#psychotherapy — Public Fediverse posts
Live and recent posts from across the Fediverse tagged #psychotherapy, aggregated by home.social.
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Are those who receive psychotherapy privy to certain esoteric secrets about existence? #wellness #psychotherapy #mentalhealth
Posted into FLIPBOARD EXCHANGE FEED 🗞️ @flipboard-exchange-feed-Econopass
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Are those who receive psychotherapy privy to certain esoteric secrets about existence? #wellness #psychotherapy #mentalhealth
Posted into FLIPBOARD EXCHANGE FEED 🗞️ @flipboard-exchange-feed-Econopass
-
Are those who receive psychotherapy privy to certain esoteric secrets about existence? #wellness #psychotherapy #mentalhealth
Posted into FLIPBOARD EXCHANGE FEED 🗞️ @flipboard-exchange-feed-Econopass
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DATE: July 25, 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: Self-esteem provides no buffer against the stigma of commercial sex work
Commercial sex workers face intense social judgment that negatively impacts their mental health. A new study reveals that having high self-esteem offers no protection against the psychological harm caused by this widespread stigma. The research, published in the Journal of Health Psychology, highlights the profound impact that societal rejection can have on marginalized groups.
Globally, individuals who exchange sexual services for money experience heavy discrimination. Society often labels commercial sex workers as criminals, sexual deviants, or disease carriers. This institutionalized stigma occurs in interactions with healthcare systems, financial institutions, and the media. Policies driven by such misrepresentations often compromise the basic rights and physical safety of this group.
In Nigeria, the setting of the recent study, this work falls into a highly fragmented legal and cultural landscape. The profession faces strict criminalization in the northern regions and broad moral condemnation in the south. Sex workers operating in this environment routinely deal with social isolation, violence, and targeted prejudice. These combined pressures deny them consistent legal and social protection.
This persistent marginalization can deeply damage a person’s psychological well-being. Mental well-being encompasses positive emotions, a sense of purpose, and the ability to manage daily stress. Poor psychological health is a central concern for public health professionals working with vulnerable populations. Researchers wanted to understand the specific psychological factors that shape the mental health of Nigerian sex workers.
The investigation was grounded in a sociological framework known as the “looking glass self” theory. This concept proposes that individuals form their self-identity by imagining how others perceive them. A person’s self-concept develops dynamically as they interpret and internalize the reactions of the society around them. When society projects overwhelmingly negative views, those attitudes often become embedded in an individual’s own self-image.
A team of researchers from the University of Nigeria, led by Nneoma Gift Onyedire, hypothesized that self-esteem might play a moderating role. Self-esteem refers to an individual’s subjective evaluation of their own worth. It reflects how a person feels about their abilities, qualities, physical appearance, and social skills. The researchers suspected that sex workers with higher self-esteem might be more resilient to societal judgment.
To test this hypothesis, the research team recruited 310 commercial sex workers in Lagos, a major metropolitan hub in Nigeria. Reaching this population is notoriously difficult because of the hidden and widely stigmatized nature of the work. The researchers used a technique called snowball sampling to gather participants safely. In this method, a few initial participants are recruited, and these individuals then refer eligible peers from their own social networks.
The final sample included 238 women and 72 men, all between the ages of 19 and 35. The participants operated primarily out of hotel-based venues. The men in the study provided services to a mix of male and female clients, while the women reported providing services exclusively to male clients. Data collection took place in private, quiet spaces to ensure confidentiality and minimize unwanted attention.
Participants completed three standardized psychological questionnaires to assess their experiences. One survey measured the level of stigma they perceived from their families and the broader community. The survey asked participants to rate statements such as whether they felt people would desert them if their profession was exposed. The second and third surveys assessed their general self-esteem and psychological well-being over the previous two weeks.
The collected data showed a negative association between perceived stigma and psychological well-being. Sex workers who reported experiencing higher levels of social stigma also reported poorer mental health. Stigmatization acts as a chronic psychosocial stressor that diminishes a person’s quality of life. This aligns with broader psychological research showing that social exclusion routinely erodes mental endurance.
The study also showed a link between self-esteem and mental health independent of stigma. Participants with lower self-esteem experienced reduced psychological well-being. Conversely, those who held more positive evaluations of their own self-worth tended to report better overall mental health. A healthy sense of personal worth remains an important factor in daily emotional functioning.
The primary finding emerged when the researchers tested for a psychological buffering effect. They analyzed whether high self-esteem could moderate the relationship between stigma and mental health. Moderation occurs when an underlying trait weakens or strengthens the connection between two other variables. In this case, the interaction was not statistically significant.
This result indicates that having high self-esteem did not protect the sex workers from the harmful effects of societal stigma. The psychological strain imposed by continuous societal rejection affected individuals regardless of their internal sense of self-worth. In environments where social stigma is pervasive, it becomes difficult for individuals to resist the emotional strain. The intense nature of institutional stigma simply overpowered any protective benefits that self-esteem might usually provide.
These results suggest that internal psychological resources cannot fix a problem rooted in social structures. Building self-esteem provides general mental health benefits, but it fails to block the damage caused by heavy, pervasive discrimination. The authors suggest that interventions must focus on reducing the structural stigma itself. Treating the issue entirely as an individual psychological problem ignores the broader, harsher social reality.
The researchers noted a few limitations regarding their methodology. Because the study utilized a cross-sectional design, all data was collected at a single moment in time. This prevents researchers from proving cause and effect, meaning they cannot definitively state that stigma causes poor mental health. Future research using longitudinal designs, which track participants over extended periods, could provide more robust evidence.
The sampling method also presents certain constraints for the field of psychology. All participants were recruited from discreet hotel settings in one major city. The experiences of these individuals might differ from sex workers who solicit clients outdoors on the streets or in private brothels. The sample also tilted heavily toward female participants, leaving room for future studies to look closer at the specific experiences of male sex workers.
Fixing the mental health pipeline for commercial sex workers demands multi-level approaches. Medical professionals, policymakers, and community leaders all have a part in tackling the systemic roots of discrimination. Promoting social acceptance and reforming prohibitive policies could provide the protections this marginalized group needs. Until structural inequalities change, the weight of social stigma will likely continue to burden the mental health of sex workers.
The study, “When stigma hurts, does self-esteem shape its impact on psychological well-being among commercial sex workers? A cross-sectional study,” was authored by Nneoma Gift Onyedire, Ebele Evelyn Nnadozie, Elisha John Igwe, and Desmond Uchechukwu Onu.
-------------------------------------------------
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 #SelfEsteemDoesNotBufferStigma #CommercialSexWorkStigma #MentalHealthImpact #StigmaAndWellBeing #LookingGlassSelfTheory #NigeriaSexWork #HealthPsychologyStudy #StructuralDiscrimination #SexWorkRights #PublicHealthInterventions
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DATE: July 25, 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: Self-esteem provides no buffer against the stigma of commercial sex work
Commercial sex workers face intense social judgment that negatively impacts their mental health. A new study reveals that having high self-esteem offers no protection against the psychological harm caused by this widespread stigma. The research, published in the Journal of Health Psychology, highlights the profound impact that societal rejection can have on marginalized groups.
Globally, individuals who exchange sexual services for money experience heavy discrimination. Society often labels commercial sex workers as criminals, sexual deviants, or disease carriers. This institutionalized stigma occurs in interactions with healthcare systems, financial institutions, and the media. Policies driven by such misrepresentations often compromise the basic rights and physical safety of this group.
In Nigeria, the setting of the recent study, this work falls into a highly fragmented legal and cultural landscape. The profession faces strict criminalization in the northern regions and broad moral condemnation in the south. Sex workers operating in this environment routinely deal with social isolation, violence, and targeted prejudice. These combined pressures deny them consistent legal and social protection.
This persistent marginalization can deeply damage a person’s psychological well-being. Mental well-being encompasses positive emotions, a sense of purpose, and the ability to manage daily stress. Poor psychological health is a central concern for public health professionals working with vulnerable populations. Researchers wanted to understand the specific psychological factors that shape the mental health of Nigerian sex workers.
The investigation was grounded in a sociological framework known as the “looking glass self” theory. This concept proposes that individuals form their self-identity by imagining how others perceive them. A person’s self-concept develops dynamically as they interpret and internalize the reactions of the society around them. When society projects overwhelmingly negative views, those attitudes often become embedded in an individual’s own self-image.
A team of researchers from the University of Nigeria, led by Nneoma Gift Onyedire, hypothesized that self-esteem might play a moderating role. Self-esteem refers to an individual’s subjective evaluation of their own worth. It reflects how a person feels about their abilities, qualities, physical appearance, and social skills. The researchers suspected that sex workers with higher self-esteem might be more resilient to societal judgment.
To test this hypothesis, the research team recruited 310 commercial sex workers in Lagos, a major metropolitan hub in Nigeria. Reaching this population is notoriously difficult because of the hidden and widely stigmatized nature of the work. The researchers used a technique called snowball sampling to gather participants safely. In this method, a few initial participants are recruited, and these individuals then refer eligible peers from their own social networks.
The final sample included 238 women and 72 men, all between the ages of 19 and 35. The participants operated primarily out of hotel-based venues. The men in the study provided services to a mix of male and female clients, while the women reported providing services exclusively to male clients. Data collection took place in private, quiet spaces to ensure confidentiality and minimize unwanted attention.
Participants completed three standardized psychological questionnaires to assess their experiences. One survey measured the level of stigma they perceived from their families and the broader community. The survey asked participants to rate statements such as whether they felt people would desert them if their profession was exposed. The second and third surveys assessed their general self-esteem and psychological well-being over the previous two weeks.
The collected data showed a negative association between perceived stigma and psychological well-being. Sex workers who reported experiencing higher levels of social stigma also reported poorer mental health. Stigmatization acts as a chronic psychosocial stressor that diminishes a person’s quality of life. This aligns with broader psychological research showing that social exclusion routinely erodes mental endurance.
The study also showed a link between self-esteem and mental health independent of stigma. Participants with lower self-esteem experienced reduced psychological well-being. Conversely, those who held more positive evaluations of their own self-worth tended to report better overall mental health. A healthy sense of personal worth remains an important factor in daily emotional functioning.
The primary finding emerged when the researchers tested for a psychological buffering effect. They analyzed whether high self-esteem could moderate the relationship between stigma and mental health. Moderation occurs when an underlying trait weakens or strengthens the connection between two other variables. In this case, the interaction was not statistically significant.
This result indicates that having high self-esteem did not protect the sex workers from the harmful effects of societal stigma. The psychological strain imposed by continuous societal rejection affected individuals regardless of their internal sense of self-worth. In environments where social stigma is pervasive, it becomes difficult for individuals to resist the emotional strain. The intense nature of institutional stigma simply overpowered any protective benefits that self-esteem might usually provide.
These results suggest that internal psychological resources cannot fix a problem rooted in social structures. Building self-esteem provides general mental health benefits, but it fails to block the damage caused by heavy, pervasive discrimination. The authors suggest that interventions must focus on reducing the structural stigma itself. Treating the issue entirely as an individual psychological problem ignores the broader, harsher social reality.
The researchers noted a few limitations regarding their methodology. Because the study utilized a cross-sectional design, all data was collected at a single moment in time. This prevents researchers from proving cause and effect, meaning they cannot definitively state that stigma causes poor mental health. Future research using longitudinal designs, which track participants over extended periods, could provide more robust evidence.
The sampling method also presents certain constraints for the field of psychology. All participants were recruited from discreet hotel settings in one major city. The experiences of these individuals might differ from sex workers who solicit clients outdoors on the streets or in private brothels. The sample also tilted heavily toward female participants, leaving room for future studies to look closer at the specific experiences of male sex workers.
Fixing the mental health pipeline for commercial sex workers demands multi-level approaches. Medical professionals, policymakers, and community leaders all have a part in tackling the systemic roots of discrimination. Promoting social acceptance and reforming prohibitive policies could provide the protections this marginalized group needs. Until structural inequalities change, the weight of social stigma will likely continue to burden the mental health of sex workers.
The study, “When stigma hurts, does self-esteem shape its impact on psychological well-being among commercial sex workers? A cross-sectional study,” was authored by Nneoma Gift Onyedire, Ebele Evelyn Nnadozie, Elisha John Igwe, and Desmond Uchechukwu Onu.
-------------------------------------------------
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 #SelfEsteemDoesNotBufferStigma #CommercialSexWorkStigma #MentalHealthImpact #StigmaAndWellBeing #LookingGlassSelfTheory #NigeriaSexWork #HealthPsychologyStudy #StructuralDiscrimination #SexWorkRights #PublicHealthInterventions
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DATE: July 25, 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: Self-esteem provides no buffer against the stigma of commercial sex work
Commercial sex workers face intense social judgment that negatively impacts their mental health. A new study reveals that having high self-esteem offers no protection against the psychological harm caused by this widespread stigma. The research, published in the Journal of Health Psychology, highlights the profound impact that societal rejection can have on marginalized groups.
Globally, individuals who exchange sexual services for money experience heavy discrimination. Society often labels commercial sex workers as criminals, sexual deviants, or disease carriers. This institutionalized stigma occurs in interactions with healthcare systems, financial institutions, and the media. Policies driven by such misrepresentations often compromise the basic rights and physical safety of this group.
In Nigeria, the setting of the recent study, this work falls into a highly fragmented legal and cultural landscape. The profession faces strict criminalization in the northern regions and broad moral condemnation in the south. Sex workers operating in this environment routinely deal with social isolation, violence, and targeted prejudice. These combined pressures deny them consistent legal and social protection.
This persistent marginalization can deeply damage a person’s psychological well-being. Mental well-being encompasses positive emotions, a sense of purpose, and the ability to manage daily stress. Poor psychological health is a central concern for public health professionals working with vulnerable populations. Researchers wanted to understand the specific psychological factors that shape the mental health of Nigerian sex workers.
The investigation was grounded in a sociological framework known as the “looking glass self” theory. This concept proposes that individuals form their self-identity by imagining how others perceive them. A person’s self-concept develops dynamically as they interpret and internalize the reactions of the society around them. When society projects overwhelmingly negative views, those attitudes often become embedded in an individual’s own self-image.
A team of researchers from the University of Nigeria, led by Nneoma Gift Onyedire, hypothesized that self-esteem might play a moderating role. Self-esteem refers to an individual’s subjective evaluation of their own worth. It reflects how a person feels about their abilities, qualities, physical appearance, and social skills. The researchers suspected that sex workers with higher self-esteem might be more resilient to societal judgment.
To test this hypothesis, the research team recruited 310 commercial sex workers in Lagos, a major metropolitan hub in Nigeria. Reaching this population is notoriously difficult because of the hidden and widely stigmatized nature of the work. The researchers used a technique called snowball sampling to gather participants safely. In this method, a few initial participants are recruited, and these individuals then refer eligible peers from their own social networks.
The final sample included 238 women and 72 men, all between the ages of 19 and 35. The participants operated primarily out of hotel-based venues. The men in the study provided services to a mix of male and female clients, while the women reported providing services exclusively to male clients. Data collection took place in private, quiet spaces to ensure confidentiality and minimize unwanted attention.
Participants completed three standardized psychological questionnaires to assess their experiences. One survey measured the level of stigma they perceived from their families and the broader community. The survey asked participants to rate statements such as whether they felt people would desert them if their profession was exposed. The second and third surveys assessed their general self-esteem and psychological well-being over the previous two weeks.
The collected data showed a negative association between perceived stigma and psychological well-being. Sex workers who reported experiencing higher levels of social stigma also reported poorer mental health. Stigmatization acts as a chronic psychosocial stressor that diminishes a person’s quality of life. This aligns with broader psychological research showing that social exclusion routinely erodes mental endurance.
The study also showed a link between self-esteem and mental health independent of stigma. Participants with lower self-esteem experienced reduced psychological well-being. Conversely, those who held more positive evaluations of their own self-worth tended to report better overall mental health. A healthy sense of personal worth remains an important factor in daily emotional functioning.
The primary finding emerged when the researchers tested for a psychological buffering effect. They analyzed whether high self-esteem could moderate the relationship between stigma and mental health. Moderation occurs when an underlying trait weakens or strengthens the connection between two other variables. In this case, the interaction was not statistically significant.
This result indicates that having high self-esteem did not protect the sex workers from the harmful effects of societal stigma. The psychological strain imposed by continuous societal rejection affected individuals regardless of their internal sense of self-worth. In environments where social stigma is pervasive, it becomes difficult for individuals to resist the emotional strain. The intense nature of institutional stigma simply overpowered any protective benefits that self-esteem might usually provide.
These results suggest that internal psychological resources cannot fix a problem rooted in social structures. Building self-esteem provides general mental health benefits, but it fails to block the damage caused by heavy, pervasive discrimination. The authors suggest that interventions must focus on reducing the structural stigma itself. Treating the issue entirely as an individual psychological problem ignores the broader, harsher social reality.
The researchers noted a few limitations regarding their methodology. Because the study utilized a cross-sectional design, all data was collected at a single moment in time. This prevents researchers from proving cause and effect, meaning they cannot definitively state that stigma causes poor mental health. Future research using longitudinal designs, which track participants over extended periods, could provide more robust evidence.
The sampling method also presents certain constraints for the field of psychology. All participants were recruited from discreet hotel settings in one major city. The experiences of these individuals might differ from sex workers who solicit clients outdoors on the streets or in private brothels. The sample also tilted heavily toward female participants, leaving room for future studies to look closer at the specific experiences of male sex workers.
Fixing the mental health pipeline for commercial sex workers demands multi-level approaches. Medical professionals, policymakers, and community leaders all have a part in tackling the systemic roots of discrimination. Promoting social acceptance and reforming prohibitive policies could provide the protections this marginalized group needs. Until structural inequalities change, the weight of social stigma will likely continue to burden the mental health of sex workers.
The study, “When stigma hurts, does self-esteem shape its impact on psychological well-being among commercial sex workers? A cross-sectional study,” was authored by Nneoma Gift Onyedire, Ebele Evelyn Nnadozie, Elisha John Igwe, and Desmond Uchechukwu Onu.
-------------------------------------------------
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 #SelfEsteemDoesNotBufferStigma #CommercialSexWorkStigma #MentalHealthImpact #StigmaAndWellBeing #LookingGlassSelfTheory #NigeriaSexWork #HealthPsychologyStudy #StructuralDiscrimination #SexWorkRights #PublicHealthInterventions
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DATE: July 25, 2026 at 02:00PM
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: Plant-based compounds in berries and tea may help delay brain aging
URL: https://www.psypost.org/plant-based-compounds-in-berries-and-tea-may-help-delay-brain-aging/
Consuming a diet rich in plant-based compounds known as polyphenols suggests a promising approach to protecting the brain from age-related decline. A recent comprehensive review published in the journal Nutrients provides evidence that these natural substances might help delay the onset of neurodegenerative conditions like Alzheimer’s disease. The research highlights how polyphenols interact with cellular pathways to reduce inflammation and oxidative stress, though scientists note that more human trials are necessary to confirm these benefits.
As the global population grows older, the number of people experiencing dementia and other cognitive disorders continues to rise rapidly. Conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease share several underlying biological mechanisms tied to the natural aging process. Within a scientific perspective known as the geroscience framework, aging itself is viewed as the primary driver of these diseases. This framework suggests that common aging processes, such as chronic inflammation and cellular energy failure, act together to progressively weaken the brain over time.
To understand how lifestyle factors might counteract these biological changes, researchers look toward nutrition. Plant-based foods contain abundant bioactive compounds, which are natural chemicals that can influence cellular functions. Polyphenols are a specific, widely studied category of these plant compounds, naturally occurring in foods like berries, leafy greens, coffee, tea, cocoa, and extra-virgin olive oil. There are thousands of distinct polyphenols, categorized into groups such as flavonoids, phenolic acids, stilbenes, and lignans. Flavonoids, for instance, are highly concentrated in berries and tea, while stilbenes include compounds like resveratrol found in grapes.
A team of researchers from Semmelweis University, the University of Life Sciences in Lublin, and Jagiellonian University Medical College synthesized the current scientific literature to explore how dietary polyphenols alter the underlying mechanisms of brain aging. They wanted to provide an updated look at how these compounds interact with human biology and what that means for preserving memory and thinking skills. By examining both laboratory experiments and population data, the authors aimed to map the biological journey of these nutrients from the digestive tract to the brain.
The review indicates that diets naturally rich in polyphenols tend to be associated with a lower risk of cognitive decline in observational studies. Two prominent examples are the Mediterranean diet and the MIND diet. The Mediterranean diet features high amounts of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and olive oil.
The MIND diet specifically emphasizes foods known to support brain health, such as nuts, berries, and leafy greens, while restricting heavily processed items. The research suggests that the complex mixture of plant compounds in these diets works synergistically to protect neurons, which are the primary nerve cells in the brain.
At a cellular level, polyphenols appear to target oxidative stress. Oxidative stress is a damaging process where unstable molecules, called free radicals, accumulate and harm cell structures, including DNA and cell membranes.
Because the brain uses vast amounts of oxygen for energy, it is highly vulnerable to this type of chemical damage. Animal and laboratory studies show that polyphenols can activate the body’s own internal antioxidant defense systems. By triggering a specific cellular pathway known as Nrf2, these plant compounds help neutralize harmful free radicals before they can permanently damage delicate brain tissue.
In addition to fighting oxidative stress, polyphenols show potential in reducing chronic inflammation. As the brain ages, its resident immune cells often become overly active. This results in a persistent, low-level inflammatory state that can harm surrounding neurons. The review provides evidence that polyphenols can block specific inflammatory signaling pathways, which helps keep the brain’s immune response balanced and prevents excessive cellular damage.
Another important finding involves how the brain manages proteins and cellular energy. In diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, abnormal proteins clump together and disrupt normal brain function. Laboratory models suggest that certain polyphenols, such as resveratrol found in grapes or EGCG found in green tea, can interfere with this clumping process. These compounds appear to stimulate autophagy, a natural cellular recycling system that helps cells remove damaged proteins and failing parts more efficiently.
Mitochondrial dysfunction is another hallmark of the aging brain that polyphenols might influence. Mitochondria are the tiny energy factories inside cells. Over time, these structures accumulate damage and become less efficient, depriving brain cells of the massive amounts of energy they need to function. The review highlights preclinical evidence suggesting that polyphenols can trigger cellular sensors that promote the creation of new, healthy mitochondria, helping to restore energy balance in aging neurons.
The gut microbiome, which is the vast community of bacteria living in the human digestive tract, plays a massive role in how the body processes and utilizes polyphenols. When people consume foods like berries or cocoa, only a small fraction of the polyphenols is absorbed directly into the bloodstream through the small intestine. The vast majority travels downward to the colon, where gut bacteria break the complex molecules down into smaller, more easily absorbed metabolic byproducts.
These smaller bacterial byproducts can then enter the bloodstream and circulate throughout the body. Many of these modified compounds are capable of crossing the blood-brain barrier, a highly selective filter that protects the brain from circulating toxins. Once inside the brain, these gut-derived metabolites are thought to exert protective effects on brain cells. Because every person has a slightly different mix of gut bacteria, the way one individual breaks down and benefits from polyphenols might differ entirely from someone else.
A major limitation in this field of nutritional research is that much of the current molecular understanding comes from isolated cells in test tubes or animal models. Humans metabolize plant foods quite differently, and the concentration of polyphenols used in laboratory experiments is often much higher than what a person would ever consume in a normal diet. The authors point out that human clinical trials have yielded mixed results, likely due to varying study designs, short trial durations, and the diverse ways individuals absorb these nutrients.
People might misinterpret these optimistic findings to mean that concentrated polyphenol supplements will automatically prevent dementia or reverse cognitive decline. The review notes that taking high doses of isolated polyphenols in pill form can actually have unintended negative consequences. At unnatural concentrations, some polyphenols can act as pro-oxidants, causing cellular damage, or they can interfere with the body’s ability to absorb essential nutrients like iron. The scientific consensus tends to support acquiring these compounds from a balanced, varied diet of whole foods.
Future research needs to focus on large-scale, long-term human trials that track diet and biological markers over many years. Relying on people to simply remember and report what they ate is notoriously inaccurate. To fix this, scientists hope to rely more on metabolomics, a process that measures the exact chemical byproducts of food left behind in the blood or urine. This objective measurement provides a more accurate picture of what a person actually consumed and absorbed.
Researchers also hope to develop precision nutrition plans in the coming years. Precision nutrition takes into account a person’s unique genetics, metabolic health, and gut bacteria composition to tailor dietary recommendations. By understanding exactly how different bodies process plant compounds, researchers hope to offer specific, individualized dietary advice to help protect the aging brain more effectively.
The paper, “Dietary Polyphenols in Brain Aging: Molecular Mechanisms and Implications for Neurodegeneration,” was authored by Noémi Mózes, János Tamás Varga, Dominik Szwajgier, Agata Kryczyk-Poprawa, Virág Zábó, Andrea Lehoczki, Ágnes Lipécz, Tamás Csípő, Vince Fazekas-Pongor, Dávid Major, Péter Varga, Attila Matiscsák, and Mónika Fekete.
