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<td><span style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:20px;font-weight:bold;">PsyPost – Psychology News Daily Digest (Unofficial)</span></td>
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<td><a href="https://www.psypost.org/scientists-uncover-a-subtle-everyday-behavior-that-signals-alzheimers-risk/" style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing:-1px;margin:0;padding:0 0 2px;font-weight: bold;font-size: 19px;line-height: 20px;color:#222;">Scientists uncover a subtle everyday behavior that signals Alzheimer’s risk</a>
<div style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align:left;color:#999;font-size:11px;font-weight:bold;line-height:15px;">Jan 13th 2025, 08:00</div>
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<p><p>A new study published in <em><a href="https://journals.plos.org/digitalhealth/article?id=10.1371/journal.pdig.0000613" target="_blank" rel="noopener">PLOS Digital Health</a></em> highlights how smartphone navigation data could serve as a tool to identify individuals at risk of developing dementia. Researchers found that older adults with subjective cognitive decline—a condition linked to an increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease—exhibited distinct patterns of movement during a real-world wayfinding task. Specifically, the frequency of “orientation stops,” or pauses to reorient while navigating, effectively distinguished these individuals from cognitively healthy older adults.</p>
<p>Dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease, is a growing public health crisis, with cases expected to triple globally by 2050. Early diagnosis is critical for implementing interventions that could slow the disease’s progression. However, current diagnostic tools often fail to detect cognitive decline in its earliest stages, particularly when standard memory tests appear normal.</p>
<p>Advances in mobile technology provide a promising avenue for addressing this gap. Smartphones can collect real-world behavioral data unobtrusively, offering insights into cognitive functioning in everyday scenarios. The researchers aimed to harness these capabilities to explore whether smartphone navigation data could reveal subtle cognitive changes in individuals with subjective cognitive decline.</p>
<p>“We were interested in this topic because dementia prevalence is expected to increase in the future and as a result impose significant challenges on healthcare systems,” said study author Jonas Marquardt, a PhD candidate at the German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases.</p>
<p>“Therefore, early detection of cognitive decline is critical for timely intervention in dementia, with Alzheimer’s disease being the most common form. We aimed to combine advances in smartphone technology to assess the earliest deficits in a real-world scenario with a spatial navigation task, one of the cognitive skills to decline first in the course of Alzheimer’s disease, thereby bridging the gap between lab-based neuropsychological assessments and the tasks of daily life.”</p>
<p>The study involved 72 participants divided into three groups: 24 younger adults, 25 cognitively healthy older adults, and 23 individuals with subjective cognitive decline. Participants were asked to navigate a university campus using a specially developed smartphone app called “Explore.” The app guided them to five locations by showing a map with their position and the destination marked. Once participants started walking, the map disappeared, and they relied on memory and spatial navigation skills to find their way. Participants could revisit the map if they felt lost and had to scan a QR code at each destination to confirm their arrival.</p>
<p>The app collected GPS data every two seconds during the task, tracking participants’ routes, time spent navigating, and any instances of pausing or rechecking the map. Researchers analyzed these data to identify patterns in movement and navigation behavior.</p>
<p>The researchers observed clear differences in navigation behavior across the three groups. Younger adults performed best, completing tasks more quickly and efficiently, with fewer pauses or map checks. Cognitively healthy older adults and those with subjective cognitive decline exhibited slower performance, but the latter group stood out for making significantly more orientation stops—brief pauses likely linked to cognitive challenges in processing their surroundings.</p>
<p>“We were a bit surprised that the strongest difference between the group of older adults with elevated dementia risk and the one without risk was found in the number of short stops, presumably taken to orient themselves,” Marquardt told PsyPost. “It is hard to completely explain what this performance measure captures, but we assume the number of short stops is indicative of navigation abilities and executive function, as we have seen associations with other tasks related to executive function as well as an increased probability of stopping at intersections, presumably to recall and plan the correct path.”</p>
<p>Statistical analysis confirmed that the number of orientation stops was a strong predictor of subjective cognitive decline. When used in a predictive model, this measure correctly identified individuals with subjective cognitive decline in about 67% of cases, a level of accuracy comparable to more resource-intensive virtual reality-based navigation studies.</p>
