Category: Linkage

Quick links from the past week in mind and brain news:

Sex addiction is a feminist victory, according to an article in Slate, apparently because it allows man shaming. Malevolence-based medicine rears its ugly head.

The BPS Research Digest covers research finding CBT-based self-help books might do more harm than good for people who worry a lot.

The public are asked for their opinion on the recent news that The Lancet retracts the Wakefield autism paper, by The Onion.

Neurophilosophy has an excellent piece on big news that the first evidence for navigation essential grid cells in the human brain.

Why does time fly by as you get older? NPR has a great segment that tackles the cognitive science of changing time perception with age.

Neuroskeptic has an excellent piece on a new fMRI scanning technique that manages 10 scans a second over a thin slice. If you’re not reading Neuroskeptic, you should be, it’s great.

Any Freemasonry in the family? The Independent has a piece on one man’s experience of trying gay ‘conversion’ ‘therapy’ in the UK.

The Economist looks to the February 10th release of the first draft of the new psychiatric manual, the DSM-V. Doesn’t mention that it is likely to unleash a bun-fight of biblical proportions.

Mind Hacks is a top 30 science blog according to The Times and a top 100 blog for psychology students according to News42. Shakira todavía no me ha llamado.

H+ Magazine covers the announcement that the next $10 million X Prize is for a brain-computer interface. I shall propose ‘fingers’ as my entry.

There’s a thought-provoking piece on whether racism is partly due to perceptual illusions over at The Vision Revolution.

Fora.tv has an excellent talk about the new book ‘The Harvard Psychedelic Club’ about how the psychedelic revolution emerged from the Harvard psychology department, based on the new book of the same name.

Reactive action is quicker action, according to research covered by Not Exactly Rocket Science.

Nature has an excellent short article on writer Jorge Luis Borges interest in neuroscience but it’s locked behind a paywall because this information can kill! It’s for your own good.

“We have buried Trials 15, 31, 56…” The Carlat Psychiatry Blog covers jaw-dropping evidence of drug companies Eli Lilly, AstraZeneca hiding evidence and lying about drug harm.

The Daily Mirror has a poor write-up but a genius headline over the recent internet and depression flap: “Does being inter the net bring you down loads?”

Is Telephony Making Us Stupid? Carl Zimmer’s The Loom covers Mark Twain’s article about the dangers of the telephone.

NPR has a good short piece on Haiti, imposing Western ideas about <a href="Mental Health Disaster Relief Not Always Clear Cut
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=122981850&ft=1&f=1001″>trauma and how some treatment can do more harm than good.

Teaching abstinence makes teens delay sex? Dr Petra presents the evidence behind the media hype.

The Washington Post reports that the US Defense Department starts an investigation into military mental health care after an exposé by Salon.

A new London exhibition on the history of the ‘Bedlam’ hospital and the development of mental health care in the UK is covered by The Guardian. Only runs until February 12th.

In the News is a fantastic forensic psychology blog.

The founder of the Baby Einstein sues the university for access to raw data for a study reporting that the DVDs actually slowed language development, reports Advances in the History of Psychology.

Quick links from the past week in mind and brain news:

io9 has a great brief summary of a citation analysis that describe how neuroscience became a major scientific discipline in just one decade. Interestingly, it didn’t happen in the Decade of the Brain.

The ability to resist temptation is contagious, according a new study covered by The Frontal Cortex. I suspect this means I am patient zero of giving in to temptation.

Salon has an interview with psychologist Susan Clancy about her new book ‘The Trauma Myth’ on child abuse, which is likely to be both important and controversial. The comments are a mix of the insightful, angry and loopy.

This chap might have found a photo of Phineas Gage from before his injury.

Radio 4 has a good documentary on ‘Super Recognisers’ that will disappear off the face of the earth in only a few days if you miss your chance to listen to it.

The Prison Photography blog is excellent.

NPR has a brief segment on new evidence suggesting that heavy drinking in teenage years may have a lasting impact on the brain.

Special therapy bears work through mirror neurons (what else) according to a bizarre claim unearthed by The Neurocritic.

NeuroPod has just released a new edition covering optogenetics, AI cockroaches, stem and grid cells.

Does time dilate during a threatening situation? asks Neurophilosophy.

Science Daily reports that thinking of the past or future causes us to sway backward or forward on the basis of a new study.

C.G. Jung’s famous ‘Red Book‘ has finally been published and Brain Pickings has a fantastic review and preview.

The Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry has launched a new podcast which is aimed at clinicians and is. a. bit. stilted. but sounds promising.

There’s a good piece about the new and not very effective female ‘sex drug‘ flibanserin in Inkling Magazine.

Horizon, the flagship BBC science programme, recently had an episode on the Big Pharma, medicalisation and disease mongering. Apart from some minor pharmacological dodginess (ADHD a ‘chemical imbalance’, Ritalin a ‘clever pill’) it’s excellent and features our very own Dr Petra. Torrent here.

A new study finding people’s personality is reflected in their internet use is covered by the BPS Research Digest. See also a new study finding social behaviour is similar both online and offline.

Quirks and Quarks, the excellent Canadian radio show, discusses kuru disease immunity in cannibals.

Why is there no anthropology journalism? asks Savage Minds.

The Economist covers a new study finding that the more widespread a language, the simpler it is, suggesting that that languages become streamlined as they spread.

Incoming! APA press release forewarns of imminent clinical psychology fight: psychodynamic therapy best says not yet published meta-analysis.

PsyBlog has an excellent round-up of 10 studies on why smart people do irrational things.

The secrets of looking good on the dance floor and research on the psychology of social dance is covered in Spiegel magazine.

Life magazine has a gallery of famous literary drunks and addicts.

The US is quietly abandoning the ‘war on drugs‘ according to an article in The Independent. Does this mean the expansion of military bases in Colombia is to be re-justified as part of a war on salsa music? Kids told to ‘just say no’ to fake tans and enthusiastic rhythm sections.

