Author: dispatchtimes news

A new study from Zhejiang University in China has found that both extremely high and extremely low dietary salt intakes can impair cognitive function in mice, albeit through distinct biological routes. The research, published in Food Research International, shows that excessive salt triggers systemic inflammation and hippocampal disruption, while severe salt restriction starves the gut microbiome of metabolic byproducts essential for brain health. The human digestive tract is home to trillions of microorganisms, collectively known as the gut microbiome. These microbes communicate with the central nervous system through a biochemical pathway known as the gut-brain axis. Health professionals routinely advise…

A new study published in Frontiers in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry finds that mothers’ psychopathic traits can prospectively predict their teenagers’ callous-unemotional traits a year on, with the link strongest for the affective dimension of psychopathy. The research tracked 99 teenagers diagnosed with conduct disorder and their mothers in Virginia, amounting to 198 participants overall. Conduct disorder describes a pattern of rule-breaking and harming the rights of others, including behaviours such as fighting, stealing or lying. Within this group, researchers emphasise callous-unemotional traits, characterised by a lack of empathy, little guilt after wrongdoing and shallow emotional expression, which are linked…

A study published in the British Journal of Psychology suggests that incidental posture manipulation—achieved by altering the physical environment rather than instructing participants how to sit—can influence mood and willingness to take risks. The findings indicate that an upright, expansive posture encouraged by the surroundings may lead to subtly riskier decisions than a more hunched, contractive setup. The concept falls under the broader idea of embodied emotion, which posits that adopting expressions associated with a particular emotion can trigger the corresponding feeling. In this field, power poses involve adopting a spacious, upright stance to signal dominance, while contractive postures convey…

The findings of a new study suggest that brief exposure to hopeful YouTube videos can reduce momentary feelings of depression. Participants who watched hopeful clips reported higher positive emotions and greater motivation than those who viewed generally pleasant content, with effects observed immediately after viewing. The research addresses the global burden of depression, which ranges from everyday mood struggles to more serious mood disorders. It notes that many people do not receive formal treatment due to barriers such as limited access to healthcare, financial constraints and social stigma, underscoring the need for accessible, low-cost methods to support emotional well‑being in…

A study led by Yuanyuan Li of Beijing Normal University has found that psychological resilience may shield children from certain brain-network changes associated with abuse, but not neglect. The research, conducted with 94 schoolchildren aged 10 to 14 from rural China, suggests resilience could buffer some neurobiological effects of adversity, though its protection against neglect remains unclear. Psychological resilience describes the ability to adapt and continue functioning during difficult circumstances. It is not necessarily a fixed personality trait, and researchers increasingly view resilience as a capacity that can change with support, relationships and intervention. The researchers aimed to determine whether…

A new study published in Evolution and Human Behavior has found that while facial and bodily attractiveness tend to align in observers’ judgments, a person’s voice provides an independent cue about traits such as health and dominance. The research, led by Tobias L. Kordsmeyer of the University of Goettingen in Germany, tested how independent raters perceive attractiveness, health and physical dominance from faces, bodies and voices. The study involved 165 men and 155 women as targets and a panel of 400 raters assessing the stimuli. The researchers frame their investigation around two competing theories. The first, known as the “one…

Donald Trump’s first term coincided with a liberal shift in American public opinion, driven largely by left-leaning and independent voters on specific issues, even as emotional hostility between the two major parties intensified. The findings are published in American Politics Research. Political scientists describe public mood as a thermostat: when a conservative administration is in power the public tends to move left, and when a liberal administration takes office the reaction is often a move to the right. These broad patterns sit alongside a growing partisan divergence on policy. That divergence refers to a widening gap between Democrats and Republicans…

A new, small exploratory study links the structure of the brain’s outer layer to how well patients with major depressive disorder respond to the antidepressant vortioxetine, measured before treatment began and assessed after around eight weeks. The research identifies several regions implicated in emotion regulation, visual processing, and bodily awareness as potential predictors of symptom improvement. Major depressive disorder is a common condition that can markedly disrupt daily life, and remission after initial treatment remains elusive for many patients. The study adds to efforts to personalise care by seeking brain-based indicators of which treatments might work best for an individual.…

A new study published in Psychology of Popular Media examines how Taylor Swift fans respond to reports of the singer’s high carbon footprint, suggesting that deeply identified fans may rationalise the emissions to protect their admiration for her. The research indicates that such rationalisation can dampen individuals’ concern for climate issues and lessen their stated intent to take pro-environment actions. The study sits against a backdrop where Generation Z is often portrayed as highly attuned to environmental concerns, yet also immersed in celebrity culture and social media. In 2022, data tracking private jet flights singled out Swift as a leading…

The brain may not spring from a single initial pool of cells after all. A Nature Neuroscience study argues it arises from two parallel neural ectoderm progenitors, one destined to form the forebrain and midbrain and another to build the hindbrain. The work, led by Rayyan T. Jokhai, Carolyn E. Dundes and Kyle M. Loh, tracked early development in mouse embryos and human stem cells, revealing two distinct populations shaping the organ long before birth. In early development, during gastrulation, some stem cells form neural ectoderm that will become the brain, while others contribute to other structures such as the…