<p>“The key takeaway is that subtle changes in everyday behavior, such as the number of orientation stops in our task, which may go unnoticed in everyday life, can provide meaningful information about an individual’s cognitive health and dementia risk,” Marquardt explained. “Moreover, these differences might be detectable before deficits in conventional neuropsychological tests are present, thus allowing earlier diagnosis.”</p>
<p>Interestingly, the total distance traveled and average walking speed did not significantly differ between the older adult groups, suggesting that orientation stops specifically reflect cognitive, rather than physical, impairments. This finding aligns with prior research linking orientation difficulties to early changes in brain regions affected by Alzheimer’s disease.</p>
<p>“One major caveat is that we focused on a group of older adults with subjective cognitive decline, which we used as a model for higher dementia risk,” Marquardt noted. “However, subjective cognitive decline is highly heterogeneous group; while some individuals with subjective cognitive decline will progress to dementia, others may remain cognitively healthy. Using genetic markers, such as APOE status, biomarkers like tau or amyloid, or neuroimaging data, would have provided a more precise characterization of our older participants. Additionally, collection of longitudinal data instead of cross-sectional data could further strengthen our predictive capabilities.”</p>
<p>Despite these limitations, the research suggests that smartphone-based tasks could aid in the early detection and monitoring of cognitive decline, potentially transforming how Alzheimer’s disease is diagnosed and managed.</p>
<p>“Our long-term goal is to validate smartphone-based approaches using real-world data for early detection of dementia across broader populations,” Marquardt said. “We aim to develop tools that can be easily integrated into everyday life. In doing so, this would enable individuals and healthcare providers to monitor cognitive health proactively and independently. Ultimately, we hope this research will help with the earlier diagnosis of dementia and allow better deployment of intervention strategies.”</p>
<p>“This study was funded by an DZNE Innovation 2 Application Award (awarded to Nadine Diersch) and by a collaborative research grant (DFG, German Research Foundation – Project-ID 425899996). The collaborative research center emphasizes the value of interdisciplinary collaboration, as demonstrated in this study through the combination of neuroscience, digital health, and real-world applications. We believe such interdisciplinary approaches can revolutionize how we understand, detect, and treat neurodegenerative diseases.”</p>
<p>The study, “<a href="https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pdig.0000613" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Identifying older adults at risk for dementia based on smartphone data obtained during a wayfinding task in the real world</a>,” was authored by Jonas Marquardt, Priyanka Mohan, Myra Spiliopoulou, Wenzel Glanz, Michaela Butryn, Esther Kuehn, Stefanie Schreiber, Anne Maass, and Nadine Diersch.</p></p>
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<td><a href="https://www.psypost.org/emphasizing-jesuss-teachings-shifts-white-evangelicals-attitudes-away-from-republican-anti-refugee-positions/" style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing:-1px;margin:0;padding:0 0 2px;font-weight: bold;font-size: 19px;line-height: 20px;color:#222;">Emphasizing Jesus’s teachings shifts white evangelicals’ attitudes away from Republican anti-refugee positions</a>
<div style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align:left;color:#999;font-size:11px;font-weight:bold;line-height:15px;">Jan 13th 2025, 06:00</div>
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<p><p>A new study published in <em><a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11109-024-09912-2" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Political Behavior</a></em> reveals that religious messages emphasizing Christian values can shift white evangelical Republicans’ attitudes on refugees. By highlighting teachings such as Jesus’ call to love one’s neighbor, researchers found that evangelical Republicans became more supportive of refugee resettlement and expressed warmer feelings toward refugees, though support for government benefits remained unchanged. These findings suggest that moral framing rooted in faith may offer a pathway to bridging partisan divides on controversial issues.</p>
<p>The study was conducted by a team of political scientists: <a href="https://seaver.pepperdine.edu/academics/faculty/brian-newman/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Brian Newman</a>, a professor at Pepperdine University; <a href="https://www.stephaniedemora.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Stephanie DeMora</a>, an assistant professor at Stony Brook University; <a href="https://www.jennifermerolla.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jennifer Merolla</a>, a professor at the University of California, Riverside; and <a href="https://my.vanderbilt.edu/zechmeister/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Elizabeth J. Zechmeister</a>, the Cornelius Vanderbilt Professor at Vanderbilt University. The researchers sought to examine the tension between Christian values and partisan Republican stances on refugee issues.</p>
