<table style="border:1px solid #adadad; background-color: #F3F1EC; color: #666666; padding:8px; -webkit-border-radius:4px; border-radius:4px; -moz-border-radius:4px; line-height:16px; margin-bottom:6px;" width="100%">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td><span style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:20px;font-weight:bold;">PsyPost – Psychology News Daily Digest (Unofficial)</span></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td> </td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<table style="font:13px Helvetica, sans-serif; border-radius:4px; -moz-border-radius:4px; -webkit-border-radius:4px; background-color:#fff; padding:8px; margin-bottom:6px; border:1px solid #adadad;" width="100%">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td><a href="https://www.psypost.org/brain-connectivity-deviations-linked-to-social-challenges-in-boys-with-autism/" 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 connectivity deviations linked to social challenges in boys with autism</a>
<div style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align:left;color:#999;font-size:11px;font-weight:bold;line-height:15px;">Feb 22nd 2025, 08:00</div>
<div style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; color:#494949;text-align:justify;font-size:13px;">
<p><p>Difficulties in social situations experienced by boys with autism may be related to how certain brain networks communicate with each other, a new study suggests. Scientists at the A*STAR Institute for Human Development and Potential have found that variations in the connections between brain networks involved in attention and self-reflection were associated with challenges in social awareness, communication, and understanding social cues. The research was published in <em><a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dcn.2024.101483" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience</a></em>.</p>
<p>Scientists have long been working to understand the complexities of autism spectrum disorder, a condition that affects social interaction and behavior. Autism is known to be incredibly diverse, with individuals experiencing a wide range of symptoms and challenges. This variability makes it difficult to pinpoint the underlying biological reasons for the condition and develop effective, personalized treatments. While it’s understood that early differences in behavior can be signs of autism, these early signs are not always specific to autism and can be subtle.</p>
<p>The research team believed that by studying the way large areas of the brain connect during rest, they could pinpoint specific differences that might explain the social challenges seen in autism spectrum disorder. They also wanted to see if differences in higher-level thinking skills, such as the ability to switch between tasks or hold information in mind, played a role in linking these brain connection differences to behavior.</p>
<p>“Autism spectrum disorder is highly heterogeneous at both the phenotypic and neural levels,” explained first authors <a href="http://www.linkedin.com/in/shi-yu-chan" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Shi Yu Chan</a> and senior author <a href="http://www.linkedin.com/in/ai-peng-tan-387946152" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tan Ai Peng</a>. “Previous research has suggested that variations in resting state functional connectivity (rsFC) between functional networks may underlie the symptoms of social impairments in individuals with autism . Hence, in this study, we employed normative modelling to examine the link between functional connectivity alterations and social behavior at an individual level in a large cohort of male children with autism. Normative modelling is a technique that models a typically developing trajectory and calculates an individual’s deviation from the norm.”</p>
<p>To conduct their study, the researchers used brain scan data from a large, publicly available database called the Autism Brain Imaging Data Exchange. This database includes brain scans and behavioral information from many individuals with and without autism. The researchers focused on data from 816 boys between the ages of 5 and 14. Because autism is more common in boys, and because brain development can differ between boys and girls, the researchers chose to focus specifically on males to ensure a more consistent study group.</p>
<p>First, the researchers established what typical brain connectivity development looks like in boys without autism. They used brain scans from 321 boys without autism to create a model of how communication between different brain networks changes with age. They looked at the connections between seven major brain networks: the visual network (for seeing), the somatomotor network (for movement and sensation), the dorsal attention network (for focused attention), the ventral attention network (for noticing important things), the limbic network (for emotions), the frontoparietal network (for higher-level thinking), and the default mode network (for self-reflection).</p>
<p>For each boy, they measured the strength of communication between each pair of these networks while the boys were resting in the scanner. This allowed them to create a ‘typical’ developmental pattern for brain network communication in boys as they grow from childhood to adolescence.</p>
<p>Next, the researchers applied this ‘typical’ pattern to a group of 418 boys with autism and a separate group of 77 boys without autism. For each boy, they calculated a ‘deviation score’ for each brain network connection. This score represented how much an individual boy’s brain connectivity differed from the ‘typical’ pattern they had established. A higher score meant a greater difference from the typical pattern.</p>
<p>To understand how these brain connectivity deviations related to social behavior, the researchers used the Social Responsiveness Scale, a questionnaire completed by parents that measures different aspects of social behavior. This scale assesses social awareness, social communication, social understanding, social motivation, and unusual mannerisms.</p>
<p>Finally, the researchers investigated whether executive functions, or higher-level thinking skills, played a role in the relationship between brain connectivity deviations and social difficulties. Executive functions include skills like cognitive flexibility (being able to switch between tasks or ideas) and working memory (holding information in mind to use it). They used the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function, another parent questionnaire, to measure these skills in a subset of the boys with autism.</p>
<p>The results showed that deviations in communication patterns between certain brain networks were indeed linked to specific aspects of social behavior problems in boys with autism. Specifically, differences in connectivity involving the default mode network, ventral attention network, frontoparietal network, and somatomotor network were related to different dimensions of social difficulties.</p>
<p>Interestingly, deviations in the communication between the ventral attention network and the default mode network were found to be particularly relevant and were associated with challenges in social awareness, social communication, and social understanding. This suggests that when these networks don’t communicate in a typical way, it may impact a person’s ability to understand social cues, communicate effectively, and grasp social situations.</p>