URL: https://www.psypost.org/plant-based-compounds-in-berries-and-tea-may-help-delay-brain-aging/
-------------------------------------------------
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 #PolyphenolsForBrainHealth #BrainAgingDiet #Neurodegeneration prevention # berries #tea #MINDdiet #MediterraneanDiet #Nrf2Activation #AutophagySupport #GutBrainConnection
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DATE: July 25, 2026 at 02:00PM
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: Plant-based compounds in berries and tea may help delay brain aging
URL: https://www.psypost.org/plant-based-compounds-in-berries-and-tea-may-help-delay-brain-aging/
Consuming a diet rich in plant-based compounds known as polyphenols suggests a promising approach to protecting the brain from age-related decline. A recent comprehensive review published in the journal Nutrients provides evidence that these natural substances might help delay the onset of neurodegenerative conditions like Alzheimer’s disease. The research highlights how polyphenols interact with cellular pathways to reduce inflammation and oxidative stress, though scientists note that more human trials are necessary to confirm these benefits.
As the global population grows older, the number of people experiencing dementia and other cognitive disorders continues to rise rapidly. Conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease share several underlying biological mechanisms tied to the natural aging process. Within a scientific perspective known as the geroscience framework, aging itself is viewed as the primary driver of these diseases. This framework suggests that common aging processes, such as chronic inflammation and cellular energy failure, act together to progressively weaken the brain over time.
To understand how lifestyle factors might counteract these biological changes, researchers look toward nutrition. Plant-based foods contain abundant bioactive compounds, which are natural chemicals that can influence cellular functions. Polyphenols are a specific, widely studied category of these plant compounds, naturally occurring in foods like berries, leafy greens, coffee, tea, cocoa, and extra-virgin olive oil. There are thousands of distinct polyphenols, categorized into groups such as flavonoids, phenolic acids, stilbenes, and lignans. Flavonoids, for instance, are highly concentrated in berries and tea, while stilbenes include compounds like resveratrol found in grapes.
A team of researchers from Semmelweis University, the University of Life Sciences in Lublin, and Jagiellonian University Medical College synthesized the current scientific literature to explore how dietary polyphenols alter the underlying mechanisms of brain aging. They wanted to provide an updated look at how these compounds interact with human biology and what that means for preserving memory and thinking skills. By examining both laboratory experiments and population data, the authors aimed to map the biological journey of these nutrients from the digestive tract to the brain.
The review indicates that diets naturally rich in polyphenols tend to be associated with a lower risk of cognitive decline in observational studies. Two prominent examples are the Mediterranean diet and the MIND diet. The Mediterranean diet features high amounts of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and olive oil.
The MIND diet specifically emphasizes foods known to support brain health, such as nuts, berries, and leafy greens, while restricting heavily processed items. The research suggests that the complex mixture of plant compounds in these diets works synergistically to protect neurons, which are the primary nerve cells in the brain.
At a cellular level, polyphenols appear to target oxidative stress. Oxidative stress is a damaging process where unstable molecules, called free radicals, accumulate and harm cell structures, including DNA and cell membranes.
Because the brain uses vast amounts of oxygen for energy, it is highly vulnerable to this type of chemical damage. Animal and laboratory studies show that polyphenols can activate the body’s own internal antioxidant defense systems. By triggering a specific cellular pathway known as Nrf2, these plant compounds help neutralize harmful free radicals before they can permanently damage delicate brain tissue.
In addition to fighting oxidative stress, polyphenols show potential in reducing chronic inflammation. As the brain ages, its resident immune cells often become overly active. This results in a persistent, low-level inflammatory state that can harm surrounding neurons. The review provides evidence that polyphenols can block specific inflammatory signaling pathways, which helps keep the brain’s immune response balanced and prevents excessive cellular damage.
Another important finding involves how the brain manages proteins and cellular energy. In diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, abnormal proteins clump together and disrupt normal brain function. Laboratory models suggest that certain polyphenols, such as resveratrol found in grapes or EGCG found in green tea, can interfere with this clumping process. These compounds appear to stimulate autophagy, a natural cellular recycling system that helps cells remove damaged proteins and failing parts more efficiently.
Mitochondrial dysfunction is another hallmark of the aging brain that polyphenols might influence. Mitochondria are the tiny energy factories inside cells. Over time, these structures accumulate damage and become less efficient, depriving brain cells of the massive amounts of energy they need to function. The review highlights preclinical evidence suggesting that polyphenols can trigger cellular sensors that promote the creation of new, healthy mitochondria, helping to restore energy balance in aging neurons.
The gut microbiome, which is the vast community of bacteria living in the human digestive tract, plays a massive role in how the body processes and utilizes polyphenols. When people consume foods like berries or cocoa, only a small fraction of the polyphenols is absorbed directly into the bloodstream through the small intestine. The vast majority travels downward to the colon, where gut bacteria break the complex molecules down into smaller, more easily absorbed metabolic byproducts.
These smaller bacterial byproducts can then enter the bloodstream and circulate throughout the body. Many of these modified compounds are capable of crossing the blood-brain barrier, a highly selective filter that protects the brain from circulating toxins. Once inside the brain, these gut-derived metabolites are thought to exert protective effects on brain cells. Because every person has a slightly different mix of gut bacteria, the way one individual breaks down and benefits from polyphenols might differ entirely from someone else.
A major limitation in this field of nutritional research is that much of the current molecular understanding comes from isolated cells in test tubes or animal models. Humans metabolize plant foods quite differently, and the concentration of polyphenols used in laboratory experiments is often much higher than what a person would ever consume in a normal diet. The authors point out that human clinical trials have yielded mixed results, likely due to varying study designs, short trial durations, and the diverse ways individuals absorb these nutrients.
People might misinterpret these optimistic findings to mean that concentrated polyphenol supplements will automatically prevent dementia or reverse cognitive decline. The review notes that taking high doses of isolated polyphenols in pill form can actually have unintended negative consequences. At unnatural concentrations, some polyphenols can act as pro-oxidants, causing cellular damage, or they can interfere with the body’s ability to absorb essential nutrients like iron. The scientific consensus tends to support acquiring these compounds from a balanced, varied diet of whole foods.
Future research needs to focus on large-scale, long-term human trials that track diet and biological markers over many years. Relying on people to simply remember and report what they ate is notoriously inaccurate. To fix this, scientists hope to rely more on metabolomics, a process that measures the exact chemical byproducts of food left behind in the blood or urine. This objective measurement provides a more accurate picture of what a person actually consumed and absorbed.
Researchers also hope to develop precision nutrition plans in the coming years. Precision nutrition takes into account a person’s unique genetics, metabolic health, and gut bacteria composition to tailor dietary recommendations. By understanding exactly how different bodies process plant compounds, researchers hope to offer specific, individualized dietary advice to help protect the aging brain more effectively.
The paper, “Dietary Polyphenols in Brain Aging: Molecular Mechanisms and Implications for Neurodegeneration,” was authored by Noémi Mózes, János Tamás Varga, Dominik Szwajgier, Agata Kryczyk-Poprawa, Virág Zábó, Andrea Lehoczki, Ágnes Lipécz, Tamás Csípő, Vince Fazekas-Pongor, Dávid Major, Péter Varga, Attila Matiscsák, and Mónika Fekete.
URL: https://www.psypost.org/plant-based-compounds-in-berries-and-tea-may-help-delay-brain-aging/
-------------------------------------------------
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 #PolyphenolsForBrainHealth #BrainAgingDiet #Neurodegeneration prevention # berries #tea #MINDdiet #MediterraneanDiet #Nrf2Activation #AutophagySupport #GutBrainConnection
-
DATE: July 25, 2026 at 02:00PM
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: Plant-based compounds in berries and tea may help delay brain aging
URL: https://www.psypost.org/plant-based-compounds-in-berries-and-tea-may-help-delay-brain-aging/
Consuming a diet rich in plant-based compounds known as polyphenols suggests a promising approach to protecting the brain from age-related decline. A recent comprehensive review published in the journal Nutrients provides evidence that these natural substances might help delay the onset of neurodegenerative conditions like Alzheimer’s disease. The research highlights how polyphenols interact with cellular pathways to reduce inflammation and oxidative stress, though scientists note that more human trials are necessary to confirm these benefits.
As the global population grows older, the number of people experiencing dementia and other cognitive disorders continues to rise rapidly. Conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease share several underlying biological mechanisms tied to the natural aging process. Within a scientific perspective known as the geroscience framework, aging itself is viewed as the primary driver of these diseases. This framework suggests that common aging processes, such as chronic inflammation and cellular energy failure, act together to progressively weaken the brain over time.
To understand how lifestyle factors might counteract these biological changes, researchers look toward nutrition. Plant-based foods contain abundant bioactive compounds, which are natural chemicals that can influence cellular functions. Polyphenols are a specific, widely studied category of these plant compounds, naturally occurring in foods like berries, leafy greens, coffee, tea, cocoa, and extra-virgin olive oil. There are thousands of distinct polyphenols, categorized into groups such as flavonoids, phenolic acids, stilbenes, and lignans. Flavonoids, for instance, are highly concentrated in berries and tea, while stilbenes include compounds like resveratrol found in grapes.
A team of researchers from Semmelweis University, the University of Life Sciences in Lublin, and Jagiellonian University Medical College synthesized the current scientific literature to explore how dietary polyphenols alter the underlying mechanisms of brain aging. They wanted to provide an updated look at how these compounds interact with human biology and what that means for preserving memory and thinking skills. By examining both laboratory experiments and population data, the authors aimed to map the biological journey of these nutrients from the digestive tract to the brain.
The review indicates that diets naturally rich in polyphenols tend to be associated with a lower risk of cognitive decline in observational studies. Two prominent examples are the Mediterranean diet and the MIND diet. The Mediterranean diet features high amounts of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and olive oil.
The MIND diet specifically emphasizes foods known to support brain health, such as nuts, berries, and leafy greens, while restricting heavily processed items. The research suggests that the complex mixture of plant compounds in these diets works synergistically to protect neurons, which are the primary nerve cells in the brain.
At a cellular level, polyphenols appear to target oxidative stress. Oxidative stress is a damaging process where unstable molecules, called free radicals, accumulate and harm cell structures, including DNA and cell membranes.
Because the brain uses vast amounts of oxygen for energy, it is highly vulnerable to this type of chemical damage. Animal and laboratory studies show that polyphenols can activate the body’s own internal antioxidant defense systems. By triggering a specific cellular pathway known as Nrf2, these plant compounds help neutralize harmful free radicals before they can permanently damage delicate brain tissue.
In addition to fighting oxidative stress, polyphenols show potential in reducing chronic inflammation. As the brain ages, its resident immune cells often become overly active. This results in a persistent, low-level inflammatory state that can harm surrounding neurons. The review provides evidence that polyphenols can block specific inflammatory signaling pathways, which helps keep the brain’s immune response balanced and prevents excessive cellular damage.
Another important finding involves how the brain manages proteins and cellular energy. In diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, abnormal proteins clump together and disrupt normal brain function. Laboratory models suggest that certain polyphenols, such as resveratrol found in grapes or EGCG found in green tea, can interfere with this clumping process. These compounds appear to stimulate autophagy, a natural cellular recycling system that helps cells remove damaged proteins and failing parts more efficiently.
Mitochondrial dysfunction is another hallmark of the aging brain that polyphenols might influence. Mitochondria are the tiny energy factories inside cells. Over time, these structures accumulate damage and become less efficient, depriving brain cells of the massive amounts of energy they need to function. The review highlights preclinical evidence suggesting that polyphenols can trigger cellular sensors that promote the creation of new, healthy mitochondria, helping to restore energy balance in aging neurons.
The gut microbiome, which is the vast community of bacteria living in the human digestive tract, plays a massive role in how the body processes and utilizes polyphenols. When people consume foods like berries or cocoa, only a small fraction of the polyphenols is absorbed directly into the bloodstream through the small intestine. The vast majority travels downward to the colon, where gut bacteria break the complex molecules down into smaller, more easily absorbed metabolic byproducts.
These smaller bacterial byproducts can then enter the bloodstream and circulate throughout the body. Many of these modified compounds are capable of crossing the blood-brain barrier, a highly selective filter that protects the brain from circulating toxins. Once inside the brain, these gut-derived metabolites are thought to exert protective effects on brain cells. Because every person has a slightly different mix of gut bacteria, the way one individual breaks down and benefits from polyphenols might differ entirely from someone else.
A major limitation in this field of nutritional research is that much of the current molecular understanding comes from isolated cells in test tubes or animal models. Humans metabolize plant foods quite differently, and the concentration of polyphenols used in laboratory experiments is often much higher than what a person would ever consume in a normal diet. The authors point out that human clinical trials have yielded mixed results, likely due to varying study designs, short trial durations, and the diverse ways individuals absorb these nutrients.
People might misinterpret these optimistic findings to mean that concentrated polyphenol supplements will automatically prevent dementia or reverse cognitive decline. The review notes that taking high doses of isolated polyphenols in pill form can actually have unintended negative consequences. At unnatural concentrations, some polyphenols can act as pro-oxidants, causing cellular damage, or they can interfere with the body’s ability to absorb essential nutrients like iron. The scientific consensus tends to support acquiring these compounds from a balanced, varied diet of whole foods.
Future research needs to focus on large-scale, long-term human trials that track diet and biological markers over many years. Relying on people to simply remember and report what they ate is notoriously inaccurate. To fix this, scientists hope to rely more on metabolomics, a process that measures the exact chemical byproducts of food left behind in the blood or urine. This objective measurement provides a more accurate picture of what a person actually consumed and absorbed.
Researchers also hope to develop precision nutrition plans in the coming years. Precision nutrition takes into account a person’s unique genetics, metabolic health, and gut bacteria composition to tailor dietary recommendations. By understanding exactly how different bodies process plant compounds, researchers hope to offer specific, individualized dietary advice to help protect the aging brain more effectively.
The paper, “Dietary Polyphenols in Brain Aging: Molecular Mechanisms and Implications for Neurodegeneration,” was authored by Noémi Mózes, János Tamás Varga, Dominik Szwajgier, Agata Kryczyk-Poprawa, Virág Zábó, Andrea Lehoczki, Ágnes Lipécz, Tamás Csípő, Vince Fazekas-Pongor, Dávid Major, Péter Varga, Attila Matiscsák, and Mónika Fekete.
URL: https://www.psypost.org/plant-based-compounds-in-berries-and-tea-may-help-delay-brain-aging/
-------------------------------------------------
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 #PolyphenolsForBrainHealth #BrainAgingDiet #Neurodegeneration prevention # berries #tea #MINDdiet #MediterraneanDiet #Nrf2Activation #AutophagySupport #GutBrainConnection
-
DATE: July 25, 2026 at 02:00PM
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: Plant-based compounds in berries and tea may help delay brain aging
URL: https://www.psypost.org/plant-based-compounds-in-berries-and-tea-may-help-delay-brain-aging/
Consuming a diet rich in plant-based compounds known as polyphenols suggests a promising approach to protecting the brain from age-related decline. A recent comprehensive review published in the journal Nutrients provides evidence that these natural substances might help delay the onset of neurodegenerative conditions like Alzheimer’s disease. The research highlights how polyphenols interact with cellular pathways to reduce inflammation and oxidative stress, though scientists note that more human trials are necessary to confirm these benefits.
As the global population grows older, the number of people experiencing dementia and other cognitive disorders continues to rise rapidly. Conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease share several underlying biological mechanisms tied to the natural aging process. Within a scientific perspective known as the geroscience framework, aging itself is viewed as the primary driver of these diseases. This framework suggests that common aging processes, such as chronic inflammation and cellular energy failure, act together to progressively weaken the brain over time.
To understand how lifestyle factors might counteract these biological changes, researchers look toward nutrition. Plant-based foods contain abundant bioactive compounds, which are natural chemicals that can influence cellular functions. Polyphenols are a specific, widely studied category of these plant compounds, naturally occurring in foods like berries, leafy greens, coffee, tea, cocoa, and extra-virgin olive oil. There are thousands of distinct polyphenols, categorized into groups such as flavonoids, phenolic acids, stilbenes, and lignans. Flavonoids, for instance, are highly concentrated in berries and tea, while stilbenes include compounds like resveratrol found in grapes.
A team of researchers from Semmelweis University, the University of Life Sciences in Lublin, and Jagiellonian University Medical College synthesized the current scientific literature to explore how dietary polyphenols alter the underlying mechanisms of brain aging. They wanted to provide an updated look at how these compounds interact with human biology and what that means for preserving memory and thinking skills. By examining both laboratory experiments and population data, the authors aimed to map the biological journey of these nutrients from the digestive tract to the brain.
The review indicates that diets naturally rich in polyphenols tend to be associated with a lower risk of cognitive decline in observational studies. Two prominent examples are the Mediterranean diet and the MIND diet. The Mediterranean diet features high amounts of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and olive oil.
The MIND diet specifically emphasizes foods known to support brain health, such as nuts, berries, and leafy greens, while restricting heavily processed items. The research suggests that the complex mixture of plant compounds in these diets works synergistically to protect neurons, which are the primary nerve cells in the brain.
At a cellular level, polyphenols appear to target oxidative stress. Oxidative stress is a damaging process where unstable molecules, called free radicals, accumulate and harm cell structures, including DNA and cell membranes.
Because the brain uses vast amounts of oxygen for energy, it is highly vulnerable to this type of chemical damage. Animal and laboratory studies show that polyphenols can activate the body’s own internal antioxidant defense systems. By triggering a specific cellular pathway known as Nrf2, these plant compounds help neutralize harmful free radicals before they can permanently damage delicate brain tissue.
In addition to fighting oxidative stress, polyphenols show potential in reducing chronic inflammation. As the brain ages, its resident immune cells often become overly active. This results in a persistent, low-level inflammatory state that can harm surrounding neurons. The review provides evidence that polyphenols can block specific inflammatory signaling pathways, which helps keep the brain’s immune response balanced and prevents excessive cellular damage.
Another important finding involves how the brain manages proteins and cellular energy. In diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, abnormal proteins clump together and disrupt normal brain function. Laboratory models suggest that certain polyphenols, such as resveratrol found in grapes or EGCG found in green tea, can interfere with this clumping process. These compounds appear to stimulate autophagy, a natural cellular recycling system that helps cells remove damaged proteins and failing parts more efficiently.
Mitochondrial dysfunction is another hallmark of the aging brain that polyphenols might influence. Mitochondria are the tiny energy factories inside cells. Over time, these structures accumulate damage and become less efficient, depriving brain cells of the massive amounts of energy they need to function. The review highlights preclinical evidence suggesting that polyphenols can trigger cellular sensors that promote the creation of new, healthy mitochondria, helping to restore energy balance in aging neurons.
The gut microbiome, which is the vast community of bacteria living in the human digestive tract, plays a massive role in how the body processes and utilizes polyphenols. When people consume foods like berries or cocoa, only a small fraction of the polyphenols is absorbed directly into the bloodstream through the small intestine. The vast majority travels downward to the colon, where gut bacteria break the complex molecules down into smaller, more easily absorbed metabolic byproducts.
These smaller bacterial byproducts can then enter the bloodstream and circulate throughout the body. Many of these modified compounds are capable of crossing the blood-brain barrier, a highly selective filter that protects the brain from circulating toxins. Once inside the brain, these gut-derived metabolites are thought to exert protective effects on brain cells. Because every person has a slightly different mix of gut bacteria, the way one individual breaks down and benefits from polyphenols might differ entirely from someone else.
A major limitation in this field of nutritional research is that much of the current molecular understanding comes from isolated cells in test tubes or animal models. Humans metabolize plant foods quite differently, and the concentration of polyphenols used in laboratory experiments is often much higher than what a person would ever consume in a normal diet. The authors point out that human clinical trials have yielded mixed results, likely due to varying study designs, short trial durations, and the diverse ways individuals absorb these nutrients.
People might misinterpret these optimistic findings to mean that concentrated polyphenol supplements will automatically prevent dementia or reverse cognitive decline. The review notes that taking high doses of isolated polyphenols in pill form can actually have unintended negative consequences. At unnatural concentrations, some polyphenols can act as pro-oxidants, causing cellular damage, or they can interfere with the body’s ability to absorb essential nutrients like iron. The scientific consensus tends to support acquiring these compounds from a balanced, varied diet of whole foods.
Future research needs to focus on large-scale, long-term human trials that track diet and biological markers over many years. Relying on people to simply remember and report what they ate is notoriously inaccurate. To fix this, scientists hope to rely more on metabolomics, a process that measures the exact chemical byproducts of food left behind in the blood or urine. This objective measurement provides a more accurate picture of what a person actually consumed and absorbed.
Researchers also hope to develop precision nutrition plans in the coming years. Precision nutrition takes into account a person’s unique genetics, metabolic health, and gut bacteria composition to tailor dietary recommendations. By understanding exactly how different bodies process plant compounds, researchers hope to offer specific, individualized dietary advice to help protect the aging brain more effectively.
The paper, “Dietary Polyphenols in Brain Aging: Molecular Mechanisms and Implications for Neurodegeneration,” was authored by Noémi Mózes, János Tamás Varga, Dominik Szwajgier, Agata Kryczyk-Poprawa, Virág Zábó, Andrea Lehoczki, Ágnes Lipécz, Tamás Csípő, Vince Fazekas-Pongor, Dávid Major, Péter Varga, Attila Matiscsák, and Mónika Fekete.
URL: https://www.psypost.org/plant-based-compounds-in-berries-and-tea-may-help-delay-brain-aging/
-------------------------------------------------
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 #PolyphenolsForBrainHealth #BrainAgingDiet #Neurodegeneration prevention # berries #tea #MINDdiet #MediterraneanDiet #Nrf2Activation #AutophagySupport #GutBrainConnection
-
Do people realize the latest evidence still suggests #exercise is about as effective as #psychotherapy and #antidepressants for treating #depression (and may result in fewer adverse events)?
Recent review:: https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD004366.pub7
-
Do people realize the latest evidence still suggests #exercise is about as effective as #psychotherapy and #antidepressants for treating #depression (and may result in fewer adverse events)?
Recent review:: https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD004366.pub7
-
Do people realize the latest evidence still suggests #exercise is about as effective as #psychotherapy and #antidepressants for treating #depression (and may result in fewer adverse events)?
Recent review:: https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD004366.pub7
-
Do people realize the latest evidence still suggests #exercise is about as effective as #psychotherapy and #antidepressants for treating #depression (and may result in fewer adverse events)?
Recent review:: https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD004366.pub7
-
Do people realize the latest evidence still suggests #exercise is about as effective as #psychotherapy and #antidepressants for treating #depression (and may result in fewer adverse events)?
Recent review:: https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD004366.pub7
-
DATE: July 25, 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: Anxiety and feelings of entrapment may connect psychotic distress to suicidal ideation
A recent study of 219 individuals experiencing psychosis and suicidal thoughts reveals that the emotional distress caused by hallucinations and delusions is strongly linked to the severity of suicidal thinking. This relationship operates through heightened anxiety and overwhelming feelings of being trapped, rather than being determined by the mere presence of psychotic symptoms. The research was published in the Journal of Affective Disorders.
If you or someone you know is struggling with suicidal thoughts or mental health matters, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988 (or 800-273-8255) or visit the NSPL site.
Suicide rates are disproportionately high among people living with severe mental health conditions, including non-affective psychosis. Non-affective psychosis refers to disorders, such as schizophrenia, where the primary symptoms relate to a disconnection from reality without predominant mood shifts like mania. Individuals with these conditions often experience hallucinations, which are sensory experiences that others do not share.
For decades, psychiatric diagnostics focused heavily on the physical severity of these visible symptoms. The intensity or frequency of hallucinations was thought to directly determine a patient’s overall well-being. However, clinical models have increasingly recognized that the subjective emotional pain arising from these symptoms has an enormous impact on a person’s risk for self-harm.
Patricia Gooding, a psychological researcher at the University of Manchester, led a team to investigate how emotional responses to psychosis translate into suicidal thoughts. Gooding collaborated with Kamelia Harris, Sarah Peters, and Gillian Haddock. The group is affiliated with the University of Manchester and the Greater Manchester Mental Health National Health Service Foundation Trust.
The researchers designed the study to test specific psychological theories of suicide. Many contemporary suicide models are transdiagnostic, meaning they focus on psychological processes that occur across diverse psychiatric conditions. These frameworks suggest that feelings of defeat and entrapment are the primary psychological drivers of suicidal thoughts.
In transdiagnostic models, the concepts of defeat and entrapment originate from evolutionary psychology. Animals that lose a fight for territory experience a biological state of defeat, leading them to give up and display submissive behaviors. If the defeated animal cannot escape the perilous situation, it enters a state of entrapment.
