Certain Antidepressants Change Personality News and ResearchBy Promises Behavioral HealthDecember 9, 2009A new study suggests that antidepressants like Paxil do more than just make people feel less sad and stressed. Such drugs may alter two key personality traits linked to depression—neuroticism and extraversion—independently of their effect on depression symptoms. “Medication can definitely change people’s personalities, and change them quite substantially,” says the lead author of the…
Military Children Suffer More Emotional Challenges than Other Children News and ResearchBy Promises Behavioral HealthDecember 8, 2009A new study shows that children in military families may suffer from more emotional and behavioral difficulties when compared to other American youths. The study also found that when a parent is deployed overseas, older children and girls struggle the most. Science Daily reports that RAND Corporation researchers found that having a parent deployed for…
New Causes of Childhood Obesity Found News and ResearchBy Promises Behavioral HealthDecember 7, 2009Scientists in Cambridge have discovered that the loss of a key segment of DNA can lead to severe childhood obesity. This is the first study to show that this kind of genetic alteration can cause obesity. The study, led by Dr. Sadaf Farooqi from the University of Cambridge and Dr. Matt Hurles from the Wellcome…
Physically Fit Young Adults Get Higher IQ Scores News and ResearchBy Promises Behavioral HealthDecember 5, 2009A new study by Sahlgrenska Academy and Sahlgrenska University Hospital reveals that young adults who are physically fit tend to have a higher IQ and are more likely to go on to university. The results were recently published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS). The study involved 1.2 million Swedish men…
College Requires Obese Students to Take Fitness Course News and ResearchBy Promises Behavioral HealthDecember 4, 2009Students at Pennsylvania’s Lincoln University with a body mass index of 30 or above, reflective of obesity, must take a fitness course that meets three hours per week in order to graduate. Those who are assigned to the class but do not complete it cannot graduate. The first class to face this requirement is nearing…
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) Mood DisordersBy Promises Behavioral HealthDecember 3, 2009By Leslie Thompson The leaves are falling and the brisk, cool air of fall is permeating the streets. Winter is just around the corner, but instead of embracing the seasonal change, you’re feeling a bit down, a little moodier, or even depressed. If this sounds like you, know that you’re not alone: Many people suffer…
Insecure Relationships can Lead to Pain and Depression in Teens Adolescent IssuesBy Promises Behavioral HealthDecember 1, 2009Researchers from the Université de Montréal, Sainte-Justine University Hospital Center, and McGill University have discovered that insecure adolescents experience more intense pain in the form of frequent headaches, abdominal pain, and joint pain. According to the study, published in the Journal of Pain, these teens are also more likely to be depressed than peers with…
New Study Suggests Elderly Fight Depression by Staying Current on Family Matters News and ResearchBy Promises Behavioral HealthNovember 30, 2009Such events as a small promotion at work, a backyard landscaping project, or a new milestone met by a great-grandchild may warrant a phone call to an elderly family member. Though these occasions may not call for a party or even a greeting card, new research shows that keeping current on family events may help…
Social Perceptions: Biological vs. Behavioral Diseases AddictionBy Promises Behavioral HealthNovember 29, 2009Decades after behavioral disorders such as alcohol and drug addictions have been recognized by the medical community as diseases instead of simply a series of bad choices, social stigmas still play a role with these health issues. Negative associations cause people to fear, reject, and discriminate against a person with a behavior-related disease, according to…
Are Rats Risk-Averse? News and ResearchBy Promises Behavioral HealthNovember 28, 2009Rats are often studied to determine how humans might behave in a similar situation or react to a medication. Though rats have been known to understand simple reward and punishment responses, it has not been explored whether rats could understand the concept of “playing the odds.” A recent study by Zeeb, Robbins, & Winstanley in…
