Study suggests human sense of smell is stronger than we think
From the Rutgers University press release: When it comes to our sense of smell, we have been led to believe that animals win out over humans: No way can we compete with dogs and rodents,…
Study looks at socioeconomic aspects of drinking
From the University of Washington press release: Neighborhoods with greater poverty and disorganization may play a greater role in problem drinking than the availability of bars and stores that sell hard liquor, a University of…
Study suggests moviegoers’ taste in movies is idiosyncratic and at odds with critics’ preferences
From the New York University press release: Our taste in movies is notably idiosyncratic, and not linked to the demographic traits that studios target, finds new study on film preferences. The work also shows that…
Study looks at how personalities change under the influence of alcohol
From the Association for Psychological Science press release: People typically report substantive changes to their personality when they become intoxicated, but observations from outsiders suggest less drastic differences between “sober” and “drunk” personalities, according to…
Study suggests first year of grade school sharpens kids’ attention skills
From the UC Berkeley press release: The first year of elementary school markedly boosts a child’s attentiveness, according to new research from the University of California, Berkeley, and the Max Planck Institute in Germany. The…
Study expands understanding of how the brain encodes fear memory
From the UC Riverside press release: Research published by scientists at the University of California, Riverside on “fear memory” could lead to the development of therapies that reduce the effects of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).…
International study suggests social media behaviour is influenced by culture
From the University of Vaasa press release: Even though we think ourselves as global citizens, we still differ in terms of how we behave online and what motivates our behavior online. A new doctoral study…
Sound projection: Are Stradivarius violins really better?
From the CNRS press release: Researchers at the Institut Jean Le Rond d’Alembert (CNRS/UPMC) have shown that recently-made violins have better sound projection1than those built by the famous violinmaker Antonio Stradivarius. This study, published in…
New hope for patients with primary progressive aphasia
From the Baycrest Centre for Geriatric Care press release: A Baycrest Health Sciences researcher and clinician has developed the first group language intervention that helps individuals losing the ability to speak due to a rare form…
How shifts in excitation-inhibition balance may lead to psychiatric disorders
From the Elsevier press release: In a special issue of Biological Psychiatry titled “Cortical Excitation-Inhibition Balance and Dysfunction in Psychiatric Disorders,” guest editors Dr. Alan Anticevic and Dr. John Murray, both of Yale University, bring…