Anxiety disorders, characterized by an excessive apprehension about real or perceived threats and dysfunctional behaviors aimed at avoiding these threats, are among the most common mental health conditions. Estimates suggest that around 4% of the world's population,...
To survive in complex and unpredictable environments, humans and other animals need to learn to predict the consequences of their actions, so that they can reduce risks and maximize their gains. In humans, this risk evaluation process is known to be highly...
Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a debilitating mental health condition characterized by persistent low mood, loss of interest in everyday activities, appetite changes, sleep disturbances and, in extreme cases, suicidal thoughts. Millions of individuals worldwide...
Past research suggests that meditation and exposure to art or nature can positively impact people's well-being and brain health, in some cases even reducing stress and supporting the processing of emotions. Yet most past studies focused on each of these experiences...
Collaboration and cooperation are key elements of human social interactions, which can contribute to the efficient achievement of shared goals. While many psychology and neuroscience studies have investigated cooperative behaviors among humans, the complex interplay...
As humans age, their brain function can progressively decline and they become more vulnerable to developing neurodegenerative diseases, such as dementia. Dementia and other progressive neurological conditions can significantly impair their memory, thinking skills and...
Polygenic scores (PGS) are metrics used to estimate the genetic predisposition of people to developing specific mental health conditions, personality traits or diseases. In recent years, these metrics have often been used to investigate the intricate connections...
Past psychology research suggests that there is a strong relationship between difficult experiences during childhood and the development of depressive symptoms. In fact, statistics suggest that adverse experiences during childhood can double the risk of being...
Dopamine is a key neurotransmitter known to modulate motivation and reinforcement learning. While the role of dopamine in these reward-related processes is well-established, the cellular and neural circuit-level mechanisms underpinning its involvement in these...
When we first meet another person, we typically form an initial impression of them based on their facial features and appearance. These first impressions of others could potentially influence our subsequent cognitive processes, such as what mental states we believe...