<p>Furthermore, the study found that cognitive flexibility and working memory played a mediating role in the connection between deviations in ventral attention network and default mode network communication and social behavior problems. This means that boys with autism who had greater deviations in this brain network communication and who also had weaker cognitive flexibility and working memory skills tended to have more pronounced social difficulties. This finding suggests that these thinking skills might be a pathway through which brain connectivity differences impact social behavior in autism.</p>
<p>“Normative modelling is a promising method to map alterations in functional connectivity to behavior at the individual level,” Chan and Peng told PsyPost. “This is critical for the implementation of precision diagnosis and intervention. Specifically in male children with autism, the deviations of the functional connectivity between the ventral attention network and default mode network from a normative trajectory mapped to multiple domains of social behavior. Notably, executive function mediates the association between functional connectivity deviation and social behavior, highlighting executive function as a potential intervention target for improving social functioning in children with autism.”</p>
<p>The researchers acknowledged some caveats. “Our normative trajectories were modelled only with cross-sectional data from a publicly available dataset (the ABIDE I/II consortium),” the researchers said. “We included only males in the study, so we cannot draw any conclusions about the associations between functional connectivity deviations and social behavior in females. In addition, we were interested in neurodevelopment over childhood, so the age range of our study is from 5.9 to 13.9 years. However, a large proportion of the study cohort are between ages 9 to 12 years. Hence, our findings are most relevant for that age group.</p>
<p>Future research could analyze multiple brain scans collected over time to get a more precise picture of brain development in autism. Studies could also explore the influence of genetics and environment and investigate whether these findings are similar in girls with autism. Moving forward, this method of comparing individual brain patterns to a typical developmental trajectory holds promise for understanding the diverse nature of autism and other conditions.</p>
<p>“We aim to validate our study findings using a normative model built on longitudinal neuroimaging data,” Chan and Peng explained. “We will also apply the normative modelling approach used in our study to identify neural biomarkers for other neurodevelopmental disorders such as ADHD and dyslexia.”</p>
<p>The study, “<a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dcn.2024.101483" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Social behavior in ASD males: The interplay between cognitive flexibility, working memory, and functional connectivity deviations</a>,” was authored by Shi Yu Chan, Jasmine Si Min Chuah, Pei Huang, and Ai Peng Tan.</p></p>
</div>
<div style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align: center; color: #666666; padding:4px; margin-bottom:2px;"></div>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<table style="font:13px Helvetica, sans-serif; border-radius:4px; -moz-border-radius:4px; -webkit-border-radius:4px; background-color:#fff; padding:8px; margin-bottom:6px; border:1px solid #adadad;" width="100%">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td><a href="https://www.psypost.org/serotonin-in-cerebellum-acts-as-brake-on-anxiety-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;">Serotonin in cerebellum acts as brake on anxiety, 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;">Feb 22nd 2025, 06:00</div>
<div style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; color:#494949;text-align:justify;font-size:13px;">
<p><p>Serotonin, a brain chemical widely recognized for its influence on mood and anxiety, has been found to operate in a surprising way within the cerebellum, according to new research published in <em><a href="https://www.jneurosci.org/content/early/2025/02/03/JNEUROSCI.1825-24.2024" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Journal of Neuroscience</a></em>. Scientists discovered that increasing serotonin levels in this specific brain region of mice actually lessened anxiety, an effect opposite to what is often observed elsewhere in the brain. This finding highlights a novel mechanism by which the cerebellum contributes to anxiety regulation.</p>
<p>Scientists have long been interested in unraveling the complex brain circuits that govern anxiety. A better understanding of these circuits could pave the way for more targeted and effective treatments for anxiety disorders, which affect millions of people worldwide. Previous research had separately pointed to both serotonin, a neurotransmitter known to influence mood, and the cerebellum, a brain region located at the back of the head, as playing potential roles in anxiety.</p>
<p>Serotonin is well-established as a key player in anxiety regulation in other brain areas, and medications like selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, which increase serotonin levels, are commonly used to treat anxiety. Similarly, clinical observations and studies in animals had suggested a connection between the cerebellum and anxiety, but the precise nature of this link remained unclear.</p>
<p>Researchers Pei Wern Chin, from the University of Pennsylvania, and <a href="https://www.tll.org.sg/people/dr-george-augustine-ph-d/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">George Augustine</a>, from Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory, sought to investigate whether serotonin within the cerebellum itself directly influences anxiety behavior. They aimed to explore if manipulating serotonin levels in this brain region could have a measurable impact on anxiety.</p>
<p>“I have been studying the cerebellum for more than 30 years. The attraction is its relatively simple, stereotyped circuitry. If we can ever hope to figure out any part of the brain, the cerebellum is a prime candidate,” explained Augustine, a Temasek Senior Investigator and co-editor of the textbook <em><a href="https://global.oup.com/ushe/product/neuroscience-9780197616246" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Neuroscience</a></em>.</p>
<p>“Pei Wern was interested in anxiety. So we joined forces to look at the role of the cerebellum in anxiety. Originally, she identified a part of the cerebellum (lobule VII) that serves as a locus for anxiety regulation. Serotonin is widely known to be involved in anxiety, so it was a logical next step to examine the role of serotonin in cerebellar anxiety regulation. That was the motivation for our current paper.”</p>
<p>To explore this, the researchers conducted a series of experiments using mice. First, they wanted to measure the natural levels of serotonin in the cerebellum of mice exhibiting different anxiety levels. They used a sophisticated tool: a fluorescent sensor specifically designed to detect serotonin. This sensor, called GRAB5HT2h, was introduced into a specific part of the cerebellum called lobule VII. This sensor glows brighter when it detects serotonin, allowing the researchers to monitor serotonin levels in real-time.</p>
<p>To get the sensor into the cerebellum, they used a harmless virus to deliver the genetic instructions for making the sensor to the brain cells in lobule VII. After allowing time for the mice to produce the serotonin sensor, the researchers made thin slices of cerebellar tissue and examined them under a special microscope. They applied serotonin to these slices and confirmed that the sensor effectively responded to serotonin by glowing more brightly, demonstrating its ability to detect serotonin in the cerebellum.</p>