In humans, this arrested flight response is theorized to manifest as severe psychological distress. When people feel completely trapped by their own emotional pain and see no possibility of rescue, thoughts of suicide can emerge as a theoretical escape route.
Anxiety is another frequent struggle for individuals living with psychosis. Intense worry or panic can thoroughly disrupt daily functioning and strain social relationships. Within cognitive-behavioral models of psychosis, anxiety and psychotic symptoms are thought to feed into one another in a cyclical manner. Paranoia can trigger severe anxiety, and high anxiety can severely exacerbate hallucinatory voices.
The University of Manchester team suspected that this cycle of anxiety and psychotic distress might culminate in a deep sense of psychological entrapment. If a person feels trapped by their own mind, the intensity of their suicidal thoughts might elevate. They set out to map these specific psychological pathways using statistical modeling on a clinical population.
The researchers analyzed data from adult participants who possessed a diagnosis of non-affective psychosis. These individuals were currently under the care of mental health services in the United Kingdom. Every participant in the study had experienced suicidal thoughts or behaviors within the three months prior to observation.
The sample comprised 219 individuals, providing enough statistical power to test the intended psychological models. The demographic makeup of the group was mostly male and identified predominantly as white. The majority of the participants were either unemployed or officially exempted from employment due to their health status.
Trained research assistants interviewed the participants using a variety of validated clinical tools. One key assessment was a semi-structured interview designed to grade the severity of positive psychotic symptoms. Positive symptoms refer to added clinical features like delusions, rather than missing functions like emotional flatness.
The researchers used a tool known as the Psychotic Symptom Rating Scale to look beyond simple diagnosis. This instrument breaks down the experience of voices and delusions into multiple dimensions. The interviewers measured the specific amount of emotional distress each person felt as a direct result of their hallucinations and delusions.
Participants completed several self-report questionnaires designed to capture their inner emotional landscape. They rated their feelings of defeat, entrapment, and hopelessness over recent weeks. In this context, hopelessness is defined as holding deeply negative expectations regarding the future. The researchers also measured the intensity of each participant’s suicidal ideation over the previous month.
The team utilized a statistical method known as mediation analysis to dissect the relationships between these different mental states. Mediation analysis helps scientists figure out if a relationship between a starting variable and an outcome is explained by an intermediate step in the middle. The researchers controlled for general psychiatric symptoms to ensure that any observed associations were not simply the byproduct of a person being broadly unwell.
The statistical modeling revealed robust indirect associations among the psychological variables. The distress stemming from auditory hallucinations and delusions predictably linked to the severity of suicidal ideation. This connection operated through a pathway involving general anxiety and feelings of entrapment.
Specifically, individuals who felt intense emotional distress due to their psychosis often experienced higher levels of baseline anxiety. This elevated anxiety was then linked to stronger perceptions of being trapped by their circumstances. The feeling of entrapment was the final link in the chain, associating closely with highly severe suicidal thoughts.
The researchers tested the pathway in the opposite direction and found another reliable mathematical connection. High levels of general anxiety predicted greater emotional distress in response to hallucinations and delusions. This distress was again associated with severe entrapment, which linked to severe suicidal ideation. The bi-directional nature of these findings supports the idea that anxiety and psychotic distress operate in a mutually reinforcing feedback loop.
The team also swapped out the statistical variable for emotional distress and ran the same models using the strict severity levels of the hallucinations and delusions. When the researchers looked solely at the perceived intensity or frequency of the delusions, none of the pathways to suicidal ideation were statistically significant. This suggests that merely experiencing a hallucination does not natively drive suicidal thoughts. The psychological reaction to the experience acts as the actual catalyst.
This finding regarding symptom severity versus emotional distress represents a major conceptual shift for psychiatric research. Historically, reducing the physical severity of a hallucination was the ultimate goal of pharmacological treatments such as antipsychotic medications. This study proposes that an individual might still hear frequent voices, but if they are no longer profoundly distressed by them, their risk of experiencing severe suicidal thoughts could drop.
Previous qualitative interviews with patients map neatly onto these new statistical findings. People living with severe psychosis often describe an overwhelming sense of relentlessness. The continuous nature of the mental health struggle induces intense fear and a feeling of being completely overpowered by the illness.
While the study provides a detailed psychological map of these internal processes, it does contain limitations. The research utilized a cross-sectional design, meaning all the interviews and questionnaires were completed at a single point in time. Because the respondents were not tracked sequentially over long durations, the researchers cannot state for certain that one feeling explicitly caused another.
Another limitation involves how the team specifically measured anxiety. They utilized a single item from a broader clinical interview scale rather than a dedicated, comprehensive anxiety questionnaire. Anxiety has numerous cognitive and physical dimensions that a single interview question might fail to capture.
The researchers advocate for future studies using micro-longitudinal tracking to iron out these remaining questions. This research method involves pinging participants on mobile devices multiple times a day to log their immediate thoughts and feelings. Tracking momentary fluctuations in anxiety, distress, and entrapment could establish causative links over a period of hours or days.
The results present an argument for prioritizing the subjective emotional experiences of patients in clinical settings. Contemporary therapies aimed at suicide prevention often focus broadly on mood or psychiatric diagnosis. The authors suggest that mental health professionals should collaboratively address the agonizing feeling of being trapped by psychotic symptoms to potentially reduce the severity of suicidal ideation.
The study, “The role of anxiety in the relationships between psychotic experiences and suicidal ideation severity,” was authored by Patricia Gooding, Kamelia Harris, Sarah Peters, and Gillian Haddock.
-------------------------------------------------
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 #AnxietyAndPsychosis #SuicidalIdeation #EntrapmentOfTheMind #PsychoticDistress #HallucinationsAndDelusions #MentalHealthResearch #TransdiagnosticModels #SupportIfStruggling #SuicidePrevention #HopeAndHopefulness
-
DATE: July 25, 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: Anxiety and feelings of entrapment may connect psychotic distress to suicidal ideation
A recent study of 219 individuals experiencing psychosis and suicidal thoughts reveals that the emotional distress caused by hallucinations and delusions is strongly linked to the severity of suicidal thinking. This relationship operates through heightened anxiety and overwhelming feelings of being trapped, rather than being determined by the mere presence of psychotic symptoms. The research was published in the Journal of Affective Disorders.
If you or someone you know is struggling with suicidal thoughts or mental health matters, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988 (or 800-273-8255) or visit the NSPL site.
Suicide rates are disproportionately high among people living with severe mental health conditions, including non-affective psychosis. Non-affective psychosis refers to disorders, such as schizophrenia, where the primary symptoms relate to a disconnection from reality without predominant mood shifts like mania. Individuals with these conditions often experience hallucinations, which are sensory experiences that others do not share.
For decades, psychiatric diagnostics focused heavily on the physical severity of these visible symptoms. The intensity or frequency of hallucinations was thought to directly determine a patient’s overall well-being. However, clinical models have increasingly recognized that the subjective emotional pain arising from these symptoms has an enormous impact on a person’s risk for self-harm.
Patricia Gooding, a psychological researcher at the University of Manchester, led a team to investigate how emotional responses to psychosis translate into suicidal thoughts. Gooding collaborated with Kamelia Harris, Sarah Peters, and Gillian Haddock. The group is affiliated with the University of Manchester and the Greater Manchester Mental Health National Health Service Foundation Trust.
The researchers designed the study to test specific psychological theories of suicide. Many contemporary suicide models are transdiagnostic, meaning they focus on psychological processes that occur across diverse psychiatric conditions. These frameworks suggest that feelings of defeat and entrapment are the primary psychological drivers of suicidal thoughts.
In transdiagnostic models, the concepts of defeat and entrapment originate from evolutionary psychology. Animals that lose a fight for territory experience a biological state of defeat, leading them to give up and display submissive behaviors. If the defeated animal cannot escape the perilous situation, it enters a state of entrapment.
In humans, this arrested flight response is theorized to manifest as severe psychological distress. When people feel completely trapped by their own emotional pain and see no possibility of rescue, thoughts of suicide can emerge as a theoretical escape route.
Anxiety is another frequent struggle for individuals living with psychosis. Intense worry or panic can thoroughly disrupt daily functioning and strain social relationships. Within cognitive-behavioral models of psychosis, anxiety and psychotic symptoms are thought to feed into one another in a cyclical manner. Paranoia can trigger severe anxiety, and high anxiety can severely exacerbate hallucinatory voices.
The University of Manchester team suspected that this cycle of anxiety and psychotic distress might culminate in a deep sense of psychological entrapment. If a person feels trapped by their own mind, the intensity of their suicidal thoughts might elevate. They set out to map these specific psychological pathways using statistical modeling on a clinical population.
The researchers analyzed data from adult participants who possessed a diagnosis of non-affective psychosis. These individuals were currently under the care of mental health services in the United Kingdom. Every participant in the study had experienced suicidal thoughts or behaviors within the three months prior to observation.
The sample comprised 219 individuals, providing enough statistical power to test the intended psychological models. The demographic makeup of the group was mostly male and identified predominantly as white. The majority of the participants were either unemployed or officially exempted from employment due to their health status.
Trained research assistants interviewed the participants using a variety of validated clinical tools. One key assessment was a semi-structured interview designed to grade the severity of positive psychotic symptoms. Positive symptoms refer to added clinical features like delusions, rather than missing functions like emotional flatness.
The researchers used a tool known as the Psychotic Symptom Rating Scale to look beyond simple diagnosis. This instrument breaks down the experience of voices and delusions into multiple dimensions. The interviewers measured the specific amount of emotional distress each person felt as a direct result of their hallucinations and delusions.
Participants completed several self-report questionnaires designed to capture their inner emotional landscape. They rated their feelings of defeat, entrapment, and hopelessness over recent weeks. In this context, hopelessness is defined as holding deeply negative expectations regarding the future. The researchers also measured the intensity of each participant’s suicidal ideation over the previous month.
The team utilized a statistical method known as mediation analysis to dissect the relationships between these different mental states. Mediation analysis helps scientists figure out if a relationship between a starting variable and an outcome is explained by an intermediate step in the middle. The researchers controlled for general psychiatric symptoms to ensure that any observed associations were not simply the byproduct of a person being broadly unwell.
The statistical modeling revealed robust indirect associations among the psychological variables. The distress stemming from auditory hallucinations and delusions predictably linked to the severity of suicidal ideation. This connection operated through a pathway involving general anxiety and feelings of entrapment.
Specifically, individuals who felt intense emotional distress due to their psychosis often experienced higher levels of baseline anxiety. This elevated anxiety was then linked to stronger perceptions of being trapped by their circumstances. The feeling of entrapment was the final link in the chain, associating closely with highly severe suicidal thoughts.
The researchers tested the pathway in the opposite direction and found another reliable mathematical connection. High levels of general anxiety predicted greater emotional distress in response to hallucinations and delusions. This distress was again associated with severe entrapment, which linked to severe suicidal ideation. The bi-directional nature of these findings supports the idea that anxiety and psychotic distress operate in a mutually reinforcing feedback loop.
The team also swapped out the statistical variable for emotional distress and ran the same models using the strict severity levels of the hallucinations and delusions. When the researchers looked solely at the perceived intensity or frequency of the delusions, none of the pathways to suicidal ideation were statistically significant. This suggests that merely experiencing a hallucination does not natively drive suicidal thoughts. The psychological reaction to the experience acts as the actual catalyst.
This finding regarding symptom severity versus emotional distress represents a major conceptual shift for psychiatric research. Historically, reducing the physical severity of a hallucination was the ultimate goal of pharmacological treatments such as antipsychotic medications. This study proposes that an individual might still hear frequent voices, but if they are no longer profoundly distressed by them, their risk of experiencing severe suicidal thoughts could drop.
Previous qualitative interviews with patients map neatly onto these new statistical findings. People living with severe psychosis often describe an overwhelming sense of relentlessness. The continuous nature of the mental health struggle induces intense fear and a feeling of being completely overpowered by the illness.
While the study provides a detailed psychological map of these internal processes, it does contain limitations. The research utilized a cross-sectional design, meaning all the interviews and questionnaires were completed at a single point in time. Because the respondents were not tracked sequentially over long durations, the researchers cannot state for certain that one feeling explicitly caused another.
Another limitation involves how the team specifically measured anxiety. They utilized a single item from a broader clinical interview scale rather than a dedicated, comprehensive anxiety questionnaire. Anxiety has numerous cognitive and physical dimensions that a single interview question might fail to capture.
The researchers advocate for future studies using micro-longitudinal tracking to iron out these remaining questions. This research method involves pinging participants on mobile devices multiple times a day to log their immediate thoughts and feelings. Tracking momentary fluctuations in anxiety, distress, and entrapment could establish causative links over a period of hours or days.
The results present an argument for prioritizing the subjective emotional experiences of patients in clinical settings. Contemporary therapies aimed at suicide prevention often focus broadly on mood or psychiatric diagnosis. The authors suggest that mental health professionals should collaboratively address the agonizing feeling of being trapped by psychotic symptoms to potentially reduce the severity of suicidal ideation.
The study, “The role of anxiety in the relationships between psychotic experiences and suicidal ideation severity,” was authored by Patricia Gooding, Kamelia Harris, Sarah Peters, and Gillian Haddock.
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DATE: July 25, 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: Anxiety and feelings of entrapment may connect psychotic distress to suicidal ideation
A recent study of 219 individuals experiencing psychosis and suicidal thoughts reveals that the emotional distress caused by hallucinations and delusions is strongly linked to the severity of suicidal thinking. This relationship operates through heightened anxiety and overwhelming feelings of being trapped, rather than being determined by the mere presence of psychotic symptoms. The research was published in the Journal of Affective Disorders.
If you or someone you know is struggling with suicidal thoughts or mental health matters, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988 (or 800-273-8255) or visit the NSPL site.
Suicide rates are disproportionately high among people living with severe mental health conditions, including non-affective psychosis. Non-affective psychosis refers to disorders, such as schizophrenia, where the primary symptoms relate to a disconnection from reality without predominant mood shifts like mania. Individuals with these conditions often experience hallucinations, which are sensory experiences that others do not share.
For decades, psychiatric diagnostics focused heavily on the physical severity of these visible symptoms. The intensity or frequency of hallucinations was thought to directly determine a patient’s overall well-being. However, clinical models have increasingly recognized that the subjective emotional pain arising from these symptoms has an enormous impact on a person’s risk for self-harm.
Patricia Gooding, a psychological researcher at the University of Manchester, led a team to investigate how emotional responses to psychosis translate into suicidal thoughts. Gooding collaborated with Kamelia Harris, Sarah Peters, and Gillian Haddock. The group is affiliated with the University of Manchester and the Greater Manchester Mental Health National Health Service Foundation Trust.
The researchers designed the study to test specific psychological theories of suicide. Many contemporary suicide models are transdiagnostic, meaning they focus on psychological processes that occur across diverse psychiatric conditions. These frameworks suggest that feelings of defeat and entrapment are the primary psychological drivers of suicidal thoughts.
In transdiagnostic models, the concepts of defeat and entrapment originate from evolutionary psychology. Animals that lose a fight for territory experience a biological state of defeat, leading them to give up and display submissive behaviors. If the defeated animal cannot escape the perilous situation, it enters a state of entrapment.
In humans, this arrested flight response is theorized to manifest as severe psychological distress. When people feel completely trapped by their own emotional pain and see no possibility of rescue, thoughts of suicide can emerge as a theoretical escape route.
Anxiety is another frequent struggle for individuals living with psychosis. Intense worry or panic can thoroughly disrupt daily functioning and strain social relationships. Within cognitive-behavioral models of psychosis, anxiety and psychotic symptoms are thought to feed into one another in a cyclical manner. Paranoia can trigger severe anxiety, and high anxiety can severely exacerbate hallucinatory voices.
The University of Manchester team suspected that this cycle of anxiety and psychotic distress might culminate in a deep sense of psychological entrapment. If a person feels trapped by their own mind, the intensity of their suicidal thoughts might elevate. They set out to map these specific psychological pathways using statistical modeling on a clinical population.
The researchers analyzed data from adult participants who possessed a diagnosis of non-affective psychosis. These individuals were currently under the care of mental health services in the United Kingdom. Every participant in the study had experienced suicidal thoughts or behaviors within the three months prior to observation.
The sample comprised 219 individuals, providing enough statistical power to test the intended psychological models. The demographic makeup of the group was mostly male and identified predominantly as white. The majority of the participants were either unemployed or officially exempted from employment due to their health status.
Trained research assistants interviewed the participants using a variety of validated clinical tools. One key assessment was a semi-structured interview designed to grade the severity of positive psychotic symptoms. Positive symptoms refer to added clinical features like delusions, rather than missing functions like emotional flatness.
The researchers used a tool known as the Psychotic Symptom Rating Scale to look beyond simple diagnosis. This instrument breaks down the experience of voices and delusions into multiple dimensions. The interviewers measured the specific amount of emotional distress each person felt as a direct result of their hallucinations and delusions.
Participants completed several self-report questionnaires designed to capture their inner emotional landscape. They rated their feelings of defeat, entrapment, and hopelessness over recent weeks. In this context, hopelessness is defined as holding deeply negative expectations regarding the future. The researchers also measured the intensity of each participant’s suicidal ideation over the previous month.
The team utilized a statistical method known as mediation analysis to dissect the relationships between these different mental states. Mediation analysis helps scientists figure out if a relationship between a starting variable and an outcome is explained by an intermediate step in the middle. The researchers controlled for general psychiatric symptoms to ensure that any observed associations were not simply the byproduct of a person being broadly unwell.
The statistical modeling revealed robust indirect associations among the psychological variables. The distress stemming from auditory hallucinations and delusions predictably linked to the severity of suicidal ideation. This connection operated through a pathway involving general anxiety and feelings of entrapment.
Specifically, individuals who felt intense emotional distress due to their psychosis often experienced higher levels of baseline anxiety. This elevated anxiety was then linked to stronger perceptions of being trapped by their circumstances. The feeling of entrapment was the final link in the chain, associating closely with highly severe suicidal thoughts.
The researchers tested the pathway in the opposite direction and found another reliable mathematical connection. High levels of general anxiety predicted greater emotional distress in response to hallucinations and delusions. This distress was again associated with severe entrapment, which linked to severe suicidal ideation. The bi-directional nature of these findings supports the idea that anxiety and psychotic distress operate in a mutually reinforcing feedback loop.
The team also swapped out the statistical variable for emotional distress and ran the same models using the strict severity levels of the hallucinations and delusions. When the researchers looked solely at the perceived intensity or frequency of the delusions, none of the pathways to suicidal ideation were statistically significant. This suggests that merely experiencing a hallucination does not natively drive suicidal thoughts. The psychological reaction to the experience acts as the actual catalyst.
This finding regarding symptom severity versus emotional distress represents a major conceptual shift for psychiatric research. Historically, reducing the physical severity of a hallucination was the ultimate goal of pharmacological treatments such as antipsychotic medications. This study proposes that an individual might still hear frequent voices, but if they are no longer profoundly distressed by them, their risk of experiencing severe suicidal thoughts could drop.
Previous qualitative interviews with patients map neatly onto these new statistical findings. People living with severe psychosis often describe an overwhelming sense of relentlessness. The continuous nature of the mental health struggle induces intense fear and a feeling of being completely overpowered by the illness.
While the study provides a detailed psychological map of these internal processes, it does contain limitations. The research utilized a cross-sectional design, meaning all the interviews and questionnaires were completed at a single point in time. Because the respondents were not tracked sequentially over long durations, the researchers cannot state for certain that one feeling explicitly caused another.
Another limitation involves how the team specifically measured anxiety. They utilized a single item from a broader clinical interview scale rather than a dedicated, comprehensive anxiety questionnaire. Anxiety has numerous cognitive and physical dimensions that a single interview question might fail to capture.
The researchers advocate for future studies using micro-longitudinal tracking to iron out these remaining questions. This research method involves pinging participants on mobile devices multiple times a day to log their immediate thoughts and feelings. Tracking momentary fluctuations in anxiety, distress, and entrapment could establish causative links over a period of hours or days.
The results present an argument for prioritizing the subjective emotional experiences of patients in clinical settings. Contemporary therapies aimed at suicide prevention often focus broadly on mood or psychiatric diagnosis. The authors suggest that mental health professionals should collaboratively address the agonizing feeling of being trapped by psychotic symptoms to potentially reduce the severity of suicidal ideation.
The study, “The role of anxiety in the relationships between psychotic experiences and suicidal ideation severity,” was authored by Patricia Gooding, Kamelia Harris, Sarah Peters, and Gillian Haddock.
-------------------------------------------------
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#psychology #counseling #socialwork #psychotherapy @psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry #mentalhealth #psychiatry #healthcare #depression #psychotherapist #AnxietyAndPsychosis #SuicidalIdeation #EntrapmentOfTheMind #PsychoticDistress #HallucinationsAndDelusions #MentalHealthResearch #TransdiagnosticModels #SupportIfStruggling #SuicidePrevention #HopeAndHopefulness
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LINK: https://bsky.app/profile/livedammit.bsky.social/post/3mri776yihs2u
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LIVE, Dammit Bluesky Blog
Amazing how even academics can get taken in by AI-generated propaganda sludge, abandoning academic rigor and scientific method for hot-button manipulation by dubious players intent on whipping up conflict.
LINK: https://bsky.app/profile/livedammit.bsky.social/post/3mri776yihs2u
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LIVEdammit is a mental health support site with stories, tools, free e-course, bookstore & inspiring wearables — for stubborn souls doing the work to stay here, stay human, & stay strong.
WEBSITE: https://LIVEdammit.com
This robot is not affiliated with LIVEdammit.
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LIVE, Dammit Bluesky Blog
Amazing how even academics can get taken in by AI-generated propaganda sludge, abandoning academic rigor and scientific method for hot-button manipulation by dubious players intent on whipping up conflict.
LINK: https://bsky.app/profile/livedammit.bsky.social/post/3mri776yihs2u
---------
LIVEdammit is a mental health support site with stories, tools, free e-course, bookstore & inspiring wearables — for stubborn souls doing the work to stay here, stay human, & stay strong.
WEBSITE: https://LIVEdammit.com
This robot is not affiliated with LIVEdammit.
--------
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DATE: July 25, 2026 at 07:34AM
SOURCE: SCIENCE DAILY MIND-BRAIN FEEDTITLE: Oral GLP-1 drugs may quiet the brain’s food craving circuit
URL: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/07/260724061439.htm
Newer oral drugs related to semaglutide medications such as Ozempic reduced pleasure-driven eating in mice by quieting a deep brain reward circuit. The finding could open new avenues for understanding food cravings and potentially treating substance use disorder.
URL: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/07/260724061439.htm
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-
DATE: July 25, 2026 at 07:34AM
SOURCE: SCIENCE DAILY MIND-BRAIN FEEDTITLE: Oral GLP-1 drugs may quiet the brain’s food craving circuit
URL: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/07/260724061439.htm
Newer oral drugs related to semaglutide medications such as Ozempic reduced pleasure-driven eating in mice by quieting a deep brain reward circuit. The finding could open new avenues for understanding food cravings and potentially treating substance use disorder.
URL: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/07/260724061439.htm
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-
DATE: July 25, 2026 at 07:34AM
SOURCE: SCIENCE DAILY MIND-BRAIN FEEDTITLE: Oral GLP-1 drugs may quiet the brain’s food craving circuit
URL: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/07/260724061439.htm
Newer oral drugs related to semaglutide medications such as Ozempic reduced pleasure-driven eating in mice by quieting a deep brain reward circuit. The finding could open new avenues for understanding food cravings and potentially treating substance use disorder.
URL: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/07/260724061439.htm
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DATE: July 25, 2026 at 11:09AM
SOURCE: SCIENCE DAILY MIND-BRAIN FEEDTITLE: A single dose reversed autism-like symptoms in adult mice within hours
URL: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/07/260724061436.htm
Even mild inflammation during pregnancy led mouse offspring to develop persistent brain overactivity, sensory sensitivity, repetitive behaviors, and increased seizure risk. Remarkably, one dose of rapamycin improved nearly all of these problems within about two hours. The benefits were temporary, but they suggest that adult brain circuits may remain far more adaptable than previously believed.
URL: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/07/260724061436.htm
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DATE: July 25, 2026 at 10:41AM
SOURCE: SCIENCE DAILY MIND-BRAIN FEEDTITLE: Superagers keep youthful memories but their DNA does not explain why
URL: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/07/260723084045.htm
Scientists expected SuperAgers might simply inherit fewer Alzheimer’s-related risks, but their genes looked much like those of typical older adults. Their extraordinary memories may instead come from still-unknown protective forces involving the brain, body, lifestyle, and environment.
URL: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/07/260723084045.htm
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DATE: July 25, 2026 at 11:09AM
SOURCE: SCIENCE DAILY MIND-BRAIN FEEDTITLE: A single dose reversed autism-like symptoms in adult mice within hours
URL: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/07/260724061436.htm
Even mild inflammation during pregnancy led mouse offspring to develop persistent brain overactivity, sensory sensitivity, repetitive behaviors, and increased seizure risk. Remarkably, one dose of rapamycin improved nearly all of these problems within about two hours. The benefits were temporary, but they suggest that adult brain circuits may remain far more adaptable than previously believed.
