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Category Archives: Neuroscience
The neuroscience of groove: Why certain rhythms make us want to dance – PsyPost
Have you ever found yourself tapping your foot or nodding your head to the rhythm of a catchy tune, seemingly without any effort? It turns out, theres a scientific explanation behind our instinctual desire to move along with music. A recent study published in Science Advances sheds light on why certain rhythms make us want to dance more than others.
By analyzing brain activity and the sensation known as groove, researchers discovered that a rhythm of moderate complexity triggers the highest desire to move. This desire is mirrored in our brains, particularly within the left sensorimotor cortex, hinting at a deeply intertwined relationship between motor actions and sensory processes.
Prior studies have shown that even without actual movement, the perception of rhythmic music can activate areas of the brain associated with movement, such as the premotor cortices and basal ganglia. This activation suggests a link between how we process time through movement and how we perceive music.
Building on this foundation, the authors of the new study aimed to unravel the neurophysiological underpinnings of the groove by examining how changes in rhythmic properties of music could induce motor engagement through alterations in audio-motor neural dynamics.
In speech and music, rhythm appears to be a crucial parameter for capturing auditory sensory information. Furthermore, previous studies have implicated the motor-dedicated cortical area in time perception. Initially, we aimed to investigate the implications of these motor dynamics in auditory perception, said Arnaud Zalta, the first author of the study and a postdoctoral fellow at ENS-PSL.
To explore these dynamics, the researchers conducted a series of experiments involving 111 participants across different settings, including online surveys, magnetoencephalography (MEG) sessions, and control tapping tasks. Participants ranged in age from 19 to 71 years, with a majority being females, and were selected without regard to their musical or dance background.
In the core of these experiments was a collection of 12 original melodies, each manipulated to vary in rhythmic predictability by adjusting the degree of syncopation. Syncopation, in this context, refers to the disruption of regular rhythm by placing accents on weak beats, creating a musical hiccup that challenges the listeners temporal expectations.
For the online survey component, participants were directed to a webpage where they listened to each melody through headphones or earphones. After each melody, they rated their level of groove on a Likert scale, expressing how much they felt moved to dance. This straightforward task was designed to capture the subjective experience of groove in a controlled yet flexible online setting.
In the laboratory, the MEG experiment took a deeper dive into the neurological underpinnings of groove. Participants listened to the same set of melodies while their brain activity was recorded using MEG, a technique capable of detecting the magnetic fields generated by neural activity. This allowed the researchers to observe how different rhythms influenced brain dynamics, particularly in areas associated with movement and auditory processing.
Finally, the control tapping experiment provided a behavioral counterpart to the brain imaging data. Participants tapped along to the rhythms of the melodies on a keyboard, offering a tangible measure of their motor engagement with the music. This task complemented the MEG findings by linking the subjective feeling of groove with observable motor responses.
The researchers discovered that our desire to dance, or the feeling of groove, is most strongly elicited by melodies with a medium level of syncopation. This finding implies that rhythms which strike a balance between predictability and rhythmic complexity are the most effective in inducing the urge to dance. In other words, rhythms that are neither too simple nor too complex, but rather those that offer a moderate challenge to our anticipatory and motor systems, are most likely to get us on our feet.
The researchers further uncovered that this groove sensation is closely tied to specific patterns of brain activity. Participants exhibited a unique neural response when listening to syncopated rhythms, with the left sensorimotor cortex a brain region involved in coordinating auditory and motor information playing a pivotal role.
This area of the brain showed increased engagement when participants were exposed to rhythms that evoked a strong desire to move. This suggests that the left sensorimotor cortex not only processes the music we hear but also anticipates and prepares our bodies for movement, acting as a bridge between hearing a rhythm and physically responding to it.
The brain region which is the site of the left sensorimotor cortex is currently considered to be the potential cornerstone of sensorimotor integration, essential for the perception of both music and speech. The fact that it appears in our study as necessary for cooperation between the auditory and motor systems reinforces this hypothesis, especially as we are using natural stimuli here, explained senior author Benjamin Morillon of Aix-Marseille Universit.
Moreover, the study introduced a neurodynamic model to explain the transformation of syncopated rhythms into the subjective experience of groove. This model proposes that our brains interpret the rhythms through a network of oscillators, which then translate these rhythms into motor engagement signals. Interestingly, the degree of syncopation correlated with neural activity at a specific frequency (2 Hz), indicating that our brains response to music involves an interaction between auditory perception and motor preparation.