The BPS Research Digest reports the development of what could be the first anti-lie detector in neuroscience.

Bootleg Botox, a potent neurotoxin, could be a weapon of mass destruction according to a piece in the Washington Post.

Wired reports on the Jan 25th anniversary of the first recorded human death by robot which occurred in Flint, Michigan, 1979.

The marriage market and the social economics of high-end prostitutes are tackled in a new study discussed in Marginal Revolution.

Quick links from the past week in mind and brain news:

Drug Monkey covers a fascinating study finding that mental health workers judge patients differently depending on whether they’re described as being a ‘substance abuser’ or as having ‘a substance use disorder’. We covered a similar study on personality disorder previously.

To the bunkers! The robots are coming but are we ready for them? asks Silicon.com. Remember: see a twitch? Check for a switch. Species security is everyone’s responsibility.

NPR has a fascinating segment on the relationship between lies and wishful thinking.

To the bunkers! The age of the killer robot is no longer a sci-fi fantasy, says an article in The Independent. Remember: a disabled robot can be rebuilt, leave no component in working order. Clunk, clip, every chip.

Normal face recognition abilities are influenced by genetics finds new twin study reported by Wired Science.

To the bunkers! The Daily Express reports on the unveiling of robot planes hailed as ‘the future of warfare’. Remember: robot soldiers have no souls – make a dent, don’t repent.

The Neurocritic asks ‘Is this aspirin playful or serious?’ and covers a curious neuromarketing study that looked at the personalities of products.

To the bunkers! H+ Magazine reports on a nanotechnology robot arm that places atoms and molecules with 100% accuracy. Remember: he may look clean, but have you scanned? Even live humans may have robot parasites.

Neuronarrative reports that making a constant public commitment to lose weight improves dieting success.

To the bunkers! Popular Science reports on a robot that takes surer steps due to ‘chaos control’. Remember: see a wire? Open fire. Humans always fight for liberty.

PsyBlog lists the the 7 psychological principles of scams.

To the bunkers! CNET reports that Korean scientists have created a robot housemaid. Remember: Stepford Wives – check the eyes.

Wiley Science puts the first issue of its new Interdisciplinary Reviews: Cognitive Science magazine online with an impressive list of academic articles freely available to download.

To the bunkers! Toyota predicts robot nurses will care for the frail elderly, according to a story in Wired Gadget Lab. Remember: a family with a robot is a massacre in the making. Take care of the robots, before they take care of you.

BBC News reports on a study finding that video game success is related to brain structure size: nucleus accumbens size predicts initial success, basal ganglia long-term success.

To the bunkers! TG Daily reports on Roxxxy, an AI sex robot that “has personality, and can even answer back”. Remember: nothing compares to human sex, don’t let the robots get you by the balls.

The Guardian has an excellent eight part summary of Heidegger’s ‘Being and Time’.

To the bunkers! New Scientist reports on a study finding that exposure to robots in the movies and television could affect our ability to empathise with synthetic beings. Remember: detect a bug? Pull the plug. Even loved ones can be androids.

New Scientist reports on a new study finding a link between symmetry of activity in the brain’s hemispheres and susceptibility to hypnosis.

To the bunkers! The New York Times reports that a new generation of ear bud headphones have built in artificial intelligence-based signal processing. Remember: your ears are a backdoor into the brain, don’t let the robots in – keep neural tissue pure.

The BPS Research Digest reports on a study finding that early risers are more proactive than evening people. Shortly to be the basis of a new diagnosis and licensing application for modafinil.

To the bunkers! An article in Popular Mechanics argues against the concept of the ‘uncanny valley‘, although neglects to mention a couple of relevant studies that support the concept. Remember: if it’s too good to be true, it’s robot through and through. Your intuition is the best defence against the robot menace.

The Psychiatric Times blog notes that families of US soldiers who commit suicide do not get condolence notes from the government like other military casualties.

To the bunkers! Geeky Gadgets sells an awesome Google / SkyNet t-shirt. Remember: humans, biology is our heritage. Metabolism pride!

The Telegraph reports that even the founder has given up on the idea of bullshit Blue Monday. Thankfully, we were relatively unafflicted this year although Dr Petra had a good antidote for any remaining infections.

To the bunkers! The Engineer reports on the development of a fire fighting robot. Remember: heat tolerance is a robot trait. No sweat, no soul.

Neuroworld takes apart the ‘blonde women get angry’ news that was completely made up from a barely related study.

To the bunkers! Entertainment Weekly reports that the next Spike Jonez film is a robot love story. Remember: to a robot, your heart is just a machine. Don’t let them capture it.

New Scientist covers and interesting study that mathematically modelled the social effects of monogamy and polygamy.

To the bunkers! USA Today reports on the unveiling of a new anti-terrorism robot at Boston’s Logan Airport. Remember: only humans feel fear, anti-terrorism is anti-humanism, fight the robot overlords.

Skeptical Inquirer magazine has an excellent piece on highlights of mass delusions and hysteria from the last millennium.

To the bunkers! The Guardian has an article looking at the history of robots in sport. Remember: sport strengthens human relationships, don’t let robots infiltrate your team.

The Economist covers an intriguing study find that power corrupts, but it corrupts only those who think they are entitled to take advantage of the situation.

Quick links from the past week in mind and brain news:

Herbert Spiegel, legendary pioneer of hypnosis research, has left the building. The New York Times has an obituary.

Corpus Callosum covers a possible new non-addictive anti-anxiety drug. We have a long history of new ‘non-addictive’ anti-anxiety drugs turning out to be addictive. Fingers crossed for this one.

Jenny McCarthy dismisses a recent scientific study on autism and demands more anecdotal data, according to a report by Discovery News.

The Smithsonian Magazine has an article on ‘Phineas Gage: Neuroscience’s Most Famous Patient’.