<p>Next, the scientists wanted to measure serotonin levels in the cerebellum of living, behaving mice. They implanted a small optical fiber into lobule VII of the mice that had the serotonin sensor. This fiber allowed them to shine light into the cerebellum and measure the fluorescence signal from the serotonin sensor, a technique called fiber photometry. They also implanted a tiny needle into a nearby cerebellar region to inject substances directly into the cerebellum.</p>
<p>To ensure the sensor was indeed detecting serotonin in living mice, they injected serotonin into the cerebellum through the implanted needle and observed an increase in the sensor’s fluorescence. Conversely, they injected a substance that blocks serotonin receptors and saw a decrease in the sensor’s signal. These tests confirmed that the sensor was accurately reporting serotonin levels in the cerebellum of live mice.</p>
<p>With the serotonin sensor in place, the researchers then assessed the anxiety levels of the mice using a standard behavioral test called the elevated zero maze. This maze is a circular track raised above the ground, with two open sections and two enclosed sections. Mice naturally prefer enclosed, safer spaces and tend to avoid open, exposed areas, reflecting their anxiety levels.</p>
<p>The researchers recorded the behavior of the mice on the maze while simultaneously monitoring serotonin levels in their cerebellum using fiber photometry. They found a striking pattern: mice that spent more time in the open, anxiety-provoking sections of the maze had higher levels of serotonin in their cerebellum. Conversely, mice that exhibited more anxiety-like behavior, spending more time in the enclosed sections, had lower levels of cerebellar serotonin. This inverse relationship was a key initial finding.</p>
<p>Building upon this observation, the researchers then sought to directly manipulate serotonin input to the cerebellum and see if it would change anxiety behavior. They used a technique called optogenetics, which allows for the precise control of brain cell activity using light. They genetically modified a group of mice so that their serotonin-releasing neurons could be activated or inhibited by light.</p>
<p>In one experiment, they used light to stimulate serotonin release in the cerebellum while the mice were on the elevated zero maze. They found that stimulating serotonin release caused the mice to spend significantly more time in the open sections of the maze, indicating reduced anxiety.</p>
<p>“In the past, the cerebellum was supposed to be involved just in motor coordination,” Augustine told PsyPost. “Our paper adds to the growing evidence that the cerebellum is involved in cognition, too. Serotonin, which is known to regulate anxiety by acting on other brain areas, also does so in the cerebellum.”</p>
<p>In another experiment, they used light to inhibit serotonin release in the cerebellum. This time, they observed the opposite effect: the mice spent less time in the open sections and more time in the closed sections, showing increased anxiety. These optogenetic experiments provided strong evidence that serotonin in the cerebellum has a direct and causal role in regulating anxiety behavior. By increasing serotonin, they could reduce anxiety, and by decreasing serotonin, they could increase anxiety.</p>
<p>“The big surprise is that in most brain areas, serotonin increases anxiety,” Augustine explained. “However, in the cerebellum it is the opposite: increasing serotonin levels reduces anxiety! That is why we can think of the cerebellum as a ‘brake’ on anxiety.”</p>
<p>While these findings are significant, the researchers also acknowledged some limitations. This study was conducted in mice, and it is important to determine if these findings translate to humans. “Mice are great models for many types of neuroscience work, especially because we can apply genetic engineering (which we took advantage of in our work),” Augustine noted. “However, while our brains also have a cerebellum, definitely further work will be needed to see whether our conclusions apply to the human brain.”</p>
<p>Future research could investigate the precise neural circuits involved, exploring how the cerebellum interacts with other brain regions known to be involved in anxiety, such as the amygdala. One important question for future studies is to identify the specific neurons that supply serotonin to the cerebellum and determine if these are the same neurons that send serotonin to other brain regions that influence anxiety. Understanding the broader brain circuitry will provide a more complete picture of the cerebellum’s role in anxiety.</p>
<p>“The long-term goal in mice would be to complete the circuit: filling in the missing pieces of the puzzle by identifying the precise relationship between the cerebellum and the other parts of the brain involved in anxiety behavior,” Augustine said</p>
<p>“I would like to emphasize that Pei Wern Chin was the mastermind of this project,” he added. “She came up with most of the good ideas and definitely did 100% of the very arduous experimental work.”</p>
<p>The study, “<a href="https://doi.org/10.1523/JNEUROSCI.1825-24.2024" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Serotonergic Input into the Cerebellar Cortex Modulates Anxiety-Like Behavior</a>,” was published February 10, 2025.</p></p>
</div>
<div style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align: center; color: #666666; padding:4px; margin-bottom:2px;"></div>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<table style="font:13px Helvetica, sans-serif; border-radius:4px; -moz-border-radius:4px; -webkit-border-radius:4px; background-color:#fff; padding:8px; margin-bottom:6px; border:1px solid #adadad;" width="100%">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td><a href="https://www.psypost.org/easy-way-to-fight-prejudice-teach-this-simple-fact-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;">Easy way to fight prejudice? Teach this simple fact, study suggests</a>
<div style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align:left;color:#999;font-size:11px;font-weight:bold;line-height:15px;">Feb 21st 2025, 18:00</div>
<div style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; color:#494949;text-align:justify;font-size:13px;">
<p><p>Want to improve global relations? The answer might be simpler than you think. A recent study published in the <em><a href="https://doi.org/10.1002/ejsp.3111" target="_blank">European Journal of Social Psychology</a></em> demonstrated that showing people an eleven-minute video emphasizing the shared genes of all humans can lead to more positive attitudes towards people from other countries. This finding suggests a straightforward way to combat prejudice and encourage a sense of shared humanity.</p>
<p>The motivation behind this research stemmed from a growing concern about prejudice and discrimination directed towards people perceived as outsiders. Across the globe, there has been a rise in nationalistic sentiments and exclusionary politics, with some leaders promoting the idea of protecting national borders and expressing bias against immigrants and minority groups. These attitudes are often rooted in the belief that different groups are fundamentally distinct from one another, and this perceived difference can fuel negative stereotypes and discriminatory behaviors.</p>
<p>Interestingly, many people hold inaccurate beliefs about the genetic differences between racial groups. Previous research has shown that the average person estimates that different races share only about 68% of their genes. However, the reality, as revealed by the Human Genome Project, is quite different. Scientists have found that all humans, regardless of their background, share 99.9% of their genetic makeup. The very small fraction of genetic variation that does exist is mostly found within populations, not between groups defined by race. In fact, only a tiny portion, about 1/200th of 1%, of our genetic differences has been used to categorize people into the commonly recognized racial groups.</p>
