| Mechanism Sheds Light On How the Brain Adapts to Stress |
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| Scientists now have a better understanding of the way that stress impacts the brain. New research, published by Cell Press in the January 26 issue of the journal Neuron, reveals pioneering evidence for a new mechanism of stress adaptation and may eventually lead to a better understanding of why prolonged and repeated exposure to stress can lead to anxiety disorders and depression.
Most stressful stimuli cause the release of corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) from neurons in the brain. This i... |
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| Physical Activity Yields Feelings of Excitement, Enthusiasm |
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| People who are more physically active report greater levels of excitement and enthusiasm than people who are less physically active, according to Penn State researchers. People also are more likely to report feelings of excitement and enthusiasm on days when they are more physically active than usual.
"You don't have to be the fittest person who is exercising every day to receive the feel-good benefits of exercise," said David Conroy, professor of kinesiology. "It's a matter of taking it one da... |
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| In the Brain, Signs of Autism as Early as 6 Months Old |
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| Measuring brain activity in infants as young as six months may help to predict the future development of autism symptoms.
Research conducted at the Centre for Brain and Cognitive Development, Birkbeck, University of London, and published in the January edition of Current Biology, shows that in their first year of life, babies who will go on to develop autism already show different brain responses when someone looks at them or away.
"The study is only a first step toward earlier diagnosis, but... |
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| Autism Redefined: New Diagnostic Criteria More Restrictive |
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| Getting an autism diagnosis could be more difficult in 2013 when a revised diagnostic definition goes into effect. The proposed changes may affect the proportion of individuals who qualify for a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder, according to preliminary data presented by
The proposed changes to the diagnostic definition would be published in the fifth edition of the American Psychiatric Association's (APA) "Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5)."
"Given the potent... |
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