<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</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/higher-emotional-intelligence-is-associated-with-better-sexual-satisfaction-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;">Higher emotional intelligence is associated with better sexual satisfaction, study finds</a>
<div style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align:left;color:#999;font-size:11px;font-weight:bold;line-height:15px;">May 3rd 2025, 10:00</div>
<div style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; color:#494949;text-align:justify;font-size:13px;">
<p><p>A study conducted in Italy found that individuals with higher levels of emotional intelligence tend to experience greater sexual satisfaction. The authors of the study hypothesized that emotional intelligence reduces attachment avoidance and increases comfort with interpersonal touch, which, in turn, leads to improved sexual satisfaction. The research was published in <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0191886924004094"><em>Personality and Individual Differences</em></a>.</p>
<p>Emotional intelligence can be conceptualized either as an ability or as a psychological trait. Emotional intelligence as an ability refers to actual cognitive skills related to perceiving, understanding, and managing emotions, typically measured through performance-based tests. In contrast, emotional intelligence as a trait reflects self-perceived emotional competencies and behaviors, assessed through self-report questionnaires and considered part of one’s personality.</p>
<p>Trait emotional intelligence encompasses elements such as emotional self-awareness, empathy, emotional regulation, and social skills. It focuses on how individuals perceive and manage their emotional capacities. Higher levels of trait emotional intelligence have been associated with better psychological well-being, stronger interpersonal relationships, and more effective coping strategies. It is also linked to lower levels of stress, anxiety, and depression.</p>
<p>Study author Federica Ambrosini and her colleagues sought to examine the relationships among trait emotional intelligence, emotional attachment characteristics, body appreciation, comfort with interpersonal touch, sexual satisfaction, and problematic sexual behavior.</p>
<p>The researchers hypothesized that higher emotional intelligence would reduce attachment avoidance (the tendency to maintain emotional distance in close relationships) and attachment anxiety (an intense fear of abandonment and an excessive need for closeness). In turn, lower levels of attachment avoidance and anxiety were expected to increase individuals’ comfort with interpersonal touch and appreciation of their own bodies. These factors were then expected to predict higher sexual satisfaction and fewer problematic sexual behaviors.</p>
<p>The study involved an online survey completed by 864 adult residents of Italy. Individuals who were not currently in a romantic or dating relationship, as well as those who had never had sexual intercourse, were excluded from the sample. The average age of participants was 35 years, and 71% were women. Nearly half (49%) reported living with their romantic partner.</p>
<p>Participants provided sociodemographic information and completed a series of psychological assessments. These included the Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire – Short Form to measure emotional intelligence, the Experiences in Close Relationships Scale 12 to assess attachment anxiety and avoidance, a subscale of the Tactile Biography to measure comfort with interpersonal touch, the Body Appreciation Scale-2, the New Sexual Satisfaction Scale – Short Form, and the Bergen-Yale Sex Addiction Scale to evaluate problematic sexual behavior.</p>
<p>The results showed that higher levels of trait emotional intelligence were associated with lower attachment avoidance and anxiety, greater comfort with interpersonal touch, higher body appreciation, better sexual satisfaction, and fewer problematic sexual behaviors.</p>
<p>The authors also tested a statistical model to examine whether emotional intelligence indirectly predicted sexual satisfaction through its effects on attachment avoidance and comfort with touch. Similarly, they tested whether it indirectly predicted lower levels of problematic sexual behavior through attachment avoidance and anxiety. The results supported both of these pathways.</p>
<p>“The findings highlight the importance of trait EI [emotional intelligence] in mitigating negative emotions linked to insecure attachments, reducing the risk of PSB [problematic sexual behaviors], and improving overall sexual satisfaction,” the study authors concluded.</p>
<p>The study provides insight into how emotional intelligence may shape sexual behavior and satisfaction. However, it is important to note that the data were based entirely on self-report measures, which raises the possibility that reporting bias may have influenced the findings.</p>
<p>The paper, “<a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2024.112949">Emotional and physical pathways to sexual satisfaction and problematic sexual behaviour in dating, monogamous and non-monogamous relationships,</a>” was authored by Federica Ambrosini and Roberta Biolcati.</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/scientist-discover-ancient-brain-cleaning-system-that-may-break-down-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;">Scientist discover ancient brain-cleaning system that may break down 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;">May 3rd 2025, 08:00</div>
<div style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; color:#494949;text-align:justify;font-size:13px;">
<p><p>A new study published in the <em><a href="https://doi.org/10.1002/cne.70000" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Journal of Comparative Neurology</a></em> has identified a previously unknown waste-clearing system in the human brain that appears to play a key role in maintaining healthy neurons. The researchers found that specialized glial cells use tiny canals to draw waste from neurons into structures that resemble microscopic receptacles. When this system becomes structurally impaired, the result may be catastrophic swelling and neuronal decay—hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease. The team made the discovery by first studying a similar system in spider brains.</p>