<p>“We were drawn to this topic because we see an interesting tension in messages that reach white evangelical Christians: the party they tend to support (Republican) takes a restrictionist stance on refugees, while a wide range of evangelical leaders made explicitly Christian arguments for welcoming refugees with open arms,” the researchers told PsyPost.</p>
<p>Evangelical leaders and organizations have voiced strong support for refugees in various ways. For example, in 2017, over 500 evangelical leaders from across the United States signed an open letter urging then-President Donald Trump to maintain the United States refugee resettlement program. Additionally, organizations such as the National Association of Evangelicals and the Southern Baptist Convention have emphasized the biblical call to welcome and care for refugees.</p>
<p>Despite this, the researchers noted that “surveys show that white Evangelicals toe the party line – that is, they tend to oppose allowing a greater number of refugees into the United States,” the researchers said. “We wanted to see if highlighting a Christian message could affect white evangelical Republicans’ attitudes toward refugees. Typically, evangelical Republicans’ religious and partisan identities reinforce each other (think of pro-life abortion positions or opposition to trans rights). But in the case of refugee policy, these identities may be in conflict.”</p>
<p>“Some interesting research argues people may be more willing to change their opinion when they encounter arguments framed around their personal values (<a href="https://compass.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/spc3.12501">see here</a> for an example). We applied those ideas to our study to test whether emphasizing values central to evangelicals’ religious identities could move opinion away from the anti-refugee stance that has been articulated by Donald Trump and other Republicans.”</p>
<p>The study included 682 self-identified white evangelical Republicans, recruited through a nationally representative panel. Participants were randomly assigned to one of three conditions: a control group, a group exposed to a religious message emphasizing care for refugees, or a group exposed to the same message with endorsements from evangelical leaders.</p>
<p>The religious message centered on the biblical story of the Good Samaritan, highlighting Jesus’ call to “love your neighbor as yourself” and care for vulnerable strangers, including refugees. For the group receiving the message with a source cue, the researchers included a statement noting that the message was supported by prominent evangelical leaders, such as Max Lucado and Timothy Keller. After exposure to their respective conditions, participants answered questions about their attitudes toward refugees, including their warmth toward refugees, support for resettling refugees in the United States, and support for providing government benefits to refugees already in the country.</p>
<p>The findings showed that the religious message increased feelings of warmth toward refugees and, to a lesser extent, support for refugee resettlement. On a 100-point scale, participants exposed to the religious message rated their feelings toward refugees 7–11 points higher than those in the control group. Similarly, support for resettling refugees in local communities and across the United States increased slightly among participants who received the religious message. However, the message had no significant effect on attitudes toward providing government benefits to refugees already in the country.</p>
<p>The addition of an evangelical source cue did not significantly enhance the message’s effectiveness, suggesting that the content of the religious message itself was the primary driver of attitude change.</p>
<p>“Highlighting core Christian values can shift white evangelical Republicans’ attitudes away from Republican positions,” Newman and his colleagues told PsyPost. “In this case, such a message moved attitudes toward refugees, making evangelical Republicans more positive about refugees as people and more supportive of bringing refugees to the United States.”</p>
<p>“However, there are limits, as the message did not change attitudes toward government support for refugees who are already in the United States (e.g., providing unemployment benefits and allowing children of refugees to attend public schools). This may mean Christian messages can shape evangelicals’ attitudes toward <em>people</em> more than they affect evangelicals’ attitudes toward <em>policy</em>.”</p>
<p>The researchers also explored how participants’ identity strength influenced their responses. They found that those with a stronger evangelical identity were more likely to shift their attitudes in response to the religious message. Surprisingly, strong Republican identifiers were not more resistant to the message; in fact, they also showed some positive changes in their attitudes toward refugees.</p>
<p>“We were a bit surprised that a pro-refugee message could shift evangelical Republicans’ attitudes on such a polarizing issue in highly polarized times,” the researchers said. “We were even more surprised that evangelicals who strongly identify as Republican were even more receptive to the pro-refugee message than those with weaker Republican identity attachments. We expected the opposite, that evangelicals with strong Republican identities would resist the message. Our finding means even some ardent Trump supporting evangelicals were open to a Christian message that directly opposed Trump’s clearly articulated position.”</p>