<p>Given this scientific understanding of human genetics, the researchers hypothesized that providing people with accurate information about our shared genetic heritage might help to break down the perception of distinct and separate groups. They reasoned that if people understood how fundamentally similar we are at a genetic level, it could encourage them to see those from different countries as part of a larger “us” rather than a separate “them.” This shift in perspective, known as recategorization, could potentially reduce prejudice and promote more inclusive attitudes.</p>
<p>To investigate this idea, the researchers conducted three separate studies. In each study, they recruited participants and divided them into two groups: an experimental group and a control group.</p>
<p>In the first study, 123 European New Zealand university students participated. The second study involved 93 European participants from the United Kingdom recruited online. The third study broadened the participant pool to include 150 individuals from the United Kingdom with a wider age range, also recruited online.</p>
<p>Before the intervention, all participants in each study completed questionnaires designed to measure their attitudes towards people from other countries and their level of social dominance orientation. Social dominance orientation refers to the degree to which someone believes that inequality among social groups is acceptable and justified. These initial questionnaires served as a baseline to compare with their attitudes after the intervention.</p>
<p>The experimental group in each study then watched an eleven-minute video that presented scientific information debunking the idea that race has a genetic basis. The video explained the findings of the Human Genome Project, emphasizing that humans share 99.9% of their genes and that racial categories are not supported by genetic science. To reinforce the message, the video presentation included interactive elements. After each key point was presented, participants were asked a multiple-choice question to check their understanding before moving on to the next piece of information. For example, one question asked, “Humans from different races share what percentage of their genes?” with the correct answer being 99.9%.</p>
<p>The control group, on the other hand, watched an eleven-minute music video that focused on the effect of music learning on a child’s brain. This video was chosen as a control because it was engaging and of similar length to the genetics video but did not contain information related to genetics or intergroup relations. Like the genetics video, the music video also included interactive multiple-choice questions to maintain participant engagement.</p>
<p>After watching their assigned video, all participants completed the same questionnaires measuring their attitudes towards people from other countries and their social dominance orientation again. By comparing the pre- and post-video questionnaire responses between the experimental and control groups, the researchers could assess the impact of the genetics video on participants’ attitudes.</p>
<p>The results across all three studies consistently showed that participants who watched the genetics video demonstrated a significant improvement in their attitudes towards people from other countries. Specifically, their scores on the questionnaire measuring attitudes towards “people all over the world” and “Americans” increased significantly from before to after watching the video, and this improvement was greater compared to the group that watched the music video. This effect was observed in both New Zealand and the United Kingdom, and across different age groups in the third study, suggesting that the positive impact of the genetics video was robust and generalizable.</p>
<p>Interestingly, while the video successfully improved attitudes towards outgroups, it did not have a noticeable effect on participants’ social dominance orientation. This suggests that while people became more accepting of those from other countries after learning about shared genetics, their general beliefs about social hierarchy and group inequality remained largely unchanged in the short term.</p>
<p>Looking ahead, the researchers suggest several avenues for future research. One direction could be to explore whether the genetics video’s effect is driven by reducing people’s belief in essentialism, the idea that different groups have deep, inherent differences. By directly measuring essentialist beliefs, future studies could clarify whether this is the mechanism through which genetic information improves intergroup attitudes.</p>
<p>Another question for future research is to examine whether this type of genetic information can improve attitudes towards any outgroup, not just those based on nationality or race. For example, in highly polarized societies, could such a video help bridge divides between opposing political groups? Exploring the breadth of this intervention’s effectiveness across different types of intergroup biases would be a valuable next step.</p>
<p>The study, “<a href="https://doi.org/10.1002/ejsp.3111" target="_blank">Information Regarding Shared Genes Between Humans Improves Attitudes Towards World Members</a>,” was authored by Kangning Du, John A. Hunter, Kumar Yogeeswaran, Damian Scarf, Hitaua Arahanga-Doyle, and Ted Ruffman.</p></p>
</div>
<div style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align: center; color: #666666; padding:4px; margin-bottom:2px;"></div>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<table style="font:13px Helvetica, sans-serif; border-radius:4px; -moz-border-radius:4px; -webkit-border-radius:4px; background-color:#fff; padding:8px; margin-bottom:6px; border:1px solid #adadad;" width="100%">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td><a href="https://www.psypost.org/eating-walnuts-for-breakfast-may-boost-brainpower-throughout-the-day-study-finds/" 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;">Eating walnuts for breakfast may boost brainpower throughout the day, study finds</a>
<div style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align:left;color:#999;font-size:11px;font-weight:bold;line-height:15px;">Feb 21st 2025, 16:00</div>
<div style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; color:#494949;text-align:justify;font-size:13px;">
<p><p>Could a simple breakfast choice improve your brain function all day long? According to a new study, the answer appears to be yes, especially if that breakfast includes walnuts. Researchers found that young adults who ate about 50 grams of walnuts mixed into their morning meal experienced benefits throughout the day, including faster reaction times and improved memory later in the day, when compared to eating a breakfast without walnuts. The findings were published this month in <em><a href="https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlelanding/2025/fo/d4fo04832f" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Food & Function</a></em>.</p>
<p>While it is known that diet plays a significant role in overall brain health, and some studies have suggested nuts, including walnuts, might be beneficial for cognitive function, there was a need for more focused investigation. Previous research, including population studies and animal experiments, hinted at a positive link between nut consumption and better cognitive performance. For example, some studies following large groups of people over time found that regular nut eaters tended to have better memory and thinking skills as they aged. Animal studies also suggested that walnuts could improve memory and learning abilities.</p>