<p>Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia, affecting millions of people worldwide. It is characterized by progressive memory loss, confusion, and changes in thinking or behavior. Scientists have long associated these symptoms with two types of protein buildup in the brain: amyloid beta plaques and tau tangles. But how this waste forms and accumulates—and whether it causes the disease or results from it—remains unclear. One hypothesis is that problems with waste removal mechanisms may be involved.</p>
<p>The new study was led by neuroscientist Ruth Fabian-Fine at Saint Michael’s College, who had been studying brain degeneration in the Central American wandering spider. Some of the spiders in her lab began showing early signs of neurodegeneration, prompting her to investigate their brain structure more closely. What she found was unexpected: a network of glial cells forming myelin-wrapped “canals” that extended into neurons to remove cellular debris. These canals appeared to be a built-in cleaning system for the brain. When they failed, the spiders’ neurons hollowed out and died.</p>
<p>“This discovery was really by accident. We are working with an invertebrate model system using the Central American wandering spider, Cupiennius salei. When I relocated to the United States, many of the animals showed behavioral signs of neurodegeneration at young ages, when they should not have these symptoms,” explained Fabian-Fine, an associate professor of biology and neuroscience.</p>
<p>“To rescue the colony, we investigated why the nervous system degenerated in these animals. I realized that the problem was the structural abnormality of a canal system that I had initially discovered during my Ph.D. work in Germany. My research showed that the affected system is a glial canal system that removes waste from spider neurons. As this system failed structurally in degenerating spiders, the result was that it catastrophically depleted neurons of their content.”</p>
<p>“I further discovered that the reason why it failed in the United States and not in my labs in Germany or Canada was that the temperature in the spider room was lower. This caused important enzymes that maintain critical structural proteins in this system to slow down, which led to the neurodegeneration.”</p>
<p>Realizing the potential significance of this system, Fabian-Fine collaborated with neuropathologist John C. DeWitt at the University of Vermont. Together, they examined brain tissue from rats and humans—both healthy individuals and people who had died with Alzheimer’s disease. Using advanced imaging techniques, including electron microscopy and RNA labeling, they discovered a nearly identical glial canal system in human hippocampal tissue. These canals were formed by ependymal glial cells, which express the water channel protein aquaporin-4 and extend long myelinated projections into nearby neurons.</p>
<p>In healthy human brains, these projections appeared to remove cellular waste efficiently by forming small waste-receptacle structures inside neurons. But in tissue from Alzheimer’s patients, the system appeared to break down. The glial cells became swollen and malformed, and their projections expanded into large, bulbous structures packed with cellular debris. This swelling was often accompanied by the gradual loss of cytoplasm in neurons, eventually leaving them empty and dead. The researchers proposed a new term for this process: “gliaptosis,” a form of glial-induced neuronal death.</p>
<p>The team also found that these waste-receptacle structures were marked by proteins linked to Alzheimer’s, including amyloid beta, tau, and presenilin 1. In early stages of degeneration, these proteins appeared to accumulate in small glial protrusions that had invaded neurons. In advanced stages, these waste-filled structures expanded and overwhelmed the neurons’ interiors, aligning closely with the spongy, hollow appearance often seen in Alzheimer’s-affected brain tissue.</p>
<p>Notably, the researchers saw the same patterns in spider neurons. In healthy spiders, the glial canal system appeared intact and functional, with clear structures for waste removal. In older or degenerating spiders, the canals became disorganized and expanded, leading to neuronal collapse. Because spider neurons are larger and easier to study than human ones, the researchers were able to observe these changes in much greater detail.</p>
<p>The study raises questions about the traditional understanding of brain myelination. Myelin is typically thought of as a substance that insulates axons to help them transmit electrical signals. But the findings suggest that some myelinated glial cells may instead serve a different function: waste removal.</p>
<p>In both spiders and mammals, these glial cells formed long, thin canals that penetrated neurons and drew out waste. This process appeared to depend on aquaporin-4, a protein that facilitates water movement across cell membranes. The authors propose that a water-driven “bulk flow” helps move debris from neurons into the glial cells, where it can then be disposed of through drainage canals.</p>
<p>One striking implication of the study is that this brain-cleaning system may be evolutionarily ancient. The fact that spiders and humans share such a similar mechanism suggests that it has been preserved across hundreds of millions of years. This could point to its importance in maintaining healthy brain function across species. But it may also indicate a shared vulnerability: if this system breaks down, the result could be neurodegeneration.</p>
<p>“Since this publication, we have conducted significant research. We <a href="https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.04.08.647836v1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">have another paper under review</a> that shows what amyloid-beta plaques really are—that they are not randomly misfolded protein aggregates but waste-internalizing receptacles in a failing waste removal system. All of our findings confirm what we propose,” Fabian-Fine told PsyPost.</p>