There’s an excellent piece about the history of child bipolar disorder, a culture-bound syndrome specific to American psychiatry if ever there was one, over at Neuroskeptic.

Vox Project is a BBC Radio 4 documentary on the neuroscience of speech and language. Shortly to evaporate into the black hole that is the time-limited BBC archive, so catch it while you can.

There are some beautiful cut-away illustrations of MRI, PET and CT scanners here.

BBC News reports on the second biggest danger associated with taking cocaine, after acting like a cock.

Viewing headless bodies causes changes in how we perceive faces, according to an intriguing study covered by Neurophilosophy.

The New York Times reviews the new movie documentary on the life of Nobel-winning neuroscientist Eric Kandel.

The top ten most popular posts on the excellent Addiction Inbox blog are listed for your perusal.

The Splintered Mind notes philosopher of mind Eric Schwitzgebel is doing a UK tour. T-shirts presumably available at the venues.

Jewellery and make-up suggest neanderthals were smart, according to archaeologists who have clearly never been down Watford High Street on a Saturday night. Wired UK covers the story.

Scientific American has an excellent article on online social networks and mental health which is locked behind their newly imposed paywall. Science!

The effect of stereotypes and how the unconsciously influence our behaviour is covered in a great piece on PsyBlog.

The New York Times covers new concerns about human rights abuses in China’s drug rehab centres.

An awesome looking book on the history of prion brain disease kuru is reviewed by The Neuro Times.

American Scholar magazine has a quirky A-Z narrative journey through brain science that shouldn’t work, but does.

There’s a great piece on the history of giving beef flavoured Prozac to dogs for ‘canine separation anxiety’ over at Frontier Psychiatrist.

The LA Times covers the debate over cognitive behavioural therapy vs traditional psychological treatments that continues to rumble on. I assumed it was all dolphin therapy in LA.

The US Navy wants troops wearing brain-scanners and doing cognitive assessments in the war zone, according to a report by Wired Danger Room.

Neuroethics at the Core has some excellent coverage of the state-of-play with the ‘next generation’ ampakine cognitive enhancers.

Post-shit-hitting-the-fan morphine cuts combat PTSD rates in half, according to a new study discovered and discussed by Neuron Culture.

The New York Times reports that AI pioneer, Ray Solomonoff, has left the building and has an obituary.

The uncanny valley and the digital Beatles are discussed by the Sensory Superpowers blog.

BBC News reports on a new study finding that angiotensin receptor blocker drugs cut dementia rates.

The latest Brain Science Podcast is an interview with pioneering emotion neuroscientist Jaak Panksepp.

Charlie Rose has part three of his brain series where a cluster of high profile neuroscientists discuss action and the brain.

In a rather timely post, The Frontal Cortex covers a recent imaging study on the neuroscience of charitable giving.

The New York Times has an interesting account of how a judge has tried to reconfigure the court system for low-level drug offenders to promote behavioural change.

A British law automatically sacking MPs who need more than six months out for mental health problems when no such rule exists for physical health problems is being challenged, reports BBC News.

The San Francisco Chronicle reports on how Yahoo! is tooling up with social scientists.

The dying art of Braille reading and how the blind community is using technology is covered by an interesting piece in The New York Times.

New Scientist has an interesting piece on ‘Five emotions you never knew you had’ that tackles various feelings recently classified by psychologists.

An elegant study that helps explain why light makes migraines worse is covered by Science News.

In The Pipeline covers an interesting example of the nocebo effect: residents complain that a new cell phone tower making them ill, company reveals it wasn’t switched on.

Quick links from the past week in mind and brain news:

New Scientist looks at a new theory of synaesthesia that goes beyond the ‘crossed senses’ idea.

Looking younger may be a matter of looking less masculine, according to a study covered by the Psychology of Beauty blog.

The Psych Files show interviews psychologist Scott Lilienfeld on his new book on 50 myths of popular psychology.

There’s a review of Stanislas Dehaene’s new book Reading in the Brain by psychologist Alison Gopnick in The New York Times.

The Neurocritic looks at whether roller coasters cause more brain damage than pillow fights.

How is the internet changing the way we think? asks Edge. Answers from numerous contributors. Beard stroking abound.

The BPS Research Digest covers a study suggesting that prejudice towards migrants stems partly from the fact that they’re awkward to think about.

Autism clusters linked to parents’ education not environmental factors finds new study covered by Scientific American. Predictable nuttiness in the comments. Also good <a href="Autism 'Clusters' Linked To Parents' Education
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=122256276&ps=cprs”>coverage from NPR.

Not Exactly Rocket Science covers a fascinating study on how we get tripped up by the details when trying to see ourselves as others do, who are more likely to focus on the ‘bigger picture’.

Cocaine vaccine leads addicts to take 10 times more cocaine according to a new study covered by Popular Science. That’ll be the same effect as when addicts prescribed methadone ‘top up’ with heroin then.

The Times on how regional accents are strengthening in the UK despite predictions that increased mobility would lead to their loss.

A new TED talk shows Ramachandran still sipping the mirror neuron Kool-Aid. They’re responsible for building civilisation apparently. I say they also shot JFK.

GimpyBlog has an excellent piece about how media psychologist Aric Sigman has been off on another confused ramble about how product placement apparently damages childrens’ impulse control which could lead to violence!

Neuroscientist Curtis Bell has is asking people to sign a “Pledge by Neuroscientists to Refuse to Participate in the Application of Neuroscience to Violations of Basic Human Rights or International Law”. Neuroethics at the Core kick off a debate on the issue.

New Scientist has an essay by Ray Tallis on why you won’t find consciousness in the brain.

Athletes, doctors, and lawyers with first names beginning with “D” die sooner, according to a study just published in Death Studies.

NPR has a brief segment on how WWII conscientious objectors doing civil service exposed mental ward horrors.

The brain’s flexible perception of time is covered in an article for The New York Times.

XKCD has a great parody of the recent ‘disappearing g-spot’ research.

