt as though an important part of the neural circuitry had yet to be found,” Mills told PsyPost. “In this study, we characterized the ‘amygdalostriatal transition zone’ (ASt), a largely unexplored brain region, and discovered that it maintained responses to threat cues for the full duration that they were present.”
“This was a previously unknown role for the structure, and our work identifies the ASt as a ‘missing piece’ of the neural circuits for learning and behavior,” he added.
The scientists began by examining the genetic makeup of the ASt and surrounding brain structures. They extracted and analyzed the genetic material of 97,434 individual cell nuclei from the brains of mice. The analysis indicated that the ASt has a distinct genetic identity.
Specifically, the ASt contains an unusually high concentration of a specific type of brain cell called a Drd2-positive neuron, which carries a specific receptor for the chemical messenger dopamine. About 71 percent of the neurons in the ASt were of this type, compared to just 26 percent for a related cell type known as Drd1a-positive neurons.
Next, the team measured the electrical activity of ASt neurons in 15 live mice. The mice were trained in an environment where a 20-second auditory tone predicted a mild foot shock, while a different 20-second tone predicted a sweet liquid reward. The researchers found that ASt neurons responded strongly to the shock-predicting tone.
Unlike the brief bursts seen in the amygdala, the ASt neurons fired continuously for the entire 20-second duration of the threat cue. Trials where the mice showed the highest levels of defensive behavior, such as freezing in place, were accompanied by ASt firing rates that were over three times higher than in trials with low defensive behavior.
To see if this brain activity actually produced the defensive behavior, the researchers used optogenetics, a technique that allows scientists to control specific neurons using light. They tested 18 mice that were genetically engineered so their ASt neurons could be activated by blue light lasers. When the researchers shined light into the ASt, the mice immediately began to freeze.
In a separate test where one side of an enclosure triggered the laser, the mice actively avoided that side. The team then isolated the effects of the two different cell types by testing 35 additional mice. They found that activating only the Drd2-positive neurons produced the same freezing and avoidance behaviors, while activating the Drd1a-positive neurons had no effect on these behaviors.
A motor coordination test using a rotating rod showed that the freezing was a defensive response, not a general inability to move. The researchers also tracked the activity of these specific cell types during the tone task using miniature microscopes attached to the heads of 15 mice. By observing calcium levels, which rise when neurons are active, they saw that the Drd2-positive neurons maintained high, sustained levels of activity throughout the threat-predicting tones.
Finally, the team tested whether the ASt is strictly necessary for fear responses. They used a different optogenetic tool to silence the Drd2-positive ASt neurons in a group of 21 mice. During the tone task, blocking these neurons caused the mice to reduce their defensive behaviors, such as freezing or sudden darting, by nearly 50 percent. Blocking these cells did not change the animals’ responses to reward cues, nor did it alter their general movement in an open arena.
“The neural and behavioral results that we observed were striking,” Mills said. “Inhibiting a subpopulation of ASt neurons caused a nearly 50% reduction in fear responses a major decrease for a structure never before established as part of the fear circuit.”
“This tells us that the ASt is not just correlated with fear responses, but makes a meaningful causal contribution to them,” he noted.
As with all research, there are a few things to keep in mind. The experiments used only a single type of threat, which was a foot shock, and a single type of reward, which was a sweet drink. It is not completely settled whether the ASt specifically processes the negative nature of an experience, or if it might also respond to other intense stimuli.
Additionally, the mice did not show ASt activation when placed in a context or environment they associated with fear, only when they heard the specific warning tone.
“An interesting detail of our study was that the ASt maintains responses to specific threat cues, but not to locations where negative experiences occurred,” Mills explained. “This suggests that the ASt has a specialized role in fear triggered by sensory cues, rather than the broader environment we are in a key new insight into how the brain organizes different kinds of fear responses.”
“Importantly, we believe that our findings complement rather than contradict the established amygdala circuits for fear learning,” he said. “We think the ASt is a key part of a much larger circuit, and that the ASt and amygdala likely work together to orchestrate responses to threats. Also, these experiments were performed in mice, so a critical next step will be to determine how these findings translate to humans.”
Scientists hope to investigate whether this pathway plays a role in conditions like anxiety or post-traumatic stress disorder, where responses to external stimuli are disrupted.
“Understanding the circuits for fear learning is critical to human health, because maladaptive fear responses are a hallmark of neuropsychiatric disorders such as PTSD and anxiety,” Mills pointed out. “In these disorders, fear responses can become persistent, generalized, or spontaneous, leading to debilitating health outcomes.”
“In order to develop new treatments for these disorders, we have to understand the fundamental circuitry that the brain uses for fear learning,” he added. “That’s what makes the discovery of the ASt’s role in fear so exciting it’s part of a larger puzzle that we need to solve to improve human health.”
Although the amygdala has been heavily researched in the context of psychiatric conditions, the ASt represents a new frontier for understanding how the brain responds to danger. Future studies will need to explore exactly how the ASt communicates with the amygdala during the initial learning of a threat.
“Now that we know the ASt has a role in fear responses, it is also a new site of interest for disorders where fear responses are disrupted,” Mills explained. “It is easy to imagine that if ASt circuits mediate sustained responses to threats, then dysfunction of these circuits could give rise to the maladaptive fear responses we see in different disorders.”
“We are now collaborating with other researchers to study the ASt’s function in humans, establishing a new translational direction for a brain region that has been almost entirely overlooked in mental health research,” he said. “I want to thank Kay Tye for her incredible mentorship, and all the members of the Tye lab and Mills lab who contributed to the study. Exploring the ASt was an amazing adventure, and we are looking forward to the new science that will stem from these discoveries.”
The study, “Amygdalostriatal transition zone neurons encode sustained cue responses to guide defensive behaviors,” was authored by Fergil Mills, Christopher R. Lee, James R. Howe, Hao Li, Maria N. Keisler, Shan Shao, Felix H. Taschbach, Mackenzie E. Lemieux, Faith Aloboudi, Jesse White, May G. Chan, Matilde Borio, Laurel R. Keyes, Hannah S. Chen, Fabiha Bushra, Gates P. Schneider, Dani P. Lemmon, Kyung J. Lee, Alexa L. Gross, Kanha Batra, Reesha R. Patel, Meenakshi M. Asokan, Jeremy Delahanty, Christian Cazares, Christopher R. Heyman, Nicholas B. Poll, Liezl Maree, Romy Wichmann, Talmo D. Pereira, Marcus K. Benna, Cory M. Root, and Kay M. Tye.
URL: https://www.psypost.org/scientists-identify-an-overlooked-brain-region-that-sustains-fear-responses/
-------------------------------------------------
Private, vetted email list for mental health professionals: https://www.clinicians-exchange.org
Unofficial Psychology Today Xitter to toot feed at Psych Today Unofficial Bot @PTUnofficialBot
-------------------------------------------------
#psychology #counseling #socialwork #psychotherapy @psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry #mentalhealth #psychiatry #healthcare #depression #psychotherapist #ASt #AmygdalostriatalTransitionZone #FearCircuit #Neuroscience #Drd2neurons #FearResponse #Optogenetics #Amygdala #PTSDResearch #BrainResearch
-
DATE: September 27, 2026 at 04:00PM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG** Research quality varies widely from fantastic to small exploratory studies. Please check research methods when conclusions are very important to you. **
-------------------------------------------------TITLE: Scientists identify an overlooked brain region that sustains fear responses
URL: https://www.psypost.org/scientists-identify-an-overlooked-brain-region-that-sustains-fear-responses/
A newly detailed brain region provides the continuous alarm signal needed to keep animals on high alert during a threat. The research, published in Neuron, indicates that the amygdalostriatal transition zone bridges the gap between learning about a danger and sustaining a defensive response.
The amygdalostriatal transition zone, or ASt, is a small cluster of brain cells located between the amygdala, a center for emotion processing, and the striatum, an area involved in controlling movements. When a threat appears, the brain must rapidly detect it and maintain a defensive state until the danger passes.
A 1995 study of rats demonstrated that fear-learning neurons in the amygdala respond to threat sounds in a very brief, rapid burst lasting only milliseconds. Later, a 2002 laboratory study showed that warning signals travel rapidly from the amygdala directly into the neighboring ASt.