<p>“Particularly in light of all the uncovered fraud in Alzheimer’s research over the past decades, I would like for the general public to know that—knowing what I know—I am extremely optimistic that we are on the right track and that we will be able to address neurodegeneration clinically in the near future. It is a question of funding and acceptance, and I am working on both. Once you see the structures I show in my papers, you cannot unsee them, and this is why I am hopeful that this will be accepted soon.”</p>
<p>The researchers caution that while their findings are compelling, more research is needed to confirm the exact mechanisms involved. For instance, it remains unclear whether the observed glial swelling is a cause or a consequence of waste buildup. It’s also not yet known whether boosting the function of these glial canals could help prevent or slow the progression of diseases like Alzheimer’s. Future studies will need to explore these questions, ideally by examining the system in living brain tissue or animal models.</p>
<p>Fabian-Fine and her colleagues plan to continue investigating the structural and molecular features of this glial canal system. Their goal is to better understand the proteins and processes involved so they can identify what goes wrong during disease and how it might be prevented. They hope that by mapping out this ancient and overlooked system, they can open up new pathways for treating Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia.</p>
<p>“Neurodegeneration is likely irreversible, which is why I am working around the clock to drive this research forward and get acceptance and clinical trials on the way,” Fabian-Fine explained. “But even if the drug targets I have identified are effective in clinical trials, it will not reverse the damage that has been done in affected patients. It will likely slow or halt progression. This is why time is of the essence—so that we can achieve early and preventative treatment before damage has been done.”</p>
<p>“We are working on describing this entire system and important proteins and structures in this system. We need this information to understand what goes wrong in disease and how to prevent this. I would like for readers and scientists to be open to this discovery. <a href="https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.04.08.647836v1.full#F10" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Figure 10 in our latest paper</a> shows that once you put the glial canal system (tanycytes) in place you can explain the clinical manifestations of an Alzheimer’s-affected brain. Why would we not explore this?”</p>
<p>The study, “<a href="https://doi.org/10.1002/cne.70000" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Myelinated Glial Cells: Their Proposed Role in Waste Clearance and Neurodegeneration in Arachnid and Human Brain</a>,” was authored by Ruth Fabian-Fine, Adam L. Weaver, Abigail G. Roman, Melanie J. Winters, and John C. DeWitt.</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/dark-personalities-more-prevalent-in-less-democratic-countries-massive-study-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;">Dark personalities more prevalent in less democratic countries, massive study shows</a>
<div style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align:left;color:#999;font-size:11px;font-weight:bold;line-height:15px;">May 3rd 2025, 06:00</div>
<div style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; color:#494949;text-align:justify;font-size:13px;">
<p><p>A new study published in <em><a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-025-97001-7" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Scientific Reports</a></em> suggests that the type of government a person lives under may be linked to their personality and overall well-being. People residing in more democratic countries reported higher levels of benevolent “light triad” traits, such as kindness and empathy, and lower levels of malevolent “dark triad” traits. These benevolent traits were also associated with greater life satisfaction.</p>
<p>The dark triad refers to a group of three personality traits that are socially aversive in nature: Machiavellianism, narcissism, and psychopathy. These traits are typically characterized by manipulation, selfishness, lack of empathy, and a disregard for others. People who score high on these traits are more likely to exploit others for personal gain, seek admiration without genuine connection, and exhibit emotional coldness or impulsivity. While these traits exist on a spectrum and do not necessarily indicate clinical disorders, they are associated with behaviors that can undermine trust and cooperation in society.</p>
<p>In contrast, the light triad includes traits that reflect a more prosocial and affiliative orientation toward others: Kantianism, humanism, and faith in humanity. Individuals high in these traits tend to treat others as ends in themselves (rather than means to an end), believe in the basic goodness of people, and value the dignity and worth of every individual. The light triad is not simply the opposite of the dark triad; while they are negatively correlated, they capture unique aspects of interpersonal behavior and moral orientation. People with high light triad traits are more likely to engage in empathy, altruism, and cooperative behavior.</p>
<p>The researchers were motivated to conduct this study in light of growing concern about global democratic backsliding and the rise of authoritarian regimes. While previous studies have explored the personalities of political leaders, there has been less attention paid to how ordinary citizens’ traits might relate to the type of government they live under. The researchers wanted to test whether the psychological makeup of a population—particularly in terms of benevolent versus malevolent traits—could be associated with national democratic status.</p>
<p>“There has been a decline in democracy, due to the rise in authoritarian governments, with specific autocrats cited as the main culprits. However, new research shows that <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41562-019-0769-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">characteristics of citizens also play a role</a> in the status of a democracy,” said study author <a href="https://craigsneumann.weebly.com/">Craig Neumann</a>, a Regents Professor of Psychology at the University of North Texas.</p>