<p>But as with all research, the study has some limitations. It focused exclusively on self-identified white evangelical Republicans, meaning the findings may not apply to other groups. Additionally, many participants were already familiar with the religious message used in the study, which may have dampened the observed effects.</p>
<p>Despite these limitations, the findings highlight the potential of moral and religious framing to soften partisan attitudes, even in a polarized political climate. The researchers also noted <a href="https://www.pnas.org/doi/full/10.1073/pnas.2101723118" target="_blank" rel="noopener">related work</a> showing that framing mask-wearing as an act of neighborly love made evangelicals more supportive of mask use during the pandemic.</p>
<p>“This is part of a book-length project examining the potential for Christianity to have a positive impact on U.S. politics and society in our highly polarized context,” Newman and his colleague told PsyPost. “Evangelicals are often depicted as fanning the flames of polarization in ways that can threaten American democracy. For example, Christian symbols, prayers, and songs were prevalent on January 6, some evangelicals were outraged by and protested against governmental responses to the pandemic, many evangelicals believed Trump won the 2020 election and expressed disproportionate support for political violence.”</p>
<p>“And yet, it seems just as possible that Christian messages and values could rein in hostility toward perceived enemies and the win-at-all-costs approach to politics. Evangelicals often take the words of Jesus seriously. Some of those words call the followers of Jesus to love and care for their neighbors and even their enemies. We explore the power of those words to temper evangelicals’ attitudes toward perceived enemies, outsiders, compromise, and political violence.”</p>
<p>The study, “<a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s11109-024-09912-2" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jesus was a Refugee: Religious Values Framing can Increase Support for Refugees Among White Evangelical Republicans</a>,” was authored by Stephanie L. DeMora, Jennifer L. Merolla, Brian Newman, and Elizabeth J. Zechmeister.</p></p>
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<td><a href="https://www.psypost.org/brain-health-immune-enzyme-linked-to-toxic-tau-buildup-in-alzheimers-disease/" style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing:-1px;margin:0;padding:0 0 2px;font-weight: bold;font-size: 19px;line-height: 20px;color:#222;">Brain health: Immune enzyme linked to toxic tau buildup in Alzheimer’s disease</a>
<div style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align:left;color:#999;font-size:11px;font-weight:bold;line-height:15px;">Jan 12th 2025, 14:00</div>
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<p><p>Alzheimer’s disease is one of the world’s biggest health problems. Yet, despite the fact <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11095490/">millions of people</a> globally are diagnosed with the disease each year, it remains a challenge to treat. This is largely because the underlying causes are still not fully understood.</p>
<p>However, a <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41593-024-01777-2">new study in mice</a> brings us one step closer to understanding what triggers the disease. The researchers have uncovered a specific enzyme that may be behind one of the key features of Alzheimer’s.</p>
<p>One of the key features of Alzheimer’s disease is an accumulation of a harmful protein called tau. In a healthy brain, tau primarily helps to <a href="https://journals.physiology.org/doi/full/10.1152/physrev.00024.2003">support and stabilise brain cells</a> (neurons). This maintains the structure of these cells, and assists in transporting key substances throughout the neuron so it can function optimally.</p>
<p>But in people with Alzheimer’s disease, tau appears to <a href="https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/alzheimers-causes-and-risk-factors/what-happens-brain-alzheimers-disease#:~:text=Neurofibrillary%20tangles%20are%20abnormal%20accumulations,to%20the%20axon%20and%20dendrites.">behave abnormally</a> in the brain. Instead of performing its normal function, tau builds up inside neurons and forms twisted clumps, called <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/medicine-and-dentistry/neurofibrillary-tangle">neurofibrillary tangles</a>.</p>
<p>These tangles can disrupt communication between neurons. Communication between neurons is fundamental for our memory, thinking and behaviour, so any disruption can lead to damage in those areas of the brain.</p>
<p>While scientists have known for decades that tau is <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-024-02883-8#:~:text=The%20protein%20tau%20is%20identified,of%20people%20with%20Alzheimer's%20disease.&text=Heather%20Wood%20is%20senior%20editor%20at%20Nature%20Reviews%20Neurology.">involved in the disease</a>, they’re still trying to understand exactly why healthy tau misfolds to form these toxic, sticky tangles. This latest study, published in <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41593-024-01777-2">Nature Neuroscience</a>, offers promising new insights into how tau turns toxic in mice.</p>