<p>However, there was less research directly testing the effects of walnuts on thinking skills in humans, especially in younger people and in the short term, right after eating them. Most existing studies in humans had looked at longer periods of walnut consumption, like several weeks or months, mainly in older adults. Scientists wanted to understand if eating walnuts could have immediate, noticeable benefits on brain function throughout the day, and if so, what might be the underlying reasons for these effects. This new study aimed to fill this gap by examining the immediate impact of a walnut-rich breakfast on the thinking skills of young adults.</p>
<p>To conduct their study, the researchers recruited 31 healthy young adults aged between 18 and 30 years old. Participants were students and were excluded if they had a high body mass index, smoked, took medications other than birth control, had food allergies, or followed restrictive diets like veganism or vegetarianism. The study used a crossover design, meaning each participant experienced both conditions being tested: eating a walnut breakfast and eating a control breakfast.</p>
<p>For each participant, there were two test days, separated by a week. On one test day, they ate the walnut breakfast, and on the other day, they ate the control breakfast. The order of these breakfasts was randomized to avoid any bias. Neither the participants nor the researchers directly involved in testing knew which breakfast was being given on each day, ensuring a double-blind study. Participants were told the study was about different breakfast cereals to keep them unaware of the true focus on walnuts until the study concluded.</p>
<p>On each test day, participants arrived at the research lab in the morning after fasting overnight. Before breakfast, they completed a set of thinking and mood tests, which served as a baseline measurement. They then consumed either the walnut breakfast or the control breakfast. The walnut breakfast consisted of 50 grams of crushed walnuts mixed with muesli and vanilla yogurt. The control breakfast was designed to be very similar in calories, fat, protein, and carbohydrates but without walnuts.</p>
<p>To match the fat content of the walnuts, the control breakfast contained muesli, vanilla yogurt, and melted butter. Both breakfasts weighed the same and had almost identical calorie counts. However, the walnut breakfast provided about 4 grams of omega-3 fatty acids and 1 gram of polyphenols, which are beneficial plant compounds, while the control breakfast had negligible amounts of these. The walnut breakfast also had slightly more protein.</p>
<p>Throughout the day, at two, four, and six hours after breakfast, participants repeated the thinking and mood tests. These tests were designed to measure different aspects of brain function, including memory and executive function, which involves skills like attention, focus, and switching between tasks. Memory was assessed using a word learning task where participants had to remember a list of words. Executive function was tested using tasks that measured reaction time and accuracy in attention and task switching scenarios. Mood was evaluated using a questionnaire where participants rated their positive and negative feelings, as well as their level of mental fatigue.</p>
<p>During these testing periods, the researchers also measured brain electrical activity using electroencephalography, or EEG. This involved placing sensors on the scalp to record brain waves. Blood samples were taken at baseline and at one of the post-breakfast time points (either two, four, or six hours, rotated across participants) to measure levels of glucose, non-esterified fatty acids, and certain substances related to brain function and inflammation.</p>
<p>Participants also rated their appetite and cravings at various points and rated the taste and smell of the breakfasts immediately after eating them. To ensure consistent conditions, participants were asked to avoid nuts, seeds, oily fish, flavonoid-rich fruits and vegetables for 48 hours before each test day, and to avoid strenuous exercise, alcohol, and caffeine for 24 hours beforehand. They also received standardized snacks and lunch during the test days.</p>
<p>The researchers discovered several interesting effects from eating the walnut breakfast. In terms of memory, they found that initially, at two hours after breakfast, participants performed slightly worse on the word learning task after eating walnuts compared to the control breakfast. However, this reversed later in the day. By six hours after breakfast, participants who had eaten walnuts showed better memory recall compared to those who had the control breakfast. Specifically, their ability to learn new words over repeated trials improved more over time after eating walnuts.</p>
<p>Regarding reaction times, participants were consistently faster on tasks measuring attention and task switching throughout the day after eating the walnut breakfast compared to the control breakfast. This suggests that walnuts improved processing speed and efficiency in these executive function skills.</p>
<p>The EEG measurements also showed differences in brain activity. After eating walnuts, there was increased activity in certain brain wave bands, particularly alpha, delta, and theta waves, in the frontal regions of the brain during memory tasks. These brain waves are associated with attention and memory processes. This suggests that walnuts might be influencing brain activity in a way that supports better cognitive performance.</p>
<p>Interestingly, the study also found that participants reported feeling slightly more negative mood after eating the walnut breakfast compared to the control breakfast. They also rated the smell of the walnut breakfast as less appealing and reported stronger cravings for fatty foods after eating it. In terms of blood markers, the researchers observed that glucose levels were slightly higher after the walnut breakfast, while non-esterified fatty acid levels were lower, compared to the control breakfast.</p>
<p>These changes in glucose and fatty acids might be related to how walnuts affect energy availability and metabolism in the brain, potentially contributing to the observed cognitive benefits. However, there were no significant changes in other blood markers related to inflammation or brain-derived neurotrophic factor, a protein important for brain health.</p>
<p>Professor Claire Williams, who led the research from the University of Reading, said: “This study helps strengthen the case for walnuts as brain food. A handful of walnuts with breakfast could give young adults a mental edge when they need to perform at the top of their game. It’s particularly exciting that such a simple dietary addition could make a measurable difference to cognitive performance.”</p>
<p>The study, “<a href="https://doi.org/10.1039/D4FO04832F" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The impact of a walnut-rich breakfast on cognitive performance and brain activity throughout the day in healthy young adults: a crossover intervention trial</a>,” was authored by L. Bell, G. F. Dodd, M. Jeavons, D. R. Fisher, A. R. Whyte, B. Shukitt-Halec, and C. M. Williams.</p></p>
</div>
<div style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align: center; color: #666666; padding:4px; margin-bottom:2px;"></div>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<table style="font:13px Helvetica, sans-serif; border-radius:4px; -moz-border-radius:4px; -webkit-border-radius:4px; background-color:#fff; padding:8px; margin-bottom:6px; border:1px solid #adadad;" width="100%">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td><a href="https://www.psypost.org/new-study-sheds-light-on-how-feminist-beliefs-shape-partner-preferences/" 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;">New study sheds light on how feminist beliefs shape partner preferences</a>