<p>“Relatedly, the <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2011.03.046" target="_blank" rel="noopener">nature of the place</a> where people live <a href="https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1037/a0018194" target="_blank" rel="noopener">can influence their personality</a>. In our <a href="https://psyche.co/ideas/are-people-with-dark-personality-traits-more-likely-to-succeed" target="_blank" rel="noopener">previous work</a>, we found that persons across the globe with benevolent (‘light’) traits are much happier and have a positive self-image, compared to those with malevolent (‘dark’) traits who show an unhealthy psychological profile, and do not get ahead despite a tendency to cheat and manipulate others for their own gain.”</p>
<p>“In that same research, we found that U.S. Senators with benevolent traits co-sponsor more legislation but those with malevolent traits have longer tenures. So, putting all these pieces of information together led us to conduct a rigorous study that could quantify the links between citizens’ personality and the types of governments they live in, in their respective countries.”</p>
<p>To investigate how government type relates to citizens’ personality traits and well-being, the researchers conducted a large-scale, web-based study using self-report data from people around the world. The sample was drawn from visitors to a website offering personality assessments (<a href="https://scottbarrykaufman.com/lighttriadscale/">https://scottbarrykaufman.com/lighttriadscale/</a>). In total, 247,981 participants from 75 countries completed the survey, which included measures of personality, well-being, religious/spiritual experience, and demographic information such as age, gender, education, income, and country of residence.</p>
<p>Participants completed two short personality inventories: the Dirty Dozen and the Light Triad Scale. The Dirty Dozen is a validated 12-item questionnaire that assesses Machiavellianism, narcissism, and psychopathy. The Light Triad Scale is another 12-item measure that captures three affiliative traits: Humanism (valuing the dignity and worth of others), Faith in Humanity (believing in people’s basic goodness), and Kantianism (treating people as ends in themselves). Responses to these items were scored on a 5-point scale ranging from strong disagreement to strong agreement.</p>
<p>To link personality traits with political environments, the researchers classified each participant’s country using two widely respected indices: the Economist Intelligence Unit’s Democracy Index and the Freedom House Democracy Score. The former divides countries into four categories: autocratic, hybrid, flawed democracy, and full democracy. The latter uses a simpler three-part classification: Not Free, Partly Free, and Free. These categories were matched with participant responses to explore whether personality traits systematically varied across government types.</p>
<p>The researchers found that as the level of democracy increased—from autocratic to full democracy—citizens reported higher levels of benevolent traits and lower levels of malevolent traits. For example, individuals in full democracies scored highest on measures like Humanism and Faith in Humanity, while those in autocratic countries scored higher on traits like Machiavellianism and psychopathy.</p>
<p>“Citizens living in countries with more democratic practices have positive views and are more trusting of others and have higher well-being,” Neumann told PsyPost. “Simply put, fully democratic societies have citizens who get along better with their fellow citizens and by showing benevolence toward other people they end up feeling better themselves, have higher well-being, and democratic society functions better.”</p>
<p>“The collaborative nature of a full democracy is a win-win situation for everyone. This all makes sense of course, given we are a social species, and humans have attained great things through cooperation. So, given the backslide toward autocracy, we should ask ourselves, what factors such as social media or political leaders have led us to distrust one another, and whether such social disharmony is really what we want to have in our society?”</p>
<p>Scott Barry Kaufman, a co-author of the study, added: “the dark triad gets a lot of play but we really shouldn’t discount the fact that a lot of people are light triad and that democracies allow light triad traits to flourish.”</p>
<p>These patterns remained consistent even after controlling for demographic factors such as age, education, and income. The researchers also verified that the findings held when certain countries with very large samples (like the United States and Brazil) were excluded, as well as when the sample was randomly reduced to different proportions. Regardless of these adjustments, the pattern persisted: democracy was associated with greater benevolence and reduced malevolence.</p>
<p>In a follow-up analysis, the researchers examined how these traits related to well-being. Participants were asked to rate their satisfaction with life and with their job. The researchers found that benevolent traits were strongly associated with greater life satisfaction, whereas malevolent traits were weakly but negatively associated with well-being. The level of democracy in a person’s country also predicted life satisfaction, both directly and indirectly through its association with personality. That is, democratic conditions seemed to foster personality traits that in turn promoted psychological well-being.</p>
<p>“The converse of our positive findings is that with democratic backsliding, there is less freedom of course, citizens may become more malevolent toward others, which may lead to worse societal conditions, and potentially a push for autocrats to claim more power, and worsen the nature of everyday living for everyone; with only a downward spiral ahead if no opportunities to revive democratic practices,” Neumann said.</p>
<p>To test whether these findings were unique to well-being, the researchers also included questions about religious and spiritual experiences. These items asked participants to rate how religious they considered themselves and whether they had experienced a sense of connection to something larger than themselves. While personality traits were weakly associated with these experiences, the links were notably weaker than those observed for well-being. This provided additional evidence that benevolent personality traits are particularly relevant to life satisfaction rather than spiritual identity.</p>
