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Mental Health Research Archive


Research: 2011

Please note that when you click on any of the links below, you’ll be visiting a site that is not affiliated with our site. The views expressed in the articles below do not necessarily reflect our own.

  • Teen Drug Use: Marijuana Up, Cigarettes and Alcohol Down Time reports on a new study, showing that cigarette, alcohol, prescription drug, and cocaine use are all significantly down, while marijuana is up (but below all-time highs in the late 70s); concern is emerging over using “synthetic weed” like K2 and Spice, which are made from dangerous lab chemicals that cause seizures and death

Research: 2010

Please note that when you click on any of the links below, you’ll be going to a site that has no connection to this site. The views expressed on the sites below do not necessarily reflect our own.


Research: 2009

Please note that when you click on any of the links below, you’ll be going to a site that has no connection to this site. The views expressed on the sites below do not necessarily reflect our own.

  • Cannabis Damages Young Brains More Than Originally Thought, Study Finds (12.17.09) “The damaging effects of [marijuana] on young brains are worse than originally thought... [A recent study] suggests that daily consumption of cannabis in teens can cause depression and anxiety, and have an irreversible long-term effect on the brain.”
  • New Study Links DHA TYpe of Omega-3 to Better Nervous System Function (12.19.09) “The omega-3 essential fatty acids commonly found in fatty fish and algae help animals avoid sensory overload... The finding connects low omega-3s to the information-processing problems found in people with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, OCD, ADHD, Huntington's disease, and other afflictions of the nervous system."
  • Poll Reveals Trauma of Joblessness in U.S. (12.15.09) NYT article exploring the impacts of the recession on Americans’ mental health
  • Scientist Discovers He Has Mind of a Serial Killer WSJ video regarding the confluence of genetics and environment on creating psychopathic behavior
  • We May Be Born with an Urge to Help (12.01.09) "Biologists are beginning to form a generally sunnier view of humankind...babies are innately sociable and helpful to others...Biologists see in humans a natural willingness to help."
  • The Hadza (12.01.09) National Geographic story on an indigenous hunter-gatherer tribe, posing the question "what do they know that we've forgotten?"
  • Autism Treatment Works in Kids as Young as 18 Months (11.29.09) "The first rigorous study of behavior treatment in autistic children as young as 18 months found two years of therapy can vastly improve symtoms, often resulting in a milder diagnosis."
  • Mental Illness "Gene" Discovered (11.26.09) "The ABCA13 gene is partially inactive in patients with severe psychological conditions such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and depression."
  • Watching the Brain Learn (11.24.09) Scientific American article exploring the changes seen in the brain during learning--most of it occurring in the mysterious “white matter” part of the brain
  • The Biology Behind the Milk of Human Kindness (11.24.09) NYT article on the impact of the bonding hormone oxytocin on empathy and trust
  • The Efficacy of Psychodynamic Therapy (10.09.09) Psychological journal article arguing that psychodynamic therapy--explorative, in-depth therapy focused on linking present behavior to childhood patterns--is one of the most effective approaches for producing changes that clients maintain after treatment, despite recent clinical bias in favor of behavioral approaches like CBT
  • Getting It Wrong: Surprising Tips on How to Learn (10.20.09) Recent study finds that “Learning becomes better if conditions are arranged so that student make errors. People remember things better, longer, if they are given very challenging tests on the material, tests at which they are bound to fail.”
  • New Report Finds Positive Association Between Phthalate Exposure and ADHD Symptoms (11.19.09) Phthalates are chemicals found in many “consumer products, including toys, cleaning materials, plastics, and personal care items. [Some studies have linked] exposure to hormone disruptions, birth defects, asthma, and reproductive problems. [A recent study] found a significant positive association between phthalate exposure and ADHD.”
  • Genetic Variation Linked to Individual Empathy, Stress Levels (11.17.09) “Researchers have discovered a genetic variation that may contribute to how empathetic a human is, and how that person reacts to stress. In the first study of its kind, a a variation in the hormone/neurotransmitter oxytocin’s receptor was linked to a person’s ability to infer the mental state of others.”