<div style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align:left;color:#999;font-size:11px;font-weight:bold;line-height:15px;">Feb 21st 2025, 14:00</div>
<div style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; color:#494949;text-align:justify;font-size:13px;">
<p><p>Feminist beliefs, not gender equality primes, shape self-reported partner preferences, according to research published in <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s11199-024-01530-w"><em>Sex Roles</em></a>.</p>
<p>For decades, researchers have documented gender differences in partner <a href="https://www.psypost.org/new-study-sheds-light-on-the-strategies-men-and-women-use-to-become-more-attractive/">preferences</a>: men tend to prioritize physical attractiveness, while women emphasize a partner’s resource-gaining potential. Evolutionary psychologists argue that these differences are universal, but growing evidence suggests they are shaped by cultural and societal factors.</p>
<p>Studies indicate that in more <a href="https://www.psypost.org/deceptive-self-presentation-on-social-media-differs-between-men-and-women-and-is-related-to-gender-equality/">gender-equal societies</a>, women place less emphasis on a partner’s financial prospects, yet the gender gap in preferences for physical attractiveness remains consistent across cultures. The underlying mechanisms driving these shifts remain unclear.</p>
<p>Natalie Wareham and colleagues investigated whether priming participants to think about gender equality would influence their self-reported partner preferences. They also examined whether feminist beliefs were linked to partner preferences, building on prior research suggesting that individuals with more traditional gender role attitudes are more likely to conform to stereotypical mate selection patterns.</p>
<p>The researchers conducted two online studies with UK-based participants recruited via Prolific. In both studies, participants were randomly assigned to one of two conditions: an <em>Inequality Condition</em>, where they read statements about ongoing gender disparities, or an <em>Equality Condition</em>, which highlighted progress in gender equality over time. These statements, sourced from UK government and statistical reports, covered topics such as political representation, career opportunities, and the gender pay gap.</p>
<p>Study 1 included 224 participants (112 men and 112 women) aged 18 to 77. After reading the priming statements, they provided an additional example of either a contemporary gender inequality or a recent advancement in gender equality, reinforcing the priming effect. They then completed a partner preference task, distributing 25 “preference points” among five traits: physical attractiveness, ideal age, hard-working, well-educated, and good companion/friend. Participants also indicated their ideal partner’s age relative to their own. To assess social attitudes, they completed the Ambivalent Sexism Inventory (measuring hostile and benevolent sexism) and the Liberal Feminist Attitudes and Ideology Scale (evaluating feminist beliefs).</p>
<p>Study 2 refined the methodology to address potential limitations of Study 1. It included a larger sample of 380 participants (189 men and 191 women) aged 18 to 29, focusing on individuals more likely to be actively considering romantic relationships. Instead of allocating preference points, participants rated five partner characteristics—physical attractiveness, health, good financial prospects, intelligence, and kindness—on a 5-point scale, allowing independent evaluations of each trait. To test the priming’s effectiveness, they rated the perceived level of gender equality in the UK and estimated the percentage of women in male- and female-dominated professions (engineers and nurses). To reduce the survey length, Study 2 measured only feminist attitudes.</p>
<p>Across both studies, participants exhibited well-documented gender differences in partner preferences. On average, men placed greater importance on physical attractiveness, while women prioritized traits related to resource acquisition. Men also preferred younger partners, whereas women preferred slightly older ones. However, contrary to predictions, priming participants with statements about either gender inequality or progress in gender equality had no effect on their self-reported partner preferences. These findings suggest that mate selection criteria remain stable despite short-term exposure to messages about gender equality.</p>
<p>Although priming did not influence partner preferences, feminist beliefs were significantly associated with them. In both studies, men who scored higher on feminist attitudes placed less emphasis on physical attractiveness, while in Study 2, women with stronger feminist beliefs prioritized kindness more than their lower-scoring counterparts. However, sexist attitudes did not show a clear link to partner preferences, indicating a more complex relationship between gender role beliefs and mate selection criteria.</p>
<p>These findings suggest that individual ideological beliefs, rather than brief exposure to gender equality messaging, shape how people evaluate potential partners.</p>
<p>The lack of effect from the gender equality priming could be due to the primes being insufficiently strong or not remaining salient throughout the experiment.</p>
<p>The research, “<a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s11199-024-01530-w">Feminist Beliefs, Not Gender Equality Primes, Shape Self-Reported Partner Preferences,</a>” was authored by Natalie Wareham, Csilla Pákozdy, and Gillian R. Brown.</p></p>
</div>
<div style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align: center; color: #666666; padding:4px; margin-bottom:2px;"></div>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<table style="font:13px Helvetica, sans-serif; border-radius:4px; -moz-border-radius:4px; -webkit-border-radius:4px; background-color:#fff; padding:8px; margin-bottom:6px; border:1px solid #adadad;" width="100%">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td><a href="https://www.psypost.org/bad-trips-and-guilt-why-difficult-feelings-during-psychedelic-use-might-actually-be-a-good-thing/" 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;">“Bad trips” and guilt: Why difficult feelings during psychedelic use might actually be a good thing</a>
<div style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align:left;color:#999;font-size:11px;font-weight:bold;line-height:15px;">Feb 21st 2025, 12:00</div>
<div style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; color:#494949;text-align:justify;font-size:13px;">
<p><p>A recent study in the<a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/02791072.2025.2461997"><em> Journal of Psychoactive Drugs</em></a> has shed light on a less discussed aspect of psychedelic experiences: the feelings of shame and guilt that can arise during these journeys. Researchers found that experiencing shame or guilt while using psilocybin, the psychoactive compound in magic mushrooms, is surprisingly common, affecting about two out of every three users. However, the study also offered a positive perspective, indicating that how well individuals process these difficult emotions, rather than the intensity of the feelings themselves, is linked to their wellbeing in the weeks following the experience.</p>
<p>The growing interest in psychedelic substances for potential therapeutic uses has largely focused on the positive outcomes and transformative experiences they can induce. However, researchers recognized that a complete understanding of psychedelics requires acknowledging the full spectrum of experiences, including the challenging ones. Historically, negative experiences, sometimes casually referred to as “bad trips,” have been somewhat sidelined in both public conversation and scientific exploration.</p>