The disconnect between brief brain signals and long-lasting fear responses became a major question, as a 2009 study of rodents highlighted the puzzle that amygdala signals fade almost immediately even though defensive behaviors persist for tens of seconds.
The new study explores this fast pathway to determine whether the ASt provides the continuous alarm signal needed to maintain defensive behaviors over longer periods. The research was led by first author Fergil Mills, an assistant professor at the University of Utah who conducted the study as a postdoctoral fellow in the laboratory of senior author Kay M. Tye at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies.
“It felt as though an important part of the neural circuitry had yet to be found,” Mills told PsyPost. “In this study, we characterized the ‘amygdalostriatal transition zone’ (ASt), a largely unexplored brain region, and discovered that it maintained responses to threat cues for the full duration that they were present.”
“This was a previously unknown role for the structure, and our work identifies the ASt as a ‘missing piece’ of the neural circuits for learning and behavior,” he added.
The scientists began by examining the genetic makeup of the ASt and surrounding brain structures. They extracted and analyzed the genetic material of 97,434 individual cell nuclei from the brains of mice. The analysis indicated that the ASt has a distinct genetic identity.
Specifically, the ASt contains an unusually high concentration of a specific type of brain cell called a Drd2-positive neuron, which carries a specific receptor for the chemical messenger dopamine. About 71 percent of the neurons in the ASt were of this type, compared to just 26 percent for a related cell type known as Drd1a-positive neurons.
Next, the team measured the electrical activity of ASt neurons in 15 live mice. The mice were trained in an environment where a 20-second auditory tone predicted a mild foot shock, while a different 20-second tone predicted a sweet liquid reward. The researchers found that ASt neurons responded strongly to the shock-predicting tone.
Unlike the brief bursts seen in the amygdala, the ASt neurons fired continuously for the entire 20-second duration of the threat cue. Trials where the mice showed the highest levels of defensive behavior, such as freezing in place, were accompanied by ASt firing rates that were over three times higher than in trials with low defensive behavior.
To see if this brain activity actually produced the defensive behavior, the researchers used optogenetics, a technique that allows scientists to control specific neurons using light. They tested 18 mice that were genetically engineered so their ASt neurons could be activated by blue light lasers. When the researchers shined light into the ASt, the mice immediately began to freeze.
In a separate test where one side of an enclosure triggered the laser, the mice actively avoided that side. The team then isolated the effects of the two different cell types by testing 35 additional mice. They found that activating only the Drd2-positive neurons produced the same freezing and avoidance behaviors, while activating the Drd1a-positive neurons had no effect on these behaviors.
A motor coordination test using a rotating rod showed that the freezing was a defensive response, not a general inability to move. The researchers also tracked the activity of these specific cell types during the tone task using miniature microscopes attached to the heads of 15 mice. By observing calcium levels, which rise when neurons are active, they saw that the Drd2-positive neurons maintained high, sustained levels of activity throughout the threat-predicting tones.
Finally, the team tested whether the ASt is strictly necessary for fear responses. They used a different optogenetic tool to silence the Drd2-positive ASt neurons in a group of 21 mice. During the tone task, blocking these neurons caused the mice to reduce their defensive behaviors, such as freezing or sudden darting, by nearly 50 percent. Blocking these cells did not change the animals’ responses to reward cues, nor did it alter their general movement in an open arena.
“The neural and behavioral results that we observed were striking,” Mills said. “Inhibiting a subpopulation of ASt neurons caused a nearly 50% reduction in fear responses a major decrease for a structure never before established as part of the fear circuit.”
“This tells us that the ASt is not just correlated with fear responses, but makes a meaningful causal contribution to them,” he noted.
As with all research, there are a few things to keep in mind. The experiments used only a single type of threat, which was a foot shock, and a single type of reward, which was a sweet drink. It is not completely settled whether the ASt specifically processes the negative nature of an experience, or if it might also respond to other intense stimuli.
Additionally, the mice did not show ASt activation when placed in a context or environment they associated with fear, only when they heard the specific warning tone.
“An interesting detail of our study was that the ASt maintains responses to specific threat cues, but not to locations where negative experiences occurred,” Mills explained. “This suggests that the ASt has a specialized role in fear triggered by sensory cues, rather than the broader environment we are in a key new insight into how the brain organizes different kinds of fear responses.”
“Importantly, we believe that our findings complement rather than contradict the established amygdala circuits for fear learning,” he said. “We think the ASt is a key part of a much larger circuit, and that the ASt and amygdala likely work together to orchestrate responses to threats. Also, these experiments were performed in mice, so a critical next step will be to determine how these findings translate to humans.”
Scientists hope to investigate whether this pathway plays a role in conditions like anxiety or post-traumatic stress disorder, where responses to external stimuli are disrupted.
“Understanding the circuits for fear learning is critical to human health, because maladaptive fear responses are a hallmark of neuropsychiatric disorders such as PTSD and anxiety,” Mills pointed out. “In these disorders, fear responses can become persistent, generalized, or spontaneous, leading to debilitating health outcomes.”
“In order to develop new treatments for these disorders, we have to understand the fundamental circuitry that the brain uses for fear learning,” he added. “That’s what makes the discovery of the ASt’s role in fear so exciting it’s part of a larger puzzle that we need to solve to improve human health.”
Although the amygdala has been heavily researched in the context of psychiatric conditions, the ASt represents a new frontier for understanding how the brain responds to danger. Future studies will need to explore exactly how the ASt communicates with the amygdala during the initial learning of a threat.
“Now that we know the ASt has a role in fear responses, it is also a new site of interest for disorders where fear responses are disrupted,” Mills explained. “It is easy to imagine that if ASt circuits mediate sustained responses to threats, then dysfunction of these circuits could give rise to the maladaptive fear responses we see in different disorders.”
“We are now collaborating with other researchers to study the ASt’s function in humans, establishing a new translational direction for a brain region that has been almost entirely overlooked in mental health research,” he said. “I want to thank Kay Tye for her incredible mentorship, and all the members of the Tye lab and Mills lab who contributed to the study. Exploring the ASt was an amazing adventure, and we are looking forward to the new science that will stem from these discoveries.”
The study, “Amygdalostriatal transition zone neurons encode sustained cue responses to guide defensive behaviors,” was authored by Fergil Mills, Christopher R. Lee, James R. Howe, Hao Li, Maria N. Keisler, Shan Shao, Felix H. Taschbach, Mackenzie E. Lemieux, Faith Aloboudi, Jesse White, May G. Chan, Matilde Borio, Laurel R. Keyes, Hannah S. Chen, Fabiha Bushra, Gates P. Schneider, Dani P. Lemmon, Kyung J. Lee, Alexa L. Gross, Kanha Batra, Reesha R. Patel, Meenakshi M. Asokan, Jeremy Delahanty, Christian Cazares, Christopher R. Heyman, Nicholas B. Poll, Liezl Maree, Romy Wichmann, Talmo D. Pereira, Marcus K. Benna, Cory M. Root, and Kay M. Tye.
URL: https://www.psypost.org/scientists-identify-an-overlooked-brain-region-that-sustains-fear-responses/
-------------------------------------------------
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-------------------------------------------------
#psychology #counseling #socialwork #psychotherapy @psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry #mentalhealth #psychiatry #healthcare #depression #psychotherapist #ASt #AmygdalostriatalTransitionZone #FearCircuit #Neuroscience #Drd2neurons #FearResponse #Optogenetics #Amygdala #PTSDResearch #BrainResearch
-
*PSYCHOLOGY OF APOCALYPSE* Ch 1, p. 9
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RE: https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:7nguzszlvpdpdmtc47zp22ur/post/3mpd6pihpvc2i -
*PSYCHOLOGY OF APOCALYPSE* Ch 1, p. 9
🧵Click panel below for Thread, complete book
or, read/dwl on blog: funnygod.wordpress.com/2024/08/28/f...