URL: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/07/260724061436.htm
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DATE: July 25, 2026 at 10:41AM
SOURCE: SCIENCE DAILY MIND-BRAIN FEEDTITLE: Superagers keep youthful memories but their DNA does not explain why
URL: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/07/260723084045.htm
Scientists expected SuperAgers might simply inherit fewer Alzheimer’s-related risks, but their genes looked much like those of typical older adults. Their extraordinary memories may instead come from still-unknown protective forces involving the brain, body, lifestyle, and environment.
URL: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/07/260723084045.htm
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-
DATE: July 25, 2026 at 11:09AM
SOURCE: SCIENCE DAILY MIND-BRAIN FEEDTITLE: A single dose reversed autism-like symptoms in adult mice within hours
URL: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/07/260724061436.htm
Even mild inflammation during pregnancy led mouse offspring to develop persistent brain overactivity, sensory sensitivity, repetitive behaviors, and increased seizure risk. Remarkably, one dose of rapamycin improved nearly all of these problems within about two hours. The benefits were temporary, but they suggest that adult brain circuits may remain far more adaptable than previously believed.
URL: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/07/260724061436.htm
-------------------------------------------------
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Unofficial Psychology Today Xitter to toot feed at Psych Today Unofficial Bot @PTUnofficialBot
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-
DATE: July 25, 2026 at 10:41AM
SOURCE: SCIENCE DAILY MIND-BRAIN FEEDTITLE: Superagers keep youthful memories but their DNA does not explain why
URL: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/07/260723084045.htm
Scientists expected SuperAgers might simply inherit fewer Alzheimer’s-related risks, but their genes looked much like those of typical older adults. Their extraordinary memories may instead come from still-unknown protective forces involving the brain, body, lifestyle, and environment.
URL: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/07/260723084045.htm
-------------------------------------------------
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DATE: July 25, 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: How you walk when you are happy or sad is linked to your daily fitness and diet
A recent study published in Experimental Brain Research suggests that daily lifestyle habits like physical activity and diet influence how a person’s emotional state affects their walking patterns. Scientists found that highly active individuals tend to maintain a steady walking rhythm regardless of how happy they feel, while higher protein intake appears to strengthen the connection between negative moods and changes in walking rhythm.
The way a person walks often reflects their internal emotional state. This connection is part of a theoretical framework known as embodied cognition, which suggests that the mind and the physical body deeply influence one another. Previous research provides evidence that positive emotions tend to encourage faster, more confident strides. Negative emotions are often linked to slower, more cautious walking patterns.
Walking is an ideal way to study this mind-body connection because it relies on automatic movement processes but remains sensitive to momentary feelings. Scientists can break down walking into different categories. Some categories involve spatial features, such as the physical length of a person’s step. Other categories involve temporal features, such as the rhythm and precise timing of footsteps.
People vary widely in how much their emotions disrupt or change these specific walking features. The authors of the current study wanted to understand what might cause this variation between individuals. They suspected that daily lifestyle habits might act as a buffer or an amplifier for these emotional changes in walking. Physical activity, sleep quality, and diet all share neural pathways with brain regions that control both mood and movement.
“We know that the way people feel and the way they move are closely connected, but we still know very little about the factors that influence that relationship,” said Danielle D. Wadsworth, Mildred Cheshire Fraley Distinguished Professor in the School of Kinesiology at Auburn University and director of the Exercise Adherence & Obesity Prevention Lab.
“Previous research from our lab showed that different aspects of positive and negative mood are associated with different characteristics of walking,” Wadsworth explained. “In this study, we wanted to determine whether everyday lifestyle behaviors, such as physical activity, sleep, and nutrition also shape the relationship between mood and gait.”
The brain areas responsible for movement, such as the cerebellum and basal ganglia, are also involved in processing emotions. Because of this shared brain architecture, the scientists aimed to see if specific daily habits could explain why some people change their walking style based on their mood more than others. They hypothesized that high physical activity would weaken the effect of positive moods on walking, and that poor sleep would amplify the effect of negative moods.
The researchers recruited 16 healthy young adults enrolled in a university kinesiology course. At the beginning of the academic semester, participants completed baseline surveys detailing their current lifestyle habits. This included self-reported physical activity levels over the previous week. Participants also reported their sleep quality over the past month, noting their typical bedtime, hours slept, and sleep disruptions.
The participants also completed a detailed dietary recall to track their nutritional intake. They reported all the food and beverages they consumed over a 24-hour period. The researchers used a nutrition database to calculate their total intake of protein, carbohydrates, and fat.
After the initial baseline assessment, the students were randomly scheduled to complete up to five walking and mood evaluations over the course of the semester. During these weekly sessions, participants walked across a special 16-foot walkway equipped with parallel sensor bars. These bars contained infrared lights that precisely tracked the spatial positioning and timing of their footsteps. Participants walked at their natural, everyday pace.
Immediately after completing the walking trials, the participants filled out a brief mood questionnaire on an electronic device. They rated their current positive and negative emotions on a scale from one to four. Positive emotions included feelings of happiness, excitement, and alertness. Negative emotions included feelings of frustration, sadness, disgust, anger, guilt, and shame.
The final dataset included 14 participants who contributed 60 matched observations of both mood and walking patterns. Most of the participants were highly active. Approximately 86 percent of the participants met standard aerobic exercise guidelines, and over 73 percent met resistance training guidelines. Sleep quality varied widely among the group.
The researchers grouped the complex walking data into five distinct categories, such as temporal phases and support variability. They found that lifestyle habits selectively influenced the rhythm category. The rhythm category involves the specific timing of a person’s steps, including how long their foot stays on the ground.
Highly active participants showed a weaker connection between positive emotions and walking rhythm. Individuals who reported more total exercise minutes maintained a steady step timing regardless of how happy or excited they felt. The authors suggest that habitual exercise might create a more stable neural environment for motor control. This stability might make walking timing less easily swayed by sudden positive moods.
The scientists also looked at the impact of diet. They found that participants with a higher daily protein intake showed a stronger connection between negative emotions and walking rhythm. This suggests that certain dietary factors might amplify the physical embodiment of negative feelings.
This specific nutritional result caught the research team off guard. “One of the most surprising findings was that higher protein intake strengthened, rather than weakened, the relationship between negative mood and gait rhythm,” Wadsworth said. “This was not what we expected, and it highlights how complex the interactions between nutrition, mood, and movement may be.”
The researchers proposed a few explanations for this dietary finding. Protein provides the building blocks for brain chemicals that regulate mood, such as serotonin and dopamine. Individual differences in how the body processes these building blocks might influence whether protein intake dampens or heightens emotional responsiveness in the brain’s motor circuits. “We are currently conducting follow-up studies to better understand this relationship and determine whether the finding is consistent,” Wadsworth added.
The study did not find any significant effects related to sleep quality. The authors noted that the monthly sleep survey measured habitual sleep patterns. This broad measurement might not have captured the day-to-day sleep variations that are most relevant to sudden mood changes and walking patterns.
Readers should interpret these findings with a few limitations in mind. The study relied on a very small and specific sample of healthy college students. This limited demographic makes it difficult to know if the findings apply to older adults or clinical populations. With only 14 participants included in the final analysis, the statistical power to detect smaller effects is limited.
The sample was also quite physically active overall. This high level of fitness might not reflect the habits of the general public. Another limitation is the use of self-reported surveys for sleep, diet, and exercise. People sometimes misremember or overestimate their healthy habits on questionnaires.
The baseline lifestyle factors were only measured once at the beginning of the semester. This single snapshot cannot account for changes in diet or physical activity that might have occurred as the academic term progressed. The mood scale used for positive emotions also showed low internal consistency, meaning the specific positive feelings fluctuated in ways that were hard to group together reliably.
Wadsworth emphasized the need to view the results within the proper context. “This was an observational study, so our findings identify relationships rather than cause-and-effect,” she said. “While we found that lifestyle factors may influence the connection between mood and gait, we cannot conclude that changing one factor will necessarily change the others.” She noted that larger, intervention-based studies are needed to determine whether modifying behaviors such as sleep, nutrition, or physical activity can directly improve both movement and emotional well-being.
The research team is already looking ahead to address some of these limitations. “We have already completed a follow-up study examining whether different types of exercise, including walking and yoga, influence the relationship between mood and gait,” Wadsworth said. “This study also incorporates objective measures of physical activity and sleep to provide a more complete picture of daily behaviors. Ultimately, our long-term goal is to determine whether intentionally changing the way people walk or move can produce immediate improvements in mood and potentially help reduce mental health symptoms.”
Exploring these connections in clinical populations could eventually help health professionals. Walking patterns might one day serve as a tool for monitoring mental well-being and physical recovery. Health practitioners might need to consider a patient’s physical activity levels when interpreting changes in their walking style.
“The biggest takeaway is that our mood, the way we move, and our daily lifestyle habits are all interconnected,” Wadsworth said. “In healthcare, we often focus on treating a single issue, such as improving someone’s walking pattern, but our findings suggest that factors like sleep, physical activity, nutrition, and emotional well-being may also influence how a person moves.”
She noted that a more comprehensive approach that considers both physical and behavioral health may provide a better understanding of movement and overall well-being. “One of the exciting aspects of this research is that it brings together fields that are often studied separately, including movement science, psychology, nutrition, and sleep,” Wadsworth said. “Looking at these factors together provides a more complete understanding of health and may ultimately lead to more personalized approaches to preventing and treating both physical and mental health challenges.”
The study, “Lifestyle factors moderate emotion-gait coupling in young adults,” was authored by Danielle D Wadsworth, Bahman Adlou, John L Grace, Jerad Kosek, Christopher Wilburn, and Wendi Weimar.
-------------------------------------------------
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 #MoodAndMovement #EmbodiedCognition #WalkingRhythm #PhysicalActivityBenefits #ProteinDietEffects #GaitAnalysis #LifestyleHabits #MoodAndGait #HealthyLivingStudy #ExerciseAndNutrition
-
DATE: July 25, 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: How you walk when you are happy or sad is linked to your daily fitness and diet
A recent study published in Experimental Brain Research suggests that daily lifestyle habits like physical activity and diet influence how a person’s emotional state affects their walking patterns. Scientists found that highly active individuals tend to maintain a steady walking rhythm regardless of how happy they feel, while higher protein intake appears to strengthen the connection between negative moods and changes in walking rhythm.
The way a person walks often reflects their internal emotional state. This connection is part of a theoretical framework known as embodied cognition, which suggests that the mind and the physical body deeply influence one another. Previous research provides evidence that positive emotions tend to encourage faster, more confident strides. Negative emotions are often linked to slower, more cautious walking patterns.
Walking is an ideal way to study this mind-body connection because it relies on automatic movement processes but remains sensitive to momentary feelings. Scientists can break down walking into different categories. Some categories involve spatial features, such as the physical length of a person’s step. Other categories involve temporal features, such as the rhythm and precise timing of footsteps.
People vary widely in how much their emotions disrupt or change these specific walking features. The authors of the current study wanted to understand what might cause this variation between individuals. They suspected that daily lifestyle habits might act as a buffer or an amplifier for these emotional changes in walking. Physical activity, sleep quality, and diet all share neural pathways with brain regions that control both mood and movement.
“We know that the way people feel and the way they move are closely connected, but we still know very little about the factors that influence that relationship,” said Danielle D. Wadsworth, Mildred Cheshire Fraley Distinguished Professor in the School of Kinesiology at Auburn University and director of the Exercise Adherence & Obesity Prevention Lab.
“Previous research from our lab showed that different aspects of positive and negative mood are associated with different characteristics of walking,” Wadsworth explained. “In this study, we wanted to determine whether everyday lifestyle behaviors, such as physical activity, sleep, and nutrition also shape the relationship between mood and gait.”
The brain areas responsible for movement, such as the cerebellum and basal ganglia, are also involved in processing emotions. Because of this shared brain architecture, the scientists aimed to see if specific daily habits could explain why some people change their walking style based on their mood more than others. They hypothesized that high physical activity would weaken the effect of positive moods on walking, and that poor sleep would amplify the effect of negative moods.
The researchers recruited 16 healthy young adults enrolled in a university kinesiology course. At the beginning of the academic semester, participants completed baseline surveys detailing their current lifestyle habits. This included self-reported physical activity levels over the previous week. Participants also reported their sleep quality over the past month, noting their typical bedtime, hours slept, and sleep disruptions.
The participants also completed a detailed dietary recall to track their nutritional intake. They reported all the food and beverages they consumed over a 24-hour period. The researchers used a nutrition database to calculate their total intake of protein, carbohydrates, and fat.
After the initial baseline assessment, the students were randomly scheduled to complete up to five walking and mood evaluations over the course of the semester. During these weekly sessions, participants walked across a special 16-foot walkway equipped with parallel sensor bars. These bars contained infrared lights that precisely tracked the spatial positioning and timing of their footsteps. Participants walked at their natural, everyday pace.
Immediately after completing the walking trials, the participants filled out a brief mood questionnaire on an electronic device. They rated their current positive and negative emotions on a scale from one to four. Positive emotions included feelings of happiness, excitement, and alertness. Negative emotions included feelings of frustration, sadness, disgust, anger, guilt, and shame.
The final dataset included 14 participants who contributed 60 matched observations of both mood and walking patterns. Most of the participants were highly active. Approximately 86 percent of the participants met standard aerobic exercise guidelines, and over 73 percent met resistance training guidelines. Sleep quality varied widely among the group.
The researchers grouped the complex walking data into five distinct categories, such as temporal phases and support variability. They found that lifestyle habits selectively influenced the rhythm category. The rhythm category involves the specific timing of a person’s steps, including how long their foot stays on the ground.
Highly active participants showed a weaker connection between positive emotions and walking rhythm. Individuals who reported more total exercise minutes maintained a steady step timing regardless of how happy or excited they felt. The authors suggest that habitual exercise might create a more stable neural environment for motor control. This stability might make walking timing less easily swayed by sudden positive moods.
The scientists also looked at the impact of diet. They found that participants with a higher daily protein intake showed a stronger connection between negative emotions and walking rhythm. This suggests that certain dietary factors might amplify the physical embodiment of negative feelings.
This specific nutritional result caught the research team off guard. “One of the most surprising findings was that higher protein intake strengthened, rather than weakened, the relationship between negative mood and gait rhythm,” Wadsworth said. “This was not what we expected, and it highlights how complex the interactions between nutrition, mood, and movement may be.”
The researchers proposed a few explanations for this dietary finding. Protein provides the building blocks for brain chemicals that regulate mood, such as serotonin and dopamine. Individual differences in how the body processes these building blocks might influence whether protein intake dampens or heightens emotional responsiveness in the brain’s motor circuits. “We are currently conducting follow-up studies to better understand this relationship and determine whether the finding is consistent,” Wadsworth added.
The study did not find any significant effects related to sleep quality. The authors noted that the monthly sleep survey measured habitual sleep patterns. This broad measurement might not have captured the day-to-day sleep variations that are most relevant to sudden mood changes and walking patterns.
Readers should interpret these findings with a few limitations in mind. The study relied on a very small and specific sample of healthy college students. This limited demographic makes it difficult to know if the findings apply to older adults or clinical populations. With only 14 participants included in the final analysis, the statistical power to detect smaller effects is limited.
The sample was also quite physically active overall. This high level of fitness might not reflect the habits of the general public. Another limitation is the use of self-reported surveys for sleep, diet, and exercise. People sometimes misremember or overestimate their healthy habits on questionnaires.
The baseline lifestyle factors were only measured once at the beginning of the semester. This single snapshot cannot account for changes in diet or physical activity that might have occurred as the academic term progressed. The mood scale used for positive emotions also showed low internal consistency, meaning the specific positive feelings fluctuated in ways that were hard to group together reliably.
Wadsworth emphasized the need to view the results within the proper context. “This was an observational study, so our findings identify relationships rather than cause-and-effect,” she said. “While we found that lifestyle factors may influence the connection between mood and gait, we cannot conclude that changing one factor will necessarily change the others.” She noted that larger, intervention-based studies are needed to determine whether modifying behaviors such as sleep, nutrition, or physical activity can directly improve both movement and emotional well-being.
The research team is already looking ahead to address some of these limitations. “We have already completed a follow-up study examining whether different types of exercise, including walking and yoga, influence the relationship between mood and gait,” Wadsworth said. “This study also incorporates objective measures of physical activity and sleep to provide a more complete picture of daily behaviors. Ultimately, our long-term goal is to determine whether intentionally changing the way people walk or move can produce immediate improvements in mood and potentially help reduce mental health symptoms.”
Exploring these connections in clinical populations could eventually help health professionals. Walking patterns might one day serve as a tool for monitoring mental well-being and physical recovery. Health practitioners might need to consider a patient’s physical activity levels when interpreting changes in their walking style.
“The biggest takeaway is that our mood, the way we move, and our daily lifestyle habits are all interconnected,” Wadsworth said. “In healthcare, we often focus on treating a single issue, such as improving someone’s walking pattern, but our findings suggest that factors like sleep, physical activity, nutrition, and emotional well-being may also influence how a person moves.”
She noted that a more comprehensive approach that considers both physical and behavioral health may provide a better understanding of movement and overall well-being. “One of the exciting aspects of this research is that it brings together fields that are often studied separately, including movement science, psychology, nutrition, and sleep,” Wadsworth said. “Looking at these factors together provides a more complete understanding of health and may ultimately lead to more personalized approaches to preventing and treating both physical and mental health challenges.”
The study, “Lifestyle factors moderate emotion-gait coupling in young adults,” was authored by Danielle D Wadsworth, Bahman Adlou, John L Grace, Jerad Kosek, Christopher Wilburn, and Wendi Weimar.
-------------------------------------------------
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 #MoodAndMovement #EmbodiedCognition #WalkingRhythm #PhysicalActivityBenefits #ProteinDietEffects #GaitAnalysis #LifestyleHabits #MoodAndGait #HealthyLivingStudy #ExerciseAndNutrition
-
DATE: July 25, 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: How you walk when you are happy or sad is linked to your daily fitness and diet
A recent study published in Experimental Brain Research suggests that daily lifestyle habits like physical activity and diet influence how a person’s emotional state affects their walking patterns. Scientists found that highly active individuals tend to maintain a steady walking rhythm regardless of how happy they feel, while higher protein intake appears to strengthen the connection between negative moods and changes in walking rhythm.
The way a person walks often reflects their internal emotional state. This connection is part of a theoretical framework known as embodied cognition, which suggests that the mind and the physical body deeply influence one another. Previous research provides evidence that positive emotions tend to encourage faster, more confident strides. Negative emotions are often linked to slower, more cautious walking patterns.
Walking is an ideal way to study this mind-body connection because it relies on automatic movement processes but remains sensitive to momentary feelings. Scientists can break down walking into different categories. Some categories involve spatial features, such as the physical length of a person’s step. Other categories involve temporal features, such as the rhythm and precise timing of footsteps.
People vary widely in how much their emotions disrupt or change these specific walking features. The authors of the current study wanted to understand what might cause this variation between individuals. They suspected that daily lifestyle habits might act as a buffer or an amplifier for these emotional changes in walking. Physical activity, sleep quality, and diet all share neural pathways with brain regions that control both mood and movement.
“We know that the way people feel and the way they move are closely connected, but we still know very little about the factors that influence that relationship,” said Danielle D. Wadsworth, Mildred Cheshire Fraley Distinguished Professor in the School of Kinesiology at Auburn University and director of the Exercise Adherence & Obesity Prevention Lab.
“Previous research from our lab showed that different aspects of positive and negative mood are associated with different characteristics of walking,” Wadsworth explained. “In this study, we wanted to determine whether everyday lifestyle behaviors, such as physical activity, sleep, and nutrition also shape the relationship between mood and gait.”
The brain areas responsible for movement, such as the cerebellum and basal ganglia, are also involved in processing emotions. Because of this shared brain architecture, the scientists aimed to see if specific daily habits could explain why some people change their walking style based on their mood more than others. They hypothesized that high physical activity would weaken the effect of positive moods on walking, and that poor sleep would amplify the effect of negative moods.
The researchers recruited 16 healthy young adults enrolled in a university kinesiology course. At the beginning of the academic semester, participants completed baseline surveys detailing their current lifestyle habits. This included self-reported physical activity levels over the previous week. Participants also reported their sleep quality over the past month, noting their typical bedtime, hours slept, and sleep disruptions.
The participants also completed a detailed dietary recall to track their nutritional intake. They reported all the food and beverages they consumed over a 24-hour period. The researchers used a nutrition database to calculate their total intake of protein, carbohydrates, and fat.
After the initial baseline assessment, the students were randomly scheduled to complete up to five walking and mood evaluations over the course of the semester. During these weekly sessions, participants walked across a special 16-foot walkway equipped with parallel sensor bars. These bars contained infrared lights that precisely tracked the spatial positioning and timing of their footsteps. Participants walked at their natural, everyday pace.
Immediately after completing the walking trials, the participants filled out a brief mood questionnaire on an electronic device. They rated their current positive and negative emotions on a scale from one to four. Positive emotions included feelings of happiness, excitement, and alertness. Negative emotions included feelings of frustration, sadness, disgust, anger, guilt, and shame.
The final dataset included 14 participants who contributed 60 matched observations of both mood and walking patterns. Most of the participants were highly active. Approximately 86 percent of the participants met standard aerobic exercise guidelines, and over 73 percent met resistance training guidelines. Sleep quality varied widely among the group.
The researchers grouped the complex walking data into five distinct categories, such as temporal phases and support variability. They found that lifestyle habits selectively influenced the rhythm category. The rhythm category involves the specific timing of a person’s steps, including how long their foot stays on the ground.
Highly active participants showed a weaker connection between positive emotions and walking rhythm. Individuals who reported more total exercise minutes maintained a steady step timing regardless of how happy or excited they felt. The authors suggest that habitual exercise might create a more stable neural environment for motor control. This stability might make walking timing less easily swayed by sudden positive moods.
The scientists also looked at the impact of diet. They found that participants with a higher daily protein intake showed a stronger connection between negative emotions and walking rhythm. This suggests that certain dietary factors might amplify the physical embodiment of negative feelings.
This specific nutritional result caught the research team off guard. “One of the most surprising findings was that higher protein intake strengthened, rather than weakened, the relationship between negative mood and gait rhythm,” Wadsworth said. “This was not what we expected, and it highlights how complex the interactions between nutrition, mood, and movement may be.”
The researchers proposed a few explanations for this dietary finding. Protein provides the building blocks for brain chemicals that regulate mood, such as serotonin and dopamine. Individual differences in how the body processes these building blocks might influence whether protein intake dampens or heightens emotional responsiveness in the brain’s motor circuits. “We are currently conducting follow-up studies to better understand this relationship and determine whether the finding is consistent,” Wadsworth added.
The study did not find any significant effects related to sleep quality. The authors noted that the monthly sleep survey measured habitual sleep patterns. This broad measurement might not have captured the day-to-day sleep variations that are most relevant to sudden mood changes and walking patterns.
Readers should interpret these findings with a few limitations in mind. The study relied on a very small and specific sample of healthy college students. This limited demographic makes it difficult to know if the findings apply to older adults or clinical populations. With only 14 participants included in the final analysis, the statistical power to detect smaller effects is limited.
The sample was also quite physically active overall. This high level of fitness might not reflect the habits of the general public. Another limitation is the use of self-reported surveys for sleep, diet, and exercise. People sometimes misremember or overestimate their healthy habits on questionnaires.
The baseline lifestyle factors were only measured once at the beginning of the semester. This single snapshot cannot account for changes in diet or physical activity that might have occurred as the academic term progressed. The mood scale used for positive emotions also showed low internal consistency, meaning the specific positive feelings fluctuated in ways that were hard to group together reliably.
Wadsworth emphasized the need to view the results within the proper context. “This was an observational study, so our findings identify relationships rather than cause-and-effect,” she said. “While we found that lifestyle factors may influence the connection between mood and gait, we cannot conclude that changing one factor will necessarily change the others.” She noted that larger, intervention-based studies are needed to determine whether modifying behaviors such as sleep, nutrition, or physical activity can directly improve both movement and emotional well-being.
The research team is already looking ahead to address some of these limitations. “We have already completed a follow-up study examining whether different types of exercise, including walking and yoga, influence the relationship between mood and gait,” Wadsworth said. “This study also incorporates objective measures of physical activity and sleep to provide a more complete picture of daily behaviors. Ultimately, our long-term goal is to determine whether intentionally changing the way people walk or move can produce immediate improvements in mood and potentially help reduce mental health symptoms.”