  • Depression Diversity: Brain Studies Reveal Big Differences Among Individuals (05.08.08) Study reveals “there’s a substantial amount of biological difference even among people who have major depression, which is just as important as the biological differences between people with depression and people without.”
  • The Evolution of the God Gene (11.15.09) NYT article exploring the relationship between religiosity and natural selection in human beings
  • Babies’ Language Learning Starts from the Womb (11.5.09) “From their very first days, newborns’ cries already bear the mark of the language their parents speak, reveals a new study... The findings suggest that infants begin picking up elements of what will be their first language in the womb, and certainly long before their first babble or coo.”
  • A Powerful Identity, a Vanishing Diagnosis (11.3.09) NYT article explores the impact of potentially eliminating the Asperger’s Syndrome diagnosis, and reframing it as autism
  • Meditate to Concentrate (10.28.09) “Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania say that practicing even small doses of daily meditation may improve focus and performance.”
  • Women Outperform Men When Identifying Emotions (10.21.09) “Women are better than men at distinguishing between emotions, especially fear and disgust.”
  • Green Spaces ‘Improve Health (10.15.09) “There is more evidence that living near a ‘green space’ has health benefits. Research in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health says the impact is particularly noticeable in reducing rates of mental ill health.”
  • The Young and the Neuro (10.13.09) NYT article introducing the field of social cognitive neuroscience--exploring how biology influences behavior, and also how behavior changes biology
  • Understanding the Anxious Mind (10.04.09) In-depth NYT article exploring the genetic predisposition for anxiety
  • Mindful Meditation, Shared Dialogues Reduce Physician Burnout (09.23.09) “Training in mindfulness meditation and communication can alleviate the psychological distress and burnout experienced by many physicians and can improve their well-being.”
  • Lack of Sleep Increases the Risk of Catching a Cold (09.21.09) “As cold season approaches, many Americans stock up on their vitamin C and echinacea. But heeding the age-old advice about catching up on sleep might be more important.”
  • Phys Ed: What Sort of Exercise Can Make You Smarter? (09.16.09) “Allow a laboratory mouse to run as much as it likes, and its brainpower improves. Force it to run harder than it otherwise might, and its thinking improves even more.”
  • Are Your Friends Making You Fat? (09.10.09) Fascinating article about the power of social connections and the power our friends have to influence our health, wealth, and happiness
  • Putting Feelings Into Words Produces Therapeutic Effects in the Brain. (09.16.09) “Why does putting our feelings into words--talking with a therapist or friends, writing in a journal--help us feel better? A new brain imaging study by UCLA reveals why verbalizing our feelings makes our sadness, anger, and pain less intense.”
  • Neuroimaging Study Supports Ancient Buddhist Teachings. (09.16.09) This brain imaging study provides some of the first evidence for “why mindfulness--the ability to live in the present moment, without distraction--seems to produce a variety of health benefits.”
  • Seeing Mental Illness in a Different Light. (09.06.09) Interview with a Sacramento native who is exploring the positive aspects of his bipolar disorder
  • Believing Is Seeing: Thoughts Color Perception. (09.03.09) “Folk wisdom usually has it that ‘seeing is believing,’ but new research suggests that ‘believing is seeing,’ too--at least when it comes to perceiving other people’s emotions.”
  • Depression Looms as Global Health Crisis. (09.02.09) “The World Health Organization predicts that within 20 years more people will be affected by depression than any other health problem.”
  • Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Primary Suicide Risk Factor for Veterans. (08.26.09) “Researchers working with Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans have found that post-traumatic stress disorder, the current most common mental disorder among veterans returning from service in the Middle East, is associated with an increased risk for thoughts of suicide.”
  • What She Sees In You: Facial Attractiveness Explained. (08.25.09) “When it comes to potential mates, women may be as complicated as men claim they are, according to psychologists.”