<p>The researchers also tested whether a country’s level of democracy was related to how often its citizens reported religious or spiritual experiences. Interestingly, the democracy score was negatively associated with spiritual and religious experience. That is, people in more democratic countries reported slightly fewer spiritual experiences on average than those in less democratic countries.</p>
<p>“A big surprise was that as democracy declines citizens appear to seek more spiritual, religious experiences, suggesting that this may be a viable coping strategy when daily life is full of undemocratic strife,” Neumann said.</p>
<p>Although the study’s findings were robust across multiple analyses and demographic controls, the authors acknowledged some limitations. First, the sample was a convenience sample—participants were self-selected individuals who visited a personality testing website, which may not represent the broader population of their respective countries.</p>
<p>Another key limitation is that the data were cross-sectional, meaning they capture a single point in time. This prevents researchers from drawing firm conclusions about causality. It’s unclear whether living in a democracy promotes benevolent traits, whether benevolent citizens build and sustain democracies, or whether both processes influence each other in a feedback loop. While other research suggests that personality can be shaped by societal conditions—and that citizen values can drive political change—this study alone cannot determine the direction of influence.</p>
<p>Looking ahead, the researchers plan to examine more worldwide data to explore how citizens’ personalities relate to their broader cultural and political environments. They hope to uncover more about how personality traits shape—and are shaped by—the societies in which people live.</p>
<p>The study, “<a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-97001-7" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Citizens in democratic countries have more benevolent traits, fewer malevolent traits, and greater well-being</a>,” was authored by Craig S. Neumann, Scott Barry Kaufman, and Leanne ten Brinke.</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/scientists-link-immune-system-proteins-to-mental-health-conditions-like-schizophrenia-and-depression/" 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 link immune system proteins to mental health conditions like schizophrenia and depression</a>
<div style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align:left;color:#999;font-size:11px;font-weight:bold;line-height:15px;">May 2nd 2025, 16:00</div>
<div style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; color:#494949;text-align:justify;font-size:13px;">
<p><p>New research suggests that immune system activity may play a role in the development of several major mental health conditions. The study, published in<em> <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/s41380-025-03032-x" target="_blank">Molecular Psychiatry</a></em>, identified 29 immune-related proteins that appear to contribute to the risk of disorders such as schizophrenia, depression, bipolar disorder, and Alzheimer’s disease. Many of these proteins are already being targeted by drugs used for other conditions, raising the possibility that treatments focused on the immune system could one day help people with psychiatric disorders.</p>
<p>The researchers undertook this study to clarify whether immune system dysfunction actually causes mental health conditions or merely correlates with them. In recent years, many studies have found that people with depression, schizophrenia, and other disorders often have signs of increased inflammation. However, it has remained unclear whether this inflammation is a consequence of the illness, a contributing factor, or unrelated entirely. Resolving this uncertainty is essential for guiding the development of new therapies.</p>
<p>To investigate this, the research team, led by Christina Dardani and Golam Khandaker at the University of Bristol, used a method called Mendelian randomization. This approach uses naturally occurring genetic differences between people as a kind of natural experiment to estimate whether changes in a particular biological process—such as levels of an immune protein—have a causal effect on health outcomes. It helps minimize confounding factors that can distort associations in traditional observational studies.</p>
<p>The researchers focused on 736 immune-related proteins that can be measured in the blood. They used large genetic datasets to examine whether genetically determined differences in the levels of these proteins were linked to risk for seven neuropsychiatric conditions: schizophrenia, depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety, autism, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and Alzheimer’s disease. They also used additional genetic data from the brain to assess whether effects might be brain-specific or more systemic.</p>
<p>Their analysis showed that 29 immune-related biomarkers had strong evidence for a causal role in at least one of the conditions studied. Of these, 20 are linked to biological pathways that are already being targeted by drugs for other health problems, such as cardiovascular or autoimmune diseases. These include molecules like ACE, AGER, CD40, and TNFRSF17, all of which have drugs in current use or clinical trials.</p>
<p>Schizophrenia showed the strongest evidence of immune involvement, with 57 immune proteins initially identified and several passing the most rigorous statistical criteria. These included PDIA3, NAGA, and AGER—genes that are involved in protein folding and glycosylation, a process that attaches sugar molecules to proteins and has recently been implicated in schizophrenia. Depression, bipolar disorder, and Alzheimer’s disease also had multiple immune proteins with apparent causal roles.</p>
<p>The study also found some overlap between conditions. For example, lower expression of the ACE gene was linked to a higher risk of both schizophrenia and Alzheimer’s disease. CD40, another immune protein, was linked to both schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. These findings may help explain why some symptoms, such as cognitive decline, are shared across different mental health conditions.</p>