Exploring these connections in clinical populations could eventually help health professionals. Walking patterns might one day serve as a tool for monitoring mental well-being and physical recovery. Health practitioners might need to consider a patient’s physical activity levels when interpreting changes in their walking style.
“The biggest takeaway is that our mood, the way we move, and our daily lifestyle habits are all interconnected,” Wadsworth said. “In healthcare, we often focus on treating a single issue, such as improving someone’s walking pattern, but our findings suggest that factors like sleep, physical activity, nutrition, and emotional well-being may also influence how a person moves.”
She noted that a more comprehensive approach that considers both physical and behavioral health may provide a better understanding of movement and overall well-being. “One of the exciting aspects of this research is that it brings together fields that are often studied separately, including movement science, psychology, nutrition, and sleep,” Wadsworth said. “Looking at these factors together provides a more complete understanding of health and may ultimately lead to more personalized approaches to preventing and treating both physical and mental health challenges.”
The study, “Lifestyle factors moderate emotion-gait coupling in young adults,” was authored by Danielle D Wadsworth, Bahman Adlou, John L Grace, Jerad Kosek, Christopher Wilburn, and Wendi Weimar.
-------------------------------------------------
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 #MoodAndMovement #EmbodiedCognition #WalkingRhythm #PhysicalActivityBenefits #ProteinDietEffects #GaitAnalysis #LifestyleHabits #MoodAndGait #HealthyLivingStudy #ExerciseAndNutrition
-
DATE: July 25, 2026 at 09:00AM
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: People with elevated ADHD traits miss out on an automatic learning advantage, study finds
People with elevated levels of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder traits experience a disruption in the way their brains balance deliberate self-control and automatic habit learning. A recent behavioral experiment found that while weakened mental restraint usually enhances a person’s ability to unconsciously pick up on hidden patterns, this compensatory advantage vanishes in individuals with a high prevalence of ADHD-like symptoms. The research was published in the Journal of Attention Disorders.
Everyday human behavior relies on a continuous negotiation between two different ways of processing information. On one hand, goal-directed control allows individuals to deliberately adapt to new situations. This flexible type of thinking requires heavy mental effort and conscious attention. On the other hand, automatic processing allows people to efficiently perform familiar tasks without much active thought.
These two cognitive mechanisms often compete for mental resources in the brain. The deliberate thinking systems rely heavily on regions within the prefrontal cortex, while automatic habit execution is largely handled by a deeper structure called the striatum. Psychological theories suggest an antagonistic relationship exists between these two networks. When deliberate control is dialed back, the brain can often dedicate more energy to automatic learning.
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, commonly known as ADHD, is frequently characterized by difficulties with goal-directed behavior. A key component of this behavioral struggle is response inhibition. Response inhibition is the psychological ability to stop an inappropriate action once a person feels the initial urge to do it.
ADHD is viewed by many mental health experts not just as a strict diagnosis, but as a collection of behavioral traits that exist along a spectrum in the general population. People can have traits associated with the condition, such as inattentiveness or impulsivity, even if they do not meet the criteria for a formal medical evaluation.
Karolina Horváth, a researcher at the Gran Canaria Cognitive Research Center at Atlántico Medio University in Spain, led a team of cognitive scientists to investigate this phenomenon. Horváth and her colleagues suspected that the presence of ADHD traits might alter the standard give-and-take relationship between deliberate mental control and automatic learning.
To test their hypothesis, the research team recruited 226 university students for a multifaceted online experiment. The participants completed a self-report questionnaire designed to measure their levels of ADHD-like symptoms. The assessment estimated where each person landed on the broader trait spectrum.
The subjects then performed a reaction-time challenge that the researchers called the Cognitive Trade-off Task. During the test, a picture of a dog or a cat appeared on a computer screen in one of four specific positions. Participants were instructed to press a corresponding keyboard button as quickly as possible when a designated target image appeared. This served as the primary action signal.
However, in a small fraction of the trials, the researchers presented an opposing stop signal featuring the alternative animal. Participants had to suppress their urge to press a button and simply wait for the next image. This portion of the test measured response inhibition. People who struggled to withhold their keystrokes during this phase demonstrated weaker inhibitory control.
Hidden within the steady stream of animal pictures was an underlying mathematical sequence. Some image locations alternated with random spots, creating movement patterns that occurred more frequently than others. The participants were not informed about this hidden visual structure.
As the test progressed, participants naturally began reacting faster to the images that followed the hidden sequence. This process, known as statistical learning, is a form of automatic habit formation. The brain absorbs environmental probabilities without any conscious effort.
The scientific data revealed distinct patterns regarding how these cognitive skills interacted across the testing pool. First, the researchers found that participants who reported higher levels of ADHD-like traits were worse at the stop signal portion of the test. This confirmed that an increase in ADHD symptoms correlates with poorer response inhibition.
The team also observed the expected tradeoff between deliberate control and automatic learning in the broader participant pool. Participants who exhibited weaker response inhibition on the stop trials generally reacted much faster to the hidden sequence patterns. Their diminished deliberate control seemingly opened the door for enhanced statistical learning.
Individuals at the higher end of the ADHD trait spectrum deviated from this rule. For participants with the prevalent ADHD-like symptoms, the automatic learning advantage progressively faded away. Even though these individuals had poor response inhibition, their statistical learning did not receive the expected performance boost.
The investigators suspect that a specific behavioral concept from animal observation studies might explain this disconnect. When observing how animals learn to expect food rewards, scientists categorize them into two classes known as goal-trackers and sign-trackers. Goal-trackers focus strictly on the location where the reward will drop.
Sign-trackers become obsessed with the environmental cue itself, like a physical lever they have to press. The researchers suspect that for people with high ADHD traits, the stop signal becomes a similarly magnetic distraction. They cannot resist the urge to cognitively react to the cue, overriding the logical parts of the brain that dictate task strategy. The prominent stimulus disrupts their ability to unconsciously absorb the surrounding positional patterns.
Uncontrolled mind wandering might play an additional role in this cognitive disruption. The spontaneous shift of attention away from a task can interrupt the smooth operation of goal-directed brain functions. This unintentional loss of focus could further explain why the brain fails to latch onto underlying environmental probabilities.
The recent experiment carries a few limitations that add context to the behavioral results. The sample consisted mainly of young, highly educated university students. The study group also featured a heavy imbalance in gender representation, as more than 80 percent of the participants identified as female.
The entire sequence was conducted on personal computers without direct supervision from the scientific team. The scientists note that conducting similar assessments in controlled laboratory environments would help ensure the psychological patterns hold up under strict observation.
Because the experiment relied on self-report questionnaires for evaluating ADHD-like symptoms, subjective bias could have influenced the severity measurements. The scientists recommend that future studies incorporate external reports from family members or clinical diagnostic scales to provide a more definitive picture of a person’s symptom profile.
This spectrum-oriented concept could eventually alter how mental healthcare professionals view and treat cognitive disorders. Rather than waiting for symptoms to cross a strict diagnostic threshold, experts could develop targeted strategies to detect struggling brain functions early in a person’s life. Clinicians could potentially design therapies that optimize how the brain shifts between active focus and passive habit building.
The study, “ADHD-Like Traits Reshape the Balance Between Inhibitory Control and Predictive Processes,” was authored by Karolina Horváth, Bianka Brezóczki, Adrienn Holczer, Teodóra Vékony, and Dezső Németh.
-------------------------------------------------
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 #ADHDtraits #habitlearning #cognitivetradeoff #responseinhibition #automaticprocessing #deliberatecontrol #statisticallearning #prefrontalstriatum # ADHDresearch #neurocognition
-
DATE: July 25, 2026 at 09:00AM
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: People with elevated ADHD traits miss out on an automatic learning advantage, study finds
People with elevated levels of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder traits experience a disruption in the way their brains balance deliberate self-control and automatic habit learning. A recent behavioral experiment found that while weakened mental restraint usually enhances a person’s ability to unconsciously pick up on hidden patterns, this compensatory advantage vanishes in individuals with a high prevalence of ADHD-like symptoms. The research was published in the Journal of Attention Disorders.
Everyday human behavior relies on a continuous negotiation between two different ways of processing information. On one hand, goal-directed control allows individuals to deliberately adapt to new situations. This flexible type of thinking requires heavy mental effort and conscious attention. On the other hand, automatic processing allows people to efficiently perform familiar tasks without much active thought.
These two cognitive mechanisms often compete for mental resources in the brain. The deliberate thinking systems rely heavily on regions within the prefrontal cortex, while automatic habit execution is largely handled by a deeper structure called the striatum. Psychological theories suggest an antagonistic relationship exists between these two networks. When deliberate control is dialed back, the brain can often dedicate more energy to automatic learning.
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, commonly known as ADHD, is frequently characterized by difficulties with goal-directed behavior. A key component of this behavioral struggle is response inhibition. Response inhibition is the psychological ability to stop an inappropriate action once a person feels the initial urge to do it.
ADHD is viewed by many mental health experts not just as a strict diagnosis, but as a collection of behavioral traits that exist along a spectrum in the general population. People can have traits associated with the condition, such as inattentiveness or impulsivity, even if they do not meet the criteria for a formal medical evaluation.
Karolina Horváth, a researcher at the Gran Canaria Cognitive Research Center at Atlántico Medio University in Spain, led a team of cognitive scientists to investigate this phenomenon. Horváth and her colleagues suspected that the presence of ADHD traits might alter the standard give-and-take relationship between deliberate mental control and automatic learning.
To test their hypothesis, the research team recruited 226 university students for a multifaceted online experiment. The participants completed a self-report questionnaire designed to measure their levels of ADHD-like symptoms. The assessment estimated where each person landed on the broader trait spectrum.
The subjects then performed a reaction-time challenge that the researchers called the Cognitive Trade-off Task. During the test, a picture of a dog or a cat appeared on a computer screen in one of four specific positions. Participants were instructed to press a corresponding keyboard button as quickly as possible when a designated target image appeared. This served as the primary action signal.
However, in a small fraction of the trials, the researchers presented an opposing stop signal featuring the alternative animal. Participants had to suppress their urge to press a button and simply wait for the next image. This portion of the test measured response inhibition. People who struggled to withhold their keystrokes during this phase demonstrated weaker inhibitory control.
Hidden within the steady stream of animal pictures was an underlying mathematical sequence. Some image locations alternated with random spots, creating movement patterns that occurred more frequently than others. The participants were not informed about this hidden visual structure.
As the test progressed, participants naturally began reacting faster to the images that followed the hidden sequence. This process, known as statistical learning, is a form of automatic habit formation. The brain absorbs environmental probabilities without any conscious effort.
The scientific data revealed distinct patterns regarding how these cognitive skills interacted across the testing pool. First, the researchers found that participants who reported higher levels of ADHD-like traits were worse at the stop signal portion of the test. This confirmed that an increase in ADHD symptoms correlates with poorer response inhibition.
The team also observed the expected tradeoff between deliberate control and automatic learning in the broader participant pool. Participants who exhibited weaker response inhibition on the stop trials generally reacted much faster to the hidden sequence patterns. Their diminished deliberate control seemingly opened the door for enhanced statistical learning.
Individuals at the higher end of the ADHD trait spectrum deviated from this rule. For participants with the prevalent ADHD-like symptoms, the automatic learning advantage progressively faded away. Even though these individuals had poor response inhibition, their statistical learning did not receive the expected performance boost.
The investigators suspect that a specific behavioral concept from animal observation studies might explain this disconnect. When observing how animals learn to expect food rewards, scientists categorize them into two classes known as goal-trackers and sign-trackers. Goal-trackers focus strictly on the location where the reward will drop.
Sign-trackers become obsessed with the environmental cue itself, like a physical lever they have to press. The researchers suspect that for people with high ADHD traits, the stop signal becomes a similarly magnetic distraction. They cannot resist the urge to cognitively react to the cue, overriding the logical parts of the brain that dictate task strategy. The prominent stimulus disrupts their ability to unconsciously absorb the surrounding positional patterns.
Uncontrolled mind wandering might play an additional role in this cognitive disruption. The spontaneous shift of attention away from a task can interrupt the smooth operation of goal-directed brain functions. This unintentional loss of focus could further explain why the brain fails to latch onto underlying environmental probabilities.
The recent experiment carries a few limitations that add context to the behavioral results. The sample consisted mainly of young, highly educated university students. The study group also featured a heavy imbalance in gender representation, as more than 80 percent of the participants identified as female.
The entire sequence was conducted on personal computers without direct supervision from the scientific team. The scientists note that conducting similar assessments in controlled laboratory environments would help ensure the psychological patterns hold up under strict observation.
Because the experiment relied on self-report questionnaires for evaluating ADHD-like symptoms, subjective bias could have influenced the severity measurements. The scientists recommend that future studies incorporate external reports from family members or clinical diagnostic scales to provide a more definitive picture of a person’s symptom profile.
This spectrum-oriented concept could eventually alter how mental healthcare professionals view and treat cognitive disorders. Rather than waiting for symptoms to cross a strict diagnostic threshold, experts could develop targeted strategies to detect struggling brain functions early in a person’s life. Clinicians could potentially design therapies that optimize how the brain shifts between active focus and passive habit building.
The study, “ADHD-Like Traits Reshape the Balance Between Inhibitory Control and Predictive Processes,” was authored by Karolina Horváth, Bianka Brezóczki, Adrienn Holczer, Teodóra Vékony, and Dezső Németh.
-------------------------------------------------
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 #ADHDtraits #habitlearning #cognitivetradeoff #responseinhibition #automaticprocessing #deliberatecontrol #statisticallearning #prefrontalstriatum # ADHDresearch #neurocognition
-
DATE: July 25, 2026 at 09:00AM
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: People with elevated ADHD traits miss out on an automatic learning advantage, study finds
People with elevated levels of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder traits experience a disruption in the way their brains balance deliberate self-control and automatic habit learning. A recent behavioral experiment found that while weakened mental restraint usually enhances a person’s ability to unconsciously pick up on hidden patterns, this compensatory advantage vanishes in individuals with a high prevalence of ADHD-like symptoms. The research was published in the Journal of Attention Disorders.
Everyday human behavior relies on a continuous negotiation between two different ways of processing information. On one hand, goal-directed control allows individuals to deliberately adapt to new situations. This flexible type of thinking requires heavy mental effort and conscious attention. On the other hand, automatic processing allows people to efficiently perform familiar tasks without much active thought.
These two cognitive mechanisms often compete for mental resources in the brain. The deliberate thinking systems rely heavily on regions within the prefrontal cortex, while automatic habit execution is largely handled by a deeper structure called the striatum. Psychological theories suggest an antagonistic relationship exists between these two networks. When deliberate control is dialed back, the brain can often dedicate more energy to automatic learning.
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, commonly known as ADHD, is frequently characterized by difficulties with goal-directed behavior. A key component of this behavioral struggle is response inhibition. Response inhibition is the psychological ability to stop an inappropriate action once a person feels the initial urge to do it.
ADHD is viewed by many mental health experts not just as a strict diagnosis, but as a collection of behavioral traits that exist along a spectrum in the general population. People can have traits associated with the condition, such as inattentiveness or impulsivity, even if they do not meet the criteria for a formal medical evaluation.
Karolina Horváth, a researcher at the Gran Canaria Cognitive Research Center at Atlántico Medio University in Spain, led a team of cognitive scientists to investigate this phenomenon. Horváth and her colleagues suspected that the presence of ADHD traits might alter the standard give-and-take relationship between deliberate mental control and automatic learning.
To test their hypothesis, the research team recruited 226 university students for a multifaceted online experiment. The participants completed a self-report questionnaire designed to measure their levels of ADHD-like symptoms. The assessment estimated where each person landed on the broader trait spectrum.
The subjects then performed a reaction-time challenge that the researchers called the Cognitive Trade-off Task. During the test, a picture of a dog or a cat appeared on a computer screen in one of four specific positions. Participants were instructed to press a corresponding keyboard button as quickly as possible when a designated target image appeared. This served as the primary action signal.
However, in a small fraction of the trials, the researchers presented an opposing stop signal featuring the alternative animal. Participants had to suppress their urge to press a button and simply wait for the next image. This portion of the test measured response inhibition. People who struggled to withhold their keystrokes during this phase demonstrated weaker inhibitory control.
Hidden within the steady stream of animal pictures was an underlying mathematical sequence. Some image locations alternated with random spots, creating movement patterns that occurred more frequently than others. The participants were not informed about this hidden visual structure.
As the test progressed, participants naturally began reacting faster to the images that followed the hidden sequence. This process, known as statistical learning, is a form of automatic habit formation. The brain absorbs environmental probabilities without any conscious effort.
The scientific data revealed distinct patterns regarding how these cognitive skills interacted across the testing pool. First, the researchers found that participants who reported higher levels of ADHD-like traits were worse at the stop signal portion of the test. This confirmed that an increase in ADHD symptoms correlates with poorer response inhibition.
The team also observed the expected tradeoff between deliberate control and automatic learning in the broader participant pool. Participants who exhibited weaker response inhibition on the stop trials generally reacted much faster to the hidden sequence patterns. Their diminished deliberate control seemingly opened the door for enhanced statistical learning.
Individuals at the higher end of the ADHD trait spectrum deviated from this rule. For participants with the prevalent ADHD-like symptoms, the automatic learning advantage progressively faded away. Even though these individuals had poor response inhibition, their statistical learning did not receive the expected performance boost.
The investigators suspect that a specific behavioral concept from animal observation studies might explain this disconnect. When observing how animals learn to expect food rewards, scientists categorize them into two classes known as goal-trackers and sign-trackers. Goal-trackers focus strictly on the location where the reward will drop.
Sign-trackers become obsessed with the environmental cue itself, like a physical lever they have to press. The researchers suspect that for people with high ADHD traits, the stop signal becomes a similarly magnetic distraction. They cannot resist the urge to cognitively react to the cue, overriding the logical parts of the brain that dictate task strategy. The prominent stimulus disrupts their ability to unconsciously absorb the surrounding positional patterns.
Uncontrolled mind wandering might play an additional role in this cognitive disruption. The spontaneous shift of attention away from a task can interrupt the smooth operation of goal-directed brain functions. This unintentional loss of focus could further explain why the brain fails to latch onto underlying environmental probabilities.
The recent experiment carries a few limitations that add context to the behavioral results. The sample consisted mainly of young, highly educated university students. The study group also featured a heavy imbalance in gender representation, as more than 80 percent of the participants identified as female.
The entire sequence was conducted on personal computers without direct supervision from the scientific team. The scientists note that conducting similar assessments in controlled laboratory environments would help ensure the psychological patterns hold up under strict observation.
Because the experiment relied on self-report questionnaires for evaluating ADHD-like symptoms, subjective bias could have influenced the severity measurements. The scientists recommend that future studies incorporate external reports from family members or clinical diagnostic scales to provide a more definitive picture of a person’s symptom profile.
This spectrum-oriented concept could eventually alter how mental healthcare professionals view and treat cognitive disorders. Rather than waiting for symptoms to cross a strict diagnostic threshold, experts could develop targeted strategies to detect struggling brain functions early in a person’s life. Clinicians could potentially design therapies that optimize how the brain shifts between active focus and passive habit building.
The study, “ADHD-Like Traits Reshape the Balance Between Inhibitory Control and Predictive Processes,” was authored by Karolina Horváth, Bianka Brezóczki, Adrienn Holczer, Teodóra Vékony, and Dezső Németh.
-------------------------------------------------
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 #ADHDtraits #habitlearning #cognitivetradeoff #responseinhibition #automaticprocessing #deliberatecontrol #statisticallearning #prefrontalstriatum # ADHDresearch #neurocognition
-
DATE: July 25, 2026 at 08:00AM
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: Aphantasia is linked to specific face recognition deficits, but matching skills remain intact
People who lack a mind’s eye, a condition known as aphantasia, tend to struggle with recognizing faces. A recent study published in the journal Cortex provides evidence that these individuals have specific difficulties with perceiving and remembering faces, but not with visually matching them. The findings help explain the underlying mechanics of face blindness that many people with aphantasia experience.
Aphantasia is a psychological condition where a person has an absent or severely reduced ability to form visual images in their mind. When someone with typical visual imagery thinks of an apple, they can picture its shape and color. A person with aphantasia cannot produce this mental picture.
This lack of visual imagery suggests possible effects on other cognitive functions. Past research indicates that many people with aphantasia self-report difficulties with facial recognition. Some even meet the criteria for prosopagnosia, which is a neurological condition commonly known as face blindness.
Recognizing a face is not a single, simple action. It relies on a combination of different cognitive processes working together. Breaking down these individual steps helps scientists understand where cognitive deficits originate.
Mirta Stantić, a lecturer at Royal Holloway, University of London, and co-author of the study, explained the motivation behind the research. “We’ve been investigating profiles of face recognition abilities in different populations for years, and have already looked at populations of people who have face blindness, autism, or who are exceptionally good at remembering faces,” Stantić said. “Here, we were interested in figuring out how aphantasia, inability to form mental imagery, influences various phases of face recognition.”
The authors wanted to isolate specific sub-processes. “We wanted to understand whether some steps in this complex mental process are more affected than others, and whether this differs across individuals,” Stantić noted.
The researchers recruited 34 adults with congenital aphantasia, meaning they were born with the condition. They also recruited a control group of 41 adults with typical visual imagery abilities. The participants were roughly matched in age, with an average age of about 40 to 42 years old.
To confirm their group placements, participants completed the Vividness of Visual Imagery Questionnaire. This assessment asks people to rate the vividness of the mental images they can produce. People scoring very low were placed in the aphantasia group, and those scoring high were placed in the typical imagery group.
To test face matching and face perception, the participants completed the Oxford Face Matching Test. During this task, individuals saw 200 pairs of faces shown on a computer screen for just over one and a half seconds each. Half of the pairs showed two different photos of the same person, and half showed photos of two different people.
Participants first had to decide if the two faces belonged to the same person or different people. Then, they rated how perceptually similar the two faces looked on a scale from zero to one hundred. These ratings helped separate their basic decision-making from their visual perception.
To get a pure measurement of face perception, the scientists used a novel analytical strategy. They compared the human participants’ similarity ratings to similarity scores generated by three highly advanced facial recognition computer algorithms. If a participant’s rating deviated heavily from the computer algorithm’s objective rating, it indicated lower face perception abilities.
Next, the scientists tested face memory using the Cambridge Face Memory Test. In this assessment, participants learned to recognize six novel faces. They then had to identify these target faces among distractors across 72 trials, with the test growing progressively harder as the imagery changed.
The memory test is divided into three stages. The first stage presents faces with identical lighting and viewpoints. The later stages introduce drastic changes in how the faces are illuminated and oriented, forcing the brain to rely on a deep memory of the facial structure rather than a simple snapshot.
The researchers also asked participants to complete self-report surveys about their face recognition abilities in daily life. This included a twenty-item survey that asked them to rate statements about struggling to recognize classmates or friends. Finally, they conducted a visual acuity task where participants read shrinking rows of letters to ensure basic eyesight differences did not affect the outcomes.
The data showed that individuals with aphantasia reported much higher levels of face recognition difficulty in their everyday lives. About 26 percent of the aphantasia group scored above the strict threshold for face blindness on their self-report surveys. None of the typical imagers met this threshold.
Basic eyesight did not differ between the two groups on the visual acuity task. In addition, the participants completed a survey designed to measure autistic traits in adults. The researchers did not find a statistically significant difference in autistic traits between the aphantasia group and the control group, though the aphantasia group trended slightly higher.
The aphantasia group showed a noticeable impairment in face perception. Their similarity ratings on the paired face task deviated significantly more from the objective computer algorithm scores. This suggests that their basic perceptual processing of complex facial features is less precise.
This finding was somewhat unexpected based on past literature. “Some earlier research has suggested that visual perception is largely intact in aphantasia, but we found that participants with it were less accurate at perceptual face tasks,” Stantić told PsyPost. She suggested this might be because faces are highly complex visual stimuli.
“Additionally, this task required participants to make a judgment in a relatively short period of time and was designed to be challenging,” she added.
When it came to basic face matching, the aphantasia group performed just as well as the typical imagers. Both groups were equally accurate at deciding if two side-by-side photos showed the same person.
“Perhaps you would expect that, given difficulties in face perception and face memory, people with aphantasia would also struggle to accurately do face matching tasks,” Stantić said. “However, our results suggest that’s not the case.”
“Interestingly, their ability to disambiguate between two photographs (whether they show the same person or different people) is intact once we take into account their perceptual difficulties,” she noted.
To separate these intertwined skills, the researchers used statistical regression models. They were able to isolate memory performance by mathematically removing the influence of a person’s matching and perception scores. This allowed them to see the true, independent contribution of face memory.
The aphantasia group scored significantly lower on the memory test. Even after factoring out perception and matching abilities, the individuals with aphantasia still exhibited worse face memory than the control group.
“Aphantasia does not appear to cause a general inability to process faces, but people with aphantasia do have more difficulties with faces, as you would expect,” Stantić said.