Motor actions and sensory processes are closely intertwined to help us adapt better to our environment, Zalta told PsyPost. Specifically, when we listen to something, time becomes crucial as the auditory stimuli inherently impose high temporal constraints. When the auditory brain regions struggle to process temporal information accurately, motor dynamics appear to be recruited.
Furthermore, we observed that sensorimotor regions play a mediating role between sensory auditory and motor regions. In short, it is the interplay of these three regions that gives rise to the sensation of groove.
The research also highlighted a spectral gradient along the dorsal auditory pathways when participants listened to music. This means that as one moves from the auditory regions of the brain towards the motor areas, the dominant frequency of brain activity progressively increases. Lower frequencies were noted in regions closer to auditory processing, while higher frequencies were found as the gradient approached areas implicated in motor control.
When we examined the cortical dynamics of the brain during our task, we observed an ascending postero-anterior gradient which was not expected, Zalta said. However, this gradient does not seem to be related to the sensation of groove or the level of syncopation of the stimuli. This phenomenon remains unclear.
Regarding the long-term goals for this line of research, Zalta explained that the dopaminergic system is closely intertwined with motor processes and has been implicated in time perception. I aim to delve deeper into investigating this neurotransmitter.
The study, Neural dynamics of predictive timing and motor engagement in music listening, was authored by Arnaud Zalta, Edward W. Large, Daniele Schn, and Benjamin Morillon.
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The neuroscience of groove: Why certain rhythms make us want to dance - PsyPost
High Rates of Suicidal Ideation in Rural Black Men – Neuroscience News
Summary: A new study highlights the alarming rates of suicidal thoughts among rural Black men, attributing significant causes to childhood adversity and racism. This research, involving over 500 African American men, demonstrates that experiences of economic hardship, trauma, and racial discrimination significantly impact mental health, leading to a sense of isolation and thoughts of suicide.
The findings emphasize the critical role of healthy relationships and community support in mitigating suicidal ideation. Furthermore, the study underscores the importance of addressing the effects of racism from childhood through adulthood to improve mental health outcomes for young Black men.
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Source: University of Georgia
One in three rural Black men reported they experienced suicidal ideation or thoughts of death in the past two weeks, reports anew studyfrom the University of Georgia. Childhood adversity and racism may hold much of the blame.
Suicide is the second leading cause of death for African Americans between the ages of 15 and 24, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Suicide is particularly prevalent among Black men, who die by suicide at a rate more than four times that of Black women.
It feels like nobody is talking about the problem. And its only getting worse.
I think we often dont look at where the disparities are and who the individuals most at risk are when were talking about suicide ideation, said Michael Curtis, co-author of the study and a graduate of UGAs Human Development and Family Science Department in theCollege of Family and Consumer Sciences.
We just know its bad, and particularly among young Black men.
Historically, research has not invested a lot of time and effort in looking into what are the unique cultural contexts that make certain men more at risk for suicidal thoughts than other men.
The study found that growing up in a low-resource environment and experiencing racial discrimination during young adulthood makes it difficult to engage in healthy, trusting relationships. Strong feelings of mistrust and caution toward social relationships can lead to feelings of isolation, which in turn can prompt thoughts of death and suicide.
Childhood trauma, racism take heavy toll on young Black men
The researchers followed more than 500 African American men from their late teens through early 20s in rural Georgia.
At three separate times over the course of several years, the men were asked to reflect on their childhood, including economic hardships and traumatic experiences.
Some of the questions included whether they experienced physical or emotional abuse, witnessed a relative being abused, felt loved and special, had enough to eat or had access to medical care when needed as a child.
Study participants were also asked about their feelings and beliefs about close relationships, such as trust in romantic partners, and concerns about being taken advantage of in relationships as well as how often in the past six months they had been treated unfairly because of their race.
Finally, the researchers asked the participants about depressive symptoms and how often they had thoughts about death or killing themselves in the past two weeks.
The researchers found that these childhood experiences with trauma, deprivation and racism took a heavy toll on study participants mental health as they entered adulthood.
We found when Black men were exposed to childhood adversity, they may develop an internal understanding of the world as somewhere they are devalued, where they could not trust others, and they could not engage the community in a supportive way, said Curtis, who practices as a licensed marriage and family therapist.
Engaging with social support is critical for young Black men who experience many challenges to success.
Young Black men experience higher rates of poverty than white peers
Young Black men in general, and those living in rural areas in particular, are disproportionately affected by childhood adversity. Theyre more likely to come from economically distressed families, grow up in low resource neighborhoods and experience trauma in their communities than their white peers.