There’s an awesome article at The Boston Globe on how our assumption of how much <a href="Think you have self-control? Careful.
http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/ideas/articles/2010/01/03/think_you_have_self_control_careful/
http://scienceblogs.com/cortex/2010/01/self-control_redux.php”>self-control we have affects our ability to exercise self-control.

BBC News reports that France is considering a law against ‘psychological violence’. Paris waiters to be first against the wall.

Straight thinking neuroscientist Lise Eliot is interviewed in Discover Magazine about the evidence for human sex differences in the mind and brain.

The New York Times has a piece on how armodafinil, the right-handed molecule of stay-up-forever drug modafinil (armodafinil = R-modafinil, geddit?) is closer to being approved for jet lag (yes, jet lag). See our piece from last year for more background on the new drug

A film by drug lord Pablo Escobar’s son on coming to terms with his father’s atrocities and halting the cycle of violence is covered by Time.

The New York Times reviews a new book on psychedelic experiments in the Harvard psychology department of the 1960s.

Psychologist is in America’s top 100 jobs (at sexy 69) and with psychiatrist at 98, according to a survey by The Wall Street Journal (philosopher is 11th!). Compare recent survey by CNN Money (psychologist 23rd, psychiatrist 24th).

The Times reviews the new exhibition on ‘identity’ at London’s wonderful Wellcome Collection.

A new study in JAMA showing antidepressants only effective for severe depression is covered by The New York Times.

The Sunday Times has a review of the new book ‘Smile or Die: How Positive Thinking Fooled America and the World’. Someone got out of the wrong side of bed this morning.

There’s an interesting piece on the psychology of conspicuous consumption over at New Scientist.

Dr Petra has a fantastic A-Z guide to ‘sex in the noughties’: A-G, H-O and P-Z.

Journalists, lawyers, business people, marketers. Want to get up to speed on the latest neuroscience without the crap? The University of Pennsylvania is running it’s Neuroscience Boot Camp again this August.

Quick links from the past two weeks in mind and brain news:

The Wall Street Journal has an excellent article on the psychology of will power in light of the season for New Year’s resolutions.

As a follow-up to the review of the year, Dr Petra discusses some sex and relationships predictions for 2010. By the way, Dr Petra just arrived on Twitter. You can follow her @DrPetra

The New York Times discusses ‘pleasure procrastination’ where people put off pleasurable activities often to the point of never doing them. See also the psychological concept of ‘hyperopia‘.

An innovative study finding it’s possible to treat tinnitus with specially designed music is covered by Not Exactly Rocket Science.

The LA Times has a brief obituary for Ruth Lilly, heiress to the Eli Lilly fortune and philanthropist, who spent much of her life in psychiatric hospital struggling with depression.

The 12 psychology studies of Christmas are featured on PsyBlog.

Science Daily covers a study finding that lighting can influence how we perceive the taste of wine.

There’s an excellent piece on the health effects of television viewing over at Seed Magazine.

The Neurocritic covers one of the brilliant light-hearted studies in the Christmas edition of the British Medical Journal. This one on the relationship between the Dow Jones Industrial Average and the value of coins swallowed by children.

The brief history of how psychoanalysis shaped consumer culture via Freud’s nephew Edward Bernays is discussed in the APA Monitor magazine.

The Neuroskeptic covers the launch of the free online neuropathology database – the Stanley Neuropathology Consortium brain collection.

Elyn Saks is a law professor at the University of Southern California, a Marshall scholar, and a graduate of Yale Law School, and has a diagnosis of schizophrenia. Scientific American has an interview.

Frontier Psychiatrist has a brief piece on Couvade Syndrome where men show ‘sympathetic’ signs pregnancy-like when their partners are pregnant.

There’s an interview with fear specialising psychologist Daniela Schiller in the latest Discover Magazine.

The BPS Research Digest covers a studying on how doodling can boost memory and concentration.

Why do more women than men still believe in God? asks Double X magazine.

Scientific American has an article on optogenetics or the use of light and genes to probe the brain.

Seeing the humanity in brain-damaged youths. The Boston Globe has a piece on looking beyond the sometimes erratic behaviour of young people with neurological problems.

Psychiatric Times has a good write-up on atypical antipsychotics increasing cardiometabolic risks in children.

The development of the brain in old age and ‘how to train the aging brain‘ is tackled by The New York Times.

If you’re a Twitter user and interested in criminology and crime, I recommend following @crime_economist.

Discover Magazine has a brief piece on how child abuse leaves its mark on the victim’s DNA.

There’s an articulate, almost poetic account, of living with ALS motor neuron disease in the New York Review of Books.

Quick links from the past week in mind and brain news:

The New York Times reports that antipsychotics are more likely to be prescribed to children from poorer families in the US.

There’s an excellent piece on Tiger Woods, the media, and the selling of sex addiction over at Dr Petra.

Time magazine reports on the climbing suicide rate in the US military with only a third happening in war zones.

UN advisor claims banks knowingly welcomed billions of laundered drug money into the system at the height of the financial crises to prevent collapse, according to a piece in The Guardian.

Wired Science reports on a study finding that geek stereotypes like Star Trek put women off an interest in technology careers. If you think that’s bad, Counsellor Deanna Troi nearly put me off a career in psychology.

A fascinating study on actually feeling pain through watching others’ discomfort is expertly covered by Neurophilosophy.

The Boston Globe covers the UK government’s recent fingers-in-ears la la la not listening firing of their top drugs advisor.

There’s a wonderfully in-depth analysis of the motivations of internet trolls over at Culture and Cognition.

New Scientist has an interesting piece on the psychology of saying the wrong thing despite deliberately trying to avoid it.

A fascinating if slightly baffling study on the cognitive effects of cuteness is covered by The Neurocritic.

CNN Money ranks clinical psychologist as the 23rd best job in America, psychiatrist as 24th.

Drug company Glaxo are said to have paid $1 billion to settle law suits over their Paxil antidepressant, according to Bloomberg.