“More broadly, this underscores the importance of understanding that face recognition is not a singular skill,” she added. “People can struggle with (or excel at) different aspects of this ability.”
One potential misinterpretation of this study is the assumption that all people with aphantasia have severe, clinical face blindness. The data shows that the majority of participants with aphantasia did not score low enough on the objective memory tests to be formally classified as having prosopagnosia. Their performance was simply weaker on average compared to typical imagers.
“Sometimes people think that folks with aphantasia have the same difficulties as people with prosopagnosia (who are often referred to as “face blind”) but this is not the case,” Stantić said. “There are distinct differences between the two populations and they face unique challenges.”
“Our data confirm this, as only about 10 percent of this sample with aphantasia scored clinically low on standard tests for prosopagnosia, clearly separating these samples,” Stantić explained. “The important thing to remember, therefore, is that there are subtle but crucial differences in experiences of people with aphantasia and prosopagnosia.”
The study also raises questions about exactly how visual imagery relates to perception. The authors note that mentally building a three-dimensional representation of a face from a two-dimensional photograph might require some level of mental imagery. It remains unknown if visual imagery is strictly necessary for face memory, or if the two functions merely rely on shared brain networks.
Future research could explore whether different subtypes of aphantasia exist. The researchers also hope to expand this work to other age groups. “In the future, we want to use this knowledge to understand how these abilities develop, or fail to develop, particularly in children of typical and atypical development,” Stantić said.
By using the new computer algorithm approach, the scientists can measure facial processing skills with greater precision. “This allows us to get a lot more targeted and precise with attempts to help those who have a hard time remembering faces,” she added. “We are hoping, in the long run, to develop programs that could help train people with difficulties.”
Gathering personal stories is a big part of that next step. “We are incredibly keen to hear from people with difficulties recognizing or remembering faces in everyday life or parents who think their children might be having a hard time with this,” Stantić said.
“First-hand accounts help us understand the range of experiences that may be missed by standard laboratory tests,” she explained. “These stories can directly inform the questions we investigate, as well as allow us to deliver targeted interventions.”
“If you want to be kept in touch with our research or potentially take part (we can come to you or often test remotely!), please contact us: mirtastantic.com.”
The study, “Individuals with aphantasia show independent impairments in face perception and face memory, but not face matching,” was authored by Zoë Pounder, Mirta Stantić, Reshanne Reeder, Caroline Catmur, and Geoffrey Bird.
-------------------------------------------------
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 #Aphantasia #FaceRecognition #Prosopagnosia #FacePerception #FaceMemory #VisualImagery #CortexStudy #CambridgeFaceMemoryTest #OxfordFaceMatchingTest #NeuroscienceResearch
-
DATE: July 25, 2026 at 08:00AM
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: Aphantasia is linked to specific face recognition deficits, but matching skills remain intact
People who lack a mind’s eye, a condition known as aphantasia, tend to struggle with recognizing faces. A recent study published in the journal Cortex provides evidence that these individuals have specific difficulties with perceiving and remembering faces, but not with visually matching them. The findings help explain the underlying mechanics of face blindness that many people with aphantasia experience.
Aphantasia is a psychological condition where a person has an absent or severely reduced ability to form visual images in their mind. When someone with typical visual imagery thinks of an apple, they can picture its shape and color. A person with aphantasia cannot produce this mental picture.
This lack of visual imagery suggests possible effects on other cognitive functions. Past research indicates that many people with aphantasia self-report difficulties with facial recognition. Some even meet the criteria for prosopagnosia, which is a neurological condition commonly known as face blindness.
Recognizing a face is not a single, simple action. It relies on a combination of different cognitive processes working together. Breaking down these individual steps helps scientists understand where cognitive deficits originate.
Mirta Stantić, a lecturer at Royal Holloway, University of London, and co-author of the study, explained the motivation behind the research. “We’ve been investigating profiles of face recognition abilities in different populations for years, and have already looked at populations of people who have face blindness, autism, or who are exceptionally good at remembering faces,” Stantić said. “Here, we were interested in figuring out how aphantasia, inability to form mental imagery, influences various phases of face recognition.”
The authors wanted to isolate specific sub-processes. “We wanted to understand whether some steps in this complex mental process are more affected than others, and whether this differs across individuals,” Stantić noted.
The researchers recruited 34 adults with congenital aphantasia, meaning they were born with the condition. They also recruited a control group of 41 adults with typical visual imagery abilities. The participants were roughly matched in age, with an average age of about 40 to 42 years old.
To confirm their group placements, participants completed the Vividness of Visual Imagery Questionnaire. This assessment asks people to rate the vividness of the mental images they can produce. People scoring very low were placed in the aphantasia group, and those scoring high were placed in the typical imagery group.
To test face matching and face perception, the participants completed the Oxford Face Matching Test. During this task, individuals saw 200 pairs of faces shown on a computer screen for just over one and a half seconds each. Half of the pairs showed two different photos of the same person, and half showed photos of two different people.
Participants first had to decide if the two faces belonged to the same person or different people. Then, they rated how perceptually similar the two faces looked on a scale from zero to one hundred. These ratings helped separate their basic decision-making from their visual perception.
To get a pure measurement of face perception, the scientists used a novel analytical strategy. They compared the human participants’ similarity ratings to similarity scores generated by three highly advanced facial recognition computer algorithms. If a participant’s rating deviated heavily from the computer algorithm’s objective rating, it indicated lower face perception abilities.
Next, the scientists tested face memory using the Cambridge Face Memory Test. In this assessment, participants learned to recognize six novel faces. They then had to identify these target faces among distractors across 72 trials, with the test growing progressively harder as the imagery changed.
The memory test is divided into three stages. The first stage presents faces with identical lighting and viewpoints. The later stages introduce drastic changes in how the faces are illuminated and oriented, forcing the brain to rely on a deep memory of the facial structure rather than a simple snapshot.
The researchers also asked participants to complete self-report surveys about their face recognition abilities in daily life. This included a twenty-item survey that asked them to rate statements about struggling to recognize classmates or friends. Finally, they conducted a visual acuity task where participants read shrinking rows of letters to ensure basic eyesight differences did not affect the outcomes.
The data showed that individuals with aphantasia reported much higher levels of face recognition difficulty in their everyday lives. About 26 percent of the aphantasia group scored above the strict threshold for face blindness on their self-report surveys. None of the typical imagers met this threshold.
Basic eyesight did not differ between the two groups on the visual acuity task. In addition, the participants completed a survey designed to measure autistic traits in adults. The researchers did not find a statistically significant difference in autistic traits between the aphantasia group and the control group, though the aphantasia group trended slightly higher.
The aphantasia group showed a noticeable impairment in face perception. Their similarity ratings on the paired face task deviated significantly more from the objective computer algorithm scores. This suggests that their basic perceptual processing of complex facial features is less precise.
This finding was somewhat unexpected based on past literature. “Some earlier research has suggested that visual perception is largely intact in aphantasia, but we found that participants with it were less accurate at perceptual face tasks,” Stantić told PsyPost. She suggested this might be because faces are highly complex visual stimuli.
“Additionally, this task required participants to make a judgment in a relatively short period of time and was designed to be challenging,” she added.
When it came to basic face matching, the aphantasia group performed just as well as the typical imagers. Both groups were equally accurate at deciding if two side-by-side photos showed the same person.
“Perhaps you would expect that, given difficulties in face perception and face memory, people with aphantasia would also struggle to accurately do face matching tasks,” Stantić said. “However, our results suggest that’s not the case.”
“Interestingly, their ability to disambiguate between two photographs (whether they show the same person or different people) is intact once we take into account their perceptual difficulties,” she noted.
To separate these intertwined skills, the researchers used statistical regression models. They were able to isolate memory performance by mathematically removing the influence of a person’s matching and perception scores. This allowed them to see the true, independent contribution of face memory.
The aphantasia group scored significantly lower on the memory test. Even after factoring out perception and matching abilities, the individuals with aphantasia still exhibited worse face memory than the control group.
“Aphantasia does not appear to cause a general inability to process faces, but people with aphantasia do have more difficulties with faces, as you would expect,” Stantić said.
“More broadly, this underscores the importance of understanding that face recognition is not a singular skill,” she added. “People can struggle with (or excel at) different aspects of this ability.”
One potential misinterpretation of this study is the assumption that all people with aphantasia have severe, clinical face blindness. The data shows that the majority of participants with aphantasia did not score low enough on the objective memory tests to be formally classified as having prosopagnosia. Their performance was simply weaker on average compared to typical imagers.
“Sometimes people think that folks with aphantasia have the same difficulties as people with prosopagnosia (who are often referred to as “face blind”) but this is not the case,” Stantić said. “There are distinct differences between the two populations and they face unique challenges.”
“Our data confirm this, as only about 10 percent of this sample with aphantasia scored clinically low on standard tests for prosopagnosia, clearly separating these samples,” Stantić explained. “The important thing to remember, therefore, is that there are subtle but crucial differences in experiences of people with aphantasia and prosopagnosia.”
The study also raises questions about exactly how visual imagery relates to perception. The authors note that mentally building a three-dimensional representation of a face from a two-dimensional photograph might require some level of mental imagery. It remains unknown if visual imagery is strictly necessary for face memory, or if the two functions merely rely on shared brain networks.
Future research could explore whether different subtypes of aphantasia exist. The researchers also hope to expand this work to other age groups. “In the future, we want to use this knowledge to understand how these abilities develop, or fail to develop, particularly in children of typical and atypical development,” Stantić said.
By using the new computer algorithm approach, the scientists can measure facial processing skills with greater precision. “This allows us to get a lot more targeted and precise with attempts to help those who have a hard time remembering faces,” she added. “We are hoping, in the long run, to develop programs that could help train people with difficulties.”
Gathering personal stories is a big part of that next step. “We are incredibly keen to hear from people with difficulties recognizing or remembering faces in everyday life or parents who think their children might be having a hard time with this,” Stantić said.
“First-hand accounts help us understand the range of experiences that may be missed by standard laboratory tests,” she explained. “These stories can directly inform the questions we investigate, as well as allow us to deliver targeted interventions.”
“If you want to be kept in touch with our research or potentially take part (we can come to you or often test remotely!), please contact us: mirtastantic.com.”
The study, “Individuals with aphantasia show independent impairments in face perception and face memory, but not face matching,” was authored by Zoë Pounder, Mirta Stantić, Reshanne Reeder, Caroline Catmur, and Geoffrey Bird.
-------------------------------------------------
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 #Aphantasia #FaceRecognition #Prosopagnosia #FacePerception #FaceMemory #VisualImagery #CortexStudy #CambridgeFaceMemoryTest #OxfordFaceMatchingTest #NeuroscienceResearch
-
DATE: July 25, 2026 at 08:00AM
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: Aphantasia is linked to specific face recognition deficits, but matching skills remain intact
People who lack a mind’s eye, a condition known as aphantasia, tend to struggle with recognizing faces. A recent study published in the journal Cortex provides evidence that these individuals have specific difficulties with perceiving and remembering faces, but not with visually matching them. The findings help explain the underlying mechanics of face blindness that many people with aphantasia experience.
Aphantasia is a psychological condition where a person has an absent or severely reduced ability to form visual images in their mind. When someone with typical visual imagery thinks of an apple, they can picture its shape and color. A person with aphantasia cannot produce this mental picture.
This lack of visual imagery suggests possible effects on other cognitive functions. Past research indicates that many people with aphantasia self-report difficulties with facial recognition. Some even meet the criteria for prosopagnosia, which is a neurological condition commonly known as face blindness.
Recognizing a face is not a single, simple action. It relies on a combination of different cognitive processes working together. Breaking down these individual steps helps scientists understand where cognitive deficits originate.
Mirta Stantić, a lecturer at Royal Holloway, University of London, and co-author of the study, explained the motivation behind the research. “We’ve been investigating profiles of face recognition abilities in different populations for years, and have already looked at populations of people who have face blindness, autism, or who are exceptionally good at remembering faces,” Stantić said. “Here, we were interested in figuring out how aphantasia, inability to form mental imagery, influences various phases of face recognition.”
The authors wanted to isolate specific sub-processes. “We wanted to understand whether some steps in this complex mental process are more affected than others, and whether this differs across individuals,” Stantić noted.
The researchers recruited 34 adults with congenital aphantasia, meaning they were born with the condition. They also recruited a control group of 41 adults with typical visual imagery abilities. The participants were roughly matched in age, with an average age of about 40 to 42 years old.
To confirm their group placements, participants completed the Vividness of Visual Imagery Questionnaire. This assessment asks people to rate the vividness of the mental images they can produce. People scoring very low were placed in the aphantasia group, and those scoring high were placed in the typical imagery group.
To test face matching and face perception, the participants completed the Oxford Face Matching Test. During this task, individuals saw 200 pairs of faces shown on a computer screen for just over one and a half seconds each. Half of the pairs showed two different photos of the same person, and half showed photos of two different people.
Participants first had to decide if the two faces belonged to the same person or different people. Then, they rated how perceptually similar the two faces looked on a scale from zero to one hundred. These ratings helped separate their basic decision-making from their visual perception.
To get a pure measurement of face perception, the scientists used a novel analytical strategy. They compared the human participants’ similarity ratings to similarity scores generated by three highly advanced facial recognition computer algorithms. If a participant’s rating deviated heavily from the computer algorithm’s objective rating, it indicated lower face perception abilities.
Next, the scientists tested face memory using the Cambridge Face Memory Test. In this assessment, participants learned to recognize six novel faces. They then had to identify these target faces among distractors across 72 trials, with the test growing progressively harder as the imagery changed.
The memory test is divided into three stages. The first stage presents faces with identical lighting and viewpoints. The later stages introduce drastic changes in how the faces are illuminated and oriented, forcing the brain to rely on a deep memory of the facial structure rather than a simple snapshot.
The researchers also asked participants to complete self-report surveys about their face recognition abilities in daily life. This included a twenty-item survey that asked them to rate statements about struggling to recognize classmates or friends. Finally, they conducted a visual acuity task where participants read shrinking rows of letters to ensure basic eyesight differences did not affect the outcomes.
The data showed that individuals with aphantasia reported much higher levels of face recognition difficulty in their everyday lives. About 26 percent of the aphantasia group scored above the strict threshold for face blindness on their self-report surveys. None of the typical imagers met this threshold.
Basic eyesight did not differ between the two groups on the visual acuity task. In addition, the participants completed a survey designed to measure autistic traits in adults. The researchers did not find a statistically significant difference in autistic traits between the aphantasia group and the control group, though the aphantasia group trended slightly higher.
The aphantasia group showed a noticeable impairment in face perception. Their similarity ratings on the paired face task deviated significantly more from the objective computer algorithm scores. This suggests that their basic perceptual processing of complex facial features is less precise.
This finding was somewhat unexpected based on past literature. “Some earlier research has suggested that visual perception is largely intact in aphantasia, but we found that participants with it were less accurate at perceptual face tasks,” Stantić told PsyPost. She suggested this might be because faces are highly complex visual stimuli.
“Additionally, this task required participants to make a judgment in a relatively short period of time and was designed to be challenging,” she added.
When it came to basic face matching, the aphantasia group performed just as well as the typical imagers. Both groups were equally accurate at deciding if two side-by-side photos showed the same person.
“Perhaps you would expect that, given difficulties in face perception and face memory, people with aphantasia would also struggle to accurately do face matching tasks,” Stantić said. “However, our results suggest that’s not the case.”
“Interestingly, their ability to disambiguate between two photographs (whether they show the same person or different people) is intact once we take into account their perceptual difficulties,” she noted.
To separate these intertwined skills, the researchers used statistical regression models. They were able to isolate memory performance by mathematically removing the influence of a person’s matching and perception scores. This allowed them to see the true, independent contribution of face memory.
The aphantasia group scored significantly lower on the memory test. Even after factoring out perception and matching abilities, the individuals with aphantasia still exhibited worse face memory than the control group.
“Aphantasia does not appear to cause a general inability to process faces, but people with aphantasia do have more difficulties with faces, as you would expect,” Stantić said.
“More broadly, this underscores the importance of understanding that face recognition is not a singular skill,” she added. “People can struggle with (or excel at) different aspects of this ability.”
One potential misinterpretation of this study is the assumption that all people with aphantasia have severe, clinical face blindness. The data shows that the majority of participants with aphantasia did not score low enough on the objective memory tests to be formally classified as having prosopagnosia. Their performance was simply weaker on average compared to typical imagers.
“Sometimes people think that folks with aphantasia have the same difficulties as people with prosopagnosia (who are often referred to as “face blind”) but this is not the case,” Stantić said. “There are distinct differences between the two populations and they face unique challenges.”
“Our data confirm this, as only about 10 percent of this sample with aphantasia scored clinically low on standard tests for prosopagnosia, clearly separating these samples,” Stantić explained. “The important thing to remember, therefore, is that there are subtle but crucial differences in experiences of people with aphantasia and prosopagnosia.”
The study also raises questions about exactly how visual imagery relates to perception. The authors note that mentally building a three-dimensional representation of a face from a two-dimensional photograph might require some level of mental imagery. It remains unknown if visual imagery is strictly necessary for face memory, or if the two functions merely rely on shared brain networks.
Future research could explore whether different subtypes of aphantasia exist. The researchers also hope to expand this work to other age groups. “In the future, we want to use this knowledge to understand how these abilities develop, or fail to develop, particularly in children of typical and atypical development,” Stantić said.
By using the new computer algorithm approach, the scientists can measure facial processing skills with greater precision. “This allows us to get a lot more targeted and precise with attempts to help those who have a hard time remembering faces,” she added. “We are hoping, in the long run, to develop programs that could help train people with difficulties.”
Gathering personal stories is a big part of that next step. “We are incredibly keen to hear from people with difficulties recognizing or remembering faces in everyday life or parents who think their children might be having a hard time with this,” Stantić said.
“First-hand accounts help us understand the range of experiences that may be missed by standard laboratory tests,” she explained. “These stories can directly inform the questions we investigate, as well as allow us to deliver targeted interventions.”
“If you want to be kept in touch with our research or potentially take part (we can come to you or often test remotely!), please contact us: mirtastantic.com.”
The study, “Individuals with aphantasia show independent impairments in face perception and face memory, but not face matching,” was authored by Zoë Pounder, Mirta Stantić, Reshanne Reeder, Caroline Catmur, and Geoffrey Bird.
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DATE: July 25, 2026 at 07:00AM
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: People with a genetic risk for depression struggle most in the years before a breakup
A study in Finland found that people with a higher genetic propensity for depression tend to buy more antidepressants in the years preceding the dissolution of a romantic partnership union (likely the most conflictual relationship period). Interestingly, only women showed a short-term increase in antidepressant use following union *formation*. The paper was published in the Journal of Marriage and Family.
Romantic relationships can be an important source of emotional security, companionship, and support. However, they can also become a major source of stress. Partners continuously influence one another through communication, emotional reactions, expectations, and everyday behavior. When one person experiences anxiety, depression, or another psychological difficulty, its effects tend to extend beyond the individual and shape the relationship as a whole. At the same time, relationship conflict, rejection, insecurity, or a lack of emotional support can contribute to the development or worsening of mental health problems.
Researchers increasingly view romantic partners as part of an interconnected system rather than as two completely independent individuals. Patterns such as criticism, withdrawal, excessive reassurance seeking, emotional dependence, and poor conflict resolution can reinforce distress in both partners. In contrast, empathy, trust, responsive communication, and constructive problem-solving can protect psychological well-being and help couples cope with adversity.
Attachment styles, personality traits, emotion regulation, and previous relationship experiences all influence how partners interpret and respond to one another. These dynamics can create positive cycles of mutual support or negative cycles in which distress and relationship difficulties repeatedly intensify each other.
Philipp Dierker, a researcher at the Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, and colleagues investigated whether mental health trajectories around the formation and dissolution of romantic partnership unions depend on the genetic propensity for depression.
They hypothesized that individuals with a higher genetic propensity for depression would show a stronger increase in antidepressant purchasing (and therefore use) after the dissolution of a romantic partnership. They also hypothesized that these individuals would increase antidepressant purchasing after a romantic partnership union is formed and that these tendencies would be more pronounced among women than among men.
Study authors analyzed data from the FINRISK study collected between 1992 and 2012, as well as the Health 2000 and 2011 surveys administered by the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare Biobank. The FINRISK surveys conducted health examinations of individuals aged 25–74 years residing in seven specific geographical areas in Finland. All surveys were designed to gather representative samples of the Finnish population.
Study authors paired this data with information from several Finnish national registers. Data from registers included partnership status, antidepressant purchasing, education, and age.
For this analysis, study authors used data from 36,961 individuals for whom both genetic and register information were available. The study looked at the period between 1997 and 2019. During this period, 7,888 of these individuals experienced the formation of a romantic partnership union, and 7,375 experienced union dissolution. The researchers analyzed antidepressant purchasing patterns ranging from five years before to five years after a relationship transition.
Results showed that 7.7% of study participants purchased antidepressants in the year they formed a romantic union. Meanwhile, 14% purchased antidepressants in the year their union dissolved.
Individuals with a higher genetic propensity for depression showed increased purchasing of antidepressants four to five years preceding union dissolution, tapering off closer to the event and disappearing afterward. The study authors explain that this suggests the period leading up to separation is likely the most conflictual and stressful. Those with a genetic vulnerability to depression may be more sensitive to this relationship decline.
Following union formation, women with a higher genetic propensity for depression showed a short-term increase in antidepressant purchasing, while men showed no gene-environment interaction. This finding contradicts the theory that forming a union broadly improves mental health for genetically vulnerable people. However, the authors note that the start of a new union may prompt a partner to encourage the other to seek help or continue an existing prescription, which could explain the increase.
“Findings highlight the importance of the anticipatory period before separation as a window of heightened vulnerability shaped by genetic predispositions, while showing little evidence that genetic predisposition moderates responses to both partnership transitions,” the study authors concluded.
The study contributes to the scientific understanding of the links between romantic partnership dynamics and mental health. However, using antidepressant purchases as a proxy for mental health is a limitation, as antidepressants are also prescribed for anxiety, sleep problems, and chronic pain, meaning the study captures a broader set of stress-related responses rather than just clinical depression.
Additionally, the study was observational, meaning it cannot rule out reverse causality—that depression may have caused the relationship conflict that led to the breakup, rather than the conflict causing the depression. It should also be noted that study participants were exclusively residents of Finland, and results may differ in other cultural groups.
The paper, “Do Genetics Shape Mental Health Trajectories Around Partnership Transitions?”, was authored by Philipp Dierker, Maria Gueltzow, Hannu Lahtinen, Mine Kühn, Pekka Martikainen, and Mikko Myrskylä.
-------------------------------------------------
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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 #GeneticsAndDepression #MentalHealthResearch #RomanticRelationships #AntidepressantsUsage #DepressionRisk #PartnershipTransitions #WomenMentalHealth #GeneticPropensity #FinlandStudy #RelationshipStress
-
DATE: July 25, 2026 at 07:00AM
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: People with a genetic risk for depression struggle most in the years before a breakup
A study in Finland found that people with a higher genetic propensity for depression tend to buy more antidepressants in the years preceding the dissolution of a romantic partnership union (likely the most conflictual relationship period). Interestingly, only women showed a short-term increase in antidepressant use following union *formation*. The paper was published in the Journal of Marriage and Family.
Romantic relationships can be an important source of emotional security, companionship, and support. However, they can also become a major source of stress. Partners continuously influence one another through communication, emotional reactions, expectations, and everyday behavior. When one person experiences anxiety, depression, or another psychological difficulty, its effects tend to extend beyond the individual and shape the relationship as a whole. At the same time, relationship conflict, rejection, insecurity, or a lack of emotional support can contribute to the development or worsening of mental health problems.
Researchers increasingly view romantic partners as part of an interconnected system rather than as two completely independent individuals. Patterns such as criticism, withdrawal, excessive reassurance seeking, emotional dependence, and poor conflict resolution can reinforce distress in both partners. In contrast, empathy, trust, responsive communication, and constructive problem-solving can protect psychological well-being and help couples cope with adversity.
Attachment styles, personality traits, emotion regulation, and previous relationship experiences all influence how partners interpret and respond to one another. These dynamics can create positive cycles of mutual support or negative cycles in which distress and relationship difficulties repeatedly intensify each other.
Philipp Dierker, a researcher at the Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, and colleagues investigated whether mental health trajectories around the formation and dissolution of romantic partnership unions depend on the genetic propensity for depression.
They hypothesized that individuals with a higher genetic propensity for depression would show a stronger increase in antidepressant purchasing (and therefore use) after the dissolution of a romantic partnership. They also hypothesized that these individuals would increase antidepressant purchasing after a romantic partnership union is formed and that these tendencies would be more pronounced among women than among men.
Study authors analyzed data from the FINRISK study collected between 1992 and 2012, as well as the Health 2000 and 2011 surveys administered by the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare Biobank. The FINRISK surveys conducted health examinations of individuals aged 25–74 years residing in seven specific geographical areas in Finland. All surveys were designed to gather representative samples of the Finnish population.