<p>Some of the immune proteins highlighted in the study are already considered “druggable,” meaning they are accessible to small molecules or antibody-based therapies. ACE inhibitors, commonly used to treat high blood pressure, are one example. The idea of repurposing existing drugs to target mental health conditions is appealing because it could accelerate treatment development.</p>
<p>Khandaker, a professor of psychiatry and immunology, said: “Our study demonstrates that inflammation in the brain and the body might influence the risk of mental health conditions. The findings challenge the centuries-old Cartesian dichotomy between the body and the mind, and suggests that we should consider depression and schizophrenia as conditions affecting the whole person.”</p>
<p>While the study’s findings are promising, the researchers caution that more work is needed to understand the exact biological pathways involved. They emphasize that showing a potential causal link between an immune protein and a mental health condition does not mean that altering the protein will necessarily change symptoms. The next steps include testing these targets in clinical trials and exploring how they interact with other biological systems involved in mental illness.</p>
<p>The researchers also note several limitations of their work. The study relied on genetic data from people of European ancestry, so it’s unclear whether the findings apply to other populations. Some of the immune markers were only measured in blood, which may not fully capture their effects in the brain. In addition, the genetic datasets used vary in sample size and methodology, which could influence the results.</p>
<p>Another challenge is that mental health conditions often begin long before they are diagnosed, particularly in the case of developmental disorders like schizophrenia. This makes it difficult to pinpoint exactly when an immune protein might be exerting its influence. The researchers emphasize that future studies should explore how these markers relate to disease progression and not just onset.</p>
<p>Despite these limitations, the study represents one of the most comprehensive efforts to date to assess the potential causal role of the immune system in mental health. By integrating genetic data from both blood and brain, and applying robust statistical methods, the researchers provide a clearer picture of how immune proteins might influence psychiatric disorders.</p>
<p>The study, “<a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41380-025-03032-x" target="_blank">Immunological drivers and potential novel drug targets for major psychiatric, neurodevelopmental, and neurodegenerative conditions</a>,” was authored by Christina Dardani, Jamie W. Robinson, Hannah J. Jones, Dheeraj Rai, Evie Stergiakouli, Jakob Grove, Renee Gardner, Andrew M. McIntosh, Alexandra Havdahl, Gibran Hemani, George Davey Smith, Tom G. Richardson, Tom R. Gaunt, and Golam M. Khandaker.</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/wealthier-people-are-slightly-more-prosocial-according-to-large-meta-analysis/" 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;">Wealthier people are slightly more prosocial, according to large meta-analysis</a>
<div style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align:left;color:#999;font-size:11px;font-weight:bold;line-height:15px;">May 2nd 2025, 14:00</div>
<div style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; color:#494949;text-align:justify;font-size:13px;">
<p><p>Higher social class individuals are slightly more likely to act generously or cooperatively, according to a new meta-analysis published in <a href="https://doi.org/10.1037/bul0000469"><em>Psychological Bulletin</em></a>.</p>
<p>Researchers have debated how social class shapes people’s tendency to help others, whether through volunteering, sharing resources, or cooperating for the public good. Two main theories have offered opposing predictions. The risk management perspective argues that lower class individuals, facing greater life uncertainty and relying more on social networks, are more prosocial. In contrast, the resource perspective posits that higher class individuals, having more economic and social resources, are more able to engage in costly helping behaviors.</p>
<p>To resolve these conflicting claims, Junhui Wu and colleagues conducted a large-scale meta-analysis, compiling over 1,100 effect sizes from 471 independent studies conducted in 60 societies (including from North America, Europe, Asia, South America, Africa, and Oceania). These studies collectively involved more than 2.3 million participants. By comparing patterns across age groups, cultures, and study methods, the researchers aimed to clarify which theory better explains how socioeconomic status influences prosociality.</p>
<p>The research team searched both English and Chinese academic databases, collecting peer-reviewed articles, dissertations, preprints, and other sources. They included studies that measured either objective social class (e.g., income, education) or subjective social class (i.e., perceived social rank), and that assessed prosocial behaviors or intentions. The final dataset included studies conducted between 1968 and 2024.</p>
<p>Prosociality was measured in various ways, including charitable giving, volunteering, cooperation in economic games, and self-reported intentions to help others. The researchers also examined multiple moderators, such as whether the behavior occurred in public or private, the costliness of helping, and the cultural, economic, and demographic characteristics of the study population.</p>
<p>Contrary to the risk management perspective, the researchers found a small but consistent positive correlation between higher social class and prosociality (r = .065). This pattern held across age groups (children, adolescents, and adults) and did not significantly differ by country-level factors like income inequality, population density, or cultural tightness. In other words, the effect generalized across both Western and non-Western contexts.</p>
<p>Importantly, the association between social class and prosociality was stronger when the behavior required a real commitment of time or resources (r = .079) than when it involved only intention (r = .039), and it was more pronounced in public settings (r = .065) than in private ones (r = .016). These findings align with the idea that higher class individuals are more able to afford costly prosocial actions and may be more motivated to maintain a positive social image.</p>
