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New research from the University of Zurich, based on data from more than 28,000 caregivers in three countries, shows that the longer individuals spend caring for loved ones, the more their well-being suffers, regardless of the caregiving context. These findings underscore the need for policy discussions to alleviate the burden of informal care.

Infants whose mothers regularly use language to describe what their child is thinking or feeling, have higher levels of the hormone oxytocin, finds a new study led by UCL researchers. Oxytocin, a hormone that is involved in a range of psychological processes, plays an important role in social relationships, such as the development of the bond between a parent and child, and the formation of trust, and social understanding, across the lifespan.

People's preference for simple explanations of any situation is connected to their desire to execute tasks efficiently, finds a new study from the University of Waterloo. "These findings show that our preference for simpler explanations mirrors how we evaluate actions. Simplicity isn't just valued in explanations-it's part of how we think about achieving results efficiently," said Claudia Sehl, lead author and a PhD candidate in developmental psychology at Waterloo.

Researchers from our top-rated Psychology department have discovered that social bonding behaviours in chimpanzees, like grooming and play, can spread through groups much like contagious yawns or laughter in humans. Observing chimpanzees at Chimfunshi Wildlife Orphanage in Zambia, scientists found that individuals were more likely to start grooming or playing after seeing others engage in the same behaviour.

People with poorer mental health are more prone to browsing negative content online, which further exacerbates their symptoms, finds a study led by UCL researchers. The relationship between mental health and web-browsing is causal and bi-directional, according to the study published in Nature Human Behaviour .

The Aztec skull whistle produces a piercing, scream-like sound. According to a study by the University of Zurich, this sound has a strong frightening effect on the human brain. It is assumed that the Aztecs used this effect specifically in their sacrificial rituals in order to influence the participants emotionally.

When scientists acknowledge the limits of their knowledge, people trust them more and are more likely to follow scientific recommendations An international team led by the University of Pittsburgh and with the participation of the University of Vienna has investigated mechanisms of trust in science.

Fampridine is currently used to improve walking ability in multiple sclerosis. A new study shows that it could also help individuals with reduced working memory, as seen in mental health conditions like schizophrenia or depression. Remembering a code for long enough to type it in; holding a conversation and reacting appropriately to what is being said: in everyday situations like these, we use our working memory.

A team of researchers from McGill and Université de Montréal's Observatoire pour l'éducation et la santé des enfants (OPES, or observatory on children's health and eduation), led by Sylvana Côté, spending two hours a week of class time in a natural environment can reduce emotional distress among 10- to 12-year-olds who had the most significant mental health problems before the program began.

Scientists say the findings might shed light on the link between loneliness and mental health conditions such as anxiety disorders, which are on the rise in young people. People in their late teens experience an increased sensitivity to threats after just a few hours left in a room on their own - an effect that endures even if they are interacting online with friends and family.

A new study finds that seniors who tend to mirror other people's feelings are more likely to show signs of being anxious or depressed themselves. Madeleine and Paul are sitting on a park bench. As she tells Paul about her financial worries and how she's been struggling for months to make ends meet, Madeleine's eyes well with tears.

The right to vote is an important part of a democracy. But not everyone makes use of it. A researcher at the University of Basel has investigated the possible causes of this.

In the crucial period from conception to two years after birth, the so-called "first thousand days", important milestones in a child's development are reached. Recent research by Noor de Waal shows that the mindfulness skills of parents and the quality of the parent-child attachment during and after pregnancy seem to play an important role in the socio-emotional development of children.

Early exposure to harsh parenting during preschool years can have widespread effects on the organization of the entire brain's communication. Later exposures affect specific brain areas. Study: Developmental timing of associations among parenting, brain architecture, and mental health (DOI: 10.1001/jamapediatrics.

News from Researchers at Leipzig University have examined the complex relationships between obesity, social isolation and mental health in the German adult population. Their findings show that socially isolated obese people are at increased risk of mental illness. Particularly at risk are the elderly, the widowed and men of lower socio-economic status.

The newly identified pathways appear to relay emotional information that helps to shape the motivation to take action. Within the human brain, movement is coordinated by a brain region called the striatum, which sends instructions to motor neurons in the brain. Those instructions are conveyed by two pathways, one that initiates movement ("go") and one that suppresses it ("no-go").

In a recent publication in *Nature Reviews Neuroscience*, Professor Frank Van Overwalle, from the Brain, Body and Cognition research group at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), sheds light on the often-overlooked role of the cerebellum in both motor and social-cognitive processes. His research contributes to a growing shift in the field of neuroscience, which has traditionally focused on the cerebrum.

Parents' cellphone use can have a direct impact on their preteens' mental health, according to a study. The effects include increased hyperactivity and inattention. There have been numerous studies of the effects of screen time on children. But kids aren't the only ones using cellphones; parents are just as likely to be seen glued to their devices at the park, at a restaurant and at home.

Long-term experiment shows that social narratives have an influence on performance In their new study, psychologist Christina Bauer from the University of Vienna and her international team show the influence societal narratives can have on students' self-image and their performance. The researchers presented reverse narratives to socio-economically disadvantaged students: instead of portraying them as weak, they emphasized their strengths.