<h2>Toxic tau</h2>
<p>To mimic Alzheimer’s disease, the team of US-based scientists used mice that had been genetically altered to have a build-up of tau in their brains. They found that a specific enzyme may be responsible for turning healthy tau into the toxic tau that accumulates in the brain.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/biochemistry-genetics-and-molecular-biology/enzyme">An enzyme</a> is a protein that usually plays a helpful role in the body – making reactions happen faster and more efficiently. But this study found that the enzyme <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/neuroscience/tyrosine-kinase-2">tyrosine kinase 2</a> (TYK2), which plays a central role in the immune system, adds a special tag to tau. This tag then appears to make it difficult for the brain to properly clear away unwanted tau. In both mouse models and human cell cultures, the enzyme caused tau to build up and become toxic.</p>
<p>Using genetic tools, the scientists then blocked TYK2 in the mice with Alzheimer’s. This resulted in a reduction in the overall amount of tau in the brain – including the amount of harmful, disease-causing tau with the added tag.</p>
<p>The neurons also showed signs of recovery. This suggests that blocking TYK2 could be a way to reduce the toxic tau buildup, and the damage it causes in diseases like Alzheimer’s. This could also open new avenues for drug development that could tackle toxic tau in ways that haven’t been explored yet.</p>
<p>The finding that lowering or blocking TYK2 could treat Alzheimer’s is encouraging, as TYK2 inhibitor drugs have already been tested in humans for a <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9959504/">range of different conditions</a> – such as the <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S156899722400140X#:~:text=This%20drug%20and%20other%20novel,uveitis%2C%20hidradenitis%20suppurativa%20and%20others">autoimmune diseases</a> psoriatic arthritis and inflammatory bowel disease.</p>
<p>However, studies are needed to check if TYK2 inhibitors are able to pass the <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41392-023-01481-w">blood-brain barrier</a>. As tau is inside brain cells, it’s tough to remove. If these drugs can’t reach the brain, they won’t be able to lower tau levels in humans and make a difference in Alzheimer’s disease.</p>
<h2>Alzheimer’s treatments</h2>
<p>There’s a desperate need for new treatment options for Alzheimer’s disease. While two therapies, <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/news/donanemab-licensed-for-early-stages-of-alzheimers-disease-in-adult-patients-who-have-one-or-no-copies-of-apolipoprotein-e4-gene">donanemab</a> and <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/news/lecanemab-licensed-for-adult-patients-in-the-early-stages-of-alzheimers-disease">lecanemab</a>, have recently been approved in the UK, they’re too expensive for widespread use on the NHS and come with serious side-effects. Many argue that their drawbacks <a href="https://www.news-medical.net/news/20240925/Concerns-raised-over-safety-and-effectiveness-of-donanemab-for-Alzheimere28099s-treatment.aspx">outweigh their benefits</a>.</p>
<p>These treatments focus on removing <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0014488609004117">amyloid plaques</a>, another protein linked to Alzheimer’s. But targeting tau, the protein at the heart of this new research, could be a game changer in the search for a more effective treatment.</p>
<p>It should, however, be noted that this research is in its early stages and is still very pre-clinical. Despite mice models being extremely valuable for understanding disease mechanisms, their results don’t always translate directly to humans. More research is needed to see if this technique has the same effect on tau levels in the human brain, whether there are any harmful side-effects – and if blocking TYK2 to clear toxic tau actually improves symptoms of Alzheimer’s, such as memory loss.</p>
<p>Targeting TYK2 to reduce toxic tau in the brain shows promise as a potential new approach to treating Alzheimer’s. The next steps will be to explore if the same is true in humans.<!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><img decoding="async" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/243765/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1"><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p>
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<p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/alzheimers-disease-toxic-protein-is-turned-bad-by-immune-enzyme-mouse-study-shows-243765">original article</a>.</em></p></p>
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<td><a href="https://www.psypost.org/same-gender-relationships-provide-greater-sexual-equity-for-teen-girls-study-suggests/" style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing:-1px;margin:0;padding:0 0 2px;font-weight: bold;font-size: 19px;line-height: 20px;color:#222;">Same-gender relationships provide greater sexual equity for teen girls, study suggests</a>
<div style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align:left;color:#999;font-size:11px;font-weight:bold;line-height:15px;">Jan 12th 2025, 12:00</div>