Previous research has shown that racial discrimination increases the risks for depression, anxiety and psychological distress among Black children, adolescents and adults.
Although childhood neglect and trauma played a role in predicting suicidal thoughts, the researchers found that racial discrimination independently predicted higher rates of suicidal thoughts.
That means even participants who reported positive childhood experiences but experienced racial discrimination in young adulthood had a more difficult time developing and maintaining healthy relationships. As a result of that lack of community, they were more likely to experience thoughts of suicide.
The quality of our relationships is what sustains human beings, saidSteven Kogan, lead author of the study and a professor in UGAs College of Family and Consumer Sciences.
For people who have suicidal thoughts, theres this sense that no one knows me, nobody cares about me, theres nobody there for me, I am alone.
Healthy relationships can help prevent suicide
Those thoughts can set in quickly, and one of the biggest protective factors against suicide is healthy relationships, having someone to call when those feelings start to get overwhelming, the researchers said.
You dont wake up one day and say, You know, it would be better if I was gone. There are multiple factors in childhood and ones current context that inform suicidal thoughts.
To address these mens needs, we have to address how racism in childhood and adulthood erodes mental health and well-being.
Parents can play a key role in helping their children cope with these struggles, the researchers said.
More research is needed, but one finding is unequivocal: Loving yourself as a Black person is foundational, Kogan said.
Teaching children and youth to be proud of being Black counters the potential for them to internalize negative messages about Blackness that pervade U.S. society.
Published by Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology,the studywas co-authored by Ava Reck, a doctoral candidate in UGAsHuman Development and Family Scienceprogram, andAssaf Oshri, an associate professor in the College of Family and Consumer Sciences.
Author: Cole Sosebee Source: University of Georgia Contact: Cole Sosebee University of Georgia Image: The image is credited to Neuroscience News
Original Research: Closed access. Childhood adversity and racial discrimination forecast suicidal and death ideation among emerging adult Black men: A longitudinal analysis by Steven Kogan et al. Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology
Abstract
Childhood adversity and racial discrimination forecast suicidal and death ideation among emerging adult Black men: A longitudinal analysis
Objectives: Disproportionate exposure to childhood adversity and the effects of racial discrimination take a toll on Black American mens mental health. Despite increasing rates of suicidal behaviors and thoughts among young adult, Black American men, few longitudinal studies examine their risk for suicidal and death ideation (SDI).
We tested a developmental model linking childhood adversity (experiences of deprivation and threatening experiences) and emerging adult exposure to racial discrimination to increases in SDI and examined a potential mechanism for these effects, negative relational schemas.
Method: A sample of 504 Black men (Mage= 20.7) from rural Georgia were recruited with respondent-driven sampling and completed a baseline survey. Men participated in two additional follow-up surveys (Mage= 21.9 andMage= 23.5). Hypotheses were tested using structural equation modeling.
Results: Analyses largely supported the proposed model. Childhood adversities were associated directly with reports of SDI. Childhood deprivation indirectly predicted SDI via negative schemas ( = 0.03, 95% CI [.014, .046]). Racial discrimination also indirectly predicted SDI via negative relational schemas ( = 0.01, 95% CI [.001, .018]).
Conclusion: Study results suggest that clinical and preventive interventions for suicidality should target the influence of racism and adverse experiences and the negative relational schemas they induce.
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Harmony in Chaos: How BPD Influences Music Tastes – Neuroscience News
Summary: Recent research reveals that individuals with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) exhibit distinct music preferences, favoring reflective and complex genres such as classical and jazz over intense, rebellious ones.
The study, involving 549 participants, highlights how the severity of BPD symptoms influences these preferences and the psychological functions of music, emphasizing its role in emotional regulation and social connectivity.
Musics functions act as mediators in forming these preferences, suggesting that musical tastes among individuals with BPD reflect their internal psychological needs. This insight opens new avenues for tailored music therapy interventions, promising more effective therapeutic outcomes.
Key Facts:
Source: Neuroscience News
In the intricate tapestry of human emotions and experiences, music stands as a universal language, capable of expressing the inexpressible and providing solace where words often fall short.
Its profound impact on our psychological well-being, mood regulation, and sense of connectedness with others is well-documented, yet the exploration of musics role in the lives of individuals with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) reveals new layers of complexity and significance.
Borderline Personality Disorder, a mental health condition characterized by emotional instability, impulsive behavior, and often tumultuous relationships, affects millions worldwide. Individuals with BPD experience intense emotions and a persistent feeling of emptiness, leading to a continuous search for ways to cope and find stability.