🧵👇 💡📚💙 #PA ☮️🔥🌍🌡️☢️ #PACH1 📖 #TruthWarriors ❕ #Psychology ☮️ #Climate 🔥🌍 #thanatos 🧟♂️ #eros 🌈 #rebirth 🦋 🐉 #perinatal 🐉 #RainbowWarriors 🦋 #FBR 🧑🤝🧑 #resist✊
RE: https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:7nguzszlvpdpdmtc47zp22ur/post/3mpd6pihpvc2i -
*PSYCHOLOGY OF APOCALYPSE* Ch 1, p. 9
🧵Click panel below for Thread, complete book
or, read/dwl on blog: funnygod.wordpress.com/2024/08/28/f...
🧵👇 💡📚💙 #PA ☮️🔥🌍🌡️☢️ #PACH1 📖 #TruthWarriors ❕ #Psychology ☮️ #Climate 🔥🌍 #thanatos 🧟♂️ #eros 🌈 #rebirth 🦋 🐉 #perinatal 🐉 #RainbowWarriors 🦋 #FBR 🧑🤝🧑 #resist✊
RE: https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:7nguzszlvpdpdmtc47zp22ur/post/3mpd6pihpvc2i -
*PSYCHOLOGY OF APOCALYPSE* Ch 1, p. 9
🧵Click panel below for Thread, complete book
or, read/dwl on blog: funnygod.wordpress.com/2024/08/28/f...
🧵👇 💡📚💙 #PA ☮️🔥🌍🌡️☢️ #PACH1 📖 #TruthWarriors ❕ #Psychology ☮️ #Climate 🔥🌍 #thanatos 🧟♂️ #eros 🌈 #rebirth 🦋 🐉 #perinatal 🐉 #RainbowWarriors 🦋 #FBR 🧑🤝🧑 #resist✊
RE: https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:7nguzszlvpdpdmtc47zp22ur/post/3mpd6pihpvc2i -
*PSYCHOLOGY OF APOCALYPSE* Ch 1, p. 9
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🧵👇 💡📚💙 #PA ☮️🔥🌍🌡️☢️ #PACH1 📖 #TruthWarriors ❕ #Psychology ☮️ #Climate 🔥🌍 #thanatos 🧟♂️ #eros 🌈 #rebirth 🦋 🐉 #perinatal 🐉 #RainbowWarriors 🦋 #FBR 🧑🤝🧑 #resist✊
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DATE: September 27, 2026 at 12:00PM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG** Research quality varies widely from fantastic to small exploratory studies. Please check research methods when conclusions are very important to you. **
-------------------------------------------------TITLE: Ayahuasca combined with grief therapy shows promise in easing severe bereavement
Combining the psychedelic brew ayahuasca with specialized psychotherapy may help ease the severe psychological pain that follows the loss of a close family member. An exploratory clinical trial published in Scientific Reports found that participants receiving this combined treatment experienced greater reductions in grief severity than those receiving therapy alone or no treatment. The results suggest a potential new avenue for early intervention in severe bereavement.
Losing a parent, child, or spouse often triggers profound emotional turmoil. For most people, the intense distress gradually subsides over time as they adapt to their new reality. A substantial portion of the population goes on to develop prolonged grief disorder, a condition characterized by persistent, functionally impairing yearning and preoccupation with the deceased.
The first year of bereavement is a particularly vulnerable period. It carries elevated risks for psychiatric illness, cardiovascular decline, and suicide. Standard psychological interventions and antidepressant medications have not proven highly effective at preventing prolonged grief when administered soon after a loss.
Researchers led by psychiatrist Oscar Soto-Angona at the Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona in Spain wanted to explore a novel approach to early grief support. They designed a study to test whether a psychedelic plant mixture could enhance a specific form of counseling called meaning reconstruction therapy.
Meaning reconstruction therapy operates on the premise that a central challenge of mourning is integrating the loss into a person’s life narrative. The therapeutic protocol is structured around three phases. First, therapists help patients process traumatic memories related to the death event. Next, they work to redefine the patient’s ongoing attachment to the deceased person. Finally, they help the bereaved rebuild their own sense of identity as a survivor.
The researchers hypothesized that ayahuasca could act as a catalyst for this psychological work. Ayahuasca is a traditional Amazonian brew made by boiling the stems of the Banisteriopsis caapi vine and the leaves of the Psychotria viridis shrub. The leaves contain the psychoactive compound DMT, which stimulates the brain’s serotonin receptors. The vine contains compounds that prevent the digestive system from breaking down the DMT before it can reach the central nervous system.
Previous observational studies and anecdotal reports hinted that the brew might facilitate emotional processing. Studies have shown that serotonergic psychedelics can temporarily enhance neuroplasticity, psychological flexibility, and creative thinking. The research team suspected these acute effects could help people find existential meaning and reorganize their identity after a traumatic loss.
The clinical trial enrolled 84 adults who were experiencing severe grief symptoms. All participants had lost a first-degree relative within the previous twelve months. The research team assigned the participants to one of three groups.
One group received nine weekly online sessions of meaning reconstruction therapy. A second group served as a no-treatment control condition.
The third group received the same nine-week therapy course but also attended two weekend ayahuasca retreats. These group retreats involved consuming a medium dose of the brew under medical supervision. The psychedelic sessions were accompanied by specialized online integration meetings, which gave participants a space to discuss and process their altered states of consciousness.
To track progress, the researchers asked participants to complete standard questionnaires. These surveys measured normal grief severity, symptoms of prolonged grief disorder, post-traumatic growth, and overall quality of life. The assessments were administered before the interventions began, immediately after the nine-week period, and at a three-month follow-up.
The research team found that participants in all three groups experienced some reduction in grief severity by the end of the study. This kind of general improvement is common in bereavement research. It often reflects the natural passage of time as participants adapt to their loss, as well as the positive psychological effects of simply being enrolled in a supportive clinical trial.
The group receiving ayahuasca-assisted therapy experienced the largest improvements across nearly all measures. These participants reported greater reductions in normal grief severity and prolonged grief symptoms compared to those in the therapy-alone and no-treatment groups.
The psychedelic-assisted treatment was also associated with larger increases in post-traumatic growth. This psychological concept refers to positive personal changes that result from struggling with a major life crisis, such as a renewed appreciation for life or a deeper sense of spiritual connection. Participants in the ayahuasca group also reported better scores in psychological health and social relationships than the control groups.
These improvements appeared stable over the short term. When the researchers checked in with the participants three months after the interventions ended, the ayahuasca group maintained their improved scores.
The psychedelic brew was generally well tolerated by the participants. Nobody required psychiatric medication or experienced serious adverse events following the dosing sessions.
Some participants reported minor, transient side effects during the experience, such as nausea, vomiting, or temporary headaches. These are common physical reactions to ayahuasca. A few participants in the experimental group chose to skip their second ayahuasca dose, with some citing that they did not feel psychologically prepared for another session so soon after the first.
The study provides an early look at a novel combination therapy, but several limitations shape how the results should be interpreted. Due to logistical constraints related to the COVID-19 pandemic during the study’s early phases, the researchers could not randomize the group assignments. Instead, participants were sequentially allocated to the groups.
This non-randomized design increases the risk that outside factors influenced the outcomes. Differences in pandemic-related stress at different times of the year could have impacted the participants’ baseline mental health.
The open-label nature of the trial means that participants knew which treatment they were receiving. This awareness can inflate the reported benefits due to expectation bias. The researchers noted that nearly three quarters of the participants had previously used psychedelic substances, suggesting they may have held favorable preconceptions about the treatment going into the trial.
The study design did not include a group that received ayahuasca without psychotherapy. The current results cannot separate the effects of the pharmacological substance from the intensive therapy and group support environment.
Future research will require larger, randomized, and double-blind clinical trials to confirm these early observations. Such studies could help determine exactly how the altered states of consciousness induced by psychedelics interact with therapeutic attempts to rebuild a person’s sense of meaning after a devastating loss.
The study, “Ayahuasca-assisted meaning reconstruction therapy as an early resource for bereavement: a non-randomized clinical trial,” was authored by Oscar Soto-Angona, Oscar Andión, Pablo Sabucedo, Robert A. Neimeyer, Josep Maria Haro, Julia Javkin, Magí Farré, and Débora González.