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<p><p>A recent study published in the <em><a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10508-024-03054-6" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Archives of Sexual Behavior</a></em> has uncovered significant disparities in sexual experiences among adolescents in Canada. Researchers examined orgasm and sexual behaviors, including manual and oral stimulation, among cisgender and transgender/non-binary youth aged 15 to 18. The findings reveal that adolescent girls, particularly those in heterosexual relationships, experience fewer orgasms and less oral stimulation compared to their male counterparts. Notably, girls partnered with girls did not report the same disadvantages.</p>
<p>“The idea for this research question arose from our observation that most studies on adolescent sexuality focused on the risks of vaginal intercourse within heterosexual dyad,” said study author Alice Girouard, a postdoctoral research fellow at Dalhousie University who conducted the research as a PhD student under the supervision of Sophie Bergeron at the University of Montréal.</p>
<p>“This conveyed a very hetero- and cisnormative (i.e., assumption that individuals are all heterosexual and cisgender) view of sexuality, while we know that nearly a third (30%) of sexual and gender diverse (i.e.,2SLGBTQIA+) Canadians are under the age of 25 and that this number doubled between 2018 and 2021 (Statistics Canada, 2021). Also, adolescents engage in a variety of sexual behaviors outside of vaginal penetration, but these are not sufficiently documented. We wanted to provide a useful portrait of adolescent sexuality using a sex-positive lens with contemporary data reflecting adolescents’ lived experiences to inform sex education curricula.”</p>
<p>The study included 2,738 participants aged 15 to 18, with 51.4% identifying as girls and 46.4% as boys. A smaller subset (2.2%) identified as transgender or non-binary. Participants were recruited from 23 schools across diverse socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds. Schools were selected to ensure representation from both urban and rural areas. The study’s data were collected as part of an ongoing longitudinal project focusing on adolescent sexual health, with the current phase conducted between October 2020 and March 2022.</p>
<p>Participants completed anonymous online surveys in a classroom setting. These surveys gathered information about demographic characteristics, sexual orientation, partnered sexual experiences, masturbation, orgasm frequency, and the nature of sexual behaviors with partners.</p>
<p>The researchers found that boys were more likely than girls to report experiencing orgasm during masturbation. Approximately 86% of boys reported having orgasms while masturbating, compared to 72% of girls. This difference highlights an “orgasm gap” that extends even to solo sexual experiences. Boys were also more likely than girls to achieve orgasm during partnered sex. Girls reported greater difficulty reaching orgasm with a partner, particularly in heterosexual relationships.</p>
<p>Girls were less likely than boys to receive oral sex, consistent with previous research suggesting that male pleasure is often prioritized in heterosexual encounters. Girls, on the other hand, reported receiving manual stimulation more frequently than boys.</p>
<p>Analyzing dyad types—combinations of participant and partner genders—revealed further insights. Girls partnered with boys and those with gender-diverse partners were less likely to achieve orgasm during masturbation or partnered sex compared to boys partnered with girls. These findings suggest that traditional gender norms and sexual scripts play a significant role in shaping adolescents’ sexual experiences.</p>
<p>“Even among contemporary youth, there are still gender and dyad type inequities that are reflected in adolescents’ sexual behaviors – especially for cisgender girls partnered with boys,” Girouard told PsyPost.</p>
<p>In contrast, girls partnered with girls reported sexual experiences comparable to those of boys partnered with girls. This suggests that same-gender relationships may offer a more egalitarian approach to intimacy, free from some of the constraints imposed by traditional sexual scripts.</p>
<p>“A very important finding is that cisgender girls partnered with a girl were not disadvantaged compared to cisgender boys partnered with a girl,” Girouard said.</p>
<p>Although the small sample size limited statistical comparisons, descriptive findings hinted at patterns unique to transgender and non-binary adolescents. For instance, transgender/non-binary youth assigned male at birth were more likely to receive manual stimulation compared to boys. This may reflect differences in sexual scripts or preferences, as these participants might engage in non-penetrative forms of intimacy more frequently.</p>
<p>While the study provides valuable insights, it also has limitations.</p>
<p>“We have to keep in mind that this study used a cross-sectional and thus correlational design,” Girouard noted. “This means that all our variables of interest were measured at the same time, and that we cannot say that gender or dyad configurations are the cause behind the orgasm and sexual behavior differences that we found – but we can say that they are significantly linked and likely play an important role!”</p>
<p>“Also, despite our best efforts, the sample size of sexual and gender diverse participants is small compared to the heterosexual and cisgender participants. Therefore, we might have lower statistical power to detect meaningful differences between the groups, or even lead to incorrect conclusions regarding gender and sexual diverse individuals as we did not include sufficient people to truly reflect this group.”</p>