Study authors paired this data with information from several Finnish national registers. Data from registers included partnership status, antidepressant purchasing, education, and age.
For this analysis, study authors used data from 36,961 individuals for whom both genetic and register information were available. The study looked at the period between 1997 and 2019. During this period, 7,888 of these individuals experienced the formation of a romantic partnership union, and 7,375 experienced union dissolution. The researchers analyzed antidepressant purchasing patterns ranging from five years before to five years after a relationship transition.
Results showed that 7.7% of study participants purchased antidepressants in the year they formed a romantic union. Meanwhile, 14% purchased antidepressants in the year their union dissolved.
Individuals with a higher genetic propensity for depression showed increased purchasing of antidepressants four to five years preceding union dissolution, tapering off closer to the event and disappearing afterward. The study authors explain that this suggests the period leading up to separation is likely the most conflictual and stressful. Those with a genetic vulnerability to depression may be more sensitive to this relationship decline.
Following union formation, women with a higher genetic propensity for depression showed a short-term increase in antidepressant purchasing, while men showed no gene-environment interaction. This finding contradicts the theory that forming a union broadly improves mental health for genetically vulnerable people. However, the authors note that the start of a new union may prompt a partner to encourage the other to seek help or continue an existing prescription, which could explain the increase.
“Findings highlight the importance of the anticipatory period before separation as a window of heightened vulnerability shaped by genetic predispositions, while showing little evidence that genetic predisposition moderates responses to both partnership transitions,” the study authors concluded.
The study contributes to the scientific understanding of the links between romantic partnership dynamics and mental health. However, using antidepressant purchases as a proxy for mental health is a limitation, as antidepressants are also prescribed for anxiety, sleep problems, and chronic pain, meaning the study captures a broader set of stress-related responses rather than just clinical depression.
Additionally, the study was observational, meaning it cannot rule out reverse causality—that depression may have caused the relationship conflict that led to the breakup, rather than the conflict causing the depression. It should also be noted that study participants were exclusively residents of Finland, and results may differ in other cultural groups.
The paper, “Do Genetics Shape Mental Health Trajectories Around Partnership Transitions?”, was authored by Philipp Dierker, Maria Gueltzow, Hannu Lahtinen, Mine Kühn, Pekka Martikainen, and Mikko Myrskylä.
-------------------------------------------------
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 #GeneticsAndDepression #MentalHealthResearch #RomanticRelationships #AntidepressantsUsage #DepressionRisk #PartnershipTransitions #WomenMentalHealth #GeneticPropensity #FinlandStudy #RelationshipStress
-
DATE: July 25, 2026 at 07:00AM
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: People with a genetic risk for depression struggle most in the years before a breakup
A study in Finland found that people with a higher genetic propensity for depression tend to buy more antidepressants in the years preceding the dissolution of a romantic partnership union (likely the most conflictual relationship period). Interestingly, only women showed a short-term increase in antidepressant use following union *formation*. The paper was published in the Journal of Marriage and Family.
Romantic relationships can be an important source of emotional security, companionship, and support. However, they can also become a major source of stress. Partners continuously influence one another through communication, emotional reactions, expectations, and everyday behavior. When one person experiences anxiety, depression, or another psychological difficulty, its effects tend to extend beyond the individual and shape the relationship as a whole. At the same time, relationship conflict, rejection, insecurity, or a lack of emotional support can contribute to the development or worsening of mental health problems.
Researchers increasingly view romantic partners as part of an interconnected system rather than as two completely independent individuals. Patterns such as criticism, withdrawal, excessive reassurance seeking, emotional dependence, and poor conflict resolution can reinforce distress in both partners. In contrast, empathy, trust, responsive communication, and constructive problem-solving can protect psychological well-being and help couples cope with adversity.
Attachment styles, personality traits, emotion regulation, and previous relationship experiences all influence how partners interpret and respond to one another. These dynamics can create positive cycles of mutual support or negative cycles in which distress and relationship difficulties repeatedly intensify each other.
Philipp Dierker, a researcher at the Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, and colleagues investigated whether mental health trajectories around the formation and dissolution of romantic partnership unions depend on the genetic propensity for depression.
They hypothesized that individuals with a higher genetic propensity for depression would show a stronger increase in antidepressant purchasing (and therefore use) after the dissolution of a romantic partnership. They also hypothesized that these individuals would increase antidepressant purchasing after a romantic partnership union is formed and that these tendencies would be more pronounced among women than among men.
Study authors analyzed data from the FINRISK study collected between 1992 and 2012, as well as the Health 2000 and 2011 surveys administered by the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare Biobank. The FINRISK surveys conducted health examinations of individuals aged 25–74 years residing in seven specific geographical areas in Finland. All surveys were designed to gather representative samples of the Finnish population.
Study authors paired this data with information from several Finnish national registers. Data from registers included partnership status, antidepressant purchasing, education, and age.
For this analysis, study authors used data from 36,961 individuals for whom both genetic and register information were available. The study looked at the period between 1997 and 2019. During this period, 7,888 of these individuals experienced the formation of a romantic partnership union, and 7,375 experienced union dissolution. The researchers analyzed antidepressant purchasing patterns ranging from five years before to five years after a relationship transition.
Results showed that 7.7% of study participants purchased antidepressants in the year they formed a romantic union. Meanwhile, 14% purchased antidepressants in the year their union dissolved.
Individuals with a higher genetic propensity for depression showed increased purchasing of antidepressants four to five years preceding union dissolution, tapering off closer to the event and disappearing afterward. The study authors explain that this suggests the period leading up to separation is likely the most conflictual and stressful. Those with a genetic vulnerability to depression may be more sensitive to this relationship decline.
Following union formation, women with a higher genetic propensity for depression showed a short-term increase in antidepressant purchasing, while men showed no gene-environment interaction. This finding contradicts the theory that forming a union broadly improves mental health for genetically vulnerable people. However, the authors note that the start of a new union may prompt a partner to encourage the other to seek help or continue an existing prescription, which could explain the increase.
“Findings highlight the importance of the anticipatory period before separation as a window of heightened vulnerability shaped by genetic predispositions, while showing little evidence that genetic predisposition moderates responses to both partnership transitions,” the study authors concluded.
The study contributes to the scientific understanding of the links between romantic partnership dynamics and mental health. However, using antidepressant purchases as a proxy for mental health is a limitation, as antidepressants are also prescribed for anxiety, sleep problems, and chronic pain, meaning the study captures a broader set of stress-related responses rather than just clinical depression.
Additionally, the study was observational, meaning it cannot rule out reverse causality—that depression may have caused the relationship conflict that led to the breakup, rather than the conflict causing the depression. It should also be noted that study participants were exclusively residents of Finland, and results may differ in other cultural groups.
The paper, “Do Genetics Shape Mental Health Trajectories Around Partnership Transitions?”, was authored by Philipp Dierker, Maria Gueltzow, Hannu Lahtinen, Mine Kühn, Pekka Martikainen, and Mikko Myrskylä.
-------------------------------------------------
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 #GeneticsAndDepression #MentalHealthResearch #RomanticRelationships #AntidepressantsUsage #DepressionRisk #PartnershipTransitions #WomenMentalHealth #GeneticPropensity #FinlandStudy #RelationshipStress
-
DATE: July 25, 2026 at 06:00AM
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: Scientists just settled a decades-old debate about the brain’s mirror neurons
A new study published in Science Advances provides evidence that special brain cells called mirror neurons track the continuous, physical movements of actions, rather than just the final goal. The findings suggest that the brain uses a dynamic, shared network of neurons to understand what others are doing by matching their movements to our own internal blueprints.
The premotor cortex is a region near the front of the brain that helps plan and coordinate physical movements. Within this region, certain brain cells fire both when an animal performs an action and when it watches someone else perform the same action. These special cells are known as mirror neurons.
Since their discovery, experts have debated exactly what kind of information these cells represent. Some scientists propose that mirror neurons focus on the abstract goal of an action, such as grasping an object to eat it or move it. This perspective suggests that the brain is interested in the final outcome rather than the physical effort required to get there.
Vassilis Raos, professor of physiology at the University of Crete Medical School and co-author of the study, noted that past research offered an inconsistent view of how these cells match actions. “At the same time, the ‘goal’ these neurons are claimed to encode has been loosely defined, and there is limited direct evidence about precisely what they represent,” Raos said. “We therefore revisited an important possibility that had not been adequately tested: that mirror-neuron activity reflects detailed kinematics, meaning how a movement unfolds through space and time, during both action execution and observation.”
Raos explained that this idea gained traction after his team’s previous work showed mirror neurons respond to actions that do not involve objects. “This possibility became especially plausible after our previous study showed that a large majority of mirror neurons also respond to the observation of intransitive, or non-object-directed, actions, not only to transitive, object-directed actions,” he said.
Other scientists propose that these cells encode the specific static grip used, like a tight pinch or a wide, whole-hand grab. Another possibility is that mirror neurons track action kinematics. Kinematics refers to the continuous physical details of a movement as it travels through space and time. This includes the speed, the direction of the arm, and the changing shape of the hand as it reaches for an object.
Previous studies often examined the activity of individual mirror neurons in isolation. The authors of the new study took a different approach by looking at populations of neurons. They wanted to see if the overall pattern of brain activity changes dynamically as an action unfolds, rather than just signaling a single, static concept like a final goal.
“Based on a proposal we put forward in a previous study, we expected that the apparent mismatch between execution and observation at the level of individual mirror neurons would be compatible with a systematic correspondence at the population level,” Raos said. “We also predicted that mirror-neuron activity would be modulated by movement kinematics, and our findings confirmed both predictions.”
To get a complete picture of the brain region, the researchers also decided to look at non-mirror neurons. By including cells that only fire during physical movement, they could determine if the ability to track movement details is unique to mirror neurons or a broader feature of the entire motor region.
To test these ideas, the researchers recorded electrical activity from 433 neurons in the premotor cortex of two macaque monkeys. The monkeys performed a reaching and grasping task designed to test different hand shapes. In the execution portion of the experiment, the monkeys reached for and grasped four different three-dimensional objects.
These objects included a sphere, a cylinder, a ring, and a small cube. Each object required the monkey to use a specific grip. The sphere prompted a whole-hand grab, while the small cube required an advanced precision grip using just the tips of the index finger and thumb. The monkeys were trained to grasp these objects consistently and smoothly.
In the observation portion of the experiment, the monkeys simply sat still. They watched a human experimenter perform the exact same reaching and grasping actions with the same set of objects. The researchers used a camera system to ensure the monkeys were looking at the action.
Out of the total recorded cells, 285 fired during both the execution task and the observation task. The researchers classified these as mirror neurons. Another 148 cells fired only when the monkey actually performed the action. The scientists classified these as non-mirror neurons.
For the main statistical analyses, the team focused on narrowed datasets of 240 mirror neurons and 129 non-mirror neurons that had enough recorded trials for accurate mathematical testing. In separate sessions, the researchers used a three-dimensional motion capture system to record the physical movements of the monkeys and the human experimenter. They tracked specific points on the index finger, thumb, and wrist. This equipment allowed them to measure the precise speed, position, and changing distance between the fingers over the course of the action.
The scientists found that information about the type of grip was spread broadly across the population of mirror neurons. Instead of a single neuron maintaining a constant signal throughout the action, different neurons became active at different stages of the movement. This shifting activity indicates that the brain uses a dynamically changing ensemble of cells to represent an action as it happens.
The researchers then compared the patterns of brain activity when the monkeys performed the action to when they merely observed it. At the level of individual brain cells, the firing patterns rarely matched perfectly between doing and watching. However, when the researchers analyzed the activity of the whole population of cells together, a partially shared neural structure emerged.
This shared structure means the patterns of brain activity during observation overlapped significantly with the patterns during execution. The overlapping activity was most prominent during the middle of the hand movement and at the end of the grasping motion. The neural population tends to align most strongly when the action reaches its most complex physical stages.
The population of mirror neurons also strongly tracked the continuous kinematics of the grasps. The neural activity systematically matched the speed, wrist position, and finger placement as the hand moved toward the object. By looking at mathematical models of the brain activity, the researchers could successfully predict the physical movement of the hand.
This prediction worked in reverse as well. The researchers could use the physical motion tracking data to accurately predict the patterns of neural activity. This two-way relationship was present for both the monkeys’ own movements and the observed movements of the human experimenter.
“Our findings show that mirror neurons really do ‘mirror,’ but this correspondence becomes clearest when we examine patterns of activity across populations of neurons, rather than expecting individual neurons to respond identically during action execution and observation,” Raos told PsyPost. “These populations carry detailed information about how an action unfolds over time.”
He noted that tracking movement does not mean the brain ignores the final goal. “Importantly, sensitivity to movement kinematics does not contradict the idea that mirror neurons encode action goals,” Raos explained. “Research on movement kinematics suggests that intentions and goals are expressed in the movement itself, so the brain may infer what another person is trying to achieve by reading how their movement is performed.”
By reading these ongoing physical details, the brain can decipher deeper intentions. “Our findings suggest that mirror neurons have the properties needed to support this process, bridging the gap between how an action is performed and why it is performed,” Raos said.
The scientists discovered that non-mirror neurons also showed a strong relationship with the physical kinematics of the grasps. Much like the mirror neurons, this group of cells tracked the ongoing physical details of the monkeys’ movements. This finding provides evidence that continuously tracking movement structure is a broad feature shared across different types of cells in the premotor cortex.
The overlap in brain activity between watching and doing was not completely symmetrical. Statistical models trained on the brain activity during observation could successfully predict the monkeys’ physical movements during execution. Models trained on the execution data did not generalize as well to predict the observed human movements. This asymmetry suggests that doing an action involves extra, specific neural processes beyond those shared with simply watching an action.
“Our findings should not be interpreted as showing that mirror neurons are merely analyzers of movement kinematics, or that their role is limited to detecting movement parameters,” Raos cautioned. “Our study identifies information that is systematically present in their activity, but it does not establish their full functional or causal role in understanding others.”
Instead, Raos suggests that this physical tracking is part of a larger system. “Kinematic information may contribute to a broader motor process that links observed actions to an individual’s own motor repertoire, helping bridge the gap between the movements we see and the motor acts and goals they express,” he said.
Several limitations should be noted regarding this research. The recordings were taken from a specific brain area in macaque monkeys performing highly controlled and repetitive actions. “Because our experiment focused on controlled grasping actions, further research will be needed to understand how this process operates during richer and more natural social behavior,” Raos noted.
The scientists recorded the neurons in separate sessions and mathematically combined them later to estimate the overall population activity. Because of this, they did not capture how all the individual brain cells interacted with each other at the exact same moment.
The experimental design also did not completely separate the visual shape of the object from the physical grip used to grab it. The monkeys always used the specific assigned grip for each specific object. This setup makes it difficult to completely rule out the possibility that the brain cells were partially responding to the visual identity of the objects rather than just the kinematics of the hand.
“In this study, we focused primarily on what information is encoded in premotor neuronal activity,” Raos said. “Our next goal is to investigate when and how these representations emerge, particularly how their temporal dynamics depend on the context in which an action occurs.”
To address the object versus grip limitation, the team plans to adjust future experiments. “We would also like to disentangle the contributions of the observed action and the object involved by manipulating them independently, allowing us to determine how each shapes observation-driven activity,” Raos said.
The study, “Dynamic population coding of kinematic structure across executed and observed actions in primate premotor cortex,” was authored by Konstantinos Chatzimichail, Christos Paschalidis, Eleftheria Tzamali, Vassilis Papadourakis, and Vassilis Raos.
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#psychology #counseling #socialwork #psychotherapy @psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry #mentalhealth #psychiatry #healthcare #depression #psychotherapist #MirrorNeurons #PremotorCortex #Neuroscience #ActionKinematics #BrainResearch #Social cognition #NeuralPopulation #MovementScience #ObservationalExecution #DynamicCoding
-
DATE: July 25, 2026 at 06:00AM
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: Scientists just settled a decades-old debate about the brain’s mirror neurons
A new study published in Science Advances provides evidence that special brain cells called mirror neurons track the continuous, physical movements of actions, rather than just the final goal. The findings suggest that the brain uses a dynamic, shared network of neurons to understand what others are doing by matching their movements to our own internal blueprints.
The premotor cortex is a region near the front of the brain that helps plan and coordinate physical movements. Within this region, certain brain cells fire both when an animal performs an action and when it watches someone else perform the same action. These special cells are known as mirror neurons.
Since their discovery, experts have debated exactly what kind of information these cells represent. Some scientists propose that mirror neurons focus on the abstract goal of an action, such as grasping an object to eat it or move it. This perspective suggests that the brain is interested in the final outcome rather than the physical effort required to get there.
Vassilis Raos, professor of physiology at the University of Crete Medical School and co-author of the study, noted that past research offered an inconsistent view of how these cells match actions. “At the same time, the ‘goal’ these neurons are claimed to encode has been loosely defined, and there is limited direct evidence about precisely what they represent,” Raos said. “We therefore revisited an important possibility that had not been adequately tested: that mirror-neuron activity reflects detailed kinematics, meaning how a movement unfolds through space and time, during both action execution and observation.”
Raos explained that this idea gained traction after his team’s previous work showed mirror neurons respond to actions that do not involve objects. “This possibility became especially plausible after our previous study showed that a large majority of mirror neurons also respond to the observation of intransitive, or non-object-directed, actions, not only to transitive, object-directed actions,” he said.
Other scientists propose that these cells encode the specific static grip used, like a tight pinch or a wide, whole-hand grab. Another possibility is that mirror neurons track action kinematics. Kinematics refers to the continuous physical details of a movement as it travels through space and time. This includes the speed, the direction of the arm, and the changing shape of the hand as it reaches for an object.
Previous studies often examined the activity of individual mirror neurons in isolation. The authors of the new study took a different approach by looking at populations of neurons. They wanted to see if the overall pattern of brain activity changes dynamically as an action unfolds, rather than just signaling a single, static concept like a final goal.
“Based on a proposal we put forward in a previous study, we expected that the apparent mismatch between execution and observation at the level of individual mirror neurons would be compatible with a systematic correspondence at the population level,” Raos said. “We also predicted that mirror-neuron activity would be modulated by movement kinematics, and our findings confirmed both predictions.”
To get a complete picture of the brain region, the researchers also decided to look at non-mirror neurons. By including cells that only fire during physical movement, they could determine if the ability to track movement details is unique to mirror neurons or a broader feature of the entire motor region.
To test these ideas, the researchers recorded electrical activity from 433 neurons in the premotor cortex of two macaque monkeys. The monkeys performed a reaching and grasping task designed to test different hand shapes. In the execution portion of the experiment, the monkeys reached for and grasped four different three-dimensional objects.
These objects included a sphere, a cylinder, a ring, and a small cube. Each object required the monkey to use a specific grip. The sphere prompted a whole-hand grab, while the small cube required an advanced precision grip using just the tips of the index finger and thumb. The monkeys were trained to grasp these objects consistently and smoothly.
In the observation portion of the experiment, the monkeys simply sat still. They watched a human experimenter perform the exact same reaching and grasping actions with the same set of objects. The researchers used a camera system to ensure the monkeys were looking at the action.
Out of the total recorded cells, 285 fired during both the execution task and the observation task. The researchers classified these as mirror neurons. Another 148 cells fired only when the monkey actually performed the action. The scientists classified these as non-mirror neurons.
For the main statistical analyses, the team focused on narrowed datasets of 240 mirror neurons and 129 non-mirror neurons that had enough recorded trials for accurate mathematical testing. In separate sessions, the researchers used a three-dimensional motion capture system to record the physical movements of the monkeys and the human experimenter. They tracked specific points on the index finger, thumb, and wrist. This equipment allowed them to measure the precise speed, position, and changing distance between the fingers over the course of the action.
The scientists found that information about the type of grip was spread broadly across the population of mirror neurons. Instead of a single neuron maintaining a constant signal throughout the action, different neurons became active at different stages of the movement. This shifting activity indicates that the brain uses a dynamically changing ensemble of cells to represent an action as it happens.
The researchers then compared the patterns of brain activity when the monkeys performed the action to when they merely observed it. At the level of individual brain cells, the firing patterns rarely matched perfectly between doing and watching. However, when the researchers analyzed the activity of the whole population of cells together, a partially shared neural structure emerged.
This shared structure means the patterns of brain activity during observation overlapped significantly with the patterns during execution. The overlapping activity was most prominent during the middle of the hand movement and at the end of the grasping motion. The neural population tends to align most strongly when the action reaches its most complex physical stages.
The population of mirror neurons also strongly tracked the continuous kinematics of the grasps. The neural activity systematically matched the speed, wrist position, and finger placement as the hand moved toward the object. By looking at mathematical models of the brain activity, the researchers could successfully predict the physical movement of the hand.
This prediction worked in reverse as well. The researchers could use the physical motion tracking data to accurately predict the patterns of neural activity. This two-way relationship was present for both the monkeys’ own movements and the observed movements of the human experimenter.
“Our findings show that mirror neurons really do ‘mirror,’ but this correspondence becomes clearest when we examine patterns of activity across populations of neurons, rather than expecting individual neurons to respond identically during action execution and observation,” Raos told PsyPost. “These populations carry detailed information about how an action unfolds over time.”
He noted that tracking movement does not mean the brain ignores the final goal. “Importantly, sensitivity to movement kinematics does not contradict the idea that mirror neurons encode action goals,” Raos explained. “Research on movement kinematics suggests that intentions and goals are expressed in the movement itself, so the brain may infer what another person is trying to achieve by reading how their movement is performed.”
By reading these ongoing physical details, the brain can decipher deeper intentions. “Our findings suggest that mirror neurons have the properties needed to support this process, bridging the gap between how an action is performed and why it is performed,” Raos said.
The scientists discovered that non-mirror neurons also showed a strong relationship with the physical kinematics of the grasps. Much like the mirror neurons, this group of cells tracked the ongoing physical details of the monkeys’ movements. This finding provides evidence that continuously tracking movement structure is a broad feature shared across different types of cells in the premotor cortex.
The overlap in brain activity between watching and doing was not completely symmetrical. Statistical models trained on the brain activity during observation could successfully predict the monkeys’ physical movements during execution. Models trained on the execution data did not generalize as well to predict the observed human movements. This asymmetry suggests that doing an action involves extra, specific neural processes beyond those shared with simply watching an action.
“Our findings should not be interpreted as showing that mirror neurons are merely analyzers of movement kinematics, or that their role is limited to detecting movement parameters,” Raos cautioned. “Our study identifies information that is systematically present in their activity, but it does not establish their full functional or causal role in understanding others.”
Instead, Raos suggests that this physical tracking is part of a larger system. “Kinematic information may contribute to a broader motor process that links observed actions to an individual’s own motor repertoire, helping bridge the gap between the movements we see and the motor acts and goals they express,” he said.
Several limitations should be noted regarding this research. The recordings were taken from a specific brain area in macaque monkeys performing highly controlled and repetitive actions. “Because our experiment focused on controlled grasping actions, further research will be needed to understand how this process operates during richer and more natural social behavior,” Raos noted.
The scientists recorded the neurons in separate sessions and mathematically combined them later to estimate the overall population activity. Because of this, they did not capture how all the individual brain cells interacted with each other at the exact same moment.
The experimental design also did not completely separate the visual shape of the object from the physical grip used to grab it. The monkeys always used the specific assigned grip for each specific object. This setup makes it difficult to completely rule out the possibility that the brain cells were partially responding to the visual identity of the objects rather than just the kinematics of the hand.
“In this study, we focused primarily on what information is encoded in premotor neuronal activity,” Raos said. “Our next goal is to investigate when and how these representations emerge, particularly how their temporal dynamics depend on the context in which an action occurs.”
To address the object versus grip limitation, the team plans to adjust future experiments. “We would also like to disentangle the contributions of the observed action and the object involved by manipulating them independently, allowing us to determine how each shapes observation-driven activity,” Raos said.
The study, “Dynamic population coding of kinematic structure across executed and observed actions in primate premotor cortex,” was authored by Konstantinos Chatzimichail, Christos Paschalidis, Eleftheria Tzamali, Vassilis Papadourakis, and Vassilis Raos.
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DATE: July 25, 2026 at 06:00AM
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: Scientists just settled a decades-old debate about the brain’s mirror neurons
A new study published in Science Advances provides evidence that special brain cells called mirror neurons track the continuous, physical movements of actions, rather than just the final goal. The findings suggest that the brain uses a dynamic, shared network of neurons to understand what others are doing by matching their movements to our own internal blueprints.
The premotor cortex is a region near the front of the brain that helps plan and coordinate physical movements. Within this region, certain brain cells fire both when an animal performs an action and when it watches someone else perform the same action. These special cells are known as mirror neurons.
Since their discovery, experts have debated exactly what kind of information these cells represent. Some scientists propose that mirror neurons focus on the abstract goal of an action, such as grasping an object to eat it or move it. This perspective suggests that the brain is interested in the final outcome rather than the physical effort required to get there.
