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Psychiatry
Brain scans of 9- to 11-year-olds offer clues about aggressive, antisocial behavior
Two new papers, one about gray matter, the other about reward behavior, suggest that at the neural level not all conduct problems look the same.
Sensory neurons outside the brain drive autistic social behaviors
A new study from Penn Medicine lends further evidence that the social behaviors tied to autism spectrum disorders (ASD) emerge from abnormal function of sensory neurons outside the brain.
The overlooked effects of fireworks
For veterans living with post-traumatic stress disorder, fireworks and loud pyrotechnics can add stress and trigger physical reactions, as they mimic the stimuli of combat.
Coping with COVID stress: From pandemic brain fog to resilience
While feelings of anxiety and concern are normal during a crisis, stress can impact people in a variety of ways. Practicing mindfulness and increasing resilience can combat the physical manifestations of anxiety.
Counselors find new ways to treat patients under quarantine
Like many areas of medicine, COVID-19 has uprooted the routine of mental health treatment. Telehealth is filling in the gaps—and may be a preview of what standard care looks like in the future.
Why do people react differently when confronting the same threat?
In the face of the coronavirus, some people collected household goods. Others ignored the warnings altogether. Two Penn researchers explain why both responses are normal and how to find a middle ground if you disagree with those around you.
Drug found to trigger the ‘energy balance’ system for appetite suppression
Penn researchers show how the FDA-approved drug liraglutide interacts with a distinct set of neurons in the brain’s “energy balance” system to suppress appetite.
In the News
The surgeon general calls for new warning labels on alcohol—here’s the truth about how it impacts your health
Henry Kranzler of the Perelman School of Medicine says that alcohol’s effects on the brain are observed more readily because it’s the organ of behavior.
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From vaccines to Froot Loops: Why RFK Jr.’s health-related theories have sparked so much controversy
According to the Annenberg Public Policy Center, COVID vaccine-related deaths reported in the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System are unverified. David Mandell of the Perelman School of Medicine says that numerous studies have disproven a link between child vaccination and increased risk of autism.
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Is it anxiety or something else? What women should know
Lily Brown of the Perelman School of Medicine says that rates of anxiety disorders skyrocket around the time of first menstruation in puberty.
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Can you really learn from mistakes? New research shows it's harder than you think
Yvette Sheline of the Perelman School of Medicine explains why the best way to learn is being rewarded by success.
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Magical thinking is common and often harmless—but it can be problematic, too
Daniel Chazin of the Perelman School of Medicine says that “magical thinking” can be damaging if a person worries about harming their child and they confuse that worry for an indication that they really want it.
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Is the ‘3-2-1 rule’ the secret to better sleep?
Jennifer Goldschmied of the Perelman School of Medicine says that approaches like the “3-2-1” rule aren’t necessarily evidence-based.
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