<p>“Lastly, while informative for prevention efforts, comparing sexual and gender diverse individuals to the heterosexual cisgender majority can still convey a hetero- and cisnormative view within research where being cis and heterosexual is the norm – which was not our intention,” Girouard explained.</p>
<p>Future research should aim to include larger and more diverse samples, particularly of transgender and non-binary youth, to better understand their unique experiences. Longitudinal studies tracking adolescents into adulthood could also shed light on how early sexual experiences influence later outcomes.</p>
<p>The researchers emphasize the need for more comprehensive, inclusive, and pleasure-focused sexual education. By addressing traditional gender norms and empowering all adolescents to communicate their needs and desires, such education could help bridge the gaps in sexual satisfaction identified in this study.</p>
<p>“Our research on adolescents and emerging adults is geared towards equity promotion in sexual health for everyone, but mostly minoritized and marginalized populations,” Girouard said. “We hope that our work will contribute to sexual education efforts across the lifespan and different contexts (e.g., general public, psychology clinics, hospitals) to promote individuals’ knowledge and resilience regarding their sexual health and pleasure.”</p>
<p>“We think that one potential avenue to correct for these gender and dyad type inequities lies with more comprehensive, pleasure-focused sexual education for youth,” she added. “All adolescents could benefit from further knowledge on traditional gender norms and on how to have pleasurable, satisfying, and safe sex. We think that it is especially important to empower girls within heterosexual dyads on how to be assertive and communicate their needs and desires.”</p>
<p>The study, “<a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-024-03054-6" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Orgasm and Sexual Behavior Among Adolescents: Differences Across Genders and Dyad Configurations</a>,” was authored by Alice Girouard, Jacinthe Dion, Aleksandar Štulhofer, Beáta Bőthe, Martin Blais, Marie-Michèle Paquette, Lucia F. O’Sullivan, and Sophie Bergeron.</p></p>
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<td><a href="https://www.psypost.org/rapid-memory-consolidation-remains-intact-in-autism-new-research-shows/" style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing:-1px;margin:0;padding:0 0 2px;font-weight: bold;font-size: 19px;line-height: 20px;color:#222;">Rapid memory consolidation remains intact in autism, new research shows</a>
<div style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align:left;color:#999;font-size:11px;font-weight:bold;line-height:15px;">Jan 12th 2025, 10:00</div>
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<p><p>A recent study published in <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0006899324005535"><em>Brain Research</em></a> has shed light on how memory processes operate in individuals with varying levels of autistic traits, including those diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The research reveals that ultrafast memory consolidation—a process by which the brain stabilizes and enhances learning during brief pauses—functions similarly in neurotypical individuals and those with ASD. This finding highlights that both groups exhibit intact learning and memory dynamics, challenging assumptions that autism might alter these processes.</p>
<p>The authors of the new study aimed to deepen the understanding of how learning and memory processes operate, particularly the mechanisms that allow the brain to optimize and retain information.</p>
<p>“Our brains are constantly learning and processing information from the environment,” explained <a href="https://nemethlab.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Dezső Németh</a> of the Lyon Neuroscience Research Center at INSERM. “Based on this information, our brain constructs models of the world around us. We perceive our physical and social environment through these models. Memory consolidation plays a crucial role in this process and represents one of the most significant scientific challenges in cognitive psychology and neuroscience. How does memory consolidation work? What are its temporal properties?”</p>
<p>To explore these questions, the researchers examined how autistic traits might influence ultrafast memory consolidation, a process by which newly acquired information is stabilized within seconds or minutes of learning.</p>
<p>ASD is a neurodevelopmental condition marked by difficulties in social communication, restricted and repetitive behaviors, and sensory sensitivities. It exists on a spectrum, meaning individuals with autism can exhibit a broad range of abilities and characteristics. However, autistic traits—such as an intense focus on specific interests or heightened sensitivity to sensory input—are not exclusive to those diagnosed with ASD. These traits vary in intensity across the general population, forming a continuum rather than a binary distinction.</p>