<p>Of note is that most were conducted in WEIRD (Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich, Democratic) societies, which could limit generalizability. Additionally, many studies relied on correlational designs, which precludes causal conclusions.</p>
<p>The meta-analysis, “<a href="https://doi.org/10.1037/bul0000469">Social Class and Prosociality: A Meta-Analytic Review</a>,” was authored by Junhui Wu, Daniel Balliet, Mingliang Yuan, Wenqi Li, Yanyan Chen, Shuxian Jin, Shenghua Luan, and Paul A. M. Van Lange.</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/study-finds-americans-overwhelmingly-believe-sports-promote-racial-integration-but-reality-is-more-complex/" 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;">Study finds Americans overwhelmingly believe sports promote racial integration—but reality is more complex</a>
<div style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align:left;color:#999;font-size:11px;font-weight:bold;line-height:15px;">May 2nd 2025, 12:00</div>
<div style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; color:#494949;text-align:justify;font-size:13px;">
<p><p>New research published in the <em><a href="https://journals.humankinetics.com/view/journals/ssj/aop/article-10.1123-ssj.2023-0143/article-10.1123-ssj.2023-0143.xml" target="_blank">Sociology of Sport Journal</a></em> reveals that most U.S. adults believe sports bring people from different racial and ethnic backgrounds together more than they divide them. This optimistic view is especially common among those who have participated in racially diverse athletic settings and believe their experiences helped them better understand people of other races. However, the study also suggests that these beliefs may reflect widely shared cultural narratives rather than the lived realities of all participants.</p>
<p>“We were interested in studying general beliefs about how sports are thought to contribute to racial/ethnic integration in society because, on the one hand, sports are commonly recognized as being an influential social force in society and are frequently held up as <a href="https://compass.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/soc4.12254" target="_blank">models of meritocracy</a> and the source of many memorable—and usually quite positive—experiences and even social changes,” said study author Chris Knoester, a professor of sociology at The Ohio State University.</p>
<p>“For example, Jackie Robinson’s entry into baseball is continually recounted as an important marker of progress in this country’s story of race relations and, more recently, the increased numbers and levels of success of Black quarterbacks <a href="https://andscape.com/features/welcome-to-the-year-of-the-black-quarterback/" target="_blank">have been recognized as meaningful</a>.”</p>
<p>“Yet, on the other hand, critical sport scholars and followers have long emphasized that sports have traditionally served as a means to <a href="https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/du-bois-review-social-science-research-on-race/article/abs/public-opinions-about-paying-college-athletes-and-athletes-protesting-during-the-national-anthem/E12C47279C045CD445A587D2DF915B4C" target="_blank">reinforce and justify racial/ethnic inequalities</a>, also. But, these problems are often minimized or dismissed. Relatedly, further complicating things, beliefs about potentially positive functions of sport for racial/ethnic integration may not translate into actions or even support for racial/ethnic diversity, equity, and inclusion in sports and society.”</p>
<p>“So, especially in light of recent divisions along racial/ethnic lines in sports and society, we wanted to first assess current public opinion among U.S. adults about the extent to which they thought that sports bring people together, across racial/ethnic lines,” Knoester explained.</p>
<p>“Moreover, we were curious about the extent to which people had racial/ethnically segregated and integrated experiences when they played sports, how they viewed such experiences, and whether or not these histories and dynamics predicted their more general views about sports bringing people together across racial/ethnic lines.”</p>
<p>“Indeed, many sports, sports teams, communities, and schools continue to be substantially segregated by race/ethnicity. Yet, sports interactions and competitions can be unusual and influential means for interracial contact. Frequent team collaborations and fostered familiarity and respect among competitors may enhance racial/ethnic relations and boost views about the positive effects that sports may offer for racial/ethnic integration.” </p>
<p>“In fact, both of us felt these patterns of influence throughout our personal athletic histories,” Knoester continued. “Still, interracial sports interactions may be negative, also. Overall, though, sports may offer some measure of unique racial/ethnic equality and bonding that is built into the rules of sport and expectations for team collaborations and performances.”</p>
<p>To explore these questions, the researchers analyzed data from the National Sports and Society Survey, a nationally representative study of 3,993 U.S. adults conducted between 2018 and 2019. Participants answered a variety of questions about their past sports participation, including the racial makeup of their athletic environments during childhood and the previous year. They were also asked to evaluate whether their sports experiences had affected their understanding of people from other racial or ethnic backgrounds, and whether they believed sports bring people from different backgrounds together more than they divide them.</p>
<p>The researchers used logistic regression analyses to investigate the connections between participants’ personal experiences, their perceptions of those experiences, and their broader beliefs about the role of sports in promoting racial integration. They controlled for a range of demographic and ideological variables, including political affiliation, education, and beliefs about racial discrimination in society.</p>