Furious Season’s Phil Dawdy, the internet’s only crowd-funded investigative mental health journalist is having a fund-raiser and it’s been a bit slow. There’s still a chance to support his work.

Alzheimer’s risk linked to level of appetite hormone, reports BBC News.

Not Exactly Rocket Science covers an ingenious study find that even non-verbal hints in TV dramas can perpetuate racial biases.

There’s an interesting piece about important subtleties in the reporting of brain surgery for mental illness over at Neuroskeptic.

The Economist has a fascinating piece on a new study finding that stressed mothers are more likely to spontaneously miscarry male foetuses than female ones.

Information deluge will overload the brain, say numerous press stories based on a report funded by AT&T, Cisco, IBM, Intel, LSI, Oracle, and Seagate.

PsyBlog has an excellent summary of the fundamental attribution error and a brilliant study on trainee priests.

A Japanese department store is to sell two humanoid robots modelled on the purchaser, reports Wired UK.

Science Daily reports on a new study finding that a type of psychological treatment called Interpersonal Psychotherapy is useful in preventing obesity in ‘at risk’ teenage girls.

People really are happier in those US states identified as having better ‘quality of life’? asks the BPS Research Digest.

The Splintered Mind light-heartedly considers whether academics should try product placement.

Why do people dance? asks The Guardian covering some curious and intriguing research on the psychology of ‘dance confidence‘.

The Society for Neuroscience posts the video of a discussion between scientist and professionals magicians on consciousness, cognitive science and the art of magic.

Quick links from the past week in mind and brain news:

<img align="left" src="http://mindhacks-legacy.s3.amazonaws.com/2005/01/spike.jpg&quot; width="102" height="120"

New Scientist has an excellent piece on homosexuality throughout the animal kingdom.

Action video games “induce a general speeding of perceptual reaction times without decreases in accuracy of performance” according to a scientific review article in Current Directions in Psychological Science. To be widely publicised by Susan Greenfield. Oh no, my mistake.

Wired Science covers an interesting archaeological study finding possible signs of mass cannibalism from 7,000 years ago.

There’s well written, competent although slightly behind the curve article in Science News on the difficulties with functional brain scan cognitive neuroscience.

Dr Petra has more on the ‘in preparation’ and not very effective sex drug for women, flibanserin.

Well lookie here. The Economist uncovers UK government refusal to release its own report on the effectiveness of its anti-drugs strategy because it might ‘confuse the public’.

Not Exactly Rocket Science covers a fantastic study that found that testosterone made people more selfish, but only if they knew they were taking it.

You can find a working torrent of the recent and excellent BBC Horizon documentary ‘Why Do We Talk?’ on the psychology and neuroscience of speech and language here.

The New York Times reports on research finding that fathers can also experience post-partum (post-birth of child) depression.

There’s a fantastic article on the cognitive benefits of travel by Jonah Lehrer over at his blog Frontal Cortex.

Forbes magazine may be the first mainstream publication to get past the hype of commercial neuromarketing companies with an appropriately skeptical article.

“To a psychologist, climate change looks as if it was designed to be ignored”. Interesting article from The Washington Post.

Neuron Culture announces that if you liked the recent Atlantic ‘Orchid and the Dandelion’ article on how risk genes may really be sensitivity genes, science writer David Dobbs has agreed a deal to write a book riffing on the idea.

Brain structure and circuitry offer clues to consciousness in non-mammals, says an interesting cross-species article in Science News.

New Scientist has a piece on how the gaze of a computer generated disembodied head is being used to study the ability to follow eye direction and create shared or joint attention – a key social skill.

If you’ve not heard the latest RadioLab do so. A beautiful programme on numbers with plenty of psychology material.

Not Exactly Rocket Science has another great piece on a study finding fear memory associations can be reduced if a reminder of the feared thing is briefly presented a short while before an ‘extinction trial’ – a string of other reminders.

A blog at The Economist reports that the reported inmate suicides at Guantanamo Bay are <a href="Death at Guant√°namo
http://www.economist.com/blogs/democracyinamerica/2009/12/death_at_guantanamo”>unlikely to have been suicides.

Neuroworld is a new and promising looking brain science blog over at recently launched True/Slant network.

The lack of a fully formed prefrontal cortex may help young kids accumulate knowledge rapidly, according to research covered by the LA Times.

The Splintered Mind has news that Eric Schwitzgebel’s brilliant study on whether ethicists steal more books has appeared in the journal Philosophical Psychology.

A wonderfully contrarian review of a new book on art and evolution called The Play’s the Thing appears in American Scientist

Science Daily reports that a hidden sensory system discovered in the skin.

Antidepressants linked to personality changes, particularly a reduction in neuroticism, according to new study covered by the LA Times. Which, if you’re familiar with Eyesenck’s concept of neuroticism is a pretty unsurprising finding.

Science Now reports on study finding that first-borns are less co-operative in an economic bargaining game.

There’s a profile of psychologist and Deputy Director of the US Office of National Drug Control Policy who has faced numerous addiction problems in the family in The New York Times.

Metafiler picks up on an interesting new survey on ‘what philosophers believe‘ – tracking everything from political orientation to their take on hot philosophical issues.

My day with the mental health professionals. The Guardian has a life in the day of a community psychiatric team in a tough bit of North London.

New Scientist has a piece on a new brain imaging study looking at the neural correlates of not fulfilling a promise in an investment game. Daft headline, but it turns out the hubris is from the original badly titled original study.

The psychology of social status is discussed in an excellent piece for Scientific American’s Mind Matters blog.

The 79th edition of the Encephalon psychology and neuroscience writing carnival has just been published online with this edition appearing on the mighty Mouse Trap blog.

A couple of my favourites include coverage of a fascinating experiment on Neuronarrative that managed to induce false memories of completing certain actions and another on the recent badly reported ‘sweets linked to childhood violence’ study – Brain Blogger hits the right notes in its coverage.