-------------------------------------------------
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#psychology #counseling #socialwork #psychotherapy @psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry #mentalhealth #psychiatry #healthcare #depression #psychotherapist #AyahuascaTherapy #BereavementSupport #GriefRecovery #MeaningReconstruction #PsychedelicResearch #MentalHealthInnovation #ProlongedGriefDisorder #TraumaHealing #PostTraumaticGrowth #UrbanClinicalTrial
-
DATE: September 27, 2026 at 12:00PM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG** Research quality varies widely from fantastic to small exploratory studies. Please check research methods when conclusions are very important to you. **
-------------------------------------------------TITLE: Ayahuasca combined with grief therapy shows promise in easing severe bereavement
Combining the psychedelic brew ayahuasca with specialized psychotherapy may help ease the severe psychological pain that follows the loss of a close family member. An exploratory clinical trial published in Scientific Reports found that participants receiving this combined treatment experienced greater reductions in grief severity than those receiving therapy alone or no treatment. The results suggest a potential new avenue for early intervention in severe bereavement.
Losing a parent, child, or spouse often triggers profound emotional turmoil. For most people, the intense distress gradually subsides over time as they adapt to their new reality. A substantial portion of the population goes on to develop prolonged grief disorder, a condition characterized by persistent, functionally impairing yearning and preoccupation with the deceased.
The first year of bereavement is a particularly vulnerable period. It carries elevated risks for psychiatric illness, cardiovascular decline, and suicide. Standard psychological interventions and antidepressant medications have not proven highly effective at preventing prolonged grief when administered soon after a loss.
Researchers led by psychiatrist Oscar Soto-Angona at the Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona in Spain wanted to explore a novel approach to early grief support. They designed a study to test whether a psychedelic plant mixture could enhance a specific form of counseling called meaning reconstruction therapy.
Meaning reconstruction therapy operates on the premise that a central challenge of mourning is integrating the loss into a person’s life narrative. The therapeutic protocol is structured around three phases. First, therapists help patients process traumatic memories related to the death event. Next, they work to redefine the patient’s ongoing attachment to the deceased person. Finally, they help the bereaved rebuild their own sense of identity as a survivor.
The researchers hypothesized that ayahuasca could act as a catalyst for this psychological work. Ayahuasca is a traditional Amazonian brew made by boiling the stems of the Banisteriopsis caapi vine and the leaves of the Psychotria viridis shrub. The leaves contain the psychoactive compound DMT, which stimulates the brain’s serotonin receptors. The vine contains compounds that prevent the digestive system from breaking down the DMT before it can reach the central nervous system.
Previous observational studies and anecdotal reports hinted that the brew might facilitate emotional processing. Studies have shown that serotonergic psychedelics can temporarily enhance neuroplasticity, psychological flexibility, and creative thinking. The research team suspected these acute effects could help people find existential meaning and reorganize their identity after a traumatic loss.
The clinical trial enrolled 84 adults who were experiencing severe grief symptoms. All participants had lost a first-degree relative within the previous twelve months. The research team assigned the participants to one of three groups.
One group received nine weekly online sessions of meaning reconstruction therapy. A second group served as a no-treatment control condition.
The third group received the same nine-week therapy course but also attended two weekend ayahuasca retreats. These group retreats involved consuming a medium dose of the brew under medical supervision. The psychedelic sessions were accompanied by specialized online integration meetings, which gave participants a space to discuss and process their altered states of consciousness.
To track progress, the researchers asked participants to complete standard questionnaires. These surveys measured normal grief severity, symptoms of prolonged grief disorder, post-traumatic growth, and overall quality of life. The assessments were administered before the interventions began, immediately after the nine-week period, and at a three-month follow-up.
The research team found that participants in all three groups experienced some reduction in grief severity by the end of the study. This kind of general improvement is common in bereavement research. It often reflects the natural passage of time as participants adapt to their loss, as well as the positive psychological effects of simply being enrolled in a supportive clinical trial.
The group receiving ayahuasca-assisted therapy experienced the largest improvements across nearly all measures. These participants reported greater reductions in normal grief severity and prolonged grief symptoms compared to those in the therapy-alone and no-treatment groups.
The psychedelic-assisted treatment was also associated with larger increases in post-traumatic growth. This psychological concept refers to positive personal changes that result from struggling with a major life crisis, such as a renewed appreciation for life or a deeper sense of spiritual connection. Participants in the ayahuasca group also reported better scores in psychological health and social relationships than the control groups.
These improvements appeared stable over the short term. When the researchers checked in with the participants three months after the interventions ended, the ayahuasca group maintained their improved scores.
The psychedelic brew was generally well tolerated by the participants. Nobody required psychiatric medication or experienced serious adverse events following the dosing sessions.
Some participants reported minor, transient side effects during the experience, such as nausea, vomiting, or temporary headaches. These are common physical reactions to ayahuasca. A few participants in the experimental group chose to skip their second ayahuasca dose, with some citing that they did not feel psychologically prepared for another session so soon after the first.
The study provides an early look at a novel combination therapy, but several limitations shape how the results should be interpreted. Due to logistical constraints related to the COVID-19 pandemic during the study’s early phases, the researchers could not randomize the group assignments. Instead, participants were sequentially allocated to the groups.
This non-randomized design increases the risk that outside factors influenced the outcomes. Differences in pandemic-related stress at different times of the year could have impacted the participants’ baseline mental health.
The open-label nature of the trial means that participants knew which treatment they were receiving. This awareness can inflate the reported benefits due to expectation bias. The researchers noted that nearly three quarters of the participants had previously used psychedelic substances, suggesting they may have held favorable preconceptions about the treatment going into the trial.
The study design did not include a group that received ayahuasca without psychotherapy. The current results cannot separate the effects of the pharmacological substance from the intensive therapy and group support environment.
Future research will require larger, randomized, and double-blind clinical trials to confirm these early observations. Such studies could help determine exactly how the altered states of consciousness induced by psychedelics interact with therapeutic attempts to rebuild a person’s sense of meaning after a devastating loss.
The study, “Ayahuasca-assisted meaning reconstruction therapy as an early resource for bereavement: a non-randomized clinical trial,” was authored by Oscar Soto-Angona, Oscar Andión, Pablo Sabucedo, Robert A. Neimeyer, Josep Maria Haro, Julia Javkin, Magí Farré, and Débora González.
-------------------------------------------------
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#psychology #counseling #socialwork #psychotherapy @psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry #mentalhealth #psychiatry #healthcare #depression #psychotherapist #AyahuascaTherapy #BereavementSupport #GriefRecovery #MeaningReconstruction #PsychedelicResearch #MentalHealthInnovation #ProlongedGriefDisorder #TraumaHealing #PostTraumaticGrowth #UrbanClinicalTrial
-
DATE: September 27, 2026 at 12:00PM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG** Research quality varies widely from fantastic to small exploratory studies. Please check research methods when conclusions are very important to you. **
-------------------------------------------------TITLE: Ayahuasca combined with grief therapy shows promise in easing severe bereavement
Combining the psychedelic brew ayahuasca with specialized psychotherapy may help ease the severe psychological pain that follows the loss of a close family member. An exploratory clinical trial published in Scientific Reports found that participants receiving this combined treatment experienced greater reductions in grief severity than those receiving therapy alone or no treatment. The results suggest a potential new avenue for early intervention in severe bereavement.
Losing a parent, child, or spouse often triggers profound emotional turmoil. For most people, the intense distress gradually subsides over time as they adapt to their new reality. A substantial portion of the population goes on to develop prolonged grief disorder, a condition characterized by persistent, functionally impairing yearning and preoccupation with the deceased.
The first year of bereavement is a particularly vulnerable period. It carries elevated risks for psychiatric illness, cardiovascular decline, and suicide. Standard psychological interventions and antidepressant medications have not proven highly effective at preventing prolonged grief when administered soon after a loss.
Researchers led by psychiatrist Oscar Soto-Angona at the Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona in Spain wanted to explore a novel approach to early grief support. They designed a study to test whether a psychedelic plant mixture could enhance a specific form of counseling called meaning reconstruction therapy.
Meaning reconstruction therapy operates on the premise that a central challenge of mourning is integrating the loss into a person’s life narrative. The therapeutic protocol is structured around three phases. First, therapists help patients process traumatic memories related to the death event. Next, they work to redefine the patient’s ongoing attachment to the deceased person. Finally, they help the bereaved rebuild their own sense of identity as a survivor.