<p>Memory consolidation refers to the process through which the brain transforms fragile, short-term memories into stable, long-term ones. This process often unfolds in two stages: online learning, which happens actively during practice, and offline learning, where the brain continues to process and solidify information during periods of rest or sleep. Traditionally, consolidation has been studied over longer timeframes, such as hours or days.</p>
<p>Ultrafast memory consolidation, however, focuses on stabilization processes that occur within much shorter intervals, such as seconds or minutes. This rapid consolidation is thought to involve neural replay, where the brain reactivates and strengthens recently encoded information during brief rest periods. In two separate studies, the researchers investigated ultrafast consolidation by measuring “micro offline gains,” or performance improvements during short rest periods between blocks of a learning task.</p>
<p>In the first study, 166 neurotypical adults participated, with varying levels of autistic traits assessed using the Autism Spectrum Quotient. In the second study, 22 adults diagnosed with ASD and 20 neurotypical controls were involved.</p>
<p>Participants completed a probabilistic learning task called the Alternating Serial Reaction Time task. This well-established task measures two types of learning: statistical learning and visuomotor performance. Statistical learning refers to the ability to detect and respond to patterns within a sequence of stimuli, while visuomotor performance captures overall improvements in reaction speed unrelated to pattern recognition.</p>
<p>During the task, participants were presented with a series of visual stimuli, each requiring a corresponding keyboard response. Unbeknownst to participants, some stimuli followed a predictable sequence, while others were random.</p>
<p>The results showed that participants, regardless of their level of autistic traits or ASD diagnosis, demonstrated significant learning and memory consolidation during the task. Both neurotypical individuals and those with ASD exhibited statistical learning, evidenced by faster reaction times for predictable sequences. Similarly, visuomotor performance improved as participants became quicker overall. Importantly, the extent of ultrafast memory consolidation during breaks, reflected in micro offline gains, did not differ based on autistic traits or ASD diagnosis.</p>
<p>“It is widely known, and often stated in textbooks, that memory consolidation takes a long time—typically 10–12 hours—and is frequently associated with the need for sleep,” Németh told PsyPost. “However, recent research has demonstrated that even a few seconds can play a critical role in memory consolidation. Taking several short breaks, as brief as one minute, during the learning process significantly enhances memory retention.”</p>
<p>“These short offline periods are very important because they allow efficient memory replay, which is one of the key mechanisms of memory. This phenomenon, so-called ultra-fast memory consolidation, remains intact in individuals with autism and in those who, while not diagnosed with autism, exhibit many of its characteristics. When a cognitive function is preserved, it provides a solid foundation for therapy or developmental training.”</p>
<p>A meta-analysis combining data from both studies confirmed the absence of significant group differences, further supporting the conclusion that ultrafast memory consolidation is intact in autism. This aligns with prior research indicating intact statistical learning and memory capabilities in autism.</p>
<p>“This finding is not entirely surprising, but it is important to highlight,” Németh explained. “In this research, we adopted a more modern approach—the so-called spectrum approach. Instead of using the traditional black-and-white perspective of comparing individuals diagnosed with ASD to those without a diagnosis, we measured hundreds of individuals from the general population, none of whom had a clinical diagnosis. The core idea of the spectrum view is that traits or symptoms can manifest to varying degrees in everyone. This approach enables us to more effectively investigate how autism-related traits influence cognitive function and to explore the factors underlying individual differences—something that is difficult to achieve with small clinical samples.”</p>
<p>Understanding ultrafast consolidation is important because it highlights how the brain continuously optimizes learning even during brief pauses, offering insights into the temporal dynamics of memory formation.</p>
<p>“The long-term goal is to understand precisely when learning occurs—during practice sessions or, rather, in the breaks between practice sessions during short offline periods,” Németh said. “In reality, learning happens during both, but there are significant individual differences. Various personality traits, clinical conditions, and symptoms can influence these learning processes. The key question is: what determines, or what factors influence, when we are more likely to engage in learning?”</p>
<p>The study, “<a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.brainres.2024.149299">Intact ultrafast memory consolidation in adults with autism and neurotypicals with autism traits</a>,” was authored by Cintia Anna Nagy, Flóra Hann, Bianka Brezóczki, Kinga Farkas, Teodóra Vékony, Orsolya Pesthy, and Dezső Németh.</p></p>
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<p><strong>Forwarded by:<br />
Michael Reeder LCPC<br />
Baltimore, MD</strong></p>
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