There’s a whole lot more in this fortnight’s edition so have a look and see what takes your fancy.

Link to Encephalon 79.

Quick links from the past week in mind and brain news:

<img align="left" src="http://mindhacks-legacy.s3.amazonaws.com/2005/01/spike.jpg&quot; width="102" height="120"

Seed Magazine has a video discussion between linguist Noam Chomsky and sociologist Robert Trivers on the use of language in deception. Predictably political in places.

Great piece from Not Exactly Rocket Science on a study showing that believers tend to think God thinks the same as they do – ‘His’ beliefs change when theirs do.

Edge has a fascinating talk on consciousness but seem not to realise they are becoming a self-parody: “Edge organized a Reality Club meeting at The Hotel Ritz in Paris to allow neuroscientist Stanislas Dehaene to present his new theory on how consciousness arises in the brain to a group of Parisian scientists and thinkers.”

A randomised-controlled trial of a behavioural programme reported in New Scientist finds early intervention in autism improves social skills and increases IQ later on. To be widely publicised by Jenny McCarthy. Oh no, my mistake.

Dr Petra’s blog was five years old the day after Mind Hacks. She has a fantastic review of the many highlights.

There’s a fascinating piece on portrayals of neurosyphilis in the work of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle in the Indian Journal of Psychiatry. I never knew Conan Doyle did his doctoral thesis on syphilis.

The BPS Research Digest has an interesting piece on cultural differences in how we justify career changes.

The brain of famous patient with amnesia HM is currently being dissected. The New York Times reports on process and you can watch it live here. I warn you though, it’s really. very. dull.

The Guardian kicks off a tongue-in-cheek evolutionary psychology agony aunt column.

A study on how watching lots of crime shows on TV skews perception of society is covered by Neuronarrative.

BBC News has video of a neurally controlled robotic <a href="Robotic hand
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/video_and_audio/8392111.stm”>cyber hand!

We have difficulty understanding what influences our own judgements, according to a classic experiment covered by PsyBlog.

Wired UK has a piece discussing the expanding drone war in Afghanistan.

I found an odd 1941 article from Time magazine on a psychiatrist teaching magic tricks to patients so they “can become the life of the party”.

Cognition and Culture has a thought-provoking piece by anthropologist Pascal Boyer on why we have death and mourning rituals.

An activist gets GlaxoSmithKlein to stop distributing a leaflet promoting the ‘low serotonin causes depression’ nonsense in Iceland. An interesting episode covered by Neuroskeptic.

New Scientist has a piece on how people with depression show differences in visual discrimination. As always, ignore the headline.

Loneliness is transmittable from person to person, according to a study covered by the Washington Post.

Science News reports that street drug ecstasy is linked to an increase in sleep apnea – temporary stops in breathing during sleep.

A study on our memory for what we’ve told to whom – ‘destination memory‘, is covered by The New York Times. Not sure this isn’t just a variation on source memory, but an interesting article.

Medical News Today reports on a study finding that Facebook profile better reflect your actual personality than your desired personality.

The 78th edition of the Encephalon psychology and neuroscience writing carnival has recently appeared on the Providentia blog with the latest in mind and brain writing from the blogosphere.

A couple of my favourites include a piece on The Mousetrap about the self in the eyes of the founding father of cognitive psychology – Ulrich Neisser, and a post that review robots controlled by brain simulations on Brain Stimulant.

There’s much more in the latest edition so do have a look.

Link to Encephalon 78.

Quick links from the past week in mind and brain news:

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There’s an excellent analysis of the Blue Brain / IBM rumpus about ‘cat brain’ simulations and PR hype over at IEEE Spectrums.

Wired covers doubts about the ‘awake during 23 years in diagnosed coma’ case. NewSci has an subsequent interview with treating neurologist Steven Laureys, who adds little, but to be fair, he’s in a difficult position as he is bound by patient confidentiality.

There’s an obituary of influential anthropologist and linguist Dell Hymes in the Washington Post “who helped pioneer the study of how people use language in their everyday lives”.

Not Exactly Rocket Science covers an surprising study that finds that liberal American students tend to think that lighter photos of Barack Obama are more typical of him, while conservatives think he’s best represented by darker photos. Lighter skin judgements predicts voting in everyone.

NPR has an interesting piece on studies showing that the idea of ‘multi-tasking‘ is likely a myth – in fact, we’re probably just fast switching between tasks.

Mugged by a one eyed-man? BPS Research Digest covers research on how to make police line-ups fairer for suspects who have an unusual distinguishing feature.

All in the Mind has an interesting piece on piece on the psychology of engaging people with climate change.

Science writer David Dobbs discusses his recent piece on recasting risk genes as sensitivity genes on the Brain Lehrer Radio Show. You can hear the piece on Neuron Culture.

BBC News reports on a new study that has found a crucial gene involved in one of the deadliest forms of brain tumour.

There’s an excellent piece on ‘the mighty power of the nocebo effect‘ on Bad Science following recent goverment discussion on the evidence for homeopathy in the UK

Time magazine slightly misses the point by asking ‘Female Sexual Dysfunction: Myth or Malady?’. The key issue is not whether it’s a difficulty, but whether it’s a medical condition. The latter is being hyped now there’s a not very effective medication in the pipeline ready to be marketed.

On a similar note, there’s a good analysis of the new ‘female sex drive pill’ trial data that’s been released in summary form over at Neuroskeptic.

The Toronto Globe and Mail has an excellent piece about the growing evidence for bloodflow difficulties being involved in multiple sclerosis.

Neuronarrative collects a series of video lectures on the neuroscience of emotion.

Genetic differences in responsiveness to oxytocin are linked face reading ability and success in inferring emotions, according to research covered by The New York Times.

How our skin helps us to perceive speech. No really. Another good write-up from Not Exactly Rocket Science.

Science covers how fMRI evidence has recently been used in sentencing in a US murder case.