The researchers hypothesized that ayahuasca could act as a catalyst for this psychological work. Ayahuasca is a traditional Amazonian brew made by boiling the stems of the Banisteriopsis caapi vine and the leaves of the Psychotria viridis shrub. The leaves contain the psychoactive compound DMT, which stimulates the brain’s serotonin receptors. The vine contains compounds that prevent the digestive system from breaking down the DMT before it can reach the central nervous system.
Previous observational studies and anecdotal reports hinted that the brew might facilitate emotional processing. Studies have shown that serotonergic psychedelics can temporarily enhance neuroplasticity, psychological flexibility, and creative thinking. The research team suspected these acute effects could help people find existential meaning and reorganize their identity after a traumatic loss.
The clinical trial enrolled 84 adults who were experiencing severe grief symptoms. All participants had lost a first-degree relative within the previous twelve months. The research team assigned the participants to one of three groups.
One group received nine weekly online sessions of meaning reconstruction therapy. A second group served as a no-treatment control condition.
The third group received the same nine-week therapy course but also attended two weekend ayahuasca retreats. These group retreats involved consuming a medium dose of the brew under medical supervision. The psychedelic sessions were accompanied by specialized online integration meetings, which gave participants a space to discuss and process their altered states of consciousness.
To track progress, the researchers asked participants to complete standard questionnaires. These surveys measured normal grief severity, symptoms of prolonged grief disorder, post-traumatic growth, and overall quality of life. The assessments were administered before the interventions began, immediately after the nine-week period, and at a three-month follow-up.
The research team found that participants in all three groups experienced some reduction in grief severity by the end of the study. This kind of general improvement is common in bereavement research. It often reflects the natural passage of time as participants adapt to their loss, as well as the positive psychological effects of simply being enrolled in a supportive clinical trial.
The group receiving ayahuasca-assisted therapy experienced the largest improvements across nearly all measures. These participants reported greater reductions in normal grief severity and prolonged grief symptoms compared to those in the therapy-alone and no-treatment groups.
The psychedelic-assisted treatment was also associated with larger increases in post-traumatic growth. This psychological concept refers to positive personal changes that result from struggling with a major life crisis, such as a renewed appreciation for life or a deeper sense of spiritual connection. Participants in the ayahuasca group also reported better scores in psychological health and social relationships than the control groups.
These improvements appeared stable over the short term. When the researchers checked in with the participants three months after the interventions ended, the ayahuasca group maintained their improved scores.
The psychedelic brew was generally well tolerated by the participants. Nobody required psychiatric medication or experienced serious adverse events following the dosing sessions.
Some participants reported minor, transient side effects during the experience, such as nausea, vomiting, or temporary headaches. These are common physical reactions to ayahuasca. A few participants in the experimental group chose to skip their second ayahuasca dose, with some citing that they did not feel psychologically prepared for another session so soon after the first.
The study provides an early look at a novel combination therapy, but several limitations shape how the results should be interpreted. Due to logistical constraints related to the COVID-19 pandemic during the study’s early phases, the researchers could not randomize the group assignments. Instead, participants were sequentially allocated to the groups.
This non-randomized design increases the risk that outside factors influenced the outcomes. Differences in pandemic-related stress at different times of the year could have impacted the participants’ baseline mental health.
The open-label nature of the trial means that participants knew which treatment they were receiving. This awareness can inflate the reported benefits due to expectation bias. The researchers noted that nearly three quarters of the participants had previously used psychedelic substances, suggesting they may have held favorable preconceptions about the treatment going into the trial.
The study design did not include a group that received ayahuasca without psychotherapy. The current results cannot separate the effects of the pharmacological substance from the intensive therapy and group support environment.
Future research will require larger, randomized, and double-blind clinical trials to confirm these early observations. Such studies could help determine exactly how the altered states of consciousness induced by psychedelics interact with therapeutic attempts to rebuild a person’s sense of meaning after a devastating loss.
The study, “Ayahuasca-assisted meaning reconstruction therapy as an early resource for bereavement: a non-randomized clinical trial,” was authored by Oscar Soto-Angona, Oscar Andión, Pablo Sabucedo, Robert A. Neimeyer, Josep Maria Haro, Julia Javkin, Magí Farré, and Débora González.
-------------------------------------------------
Private, vetted email list for mental health professionals: https://www.clinicians-exchange.org
Unofficial Psychology Today Xitter to toot feed at Psych Today Unofficial Bot @PTUnofficialBot
-------------------------------------------------
#psychology #counseling #socialwork #psychotherapy @psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry #mentalhealth #psychiatry #healthcare #depression #psychotherapist #AyahuascaTherapy #BereavementSupport #GriefRecovery #MeaningReconstruction #PsychedelicResearch #MentalHealthInnovation #ProlongedGriefDisorder #TraumaHealing #PostTraumaticGrowth #UrbanClinicalTrial
-
DATE: September 27, 2026 at 09:53AM
SOURCE: SCIENCE DAILY PSYCHIATIRY FEEDTITLE: Glucosamine, a popular joint supplement, linked to faster Alzheimer’s progression
URL: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260927033754.htm
A large health-record analysis found that glucosamine use was associated with a 25% higher likelihood of mild cognitive impairment progressing to dementia. Lab experiments suggest the popular joint supplement may intensify an abnormal sugar-tagging process in the Alzheimer’s brain, although researchers say clinical trials are needed to determine whether it actually causes harm.
URL: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260927033754.htm
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Private, vetted email list for mental health professionals: https://www.clinicians-exchange.org
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#psychology #counseling #socialwork #psychotherapy @psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry #mentalhealth #psychiatry #healthcare #depression #psychotherapist #Glucosamine #JointHealth #AlzheimersResearch #DementiaRisk #CognitionHealth #MildCognitiveImpairment #BrainHealth #SugarTagging #LabResearch #HealthAlert
-
DATE: September 27, 2026 at 09:53AM
SOURCE: SCIENCE DAILY PSYCHIATIRY FEEDTITLE: Glucosamine, a popular joint supplement, linked to faster Alzheimer’s progression
URL: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260927033754.htm
A large health-record analysis found that glucosamine use was associated with a 25% higher likelihood of mild cognitive impairment progressing to dementia. Lab experiments suggest the popular joint supplement may intensify an abnormal sugar-tagging process in the Alzheimer’s brain, although researchers say clinical trials are needed to determine whether it actually causes harm.
URL: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260927033754.htm
-------------------------------------------------
Private, vetted email list for mental health professionals: https://www.clinicians-exchange.org
Unofficial Psychology Today Xitter to toot feed at Psych Today Unofficial Bot @PTUnofficialBot
-------------------------------------------------
#psychology #counseling #socialwork #psychotherapy @psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry #mentalhealth #psychiatry #healthcare #depression #psychotherapist #Glucosamine #JointHealth #AlzheimersResearch #DementiaRisk #CognitionHealth #MildCognitiveImpairment #BrainHealth #SugarTagging #LabResearch #HealthAlert
-
DATE: September 27, 2026 at 09:53AM
SOURCE: SCIENCE DAILY PSYCHIATIRY FEEDTITLE: Glucosamine, a popular joint supplement, linked to faster Alzheimer’s progression
URL: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260927033754.htm
A large health-record analysis found that glucosamine use was associated with a 25% higher likelihood of mild cognitive impairment progressing to dementia. Lab experiments suggest the popular joint supplement may intensify an abnormal sugar-tagging process in the Alzheimer’s brain, although researchers say clinical trials are needed to determine whether it actually causes harm.