In this context, a new study published in the Psychology of Music sheds light on how those with BPD engage with music, revealing distinct preferences and the psychological functions that music serves for them.
The study, spearheaded by Rafa Lawendowski of the University of Gdansk, delved into the music preferences of 549 individuals, 274 of whom exhibited symptoms of BPD.
By utilizing the Short Test of Music Preferences (STOMP) and assessing the psychological functions attributed to music, the research aimed to uncover how the severity of BPD symptoms interacts with music preferences and the underlying psychological needs music fulfills for these individuals.
Reflective Music for Emotional Regulation
One of the studys key findings is the clear preference among individuals with higher BPD symptom severity for reflective and complex music genres, such as classical and jazz. This contrasts sharply with less interest in intense and rebellious genres like heavy metal or punk.
This preference suggests a search for genres that promote introspection, complexity, and emotional depth, possibly serving as a form of emotional regulation and self-awareness enhancement.
The Psychological Functions of Music
Beyond mere preference, the study illuminated how individuals with BPD perceive the functions of music differently, particularly in terms of self-awareness and social connectedness.
For those with more severe symptoms, musics capacity to foster self-awareness and facilitate social bonds was less valued, indicating a potential disconnect or altered perception of musics role in their emotional and social lives.
Music as a Mediator
Crucially, the research suggests that the functions of music can act as mediators in the relationship between BPD symptoms and music preferences. This mediation indicates that music preferences among individuals with BPD are not arbitrary but are deeply intertwined with their psychological needs and symptomatology.
The preference for or against certain genres may reflect an unconscious attempt to address internal psychological needs, such as the need for emotional regulation, identity formation, and social interaction.
Implications and Future Directions
This studys insights are not only fascinating for those interested in the psychological impacts of music but also carry significant implications for therapeutic practices.
Understanding the specific music preferences and the psychological needs that music fulfills for individuals with BPD can inform more tailored and effective music therapy interventions.
By aligning therapeutic goals with the inherent music preferences and psychological functions it serves, therapists can potentially enhance the therapeutic outcomes for individuals with BPD.
However, the study is not without its limitations. The reliance on self-reported measures and the lack of consideration for ongoing therapys influence on music preferences highlight areas for further research.
A longitudinal approach, considering variables such as stress levels and the impact of therapy on evolving music preferences, could provide deeper insights into the dynamic relationship between BPD, music, and therapy.
This study not only broadens our understanding of the intricate relationship between BPD and music preferences but also underscores the therapeutic potential of music.
As we continue to unravel the layers of how music interacts with our psyche, particularly among those with BPD, we open new pathways for healing, understanding, and connection.
In the chaotic symphony of life, music offers a unique form of harmony for those navigating the turbulent waters of Borderline Personality Disorder, proving once again its unparalleled capacity to touch the deepest parts of our human experience.
Author: Neuroscience News Communications Source: Neuroscience News Contact: Neuroscience News Communications Neuroscience News Image: The image is credited to Neuroscience News
Original Research: Closed access. Borderline personality disorder symptoms relationship with music use: Investigating the role of music preferences and functions of music by KarolinaKowalewska et al. Psychology of Music
Abstract
Borderline personality disorder symptoms relationship with music use: Investigating the role of music preferences and functions of music
Music preferences are molded with numerous personality variables, yet, this relation, as assumed in the study, may be mediated by functions of music expressing the psychological needs of the listener.
Not many studies are devoted to the music preferences of listeners with personality disorders, whereas, none investigate this topic among people with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). A correlational study that was conducted among 549 individuals (274 displayed BPD symptoms).
The main goal was to examine the extent to which the severity of BPD symptoms directly interacts with the following: (a) music preferences and (b) music function formation, and whether the functions of music can explain the mechanism through which BPD symptoms interact with music preference formation.
Using structural equation modeling (SEM), we demonstrated that the severity of BPD-spectrum symptoms is closely related to types of music preferred. In addition, BPD symptoms severity is substantially linked to the perception of the social relatedness and self-awareness functions of music, whereas emotional function seems to be independent of the BPD symptoms aggravation.
Finally, the functions of music can partly act as a mediator in shaping the mechanism of forming music preferences based on personality predispositions. Further music preference analyses among individuals with BPD is highly warranted.
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Harmony in Chaos: How BPD Influences Music Tastes - Neuroscience News
WVU Rockefeller Neuroscience Institute receives $2M Grant – WDTV
Study Links Diet, Diabetes, and Alzheimers – Neuroscience News
Summary: A new study explores the molecular connections between Type 2 diabetes and Alzheimers, supporting the notion of Alzheimers as Type 3 diabetes.