<p>Scientists sought to address this gap in knowledge by specifically examining the occurrence of shame and guilt during psilocybin experiences. They were interested in understanding how often these feelings arise, what factors might predict them, and how these emotions relate to a person’s overall wellbeing after using psilocybin. The researchers hypothesized that while psychedelics are sometimes thought to reduce self-focused thinking, they might also, in some cases, bring feelings of shame and guilt to the forefront. This could be due to the profound self-reflection and emotional intensity that these substances can trigger.</p>
<p>“This work came from me witnessing firsthand the complex ways that psychedelics could affect people — who were sometimes challenged in ways they couldn’t even find language to describe,” said study author David Mathai, the medical director of <a href="https://sattvamedicine.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sattva Medicine</a> and a clinical assistant professor at Baylor College of Medicine.</p>
<p>“Those experiences reminded me of clients that I have seen working as a mental health clinician in traditional settings who struggled with feelings of shame and guilt. I began to realize this was an underexplored but critically important area when it came to understanding psychedelic use, as well.”</p>
<p>The researchers designed a study that tracked individuals planning to use psilocybin in their everyday lives, outside of a controlled clinical setting. They recruited 679 adults who were proficient in English and at least 18 years old through online advertisements and word of mouth. These participants were asked to complete a series of online questionnaires at different points in time surrounding their planned psilocybin experience. The study was conducted over a period of two years, from July 2020 to July 2022.</p>
<p>The questionnaires were administered at six different time points: two weeks before, one day before, one to three days after, two to four weeks after, and two to three months after their psilocybin use. The initial survey, completed two weeks beforehand, gathered demographic information and used established psychological scales to measure baseline levels of trait shame (a person’s general tendency to feel shame), anxiety (both current and general), depression, past adverse childhood experiences, and cognitive flexibility (the ability to adapt thinking and behavior). Just before their psilocybin experience, participants were asked if they would have a guide or sitter present and completed a questionnaire assessing their level of psychological surrender or anticipation.</p>
<p>In the days immediately following their psilocybin use, participants were asked to rate whether they considered the experience to be ultimately positive or negative. They also completed questionnaires measuring the intensity of any mystical-type experiences and challenging experiences they had.</p>
<p>Crucially for this study, they also filled out a questionnaire designed to assess feelings of state shame and guilt – that is, shame and guilt experienced specifically during the psilocybin session. This questionnaire was slightly modified to directly ask about these feelings in the context of their psychedelic experience. For those who reported experiencing any shame or guilt, additional questions were asked about how long these feelings lasted, how difficult they were, and whether they felt they were able to constructively process these emotions during the session.</p>
<p>Two to four weeks after their psilocybin use, participants were again asked to complete the trait shame questionnaire and to rate any lasting changes in their personal wellbeing or life satisfaction resulting from the psilocybin experience. Finally, two to three months after their psilocybin use, they completed the trait shame questionnaire one last time.</p>
<p>Mathai and his colleagues found that feelings of shame or guilt during psilocybin use were indeed common. Almost 70% of participants reported experiencing either shame or guilt at some point during their session. Specifically, about 56% reported shame, and approximately 52% reported guilt. For a small percentage, about 12%, these feelings were reported at the highest possible intensity. The duration of these feelings varied, but for most, they lasted between 10 minutes and an hour.</p>
<p>Interestingly, the only factor that consistently predicted experiencing shame or guilt was age. Younger participants were more likely to report higher levels of both shame and guilt during their psilocybin experience. Other factors, including pre-existing levels of trait shame, anxiety, depression, or past adverse childhood experiences, did not reliably predict acute shame or guilt during the psychedelic session.</p>
<p>Perhaps the most significant finding was the link between processing shame and guilt and later wellbeing. The study found that the degree to which participants felt they could constructively work through feelings of shame or guilt during the psilocybin experience was a significant predictor of their wellbeing two to four weeks later. In fact, individuals who reported being very capable of processing these emotions during their session actually reported higher levels of wellbeing and mystical experience compared to those who did not experience shame or guilt at all. This suggests that navigating challenging emotions during a psychedelic experience, and finding a way to process them, may be connected to positive outcomes.</p>
<p>“It was surprising to see that individuals who were most able to work through feelings of shame or guilt during psilocybin use had the highest mystical experience and wellbeing ratings, even compared to individuals who did not experience those feelings whatsoever,” Mathai told PsyPost. “It may be that a certain degree of contact with psychologically challenging material during psychedelic use allows for greater overall benefit.”</p>
<p>In terms of longer-term effects, the study found that, on average, psilocybin use was associated with a small but statistically significant decrease in trait shame that was maintained for at least two to three months after the experience. However, it is important to note that this was an average trend. While most participants showed a decrease in trait shame, a notable minority, about 30%, actually experienced an increase in their general level of shame. This highlights the variable nature of psychedelic experiences and their potential impact on individuals.</p>
<p>“There are three main takeaways based on our study aims,” Mathai summarized. “1) Acute feelings of shame and guilt may occur more commonly than people expect during psilocybin use and are very difficult to predict; 2) The ability to constructively work through shame and guilt when they arise seems to predict well being for individuals, rather than the magnitude of those feelings; 3) Psilocybin was shown to decrease trait shame on average but increased shame in some individuals, suggesting the importance of appropriate psychological support for psychedelic use.”</p>
<p>But the study, like all research, includes some caveats.</p>
<p>“Shame is a difficult construct to research, and different ways of measuring it may lead to different outcomes,” Mathai noted. “Unfortunately, we were unable to characterize patients’ specific experiences of shame and what it looked like to work through these feelings.”</p>