Vassilis Raos, professor of physiology at the University of Crete Medical School and co-author of the study, noted that past research offered an inconsistent view of how these cells match actions. “At the same time, the ‘goal’ these neurons are claimed to encode has been loosely defined, and there is limited direct evidence about precisely what they represent,” Raos said. “We therefore revisited an important possibility that had not been adequately tested: that mirror-neuron activity reflects detailed kinematics, meaning how a movement unfolds through space and time, during both action execution and observation.”
Raos explained that this idea gained traction after his team’s previous work showed mirror neurons respond to actions that do not involve objects. “This possibility became especially plausible after our previous study showed that a large majority of mirror neurons also respond to the observation of intransitive, or non-object-directed, actions, not only to transitive, object-directed actions,” he said.
Other scientists propose that these cells encode the specific static grip used, like a tight pinch or a wide, whole-hand grab. Another possibility is that mirror neurons track action kinematics. Kinematics refers to the continuous physical details of a movement as it travels through space and time. This includes the speed, the direction of the arm, and the changing shape of the hand as it reaches for an object.
Previous studies often examined the activity of individual mirror neurons in isolation. The authors of the new study took a different approach by looking at populations of neurons. They wanted to see if the overall pattern of brain activity changes dynamically as an action unfolds, rather than just signaling a single, static concept like a final goal.
“Based on a proposal we put forward in a previous study, we expected that the apparent mismatch between execution and observation at the level of individual mirror neurons would be compatible with a systematic correspondence at the population level,” Raos said. “We also predicted that mirror-neuron activity would be modulated by movement kinematics, and our findings confirmed both predictions.”
To get a complete picture of the brain region, the researchers also decided to look at non-mirror neurons. By including cells that only fire during physical movement, they could determine if the ability to track movement details is unique to mirror neurons or a broader feature of the entire motor region.
To test these ideas, the researchers recorded electrical activity from 433 neurons in the premotor cortex of two macaque monkeys. The monkeys performed a reaching and grasping task designed to test different hand shapes. In the execution portion of the experiment, the monkeys reached for and grasped four different three-dimensional objects.
These objects included a sphere, a cylinder, a ring, and a small cube. Each object required the monkey to use a specific grip. The sphere prompted a whole-hand grab, while the small cube required an advanced precision grip using just the tips of the index finger and thumb. The monkeys were trained to grasp these objects consistently and smoothly.
In the observation portion of the experiment, the monkeys simply sat still. They watched a human experimenter perform the exact same reaching and grasping actions with the same set of objects. The researchers used a camera system to ensure the monkeys were looking at the action.
Out of the total recorded cells, 285 fired during both the execution task and the observation task. The researchers classified these as mirror neurons. Another 148 cells fired only when the monkey actually performed the action. The scientists classified these as non-mirror neurons.
For the main statistical analyses, the team focused on narrowed datasets of 240 mirror neurons and 129 non-mirror neurons that had enough recorded trials for accurate mathematical testing. In separate sessions, the researchers used a three-dimensional motion capture system to record the physical movements of the monkeys and the human experimenter. They tracked specific points on the index finger, thumb, and wrist. This equipment allowed them to measure the precise speed, position, and changing distance between the fingers over the course of the action.
The scientists found that information about the type of grip was spread broadly across the population of mirror neurons. Instead of a single neuron maintaining a constant signal throughout the action, different neurons became active at different stages of the movement. This shifting activity indicates that the brain uses a dynamically changing ensemble of cells to represent an action as it happens.
The researchers then compared the patterns of brain activity when the monkeys performed the action to when they merely observed it. At the level of individual brain cells, the firing patterns rarely matched perfectly between doing and watching. However, when the researchers analyzed the activity of the whole population of cells together, a partially shared neural structure emerged.
This shared structure means the patterns of brain activity during observation overlapped significantly with the patterns during execution. The overlapping activity was most prominent during the middle of the hand movement and at the end of the grasping motion. The neural population tends to align most strongly when the action reaches its most complex physical stages.
The population of mirror neurons also strongly tracked the continuous kinematics of the grasps. The neural activity systematically matched the speed, wrist position, and finger placement as the hand moved toward the object. By looking at mathematical models of the brain activity, the researchers could successfully predict the physical movement of the hand.
This prediction worked in reverse as well. The researchers could use the physical motion tracking data to accurately predict the patterns of neural activity. This two-way relationship was present for both the monkeys’ own movements and the observed movements of the human experimenter.
“Our findings show that mirror neurons really do ‘mirror,’ but this correspondence becomes clearest when we examine patterns of activity across populations of neurons, rather than expecting individual neurons to respond identically during action execution and observation,” Raos told PsyPost. “These populations carry detailed information about how an action unfolds over time.”
He noted that tracking movement does not mean the brain ignores the final goal. “Importantly, sensitivity to movement kinematics does not contradict the idea that mirror neurons encode action goals,” Raos explained. “Research on movement kinematics suggests that intentions and goals are expressed in the movement itself, so the brain may infer what another person is trying to achieve by reading how their movement is performed.”
By reading these ongoing physical details, the brain can decipher deeper intentions. “Our findings suggest that mirror neurons have the properties needed to support this process, bridging the gap between how an action is performed and why it is performed,” Raos said.
The scientists discovered that non-mirror neurons also showed a strong relationship with the physical kinematics of the grasps. Much like the mirror neurons, this group of cells tracked the ongoing physical details of the monkeys’ movements. This finding provides evidence that continuously tracking movement structure is a broad feature shared across different types of cells in the premotor cortex.
The overlap in brain activity between watching and doing was not completely symmetrical. Statistical models trained on the brain activity during observation could successfully predict the monkeys’ physical movements during execution. Models trained on the execution data did not generalize as well to predict the observed human movements. This asymmetry suggests that doing an action involves extra, specific neural processes beyond those shared with simply watching an action.
“Our findings should not be interpreted as showing that mirror neurons are merely analyzers of movement kinematics, or that their role is limited to detecting movement parameters,” Raos cautioned. “Our study identifies information that is systematically present in their activity, but it does not establish their full functional or causal role in understanding others.”
Instead, Raos suggests that this physical tracking is part of a larger system. “Kinematic information may contribute to a broader motor process that links observed actions to an individual’s own motor repertoire, helping bridge the gap between the movements we see and the motor acts and goals they express,” he said.
Several limitations should be noted regarding this research. The recordings were taken from a specific brain area in macaque monkeys performing highly controlled and repetitive actions. “Because our experiment focused on controlled grasping actions, further research will be needed to understand how this process operates during richer and more natural social behavior,” Raos noted.
The scientists recorded the neurons in separate sessions and mathematically combined them later to estimate the overall population activity. Because of this, they did not capture how all the individual brain cells interacted with each other at the exact same moment.
The experimental design also did not completely separate the visual shape of the object from the physical grip used to grab it. The monkeys always used the specific assigned grip for each specific object. This setup makes it difficult to completely rule out the possibility that the brain cells were partially responding to the visual identity of the objects rather than just the kinematics of the hand.
“In this study, we focused primarily on what information is encoded in premotor neuronal activity,” Raos said. “Our next goal is to investigate when and how these representations emerge, particularly how their temporal dynamics depend on the context in which an action occurs.”
To address the object versus grip limitation, the team plans to adjust future experiments. “We would also like to disentangle the contributions of the observed action and the object involved by manipulating them independently, allowing us to determine how each shapes observation-driven activity,” Raos said.
The study, “Dynamic population coding of kinematic structure across executed and observed actions in primate premotor cortex,” was authored by Konstantinos Chatzimichail, Christos Paschalidis, Eleftheria Tzamali, Vassilis Papadourakis, and Vassilis Raos.
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-
DATE: July 25, 2026 at 01:08AM
SOURCE: PSYCHIATRIC TIMESDirect article link at end of text block below.
Centanafadine (Simtriyo) has been approved by the FDA for treatment of ADHD in adults and children aged 6 and older (>20 kg). @OtsukaUS https://t.co/DOW1cESKKG
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Articles can be found by scrolling down the page at Articles can be found at https://www.psychiatrictimes.com/news".
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-
DATE: July 25, 2026 at 01:08AM
SOURCE: PSYCHIATRIC TIMESDirect article link at end of text block below.
Centanafadine (Simtriyo) has been approved by the FDA for treatment of ADHD in adults and children aged 6 and older (>20 kg). @OtsukaUS https://t.co/DOW1cESKKG
Here are any URLs found in the article text:
Articles can be found by scrolling down the page at Articles can be found at https://www.psychiatrictimes.com/news".
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#psychology #counseling #socialwork #psychotherapy @psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry #mentalhealth #psychiatry #healthcare #psychotherapist #Centanafadine #Simtriyo #ADHDawareness #FDAapproval #OtsukaUS
-
DATE: July 25, 2026 at 01:08AM
SOURCE: PSYCHIATRIC TIMESDirect article link at end of text block below.
Centanafadine (Simtriyo) has been approved by the FDA for treatment of ADHD in adults and children aged 6 and older (>20 kg). @OtsukaUS https://t.co/DOW1cESKKG
Here are any URLs found in the article text:
Articles can be found by scrolling down the page at Articles can be found at https://www.psychiatrictimes.com/news".
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#psychology #counseling #socialwork #psychotherapy @psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry #mentalhealth #psychiatry #healthcare #psychotherapist #Centanafadine #Simtriyo #ADHDawareness #FDAapproval #OtsukaUS
-
DATE: July 24, 2026 at 08:00PM
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: Men who perceive their penis as larger report better erectile function, but not higher self-esteem
URL: https://www.psypost.org/body-image-meets-biology-how-self-perception-shapes-male-sexual-function/
Men who perceive their penis size as larger than average might also experience better erectile function, though this confidence does not necessarily translate into higher overall self-worth. These findings emerged from a recent survey of young adults in Brazil, suggesting that specific aspects of male body image are closely tied to sexual performance. The research was published in The Journal of Sexual Medicine.
Body image involves how a person perceives, thinks about, and feels regarding their own physical appearance. In men, mental representations of their own genitalia can often dictate psychological comfort and sexual satisfaction. A person might have anatomical dimensions that fall entirely within typical medical parameters, yet still experience emotional distress or functional issues.
This specific distress is sometimes referred to as small penis anxiety. Such anxiety can prompt men to seek aesthetic surgical interventions to change the size or shape of their genitalia. As societal conversations around male physical health evolve, researchers have begun investigating how these internal perceptions shape physical realities, particularly within the bedroom.
Societal conversations around male body image have gained tremendous relevance in recent years. Medical and psychiatric professionals recognize a condition known as body dysmorphic disorder, where a person becomes overly preoccupied with a perceived physical flaw. When this fixation targets the genitalia, it can severely disrupt personal relationships and sexual confidence.
Previous investigations within the Brazilian population have highlighted the diverse factors that shape physical satisfaction. Past cross-sectional studies indicated that having a steady romantic partner and a lower body mass index positively correlate with a man’s genital self-image. Researchers have also noted that physical conditions, like phimosis, where a tight foreskin cannot retract properly, often diminish sexual confidence.
A team of investigators based in Brazil initiated the current research to better understand these psychological associations in their local population. The study was led by João Dias de Andrade Filho from the Bahiana School of Medicine and Public Health, alongside Gilberto Dauricio Silva Leite and colleagues from the Federal University of Bahia. They set out to see how personal assessments of genital proportions relate to broader psychological health and specific sexual abilities.
Erectile function relies on a delicate balance of physiological responses and psychological states. Anxiety, stress, and poor body image can inhibit the neurological pathways required to achieve and maintain an erection. By measuring how men view their own physical attributes, the investigators hoped to isolate how these perceptions align with both physical arousal and self-esteem.
The researchers designed an observational project utilizing a small study sample of 106 men. They recruited volunteers by placing posters with scannable barcodes in high-traffic public areas, such as shopping centers and subway stations, across a city of about three million residents. Participants scanned the codes using their mobile devices to access and complete a secure online questionnaire.
To guarantee complete data, the online system required answers for all questions before submission. The research team used verified psychological tools to gather the necessary metrics. They utilized the International Index of Erectile Function, a standard medical questionnaire designed to assess the presence and severity of erectile difficulties.
This specific index asks men to rate their confidence in obtaining an erection and maintaining it during sexual intercourse. To measure broader mental well-being, the team employed the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale. This widely used psychological tool features a series of statements meant to gauge a person’s overall sense of self-worth and personal value.
Alongside these standard psychiatric tools, the team included a custom survey specifically probing genital self-perception. This section asked participants to classify their own penis size as smaller than average, average, or larger than average. The survey provided a baseline reference by defining the average size as 13 centimeters, a prevalent figure in medical literature.
The questionnaire also inquired about the participants’ body mass index, educational background, and history of prior urological surgeries. It asked whether the men felt their genital dimensions impacted their social lives or their partners’ satisfaction. Finally, the survey asked if the men had ever used anabolic steroids or if they possessed a desire to undergo cosmetic genital surgery.
The participant pool was relatively young, featuring a median age of 25 years. Most of the men self-identified as mixed-race and reported having at least some higher education or technical training. When analyzing the results, the researchers applied strict statistical adjustments to prevent false positive findings from the multiple layers of data.
When scientists run multiple comparisons on the same set of data, the chances of finding a coincidental mathematical pattern increase drastically. To account for this statistical quirk, the team applied an adjustment known as a Bonferroni correction. This technique raises the threshold of proof required before recognizing an association as a genuine trend in the data.
The adjusted analysis revealed a positive association between perceiving one’s penis as larger than average and reporting higher scores on the erectile function index. Men who placed themselves in this higher-than-average bracket reported fewer issues with achieving and keeping an erection. The men who perceived their size as average or lower than average reported lower erectile function scores in comparison.
Additionally, men who believed that their penis size and physical girth were important factors for their sexual partner’s satisfaction also reported better erectile function. This suggests that holding confidence in one’s physical capabilities might align with better physiological performance during sexual encounters. However, this focused confidence did not radiate out into the men’s wider psychological lives.
The data showed no statistical link between an individual’s perception of his genital size and his results on the overall self-esteem scale. Feeling adequately sized or larger than average did not equate to possessing higher general self-worth. Concerns regarding physical appearance in this area appear to be localized entirely to the domain of sexual activity.
Self-esteem generally encompasses how a person values their own identity, shaping their resilience against stress and social judgment. The lack of an association between general self-worth and genital dissatisfaction highlights the segmented nature of human body image. Individuals can harbor insecurities about specific physical traits without allowing those insecurities to degrade their overall sense of identity.
A notable portion of the participants expressed a strong desire to alter their physical appearance. Nearly a quarter of the surveyed men, about 22.6 percent, indicated that they wished to undergo cosmetic surgical procedures on their genitalia. This desire was especially concentrated among men who felt their bodies fell below the normal range.
Among the men who perceived their penis as smaller than average, roughly two-thirds expressed a desire for cosmetic surgery. In contrast, among the men who believed they were larger than average, only about 18 percent desired surgical intervention. However, due to data distribution constraints, this specific difference in surgical desire was not statistically significant.
The researchers also calculated the prevalence of actual erectile difficulties within the specific self-perception categories. About a third of the men in the smaller-than-average category met the criteria for functional difficulty. Just over half of the men in the average category met these criteria, while only 22 percent of the higher-than-average category experienced these same operational issues.
The study featured several limitations that affect how broadly these conclusions can be applied. First, this was a small study utilizing a convenience sample, meaning it cannot entirely represent the general population. The recruited men were predominantly young and well-educated, which might skew their psychological profiles compared to older generations.
There was also a prominent sign of self-selection bias within the participant pool. A high majority of the final sample, about 63 percent, perceived their penis as larger than average. Men who already held a favorable view of their bodies might have been more willing to scan a barcode in a public area and complete a survey regarding sexual health.
The entire dataset relied on self-reported answers rather than objective clinical measurements. Medical professionals did not physically examine the participants to verify if their genital dimensions matched their internal perceptions. The researchers also used a custom questionnaire for the genital perception section, which makes it harder to compare these exact figures directly with previous research.
Because the study design was observational, it cannot prove that feeling larger directly causes better sexual function. It only demonstrates that these specific traits frequently exist together in the same individuals. The small number of men who classified their size as below average also restricted the statistical power of the surgical comparisons.
Future research will need to recruit a larger, more diverse group of men to verify these psychological trends. Expanding the participant pool could help clarify if the intense desire for cosmetic surgery among self-perceived smaller men holds true across a wider population. Combining psychological surveys with clinical anatomical measurements would also provide a more complete picture of how the human mind interprets the body.
The study, “Male genital self-perception: a population based study,” was authored by João Dias de Andrade Filho, Gilberto Dauricio Silva Leite, Luiz Filippe Vago Pereira, Lucas Teixeira e Aguiar Batista, and Ubirajara de Oliveira Barroso Júnior.
URL: https://www.psypost.org/body-image-meets-biology-how-self-perception-shapes-male-sexual-function/
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#psychology #counseling #socialwork #psychotherapy @psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry #mentalhealth #psychiatry #healthcare #depression #psychotherapist #MaleGenitalSelfPerception #ErectileFunction #PenisSizePerception #BodyImageAndSexuality #MaleSelfEsteem #GenitalSelfImage #BrazilianMenStudy #SexualHealthResearch #PenileSizeConcerns #CosmeticGenitalSurgeryDesire
-
DATE: July 24, 2026 at 08:00PM
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: Men who perceive their penis as larger report better erectile function, but not higher self-esteem
URL: https://www.psypost.org/body-image-meets-biology-how-self-perception-shapes-male-sexual-function/
Men who perceive their penis size as larger than average might also experience better erectile function, though this confidence does not necessarily translate into higher overall self-worth. These findings emerged from a recent survey of young adults in Brazil, suggesting that specific aspects of male body image are closely tied to sexual performance. The research was published in The Journal of Sexual Medicine.
Body image involves how a person perceives, thinks about, and feels regarding their own physical appearance. In men, mental representations of their own genitalia can often dictate psychological comfort and sexual satisfaction. A person might have anatomical dimensions that fall entirely within typical medical parameters, yet still experience emotional distress or functional issues.
This specific distress is sometimes referred to as small penis anxiety. Such anxiety can prompt men to seek aesthetic surgical interventions to change the size or shape of their genitalia. As societal conversations around male physical health evolve, researchers have begun investigating how these internal perceptions shape physical realities, particularly within the bedroom.
Societal conversations around male body image have gained tremendous relevance in recent years. Medical and psychiatric professionals recognize a condition known as body dysmorphic disorder, where a person becomes overly preoccupied with a perceived physical flaw. When this fixation targets the genitalia, it can severely disrupt personal relationships and sexual confidence.
Previous investigations within the Brazilian population have highlighted the diverse factors that shape physical satisfaction. Past cross-sectional studies indicated that having a steady romantic partner and a lower body mass index positively correlate with a man’s genital self-image. Researchers have also noted that physical conditions, like phimosis, where a tight foreskin cannot retract properly, often diminish sexual confidence.
A team of investigators based in Brazil initiated the current research to better understand these psychological associations in their local population. The study was led by João Dias de Andrade Filho from the Bahiana School of Medicine and Public Health, alongside Gilberto Dauricio Silva Leite and colleagues from the Federal University of Bahia. They set out to see how personal assessments of genital proportions relate to broader psychological health and specific sexual abilities.
Erectile function relies on a delicate balance of physiological responses and psychological states. Anxiety, stress, and poor body image can inhibit the neurological pathways required to achieve and maintain an erection. By measuring how men view their own physical attributes, the investigators hoped to isolate how these perceptions align with both physical arousal and self-esteem.
The researchers designed an observational project utilizing a small study sample of 106 men. They recruited volunteers by placing posters with scannable barcodes in high-traffic public areas, such as shopping centers and subway stations, across a city of about three million residents. Participants scanned the codes using their mobile devices to access and complete a secure online questionnaire.
To guarantee complete data, the online system required answers for all questions before submission. The research team used verified psychological tools to gather the necessary metrics. They utilized the International Index of Erectile Function, a standard medical questionnaire designed to assess the presence and severity of erectile difficulties.
This specific index asks men to rate their confidence in obtaining an erection and maintaining it during sexual intercourse. To measure broader mental well-being, the team employed the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale. This widely used psychological tool features a series of statements meant to gauge a person’s overall sense of self-worth and personal value.
Alongside these standard psychiatric tools, the team included a custom survey specifically probing genital self-perception. This section asked participants to classify their own penis size as smaller than average, average, or larger than average. The survey provided a baseline reference by defining the average size as 13 centimeters, a prevalent figure in medical literature.
The questionnaire also inquired about the participants’ body mass index, educational background, and history of prior urological surgeries. It asked whether the men felt their genital dimensions impacted their social lives or their partners’ satisfaction. Finally, the survey asked if the men had ever used anabolic steroids or if they possessed a desire to undergo cosmetic genital surgery.
The participant pool was relatively young, featuring a median age of 25 years. Most of the men self-identified as mixed-race and reported having at least some higher education or technical training. When analyzing the results, the researchers applied strict statistical adjustments to prevent false positive findings from the multiple layers of data.
When scientists run multiple comparisons on the same set of data, the chances of finding a coincidental mathematical pattern increase drastically. To account for this statistical quirk, the team applied an adjustment known as a Bonferroni correction. This technique raises the threshold of proof required before recognizing an association as a genuine trend in the data.
The adjusted analysis revealed a positive association between perceiving one’s penis as larger than average and reporting higher scores on the erectile function index. Men who placed themselves in this higher-than-average bracket reported fewer issues with achieving and keeping an erection. The men who perceived their size as average or lower than average reported lower erectile function scores in comparison.
Additionally, men who believed that their penis size and physical girth were important factors for their sexual partner’s satisfaction also reported better erectile function. This suggests that holding confidence in one’s physical capabilities might align with better physiological performance during sexual encounters. However, this focused confidence did not radiate out into the men’s wider psychological lives.
The data showed no statistical link between an individual’s perception of his genital size and his results on the overall self-esteem scale. Feeling adequately sized or larger than average did not equate to possessing higher general self-worth. Concerns regarding physical appearance in this area appear to be localized entirely to the domain of sexual activity.
Self-esteem generally encompasses how a person values their own identity, shaping their resilience against stress and social judgment. The lack of an association between general self-worth and genital dissatisfaction highlights the segmented nature of human body image. Individuals can harbor insecurities about specific physical traits without allowing those insecurities to degrade their overall sense of identity.
A notable portion of the participants expressed a strong desire to alter their physical appearance. Nearly a quarter of the surveyed men, about 22.6 percent, indicated that they wished to undergo cosmetic surgical procedures on their genitalia. This desire was especially concentrated among men who felt their bodies fell below the normal range.
Among the men who perceived their penis as smaller than average, roughly two-thirds expressed a desire for cosmetic surgery. In contrast, among the men who believed they were larger than average, only about 18 percent desired surgical intervention. However, due to data distribution constraints, this specific difference in surgical desire was not statistically significant.
The researchers also calculated the prevalence of actual erectile difficulties within the specific self-perception categories. About a third of the men in the smaller-than-average category met the criteria for functional difficulty. Just over half of the men in the average category met these criteria, while only 22 percent of the higher-than-average category experienced these same operational issues.
The study featured several limitations that affect how broadly these conclusions can be applied. First, this was a small study utilizing a convenience sample, meaning it cannot entirely represent the general population. The recruited men were predominantly young and well-educated, which might skew their psychological profiles compared to older generations.
There was also a prominent sign of self-selection bias within the participant pool. A high majority of the final sample, about 63 percent, perceived their penis as larger than average. Men who already held a favorable view of their bodies might have been more willing to scan a barcode in a public area and complete a survey regarding sexual health.
The entire dataset relied on self-reported answers rather than objective clinical measurements. Medical professionals did not physically examine the participants to verify if their genital dimensions matched their internal perceptions. The researchers also used a custom questionnaire for the genital perception section, which makes it harder to compare these exact figures directly with previous research.
Because the study design was observational, it cannot prove that feeling larger directly causes better sexual function. It only demonstrates that these specific traits frequently exist together in the same individuals. The small number of men who classified their size as below average also restricted the statistical power of the surgical comparisons.
Future research will need to recruit a larger, more diverse group of men to verify these psychological trends. Expanding the participant pool could help clarify if the intense desire for cosmetic surgery among self-perceived smaller men holds true across a wider population. Combining psychological surveys with clinical anatomical measurements would also provide a more complete picture of how the human mind interprets the body.
The study, “Male genital self-perception: a population based study,” was authored by João Dias de Andrade Filho, Gilberto Dauricio Silva Leite, Luiz Filippe Vago Pereira, Lucas Teixeira e Aguiar Batista, and Ubirajara de Oliveira Barroso Júnior.
URL: https://www.psypost.org/body-image-meets-biology-how-self-perception-shapes-male-sexual-function/
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