This study finds that a high-fat diet suppresses a crucial gut protein, Jak3, leading to Alzheimers-like brain changes in mice. It underscores the importance of managing diabetes or avoiding it through diet to reduce Alzheimers risk.
The findings illuminate a potential path from diet through gut inflammation to brain health, offering hope for preventative strategies.
Key Facts:
Source: ASBMB
New research conducted in mice offers insights into whats going on at the molecular level that could cause people with diabetes to develop Alzheimers disease.
The study adds to a growing body of research on the links between Type 2 diabetes and Alzheimers disease, which some scientists have called Type 3 diabetes.
The findings suggest that it should be possible to reduce the risk of Alzheimers by keeping diabetes well controlled or avoiding it in the first place, according to researchers.
NarendraKumar, an associate professor at Texas A&M University in College Station, led the study.
We think that diabetes and Alzheimers disease are strongly linked, Kumar said, and by taking preventative or amelioration measures for diabetes, we can prevent or at least significantly slow down the progression of the symptoms of dementia in Alzheimers disease.
Kumar will present the new research atDiscover BMB, the annual meeting of the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, which is being held March 2326 in San Antonio.
Diabetes and Alzheimers are two of the fastest-growing health concerns worldwide. Diabetes alters the bodys ability to turn food into energy and affects an estimated 1 in 10 U.S. adults. Alzheimers, a form of dementia that causes progressive decline in memory and thinking skills, is among the top 10 leading causes of death in the United States.
Diet is known to influence the development of diabetes as well as the severity of its health impacts. To find out how diet could influence the development of Alzheimers in people with diabetes, the researchers traced how a particular protein in the gut influences the brain.
They found that a high-fat diet suppresses the expression of the protein, called Jak3, and that mice without this protein experienced a cascade of inflammation starting with the intestine, moving through the liver and on to the brain.
Ultimately, the mice showed signs of Alzheimers-like symptoms in the brain, including an overexpressed mouse beta-amyloid and hyperphosphorylated tau, as well as evidence of cognitive impairment.
Liver being the metabolizer for everything we eat, we think that the path from gut to the brain goes through liver, Kumar said.
His lab has been studying functions of Jak3 for a long time, he added, and they now know that the impact of food on the changes in the expression of Jak3 leads to leaky gut. This in turn results in low-grade chronic inflammation, diabetes, decreased ability of the brain to clear its toxic substances and dementia-like symptoms seen in Alzheimers disease.
The good news, according to Kumar, is that it may be possible to stop this inflammatory pathway by eating a healthy diet and getting blood sugar under control as early as possible.
In particular, people with prediabetes which includes an estimated 98 million U.S. adults could benefit from adopting lifestyle changes to reverse prediabetes, prevent the progression to Type 2 diabetes and potentially reduce the risk of Alzheimers.
Author: Anne Johnson Source: ASBMB Contact: Anne Johnson ASBMB Image: The image is credited to Neuroscience News
Original Research: The findings will be presented at Discover BMB
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Study Links Diet, Diabetes, and Alzheimers - Neuroscience News
Neuroscience and Society Series: Aligning Science with the Public’s Values – The Hastings Center
Hastings Center News Published March 22, 2024March 22, 2024Posted in Neuroscience
Research that involves implanting devices into the brains of human volunteers creates a special moral obligation that extends beyond the trial periodan obligation that researchers, device manufacturers, and funders owe to the volunteers. This is the conclusion of two new essays in the Hastings Center Report that launch a series on the ethical and social issues raised by brain research.
The Neuroscience and Society series is supported by the Dana Foundation and will be published in open-access format online over the next three years.
The series seeks to promote deliberative public engagement about neuroscience, writes Hastings Center senior research scholar Gregory E. Kaebnick, who leads the development of the series, in Neuroscience and Society: Supporting and Unsettling Public Engagement, the introductory essay. The ultimate goal of the Neuroscience and Society series is to contribute to a vitally important but somewhat uncertain political project often called alignment. The guiding thought in that project is that science should align with the publics values; it should take society in a direction thats good for society, as judged by society.
Following the introduction, two essays discuss post-trial ethical obligations raised by studies with cutting-edge neural devices that have a range of potential benefits, such as deep brain stimulation to alleviate psychiatric conditions and brain-computer interfaces to aid communication.