URL: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260927033754.htm
-------------------------------------------------
Private, vetted email list for mental health professionals: https://www.clinicians-exchange.org
Unofficial Psychology Today Xitter to toot feed at Psych Today Unofficial Bot @PTUnofficialBot
-------------------------------------------------
#psychology #counseling #socialwork #psychotherapy @psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry #mentalhealth #psychiatry #healthcare #depression #psychotherapist #Glucosamine #JointHealth #AlzheimersResearch #DementiaRisk #CognitionHealth #MildCognitiveImpairment #BrainHealth #SugarTagging #LabResearch #HealthAlert
-
DATE: September 27, 2026 at 10:00AM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG** Research quality varies widely from fantastic to small exploratory studies. Please check research methods when conclusions are very important to you. **
-------------------------------------------------TITLE: Study reveals which values actually stop voters from supporting antidemocratic politicians
New research suggests that an individual’s personal commitment to the institutions of liberal democracy can act as a buffer against voting for politicians who threaten democratic rules. The findings indicate that while political party loyalty heavily influences voter choices, a deep-seated support for democratic principles helps people resist candidates who might otherwise erode democratic norms. The study was published in Public Opinion Quarterly.
Democratic backsliding is an ongoing concern in many modern nations. This process occurs when elected officials gradually dismantle democratic institutions, such as free elections, independent courts, and a free press. A major factor driving this decline is the willingness of ordinary citizens to vote for candidates who violate democratic rules.
Past studies show that voters generally dislike antidemocratic behavior in theory. Yet they often end up supporting politicians who break democratic rules if those politicians belong to their preferred political party or share their policy views. This creates a tension between a voter’s abstract democratic values and their practical political loyalties.
The research was led by Christopher Claassen, a professor of political behavior at the School of Social and Political Sciences at the University of Glasgow. The study aimed to understand whether specific aspects of a country’s political culture might help prevent this trend.
“A growing body of research shows that voters frequently support politicians who threaten democratic institutions, particularly when those politicians belong to their preferred party or agree with them on important issues,” Claassen told PsyPost. “But we know much less about whether people’s underlying attitudes toward democracy help them resist those pressures.”
“I wanted to connect that recent work on democratic backsliding with the much older political-culture literature, which argues that citizens’ orientations toward democracy can help sustain democratic government,” he explained.
To test this, the researcher analyzed data from 5,951 participants across three democracies currently facing backsliding pressures. The sample included 1,983 people in the United States, 1,967 in Poland, and 2,001 in South Korea. The participants took part in a candidate-choice experiment, which is a type of survey design that simulates an election. Participants were shown pairs of hypothetical political candidates and asked to choose who they would vote for, completing twelve different matchups in total.
The candidates varied randomly in age, gender, occupational background, political party, and policy positions on taxes and gender equality. The central feature of the experiment was that each matchup pitted one prodemocratic candidate against one antidemocratic candidate. The antidemocratic candidates proposed actions like cutting polling stations in opposition areas, ignoring court rulings, or prosecuting journalists. The prodemocratic candidates took the opposite stances, promising to respect these institutions.
Before the simulated elections, the survey measured six dimensions of political culture for each participant. These included preferences for democracy over autocracy, support for liberal democratic institutions, and trust in political institutions. The survey also measured political tolerance, which is the willingness to allow political opponents to have civil rights. Finally, the survey assessed emancipative values, which prioritize individual autonomy and equality, alongside authoritarian values, which prioritize obedience and conformity.
Across the three countries, support for liberal democracy was the most consistent predictor of a willingness to vote for the prodemocratic candidate. This specific measure captures a person’s backing of core institutions like free speech, equal voting rights, and the rule of law. People who scored high on this measure were consistently less likely to reward candidates who threatened these democratic pillars.
“One broader implication is that democratic culture is not a single thing its multidimensional,” Claassen noted. “I examined several kinds of orientations that political scientists have linked to democracy, and they behaved quite differently.”
“Support for liberal-democratic institutions was the most consistent predictor of pro-democratic choice, which suggests that the particular democratic commitments citizens hold may matter more than simply possessing a generally ‘democratic’ political culture,” he added.
The author looked closely at difficult scenarios known as cross-pressured choices. These are situations where a voter must choose between a prodemocratic candidate from an opposing party and an antidemocratic candidate from their own party. Even in these demanding situations, support for liberal democracy made a noticeable difference. It helped voters resist the temptation to blindly support their own political side.
Specifically, a one-standard-deviation increase in a person’s support for liberal democracy was associated with a 2 to 12 percentage point increase in the probability of choosing the prodemocratic candidate across party lines. This shift depended on the specific country and the statistical model used. While this increase might seem modest, it represents a meaningful shift in competitive elections.
“The effects are meaningful but not enormous,” the researcher said. “That can matter in a close election, but the results also show how powerful partisan loyalties remain.”
Other aspects of political culture showed mixed or weak associations. For instance, having a general preference for democracy over autocracy and holding emancipative values sometimes predicted prodemocratic choices. However, these factors did not predict voting choices consistently across all countries and policy scenarios. Interestingly, trust in political institutions showed almost no relationship with resisting antidemocratic candidates.
“Two findings surprised me,” Claassen explained. “First, political trust had virtually no consistent relationship with choosing the pro-democratic candidate, despite a long tradition of treating trust in institutions as important for democracy. Trust may matter for democracy in other ways, but our results suggest that it does not necessarily make people more willing to defend democratic institutions at the ballot box.”
Claassen was also struck by the weak results for authoritarian values. “There is an obvious theoretical connection between authoritarian values and authoritarian political systems they even share the same name but those values were not strong predictors of candidate choice in my study,” he noted. “It may be that these underlying social values are simply too distant from concrete decisions about electoral choices.”
The statistical models controlled for various factors to isolate the role of political culture. These controls included age, gender, education, income, and geographic region. The models also accounted for political interest, preferred party, and the participants’ actual positions on redistribution and gender equality.
As with all research, there are a few things to keep in mind regarding this study. The voting choices were made in a simulated survey environment rather than a real election. In actual elections, voters face intense campaign messaging and social pressures that might alter how they weigh democratic violations against party loyalty. The hypothetical nature of the survey means we cannot be certain these exact percentage shifts would appear at a real ballot box.
The findings are also observational regarding political culture. Because a person’s values and beliefs cannot be randomly assigned in an experiment, the results show an association rather than a direct cause-and-effect relationship. We can see that strong democratic beliefs predict certain voting patterns, but we cannot isolate those beliefs from other lifelong personal traits that might influence a voter’s decisions.
“The candidate attributes were experimentally randomized, but respondents’ democratic orientations were measured rather than manipulated,” Claassen noted, reinforcing that the relationship should be understood as an association rather than a causal effect.
Finally, the pull of partisanship remains incredibly strong. In the Polish and South Korean samples, the predicted support for prodemocratic candidates from an opposing party often remained below 50 percent, even among citizens with high democratic commitments. This suggests that while strong democratic values help people resist backsliding, they do not always create a majority willing to cross party lines to punish bad actors.
“I would avoid interpreting the findings as showing that strong democratic attitudes will necessarily defeat anti-democratic politicians,” Claassen cautioned.
“The main takeaway is that what ordinary citizens think about democracy does matter,” the researcher summarized. “People who more strongly support liberal-democratic institutions were more likely to choose the pro-democratic candidate, including in situations where their partisan identity or ideological position pulled them in the opposite direction.”
“So democratic resilience is not something entirely outside citizens’ hands,” he added. “At the same time, public support is only one part of the story: what political leaders, parties, and institutions do matters enormously for whether democracy survives.”
Looking ahead, the researcher plans to refine how these attitudes are studied. “One next step is to develop more fine-grained measures of democratic orientations,” Claassen noted. “Most research focuses either on support for democratic institutions or democracy itself, and I think there is room to measure underlying democratic values more carefully and systematically.”
“I’m also interested in why people sometimes bring their democratic attitudes to bear on a voting decision and sometimes do not,” he said. “In particular, I’m looking at factors such as attitude importance and accessibility: whether democracy is something people care deeply about and whether those considerations are readily available in their minds when they actually make a political choice.”
The study, “Voting for Democracy? Testing Political-Cultural Constraints on Democratic Backsliding,” was authored by Christopher Claassen.