Science writer Jonah Lehrer reviews Stanislas Dehaene’s book on the neuroscience of reading over at Barnes and Nobel Review.

The Guardian covers a recent study that involving brain scanning actress Fiona Shaw to help understand how actors take on other characters.

A rather poorly controlled new study on brain structure differences related to ‘internet addiction’ is expertly covered by The Neurocritic.

Addiction Inbox cover the inconvenient truth from the latest survey that the Dutch smoke less cannabis than the majority of other European countries.

Can you be blamed for sleepwalking crimes? asks New Scientist.

Somatosphere has a motherlode of podcasts from a recent neuroethics conference.

Quick links from the past week in mind and brain news:

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Neuroanthropology has an excellent piece on the late Lévi-Strauss and the development of the scientific study of cultural cognition and anthropology.

The Book of the Week in the Times Higher Education Supplement is ‘What Intelligence Tests Miss’.

Wired UK has a short but sensible piece on ‘how to tell if somebody is lying‘. In a nutshell, it’s more a statistical thing and there are no definite tell-tale signs.

There’s been some great posts on oxytocin during the last week or so over at Neurotopia.

New Scientist covers an interesting imaging study on the <a href="http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn18150-signature-of-consciousness-captured-in-brain-scans.html
“>differences between conscious and unconscious visual processing. As usual, ignore the headline.

Did a lake trigger a deadly disease? The Boston Globe discusses how the rare Lytico-Bodig disease might have emerged in New Hampshire. More on Metafilter.

Not Exactly Rocket Science covers an ingenious study on how sounds during sleep can improve previously learnt spatial associations.

Stupid title. Ridiculous picture. Interesting study. BBC News do a badly packaged write-up of a imaging study on the influence of hypnosis on the brain’s ‘default state’.

The Boston Globe covers some intriguing research on links between the economy and religious belief – particularly, believing in hell.

The BlueBrain project have created a computer simulation with as many neurons as a cat brain, according to The Times. The project is simulating cortical column neurons – almost no media outlets understand that ‘as many neurons’ does not mean ‘as complex as’. No matter how many ankles you simulate, you still haven’t created an artificial human.

PsyBlog has an interesting piece on whether ‘mirroring’ or copying other people’s body movements increases liking. Warning: dodgy hypnosis conclusion at the end.

There’s an excellent Car Zimmer piece in Discover Magazine on the ‘math instinct‘.

The Boston Review has an article on the clash between religion and PTSD treatment in the US military.

A study on how infants’ behaviour influences how their carers interact with them is covered by the ever-excellent BPS Research Digest.

Bloomberg reports, to paraphrase, that AstraZeneca are in the shit. Judge rules that claims about Seroquel increasing the risk of diabetes can be examined in court.

Lab based cognitive assessment, meet your nemesis – ecological validity. Yahoo! News reports on US military psychology experiments that will try and predict risk factors for PTSD – apart from being in a war that is – which has been concistently shown to be the biggest predictor of trauma in soldiers.

Cognitive Daily reports on a study finding that men are more tolerant of same-sex peers than women.

An artistic is to trigger an epileptic seizure in herself as part of an art show, according to The Independent

Quick links from the past week in mind and brain news:

<img align="left" src="http://mindhacks-legacy.s3.amazonaws.com/2005/01/spike.jpg&quot; width="102" height="120"

Wasting your corporate money on neuromarketing? That’s so last season. You should be wasting your money on genomarketing instead. The Neurocritic looks at the birth of an interesting new field which will undoubtedly get inappropriately commercialised any time now.

Not Exactly Rocket Science has an excellent post on how manipulating dopamine levels in the brain changes how much enjoyment we judge a future event to bring.

There’s an excellent short article on a new theory of dreaming and lucid dreams over at The New York Times.

The Situationist covers some fascinating research on whether we can judge people’s personalities purely from their appearance.

An exciting advance in gene therapy that halted the progression of a fatal neurodegenerative disease in two 7-year-olds is reported by Wired Science.

BBC News reports on government moves to reduce the prescription of antipsychotics to elderly people with dementia, owing to massive increases in short-term mortality (yes, that’s death folks).

Another big name article complains that the ‘internet is killing storytelling’ and mistakes anecdote for evidence. BrainSpin has a good analysis.

Vanity Fair has a Malcolm Gladwell satire: Gladwell explains Christmas.

Narcotecture! Afghan Desk has a photo tour of the opulent Afghan houses built through poppy growing profits.

The Guardian warns of extra heart dangers from mixing cocaine and alcohol.

The ‘peeriodic‘ table of optical illusions is described by veteran vision research Richard Gregory who classifies them according to how they affect perception in a piece for New Scientist.

PsyBlog has an interesting piece on how low mood tend to bounce back after a dip.

Pfizer caught manipulating studies for gabapentin. Busted by the New England Journal of Medicine, reported by MSBNC.

The New York Times discusses combat stress and mental illness in light of the recent Fort Hood shootings.

Carl Sagan explores the brain in his 1980 TV series, thanks to a video found by The Neuro Times. Starts by riffing on McLean’s outdated ‘triune brain’ theory (all that ‘reptilian brain’ nonsense) but otherwise great.

The BPS Research Digest reports on intriguing research on how performing horizontal eye movement exercises can boost your creativity.

Who says love hurts? Romantic partners alter our perception of pain. Another great piece from Jesse Berring in his Scientific American column.

Counter Punch discusses the controversy over the increasing use of social scientists in the military.

Rejection massively, albeit temporarily, reduces IQ, according to New Scientist who perhaps a little over-sensationalise the distracting effect of feeling shit in their headline.

The New York Times has a piece by Simon Baron-Cohen who argues that Asperger’s syndrome should not be removed from the diagnostic manuals (although doesn’t address why high functioning autism and Aspergers are different diagnoses despite differing solely in terms of a detail over when someone started talking).