Brain Pioneers and Moral Entanglement: An Argument for Post-trial Responsibilities in Neural-Device Trials Sara Goering, Andrew I. Brown, and Eran Klein
Human participants in neural-device trials are brain pioneers, entrusting researchers with access to their brains. For many of these researchers, what should happen at the end of the study is a troubling question without a clear answer. Researchers and funders of neural-device trials owe something to participants that, we insist, exceeds the usual benefits of participating, write the authors. In many cases, it includes ensuring participants continued access to neural devices.
Identity Theft, Deep Brain Stimulation, and the Primacy of Post-trial Obligations Joseph J. Fins, Amanda R. Merner, Megan S. Wright, and Gabriel Lzaro-Muoz
When neuroethicists write about deep brain stimulation (DBS) via implanted neural devices, they sometimes resort to science fiction hyperboleimagining parables of cyborgs whose identities are hijacked by the technology, the essay begins. This is because with the implantation of such technology comes the threat of a loss of personal identity, that sense of self that is felt as unique to a person. But findings from two deep brain stimulation trials for traumatic brain injury and obsessive-compulsive disorder reveal that injury and illness rob individuals of personal identity and that neuromodulation can restore it. The early success of these interventions makes a compelling case for continued post-trial access to these technologies.
The series is developed with support from Hastings Center senior research scholar Erik Parens. and the guidance of a steering committee of six scholars:
Jennifer Chandler, University of Ottawa Winston Chiong, University of California San Francisco Joseph J. Fins, Weill Cornell Medical School Sara Goering, University of Washington Jonathan D. Moreno, University of Pennsylvania Oliver Rollins, University of Washington
Learn more about the series here.
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Neuroscience and Society Series: Aligning Science with the Public's Values - The Hastings Center
Hardwiring Your Brain: The Neuroscience Of Behaviour Change | TheHealthSite.com – TheHealthSite
Children Care World Down Syndrome Day: What Kind Of Dietary, Fitness Parameters Should Kids With Down Syndrome Have?
In December 2011, the UN General Assembly declared March 21 as 'World Down Syndrome Day'. Around the world, there is a need for more societal acceptance for people born with this disorder, so that they are rewarded with inclusivity, proper healthcare, career opportunities and everything else needed to live a regular life.
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Hardwiring Your Brain: The Neuroscience Of Behaviour Change | TheHealthSite.com - TheHealthSite
Refined Carb Intake’s Effect on Facial Attractiveness – Neuroscience News
Summary: A new study reveals a statistical connection between the consumption of refined carbohydrates and decreased facial attractiveness, as judged by heterosexual volunteers of the opposite sex. Participants who consumed a high-glycemic breakfast, rich in refined carbohydrates, were rated as less attractive than those who had a low-glycemic meal.
This research, involving 104 French adults, adds to the growing body of evidence suggesting that diet, specifically the intake of refined carbohydrates found in the Western diet, may impact non-medical traits such as attractiveness. The study also observed sex-specific differences in how snack consumption affects attractiveness, highlighting the complex relationship between diet and social perceptions.
Key Facts:
Source: PLOS
In a new study, participants levels of consumption of refined carbohydrates were statistically linked with their facial attractiveness as rated by heterosexual volunteers of the opposite sex.
Visine and colleagues at the University of Montpellier, France, present these findings in the open-access journalPLOS ONEon March 6, 2024.
The Western diet consists of high levels of refined carbohydratesfoods processed in ways that typically remove much of their nutritional value, such as white flour, table sugar, and ingredients in many packaged snacks.
Prior research has linked increased consumption of refined carbohydrates with adverse health effects, such as obesity, type II diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases.
Preliminary evidence has suggested that consuming high levels of refined carbohydrates might also affect non-medical traits, such as a persons attractiveness.
To further explore this possibility, Visine and colleagues conducted a study involving 104 French male and female adults.
The researchers gave some of the participants a high-glycemic breakfastone with refined carbohydrates known to boost blood sugar levelswhile others received a low-glycemic breakfast.
The participants also completed a questionnaire to evaluate their typical habits of consumption of refined carbohydrates. Additional heterosexual volunteers were then asked to rate the facial attractiveness of opposite-sex participants as captured in photos taken two hours after the provided breakfast.
Only participants and volunteers with four grandparents of European origin were included in this research, to reduce cultural heterogeneity.
Statistical analysis showed that consuming the high-glycemic breakfast was associated with lower subsequent facial attractiveness ratings for both men and women.
Chronic consumption of refined carbohydrates during breakfast and snacks was also associated with lower attractiveness ratings, although consumption of high-energy foods at these times was associated with higher attractiveness ratings.