<p>The results showed that 90% of respondents agreed—either strongly or somewhat—that sports bring people of different racial and ethnic backgrounds together. Only 10% disagreed, and a small fraction reported uncertainty. When asked about their personal experiences, more than half said their athletic involvement had positively shaped their understanding of other racial and ethnic groups. Around 40% reported no effect, while only 3% described the effect as negative.</p>
<p>These attitudes were not formed in a vacuum. People who had played sports in racially integrated environments were more likely to believe that sports promote racial harmony. In contrast, those who had not played organized sports or had only participated in racially homogenous settings were less likely to hold this belief. Notably, people who reported having positive experiences with racial diversity in sports were also more likely to say those experiences influenced their general beliefs about race relations in society.</p>
<p>“Persons who played organized sports in racial/ethnically integrated settings while growing up were more likely than those who did not play organized sports or who only played with members of their own racial/ethnic group all or almost all of the time, to believe that sports bring people together across racial/ethnic lines,” Knoester told PsyPost. “Also, similar patterns existed based on whether or not adults played a sport(s) regularly over the past year and, if so, with whom. </p>
<p>“Furthermore, those who played organized sports in racial/ethnically integrated settings while growing up were more likely than those who did not play organized sports or who only played with members of their own racial/ethnic group all or almost all of the time, to report that their athletic experience had a positive effect on their understanding of people of other races and backgrounds. The same patterns existed based on whether or not adults reported playing a sport regularly in the past year in racial/ethnically integrated settings.”</p>
<p>But not all contact across racial lines led to optimism. Participants who reported mistreatment based on their race or ethnicity in sports contexts were much less likely to see sports as a unifying force. This suggests that while exposure to racial diversity can foster positive attitudes, the quality of those interactions matters greatly. Interracial contact that involves discrimination or exclusion may reinforce negative views rather than reduce them.</p>
<p>“At least at first glance, the general story that emerges from our research seems quite positive: sports are thought to bring people together and personal sports-related histories frequently lead to beliefs that one gained important knowledge and insights about people from different races and backgrounds because of one’s sports-related interactions,” Knoester said. “This might be seen as great to hear, because of the prominence and pervasiveness of sports in society! Moreover, interracial sports interactions seem to be particularly influential in enabling these processes. So, racial/ethnic diversity, equity, and inclusion apparently lead to quite positive effects, on average.”</p>
<p>“Yet, it is important to remember that we essentially focused upon people’s beliefs and attitudes, in the present study. Feelings of connectedness or enhanced understandings do not necessarily lead to more common, interactive, and meaningful relationships; antiracist actions; or even expressed levels of support for people from different racial/ethnic groups. Respondents also identified sports-related racial/ethnic mistreatment they experienced in their lives and such identifications were negatively associated with beliefs about the ability of sports to bring people together across racial/ethnic lines and increased the likelihood that one would recognize sports as having negative effects for their understandings of people from different races and backgrounds. So, it is also essential to remember that sports offer some experiences of racial/ethnic prejudice and discrimination, too.”</p>
<p>Like all research, the study has some limitations. The survey relied on self-reported experiences and beliefs, which may be influenced by social desirability or cultural expectations. The sample also skewed toward White, female, and college-educated respondents, which may limit the generalizability of the findings. </p>
<p>“Poor recall and a lack of representation from some groups of people might have compromised our results, to some extent,” Knoester noted. “We were also unable to gather in-depth information from respondents about their experiences or segment out how different forms of sports-related experiences may have shaped adults’ views and experiences. It may be that participation, spectatorship, and conversational interactions offer different effects, for example.” </p>
<p>“Also, in-depth interviews could be a valuable source of information and could add much better context to why people feel the way that they do about the relationships between sports and racial/ethnic relations. Future research should seek to build upon our research and address these shortcomings.”</p>
<p>“Still, our study suggests that, at minimum, sports seem to encourage people to develop warmer feelings—or at least believe that others do—toward people of different races and backgrounds,” Knoester explained. “Therefore, sports may continue to work to bring people together and nurture positive affect if they are structured in such a way that they might do so, emphasizing equality and respect and the value of positive interracial interactions.” </p>
<p>“But, we should continue to be mindful that there are <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/23311886.2024.2422011" target="_blank">myriad racial/ethnic inequalities</a> in sports and society that persist and sports can also, and frequently do, perpetuate more negative outcomes that are linked to race/ethnicity, as well. Consequently, sports deserve careful scrutiny and attention if they are to contribute more universally positive effects to society.”</p>
<p>The study, “<a href="https://doi.org/10.1123/ssj.2023-0143" target="_blank">Does Sport Bring Different Racial/Ethnic Groups Together? Examining U.S. Adults’ Beliefs and the Impact of Youth and Adult Sport Experiences</a>,” was authored by Mariah K. Warner and Chris Knoester.</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>