  • Why Cry? Evolutionary Biologists Show Crying Can Strengthen Relationships. (08.24.09) “Medically, crying is known to be a symptom of physical pain or stress. But now a Tel Aviv University evolutionary biologist looks to empirical evidence showing that tears have emotional benefits and can make interpersonal relationships stronger.”
  • Researchers Find Saying ‘I’m Sorry’ Influences Jurors. (08.24.09) “Apologizing for negative outcomes--a practice common even with children--may lead to more favorable verdicts for auditors in court, according to researchers at George Mason University and Oklahoma State University.”
  • How We Support Our False Beliefs. (08.23.09) “In a study published in the most recent issue of the journal Sociological Inquiry, sociologists from four major research institutions focus on one of the most curious aspects of the 2004 presidential election: the strength and resilience of the belief among many Americans that Saddam Hussein was linked to the terrorist attacks of 9/11.”
  • Romance + Attraction + Oxytocin = Love. “For centuries, love has been celebrated--and probed--mostly by poets, artists, and balladeers. But now, its mysteries are also yielding to the tools of science, including modern brain scanning machines.”
  • Divorce Takes Health Toll that Remarriage Can’t Heal. “Divorce causes more than bitterness and broken hearts. The trauma of a split can leave long-lasting effects on mental and physical health that remarriage might not repair, according to research released this week.”
  • Maintaining Cognitive Function in Old Age. “Not everyone declines in cognitive function with age. Elderly people who exercise at least once a week, have at least a high school education and a ninth grade literacy level, are not smokers and are more socially active are more likely to maintain their cognitive skills through their 70s and 80s, according to research...”
  • Exercise Helps Fight Depression. “When Gaetano Vaccaro meets with depressed patients at Moonview Sanctuary, he sometimes moves part of the session outside, taking a walk while talking. The result: ‘People's state of mind can shift.’”
  • Brain Difference in Psychopaths Identified. “Professor Declan Murphy and colleagues Dr Michael Craig and Dr Marco Catani from the Institute of Psychiatry at King's College London have found differences in the brain which may provide a biological explanation for psychopathy.”
  • Do Parents Matter? Interview with author Judith Rich Harris, arguing that parents have little influence on their children’s behavior and development.
  • Autism: Yes, iPod Has an Ap for That. “Thanks to some really forward thinking professionals in St Paul Minneapolis, Aspergers teens have a cool tool in their iPods to help navigate the social world.  The Fraser staff came up with short videos and slide shows (some even as short as 30 seconds) on social skill topics that can be looked at anytime, anywhere, and applied to the immediate situation.” 
  • College for Autistics. “The California State University East Bay campus in the Hayward hills is the site of an unusual experiment in higher education for people with autism. Starting in the fall quarter, college-age autistics will be encouraged to attend and build an educational community; one that draws on the autistics' unusual academic strengths. The experiment will test the possibilities for autistics in a university setting, and more generally the possibilities for a range of students with disabilities.”
  • Can You Be Too Perfect? “Perfectionists can become discouraged by failing to meet impossibly high standards, making them reluctant to take on new challenges or even complete agreed-upon tasks. The insistence on dotting all the i’s can also breed inefficiency, causing delays, work overload and even poor results.”
  • Percentage of Veterans with Mental Health Problems Jumps Dramatically. “About 37% of veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan have mental health problems, a nearly 50% increase from the last time the prevalence was calculated, according to a new study published today analyzing national Department of Veterans Affairs data.”
  • Suicide’s Rising Toll: After Combat, Victims of an Inner War. “The number of suicides reported by the Army has risen to the highest level since record-keeping began three decades ago. Last year, there were 192 among active-duty soldiers and soldiers on inactive reserve status, twice as many as in 2003, when the war began. (Five more suspected suicides are still being investigated.) This year’s figure is likely to be even higher: from January to mid-July, 129 suicides were confirmed or suspected, more than the number of American soldiers who died in combat during the same period.