The researchers noted some sex differences: for afternoon snacking in men specifically, high-energy intake was instead associated with lower attractiveness ratings, while high-glycemic intake was linked to higher attractiveness ratings.
All results held true after statistically accounting for other factors that could affect attractiveness, such as actual age, perceived age, BMI, smoking habits, and facial hairiness.
Further research, including for larger and more diverse sample sizes, is needed to deepen understanding of exactly how refined carbohydrates may be linked to attractiveness and other social traits.
The authors add: Facial attractiveness, an important factor of social interactions, seems to be impacted by immediate and chronic refined carbohydrate consumption in men and women.
Funding:This work was supported by Agence Nationale pour la Recherche HUMANWAY project (ANR-12- BSV7-0008-01). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.
Author: Hanna Abdallah Source: PLOS Contact: Hanna Abdallah PLOS Image: The image is credited to Neuroscience News
Original Research: Open access. Chronic and immediate refined carbohydrate consumption and facial attractiveness by Visine A et al. PLOS ONE
Abstract
Chronic and immediate refined carbohydrate consumption and facial attractiveness
The Western diet has undergone a massive switch since the second half of the 20thcentury, with the massive increase of the consumption of refined carbohydrate associated with many adverse health effects.
The physiological mechanisms linked to this consumption, such as hyperglycaemia and hyperinsulinemia, may impact non medical traits such as facial attractiveness.
To explore this issue, the relationship between facial attractiveness and immediate and chronic refined carbohydrate consumption estimated by glycemic load was studied for 104 French subjects.
Facial attractiveness was assessed by opposite sex raters using pictures taken two hours after a controlled breakfast. Chronic consumption was assessed considering three high glycemic risk meals: breakfast, afternoon snacking and between-meal snacking.
Immediate consumption of a high glycemic breakfast decreased facial attractiveness for men and women while controlling for several control variables, including energy intake. Chronic refined carbohydrate consumption had different effects on attractiveness depending on the meal and/or the sex.
Chronic refined carbohydrate consumption, estimated by the glycemic load, during the three studied meals reduced attractiveness, while a high energy intake increased it.
Nevertheless, the effect was reversed for men concerning the afternoon snack, for which a high energy intake reduced attractiveness and a high glycemic load increased it.
These effects were maintained when potential confounders for facial attractiveness were controlled such as age, age departure from actual age, masculinity/femininity (perceived and measured), BMI, physical activity, parental home ownership, smoking, couple status, hormonal contraceptive use (for women), and facial hairiness (for men).
Results were possibly mediated by an increase in age appearance for women and a decrease in perceived masculinity for men. The physiological differences between the three meals studied and the interpretation of the results from an adaptive/maladaptive point of view in relation to our new dietary environment are discussed.
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Refined Carb Intake's Effect on Facial Attractiveness - Neuroscience News
Linking Childhood Adversity to Adult Mental Health – Neuroscience News
Summary: Researchers delved into how adverse childhood experiences contribute to the risk of psychiatric illness in adulthood, leveraging data from over 25,000 twins in the Swedish Twin Registry. The study uncovers a dose-response relationship between childhood adversity and later mental health problems, while also highlighting the significant role of genetic and environmental factors within families.
By analyzing twins with differing experiences of abuse but shared family backgrounds, the research provides nuanced insights into the interplay between direct abuse effects and inherited or environmental influences. This study underscores the importance of family-wide health interventions to mitigate the long-term mental health risks associated with childhood adversities.
Key Facts:
Source: Karolinska Institute
A research team has examined the link between adverse childhood experiences and the risk of mental health problems later in life, according to a study inJAMA Psychiatry.
The researchers from Karolinska Institutet and University of Iceland have found that the risk of suffering from mental illness later in life among those experiencing significant adversity in childhood can be partly explained by factors shared by family members, such as genetics and environment.
Several previous studies have shown that people who have experienced various types of adverse childhood experiences have a higher risk of suffering from psychiatric illness later in life.
Now, a new study from Karolinska Institutet, using a special type of twin research design, can confirm the link, show a clear dose-response relationship and at the same time broaden the picture.
The researchers can now show that there are also significant genetic and environmental factors that play a role and contribute to mental illness.
The researchers used three different cohorts of the Swedish Twin Registry, comprising over 25,000 individuals. The twins responded to a large web-based questionnaire and answered questions about different types of adverse childhood experiences including family violence, emotional abuse or neglect, physical neglect, physical abuse, sexual abuse, rape and hate crime. In addition, information about adult psychiatric disorders was obtained from the Swedish Patient Registry.