-------------------------------------------------
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Unofficial Psychology Today Xitter to toot feed at Psych Today Unofficial Bot @PTUnofficialBot
-------------------------------------------------
#psychology #counseling #socialwork #psychotherapy @psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry #mentalhealth #psychiatry #healthcare #depression #psychotherapist #DemocraticBacksliding #LiberalDemocracy #DemocracySupport #VotingBehavior #DemocraticInstitutions #PoliticalCulture #PublicOpinion #DemocraticResilience #ElectionReality #ProDemocracy
-
DATE: September 27, 2026 at 10:00AM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG** Research quality varies widely from fantastic to small exploratory studies. Please check research methods when conclusions are very important to you. **
-------------------------------------------------TITLE: Study reveals which values actually stop voters from supporting antidemocratic politicians
New research suggests that an individual’s personal commitment to the institutions of liberal democracy can act as a buffer against voting for politicians who threaten democratic rules. The findings indicate that while political party loyalty heavily influences voter choices, a deep-seated support for democratic principles helps people resist candidates who might otherwise erode democratic norms. The study was published in Public Opinion Quarterly.
Democratic backsliding is an ongoing concern in many modern nations. This process occurs when elected officials gradually dismantle democratic institutions, such as free elections, independent courts, and a free press. A major factor driving this decline is the willingness of ordinary citizens to vote for candidates who violate democratic rules.
Past studies show that voters generally dislike antidemocratic behavior in theory. Yet they often end up supporting politicians who break democratic rules if those politicians belong to their preferred political party or share their policy views. This creates a tension between a voter’s abstract democratic values and their practical political loyalties.
The research was led by Christopher Claassen, a professor of political behavior at the School of Social and Political Sciences at the University of Glasgow. The study aimed to understand whether specific aspects of a country’s political culture might help prevent this trend.
“A growing body of research shows that voters frequently support politicians who threaten democratic institutions, particularly when those politicians belong to their preferred party or agree with them on important issues,” Claassen told PsyPost. “But we know much less about whether people’s underlying attitudes toward democracy help them resist those pressures.”
“I wanted to connect that recent work on democratic backsliding with the much older political-culture literature, which argues that citizens’ orientations toward democracy can help sustain democratic government,” he explained.
To test this, the researcher analyzed data from 5,951 participants across three democracies currently facing backsliding pressures. The sample included 1,983 people in the United States, 1,967 in Poland, and 2,001 in South Korea. The participants took part in a candidate-choice experiment, which is a type of survey design that simulates an election. Participants were shown pairs of hypothetical political candidates and asked to choose who they would vote for, completing twelve different matchups in total.
The candidates varied randomly in age, gender, occupational background, political party, and policy positions on taxes and gender equality. The central feature of the experiment was that each matchup pitted one prodemocratic candidate against one antidemocratic candidate. The antidemocratic candidates proposed actions like cutting polling stations in opposition areas, ignoring court rulings, or prosecuting journalists. The prodemocratic candidates took the opposite stances, promising to respect these institutions.
Before the simulated elections, the survey measured six dimensions of political culture for each participant. These included preferences for democracy over autocracy, support for liberal democratic institutions, and trust in political institutions. The survey also measured political tolerance, which is the willingness to allow political opponents to have civil rights. Finally, the survey assessed emancipative values, which prioritize individual autonomy and equality, alongside authoritarian values, which prioritize obedience and conformity.
Across the three countries, support for liberal democracy was the most consistent predictor of a willingness to vote for the prodemocratic candidate. This specific measure captures a person’s backing of core institutions like free speech, equal voting rights, and the rule of law. People who scored high on this measure were consistently less likely to reward candidates who threatened these democratic pillars.
“One broader implication is that democratic culture is not a single thing its multidimensional,” Claassen noted. “I examined several kinds of orientations that political scientists have linked to democracy, and they behaved quite differently.”
“Support for liberal-democratic institutions was the most consistent predictor of pro-democratic choice, which suggests that the particular democratic commitments citizens hold may matter more than simply possessing a generally ‘democratic’ political culture,” he added.
The author looked closely at difficult scenarios known as cross-pressured choices. These are situations where a voter must choose between a prodemocratic candidate from an opposing party and an antidemocratic candidate from their own party. Even in these demanding situations, support for liberal democracy made a noticeable difference. It helped voters resist the temptation to blindly support their own political side.
Specifically, a one-standard-deviation increase in a person’s support for liberal democracy was associated with a 2 to 12 percentage point increase in the probability of choosing the prodemocratic candidate across party lines. This shift depended on the specific country and the statistical model used. While this increase might seem modest, it represents a meaningful shift in competitive elections.
“The effects are meaningful but not enormous,” the researcher said. “That can matter in a close election, but the results also show how powerful partisan loyalties remain.”
Other aspects of political culture showed mixed or weak associations. For instance, having a general preference for democracy over autocracy and holding emancipative values sometimes predicted prodemocratic choices. However, these factors did not predict voting choices consistently across all countries and policy scenarios. Interestingly, trust in political institutions showed almost no relationship with resisting antidemocratic candidates.
“Two findings surprised me,” Claassen explained. “First, political trust had virtually no consistent relationship with choosing the pro-democratic candidate, despite a long tradition of treating trust in institutions as important for democracy. Trust may matter for democracy in other ways, but our results suggest that it does not necessarily make people more willing to defend democratic institutions at the ballot box.”
Claassen was also struck by the weak results for authoritarian values. “There is an obvious theoretical connection between authoritarian values and authoritarian political systems they even share the same name but those values were not strong predictors of candidate choice in my study,” he noted. “It may be that these underlying social values are simply too distant from concrete decisions about electoral choices.”
The statistical models controlled for various factors to isolate the role of political culture. These controls included age, gender, education, income, and geographic region. The models also accounted for political interest, preferred party, and the participants’ actual positions on redistribution and gender equality.
As with all research, there are a few things to keep in mind regarding this study. The voting choices were made in a simulated survey environment rather than a real election. In actual elections, voters face intense campaign messaging and social pressures that might alter how they weigh democratic violations against party loyalty. The hypothetical nature of the survey means we cannot be certain these exact percentage shifts would appear at a real ballot box.
The findings are also observational regarding political culture. Because a person’s values and beliefs cannot be randomly assigned in an experiment, the results show an association rather than a direct cause-and-effect relationship. We can see that strong democratic beliefs predict certain voting patterns, but we cannot isolate those beliefs from other lifelong personal traits that might influence a voter’s decisions.
“The candidate attributes were experimentally randomized, but respondents’ democratic orientations were measured rather than manipulated,” Claassen noted, reinforcing that the relationship should be understood as an association rather than a causal effect.
Finally, the pull of partisanship remains incredibly strong. In the Polish and South Korean samples, the predicted support for prodemocratic candidates from an opposing party often remained below 50 percent, even among citizens with high democratic commitments. This suggests that while strong democratic values help people resist backsliding, they do not always create a majority willing to cross party lines to punish bad actors.
“I would avoid interpreting the findings as showing that strong democratic attitudes will necessarily defeat anti-democratic politicians,” Claassen cautioned.
“The main takeaway is that what ordinary citizens think about democracy does matter,” the researcher summarized. “People who more strongly support liberal-democratic institutions were more likely to choose the pro-democratic candidate, including in situations where their partisan identity or ideological position pulled them in the opposite direction.”
“So democratic resilience is not something entirely outside citizens’ hands,” he added. “At the same time, public support is only one part of the story: what political leaders, parties, and institutions do matters enormously for whether democracy survives.”
Looking ahead, the researcher plans to refine how these attitudes are studied. “One next step is to develop more fine-grained measures of democratic orientations,” Claassen noted. “Most research focuses either on support for democratic institutions or democracy itself, and I think there is room to measure underlying democratic values more carefully and systematically.”
“I’m also interested in why people sometimes bring their democratic attitudes to bear on a voting decision and sometimes do not,” he said. “In particular, I’m looking at factors such as attitude importance and accessibility: whether democracy is something people care deeply about and whether those considerations are readily available in their minds when they actually make a political choice.”
The study, “Voting for Democracy? Testing Political-Cultural Constraints on Democratic Backsliding,” was authored by Christopher Claassen.
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DATE: September 27, 2026 at 10:00AM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG** Research quality varies widely from fantastic to small exploratory studies. Please check research methods when conclusions are very important to you. **
-------------------------------------------------TITLE: Study reveals which values actually stop voters from supporting antidemocratic politicians
New research suggests that an individual’s personal commitment to the institutions of liberal democracy can act as a buffer against voting for politicians who threaten democratic rules. The findings indicate that while political party loyalty heavily influences voter choices, a deep-seated support for democratic principles helps people resist candidates who might otherwise erode democratic norms. The study was published in Public Opinion Quarterly.