<p>Future research could build upon these findings by examining shame and guilt in more controlled clinical trials of psychedelic-assisted therapy.Further research could also explore whether different psychedelic substances elicit different types of challenging emotions and investigate the role of cultural background and diversity in these experiences. Understanding how to best support individuals in processing difficult emotions like shame and guilt during psychedelic experiences could be essential for maximizing the potential benefits and minimizing potential harms associated with these powerful substances.</p>
<p>“An important next step would be to use mixed-methods and qualitative analysis to better characterize shame-related experiences with psilocybin,” Mathai explained. “It would also be valuable to replicate this research in more carefully controlled clinical trial settings.”</p>
<p>“Based on our findings and other emerging research, the activation of challenging emotions and memories with psychedelics could pose a unique and context-dependent learning condition for both therapeutic and detrimental forms of reconsolidation. This is an important consideration that deserves further study as we think about optimal safety and support for psychedelic use. However, it’s also worth pointing out that these types of experiences and their potential outcomes are not likely to be detected by the questionnaires routinely used in psychedelic drug development trials.”</p>
<p>The study, “<a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/02791072.2025.2461997">Shame, Guilt and Psychedelic Experience: Results from a Prospective, Longitudinal Survey of Real-World Psilocybin Use</a>,” was authored by David S. Mathai, Daniel E. Roberts, Sandeep M. Nayak, Nathan D. Sepeda, Amy Lehrner, Matthew W. Johnson, Matthew X. Lowe, Heather Jackson, and Albert Garcia-Romeu.</p></p>
</div>
<div style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align: center; color: #666666; padding:4px; margin-bottom:2px;"></div>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<table style="font:13px Helvetica, sans-serif; border-radius:4px; -moz-border-radius:4px; -webkit-border-radius:4px; background-color:#fff; padding:8px; margin-bottom:6px; border:1px solid #adadad;" width="100%">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td><a href="https://www.psypost.org/girls-with-anorexia-have-increased-neural-activation-to-fearful-faces/" 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;">Girls with anorexia have increased neural activation to fearful faces</a>
<div style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align:left;color:#999;font-size:11px;font-weight:bold;line-height:15px;">Feb 21st 2025, 10:00</div>
<div style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; color:#494949;text-align:justify;font-size:13px;">
<p><p>A recent neuroimaging study of adolescent females with anorexia nervosa reported increased neural activation in the somatomotor cortex when viewing fearful faces following short-term weight recovery. There were no differences in reactivity to neutral, angry, or surprised faces. The paper was published in <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pscychresns.2024.111904"><em>Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging.</em></a></p>
<p>Anorexia nervosa is a serious eating disorder characterized by an intense fear of gaining weight, a distorted body image, and extreme restriction of food intake. People with anorexia tend to perceive themselves as overweight even when they are underweight. They often engage in excessive dieting, fasting, or compulsive exercise to lose weight.</p>
<p>The condition can lead to severe malnutrition, muscle wasting, heart problems, and other life-threatening complications. Psychological factors, such as perfectionism, low self-esteem, and anxiety disorders, also contribute to its development. Without proper intervention, anorexia has one of the highest mortality rates among psychiatric disorders due to complications like organ failure and suicide.</p>
<p>Study author Lukas Stanetzky and his colleagues noted that problems with emotion recognition and regulation might play an important role in anorexia. Anxiety disorders occur in approximately two out of three patients with anorexia and worsen long-term outcomes. These anxiety symptoms tend to decrease after individuals with anorexia restore some weight.</p>
<p>To better understand the role of emotion recognition and regulation in anorexia, the authors conducted a neuroimaging study examining brain activation in individuals with anorexia when exposed to pictures of faces displaying different emotions. They compared these neural responses to those of healthy individuals.</p>
<p>The study included 22 adolescent girls with anorexia nervosa recruited from the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics, and Psychotherapy at University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Germany. These participants underwent neuroimaging once after admission during acute starvation (caused by anorexia) and a second time after discharge following short-term weight restoration (i.e., after regaining some of the weight lost). The control group consisted of 27 healthy participants recruited from local high schools around Aachen.</p>
<p>Participants completed assessments for eating disorders (using the Eating Disorder Inventory 2), depression, and anxiety. They also underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging while performing a face-matching task. In this task, participants were shown sets of human faces expressing fear, surprise, anger, or neutrality, and they were asked to select, from two faces presented, the one that matched the target face.</p>
<p>The results showed that participants with anorexia exhibited significantly increased neural activation in the somatomotor cortex when viewing fearful faces after weight recovery (at the time of discharge). There were no differences in neural reactions to angry, neutral, or surprised faces.</p>
<p>“Higher somatomotor activity could represent anxiety-induced preparations for motor reactions (e.g., fight or flight) that are more pronounced in more affected patients. These results align with recent models of AN [anorexia nervosa] that increasingly incorporate anxiety into the pathophysiological and prognostic model of AN and help elucidate its underlying neurological mechanisms,” study authors concluded.</p>
<p>The study sheds light on the neural underpinnings of anorexia nervosa in adolescent girls. However, it should be noted that the study design does not allow for any causal inferences to be drawn from the data. Therefore, it remains uncertain whether the changes in neural activation patterns are a consequence of weight gain, a result of anorexia nervosa, or caused by some other factor not included in the study.</p>
<p>The paper, “<a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pscychresns.2024.111904">Longitudinal changes in neural responses to fearful faces in adolescents with anorexia nervosa – A fMRI study</a>,” was authored by Lukas Stanetzky, Arne Hartz, Kimberly Buettgen, Brigitte Dahmen, Beate Herpertz-Dahlmann, Kerstin Konrad, and Jochen Seitz.</p></p>
</div>
<div style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align: center; color: #666666; padding:4px; margin-bottom:2px;"></div>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p><strong>Forwarded by:<br />
Michael Reeder LCPC<br />
Baltimore, MD</strong></p>
<p><strong>This information is taken from free public RSS feeds published by each organization for the purpose of public distribution. Readers are linked back to the article content on each organization's website. This email is an unaffiliated unofficial redistribution of this freely provided content from the publishers. </strong></p>
<p> </p>
<p><s><small><a href="#" style="color:#ffffff;"><a href="https://blogtrottr.com/unsubscribe/565/DY9DKf">unsubscribe from this feed</a></a></small></s></p>