These are of course very difficult questions to answer, but this is the best data source we have access to, says Hilda Bjrk Danelsdttir, a doctoral student at the University of Iceland and visiting doctoral student at the Institute of Environmental Medicine at Karolinska Institutet and the studys first author.
By identifying twin pairs who reported different experiences of abuse while growing up in the same family and then following those who later received a psychiatric diagnosis, the researchers have been able to sort out how much of the increased risk is due to the abuse itself and how much is due to genetics and environment.
Most previous studies on the mental health effects of childhood adversity have not been able to take these things into account. Now we can show that the increased risk of mental health problems after adverse childhood experiences can be partly explained by factors shared by family members, such as genetic factors or factors in the childhood environment, says Hilda Bjrk Danelsdttir.
She argues that this finding should therefore lead to health care interventions addressing risk factors within the whole family, not just the affected child or children.
The more different types of childhood adversities individuals experienced, the higher the risk was of receiving a psychiatric diagnosis later in life. The researchers can also show that sexual abuse and rape in childhood as well as having experienced three or more types of adversities were the experiences most strongly linked to future mental health problems. This is something that is also important knowledge when treating vulnerable children and their families.
I hope that our study can raise awareness of childhood circumstances as possible causes of psychiatric disorders in adulthood and how to best address them, says Hilda Bjrk Danelsdttir.
Funding: The research was funded by the European Research Council, the Icelandic Research Center and the EUs Horizon 2020.
Author: Hilda Bjrk Danelsdttir Source: Karolinska Institute Contact: Hilda Bjrk Danelsdttir Karolinska Institute Image: The image is credited to Neuroscience News
Original Research: Open access. Adverse Childhood Experience and Adult Mental Health Outcomes by Hilda Bjrk Danelsdttir et al. JAMA Psychiatry
Abstract
Adverse Childhood Experience and Adult Mental Health Outcomes
Importance
Exposure to adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) has consistently been associated with multiple negative mental health outcomes extending into adulthood. However, given that ACEs and psychiatric disorders cluster within families, it remains to be comprehensively assessed to what extent familial confounding contributes to associations between ACEs and clinically confirmed adult psychiatric disorders.
Objective
To investigate whether associations between ACEs and adult mental health outcomes remain after adjusting for familial (genetic and environmental) confounding.
Design, Setting, and Participants
This Swedish twin cohort study used a discordant twin pair design based on monozygotic (MZ) and dizygotic (DZ) twins. A total of 25252 adult twins (aged 18-47 years) from the Swedish Twin Registry born between 1959 and 1998 were followed up from age 19 years until 2016, with a maximum follow-up time of 39 years. Data were analyzed from April 2022 to November 2023.
Exposures
A total of 7 ACEs, including family violence, emotional abuse or neglect, physical neglect, physical abuse, sexual abuse, rape, and hate crime, were assessed with items from the Life Stressor Checklist-Revised in a web-based survey.
Main Outcomes and Measures
Adult (ages >18 years) clinical diagnosis of psychiatric disorders (ie, depressive, anxiety, alcohol or drug misuse, or stress-related disorders) were obtained from the Swedish National Patient Register.
Results
Of 25252 twins included in the study (15038 female [59.6%]; mean [SD] age at ACE assessment, 29.9 [8.7] years), 9751 individuals (38.6%) reported exposure to at least 1 ACE. A greater number of ACEs was associated with increased odds of any psychiatric disorder in the full cohort (odds ratio [OR] per additional ACE, 1.52; 95% CI, 1.48-1.57). The association remained but ORs per additional ACE were attenuated in DZ (1.29; 95% CI, 1.14-1.47) and MZ (1.20; 95% CI, 1.02-1.40) twin pairs. Individuals who were exposed to sexual abuse compared with those who were not exposed had increased odds of any clinically confirmed psychiatric disorder in all comparisons: full cohort (OR, 3.09; 95% CI, 2.68-3.56), DZ twin pairs (OR, 2.10; 95% CI, 1.33-3.32), and MZ twin pairs (1.80; 95% CI, 1.04-3.11).
Conclusions and relevance
This study found that associations between ACEs and adult mental health outcomes remained after controlling for shared genetic and environmental factors, which was particularly evident after multiple ACEs or sexual abuse. These findings suggest that targeted interventions may be associated with reduced risks of future psychopathology.
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Linking Childhood Adversity to Adult Mental Health - Neuroscience News