  • ”New ‘Science of Learning’ Could Reinvent Teaching Techniques. "’New insights from many different fields are converging to create a new science of learning that may transform educational practices,’" begins a report led by Andrew Meltzoff, co-director of the University of Washington’s Institute for Learning and Brain Sciences in Seattle. The review in the current Science journal makes the case that psychologists, neuroscientists, roboticists and teachers should create a new field that combines everything from how brains grow to how classrooms work into a new kind of learning research.”
  • Nightmares Predict Elevated Suicidal Symptoms in Patients Seeking Admission to Emergency Mental Health Facility. “Self-reported nightmares among patients seeking emergency psychiatric evaluation uniquely predicted elevated suicidal symptoms, according to a research abstract that will be presented on Tuesday, June 9, at SLEEP 2009, the 23rd Annual Meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies.”
  • Unspoken Memories of Holocaust Survivors Find Silent and Non-Pathological Expression in the Everyday Lives of Their Families. “Aspects of knowing about a parent’s or grandparent’s Holocaust experiences and traumas are transmitted to other members of the family through unspoken and sometimes unintentional behaviors in the home. This leads to a “knowledge” and presence of the Holocaust that, despite remaining unspoken, contributes to the life experiences and constitutes the personality of the person exposed to it.”
  • The Fewer the Competitors, the Harder They Try. “What relationship there is between the number of participants in a competition and the motivation of the competitors has long eluded researchers. Does the presence of a lot of rivals stimulate action or lead someone to give up hope? It is more than an academic question. Or, rather, it is a very academic question indeed, for it may affect the way that examinations are conducted if they are to be a fair test for all.”
  • Dad: More than Just a Guy with Sperm. “One of the tenets of evolutionary biology is that a man's contribution to fatherhood is one tiny little sperm, a miniscule nosecone of genes riding atop a flagellating tail.”
  • Nature? Nurture? University of Iowa Scientists Say Neither. “It's easy to explain why we act a certain way by saying "it's in the genes," but a group of University of Iowa scientists say the world has relied on that simple explanation far too long.”
  • If You’re Happy Then We Know It: New Research Measures Mood. “In 1881, the optimistic Irish economist Francis Edgeworth imagined a strange device called a ‘hedonimeter’ that would be capable of ‘continually registering the height of pleasure experienced by an individual.’ In other words, a happiness sensor.”
  • Cocksure: Banks, Battles, and the Psychology of Overconfidence. “In 1996, an investor named Henry de Kwiatkowski sued Bear Stearns for negligence and breach of fiduciary duty. De Kwiatkowski had made—and then lost—hundreds of millions of dollars by betting on the direction of the dollar, and he blamed his bankers for his reversals.”
  • Real-World Behavior and Biases Show Up in Virtual World. “Americans are spending increasing amounts of time hanging around virtual worlds in the forms of cartoon-like avatars...simply fun and games divorced from reality, right? Not necessarily so.”
  • Horses Get By with a Little Help from Their Friends. “If you’re a female horse, it pays to have a few girlfriends. Mares who form stronger social bonds produce more and healthier offspring, according to a new study. The finding adds to the growing evidence that friendship is an adaptation with deep evolutionary roots.”
  • Five-Second Touch Can Convey Specific Emotion, Study Finds. “Researchers have found experimental evidence that a touch can be worth a thousand words, that fleeting physical contact can express specific emotions--silently, subtly, and unmistakably.”
  • Interrogation Inc. - 2 U.S. Architects of Harsh Tactics in 9/11’s Wake. “Jim Mitchell and Bruce Jessen were military retirees and psychologists, on the lookout for business opportunities. They found an excellent customer in the Central Intelligence Agency, where in 2002 they became the architects of the most important interrogation program in the history of American counterterrorism.”
  • Researchers Find Genetic Link Between Physical Pain and Social Rejection. “UCLA psychologists have determined for the first time that a gene linked with physical pain sensitivity is associated with social pain sensitivity as well.”