Democratic backsliding is an ongoing concern in many modern nations. This process occurs when elected officials gradually dismantle democratic institutions, such as free elections, independent courts, and a free press. A major factor driving this decline is the willingness of ordinary citizens to vote for candidates who violate democratic rules.
Past studies show that voters generally dislike antidemocratic behavior in theory. Yet they often end up supporting politicians who break democratic rules if those politicians belong to their preferred political party or share their policy views. This creates a tension between a voter’s abstract democratic values and their practical political loyalties.
The research was led by Christopher Claassen, a professor of political behavior at the School of Social and Political Sciences at the University of Glasgow. The study aimed to understand whether specific aspects of a country’s political culture might help prevent this trend.
“A growing body of research shows that voters frequently support politicians who threaten democratic institutions, particularly when those politicians belong to their preferred party or agree with them on important issues,” Claassen told PsyPost. “But we know much less about whether people’s underlying attitudes toward democracy help them resist those pressures.”
“I wanted to connect that recent work on democratic backsliding with the much older political-culture literature, which argues that citizens’ orientations toward democracy can help sustain democratic government,” he explained.
To test this, the researcher analyzed data from 5,951 participants across three democracies currently facing backsliding pressures. The sample included 1,983 people in the United States, 1,967 in Poland, and 2,001 in South Korea. The participants took part in a candidate-choice experiment, which is a type of survey design that simulates an election. Participants were shown pairs of hypothetical political candidates and asked to choose who they would vote for, completing twelve different matchups in total.
The candidates varied randomly in age, gender, occupational background, political party, and policy positions on taxes and gender equality. The central feature of the experiment was that each matchup pitted one prodemocratic candidate against one antidemocratic candidate. The antidemocratic candidates proposed actions like cutting polling stations in opposition areas, ignoring court rulings, or prosecuting journalists. The prodemocratic candidates took the opposite stances, promising to respect these institutions.
Before the simulated elections, the survey measured six dimensions of political culture for each participant. These included preferences for democracy over autocracy, support for liberal democratic institutions, and trust in political institutions. The survey also measured political tolerance, which is the willingness to allow political opponents to have civil rights. Finally, the survey assessed emancipative values, which prioritize individual autonomy and equality, alongside authoritarian values, which prioritize obedience and conformity.
Across the three countries, support for liberal democracy was the most consistent predictor of a willingness to vote for the prodemocratic candidate. This specific measure captures a person’s backing of core institutions like free speech, equal voting rights, and the rule of law. People who scored high on this measure were consistently less likely to reward candidates who threatened these democratic pillars.
“One broader implication is that democratic culture is not a single thing its multidimensional,” Claassen noted. “I examined several kinds of orientations that political scientists have linked to democracy, and they behaved quite differently.”
“Support for liberal-democratic institutions was the most consistent predictor of pro-democratic choice, which suggests that the particular democratic commitments citizens hold may matter more than simply possessing a generally ‘democratic’ political culture,” he added.
The author looked closely at difficult scenarios known as cross-pressured choices. These are situations where a voter must choose between a prodemocratic candidate from an opposing party and an antidemocratic candidate from their own party. Even in these demanding situations, support for liberal democracy made a noticeable difference. It helped voters resist the temptation to blindly support their own political side.
Specifically, a one-standard-deviation increase in a person’s support for liberal democracy was associated with a 2 to 12 percentage point increase in the probability of choosing the prodemocratic candidate across party lines. This shift depended on the specific country and the statistical model used. While this increase might seem modest, it represents a meaningful shift in competitive elections.
“The effects are meaningful but not enormous,” the researcher said. “That can matter in a close election, but the results also show how powerful partisan loyalties remain.”
Other aspects of political culture showed mixed or weak associations. For instance, having a general preference for democracy over autocracy and holding emancipative values sometimes predicted prodemocratic choices. However, these factors did not predict voting choices consistently across all countries and policy scenarios. Interestingly, trust in political institutions showed almost no relationship with resisting antidemocratic candidates.
“Two findings surprised me,” Claassen explained. “First, political trust had virtually no consistent relationship with choosing the pro-democratic candidate, despite a long tradition of treating trust in institutions as important for democracy. Trust may matter for democracy in other ways, but our results suggest that it does not necessarily make people more willing to defend democratic institutions at the ballot box.”
Claassen was also struck by the weak results for authoritarian values. “There is an obvious theoretical connection between authoritarian values and authoritarian political systems they even share the same name but those values were not strong predictors of candidate choice in my study,” he noted. “It may be that these underlying social values are simply too distant from concrete decisions about electoral choices.”
The statistical models controlled for various factors to isolate the role of political culture. These controls included age, gender, education, income, and geographic region. The models also accounted for political interest, preferred party, and the participants’ actual positions on redistribution and gender equality.
As with all research, there are a few things to keep in mind regarding this study. The voting choices were made in a simulated survey environment rather than a real election. In actual elections, voters face intense campaign messaging and social pressures that might alter how they weigh democratic violations against party loyalty. The hypothetical nature of the survey means we cannot be certain these exact percentage shifts would appear at a real ballot box.
The findings are also observational regarding political culture. Because a person’s values and beliefs cannot be randomly assigned in an experiment, the results show an association rather than a direct cause-and-effect relationship. We can see that strong democratic beliefs predict certain voting patterns, but we cannot isolate those beliefs from other lifelong personal traits that might influence a voter’s decisions.
“The candidate attributes were experimentally randomized, but respondents’ democratic orientations were measured rather than manipulated,” Claassen noted, reinforcing that the relationship should be understood as an association rather than a causal effect.
Finally, the pull of partisanship remains incredibly strong. In the Polish and South Korean samples, the predicted support for prodemocratic candidates from an opposing party often remained below 50 percent, even among citizens with high democratic commitments. This suggests that while strong democratic values help people resist backsliding, they do not always create a majority willing to cross party lines to punish bad actors.
“I would avoid interpreting the findings as showing that strong democratic attitudes will necessarily defeat anti-democratic politicians,” Claassen cautioned.
“The main takeaway is that what ordinary citizens think about democracy does matter,” the researcher summarized. “People who more strongly support liberal-democratic institutions were more likely to choose the pro-democratic candidate, including in situations where their partisan identity or ideological position pulled them in the opposite direction.”
“So democratic resilience is not something entirely outside citizens’ hands,” he added. “At the same time, public support is only one part of the story: what political leaders, parties, and institutions do matters enormously for whether democracy survives.”
Looking ahead, the researcher plans to refine how these attitudes are studied. “One next step is to develop more fine-grained measures of democratic orientations,” Claassen noted. “Most research focuses either on support for democratic institutions or democracy itself, and I think there is room to measure underlying democratic values more carefully and systematically.”
“I’m also interested in why people sometimes bring their democratic attitudes to bear on a voting decision and sometimes do not,” he said. “In particular, I’m looking at factors such as attitude importance and accessibility: whether democracy is something people care deeply about and whether those considerations are readily available in their minds when they actually make a political choice.”
The study, “Voting for Democracy? Testing Political-Cultural Constraints on Democratic Backsliding,” was authored by Christopher Claassen.
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#psychology #counseling #socialwork #psychotherapy @psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry #mentalhealth #psychiatry #healthcare #depression #psychotherapist #DemocraticBacksliding #LiberalDemocracy #DemocracySupport #VotingBehavior #DemocraticInstitutions #PoliticalCulture #PublicOpinion #DemocraticResilience #ElectionReality #ProDemocracy
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DATE: September 27, 2026 at 09:53AM
SOURCE: SCIENCE DAILY MIND-BRAIN FEEDTITLE: Glucosamine, a popular joint supplement, linked to faster Alzheimer’s progression
URL: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260927033754.htm
A large health-record analysis found that glucosamine use was associated with a 25% higher likelihood of mild cognitive impairment progressing to dementia. Lab experiments suggest the popular joint supplement may intensify an abnormal sugar-tagging process in the Alzheimer’s brain, although researchers say clinical trials are needed to determine whether it actually causes harm.
URL: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260927033754.htm
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