There’s a great piece on the long-term effects of day care for kids over at Cognitive Daily.

Lot of places reported variations on the ‘being miserable is good for you’ theme. You’re best of reading the original study summary for a more sensible take.

Quick links from the past week in mind and brain news:

<img align="left" src="http://mindhacks-legacy.s3.amazonaws.com/2005/01/spike.jpg&quot; width="102" height="120"

What should count as an illness in the DSM-V? Asks Psychiatric Times with a brief discussion on the concepts of mental disorder.

Addiction Inbox is a fantastic blog about drug abuse and addiction.

There’s an excellent article on the anthropology of office gossip over at The New York Times.

New Scientist reports on a convicted murderer who got a reduced sentence on appeal owing to the fact he has a version of the MAOA gene that has been linked to an increase chance of aggression. Biological determinism alive and well in the Italian courts. Is that the ghost of Lombroso I see?

Recently sacked drugs advisor to the UK government writes a scathing editorial in New Scientist. There’s also some good commentary in the British Medical Journal from psychopharmacologist David Colquhoun.

CNN reports on a case of a women who experiences transient global amnesia after sex.

The highs and lows of transcranial magnetic stimulation are discussed by Inkling Magazine.

The New York Times reports on female soldiers from the US military who have suffered post-traumatic stress.

A recent study that contradicts the child bipolar over-excitement is covered by Furious Seasons.

Neuroskeptic has some excellent coverage of a recent study comparing the effects of real vs placebo coffee.

A vintage public information film on psychoanalysis apparently from the late 1940s makes for fascinating viewing on YouTube.

New Scientist meets Terry Pratchett to talk about his work and his diagnosis of an uncommon form of Alzheimer’s disease.

Research on what increases altruism in toddlers in covered by the wonderful BPS Research Digest.

Frontal Cortex muses on several studies showing the mental impact of a bad night’s sleep.

Internet pant-wetters take note. A new study from the Pew Research Center finds that internet users are more social offline than non-users and that internet use isn’t linked to social isolation. Good coverage from CNET.

Not Exactly Rocket Science has an excellent post on how new born babies’ cries have a recognisable ‘accent‘, depending on native language.

A new documentary about psychedelic drugs is previewed by Dr Shock.

New Scientist has a good article on why good decision making and IQ aren’t necessarily linked.

What’s the best way to take a study break? asks Cognitive Daily with the research to back up the answer. My answer of ‘fly to Jamaica’ is apparently not evidence-based.

The New York Times discusses how Asperger syndrome may be taken out of the forthcoming revised diagnostic manual and merged into a single autism spectrum diagnosis.

The US airforce apparently want top ‘overwhelm enemy cognitive abilities’ with something biosciencey, according to a new research effort covered by Wired’s Danger Room.

The Guardian has what seems to be the best obituary of legendary and hugely influential anthropologist Claude Lévi-Strauss, probably because it was written by a fellow anthropologist.

Philosopher Eric Schwitzgebel has a ‘very simple argument against any general theory of consciousness’ on his blog The Splintered Mind.

New Scientist has a short news piece on how we can sense our heartbeat with our skin.

Another nice piece on self-deception research, this time on how we over-estimate our ability to resist impulses, is discussed by Neuronarrative. The correct link to the original study is here.

The Neuroscience Boot Camp annual summer crash course held at the University of Pennsylvania is recruiting!

Quick links from the past week in mind and brain news:

<img align="left" src="http://mindhacks-legacy.s3.amazonaws.com/2005/01/spike.jpg&quot; width="102" height="120"

ABC Radio National’s All in the Mind has an interesting discussion on addiction and free will. I recommend the extended version here.

The New York Times has an excellent personal account of psychosis.

There’s an awesome post on a new study about how phantom limbs can contort into impossible configurations at Neurophilosophy.

New York Magazine covers songs used in ‘war on terror’ torture and musicians’ protests over the use of their material.

How do we perceive speech after 150 kisses? Talking Brains covers an interesting conference poster.

BoingBoing reviews a new book on the use of psychedelic drugs throughout history.

There’s an in-depth review of ‘The Spirit Level: Why More Equal Societies Almost Always Do Better’ in the London Review of Books.

Furious Seasons covers a new study [pdf] in JAMA on how atypical antipsychotics cause massive weight gain in children.

A slide show from Discover Magazine outlines the social factors in obesity or ‘how to make your friends fat’.

Scientific American Mind has a short report on a randomised controlled trial on how empathy in doctors reduces the duration of the common cold.

The excellent Neuroskeptic has a careful analysis of recent studies and discussion on the best antidepressant.

NeuroPod has just released it’s latest podcast. Direct mp3 link here.

Philosopher Gordon Marino writes an excellent piece on melancholy thinker S√∏ren Kierkegaard and issues of despair, depression and meaning in The New York Times.

Dr Petra has a fantastic sex research Q&A that covers a range of unquestioned or misreported pieces of ‘common knowledge’ and the evidence from the scientific literature.

The mighty BPS Research Digest discusses a fascinating study where a patient had an unexpected panic attack while being brain scanned, allowing an insight into the neural processes of panic.

Scientific American discusses asexuality, people who simply aren’t interested in sex. Another great piece from Jess Berring’s regular column.

An intriguing study on whether self-deception is genuinely possible is discussed by PsyBlog.

Language Log discusses the hypothesis that words for mother and father (e.g. mama and papa) are so similar across languages because it’s the first sounds children make and parents just assume their children are referring to them. As always, read the comments.

There’s a good piece on the neuroscience of obesity over at Dana’s excellent online magazine Cerebrum.

The New York Times has a good piece on the role of dopamine in motivation and wanting, dismissing the ‘reward system’ clich√© as old hat. Although it is seemingly unaware that this theory is not new and that the media have been mainly responsible for the gross dopamine = pleasure oversimplification.

Recent studies on the inaccurately named ‘brain scan mind reading’ approach are discussed by New Scientist.