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<td><span style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:20px;font-weight:bold;">PsyPost – Psychology News</span></td>
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<td><a href="https://www.psypost.org/circumcised-men-report-better-sexual-function-but-effects-are-small-and-variable/" 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;">Circumcised men report better sexual function, but effects are small and variable</a>
<div style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align:left;color:#999;font-size:11px;font-weight:bold;line-height:15px;">Aug 30th 2025, 10:00</div>
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<p><p>A meta-analysis of studies examining the effects of male circumcision on sexual function found that circumcised men reported higher sexual satisfaction levels compared to their uncircumcised peers. They also tended to report somewhat better erectile function and were less likely to experience recurrent pain during sexual intercourse (dyspareunia). The research was published in the <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/0092623X.2025.2499141"><em>Journal of Sex & Marital Therapy</em></a>.</p>
<p>Male circumcision is the surgical removal of the foreskin, the fold of skin that covers the head of the penis. It is one of the oldest known surgical practices, with evidence tracing back more than 4,000 years to ancient Egypt. The practice spread across different cultures and religions, most notably Judaism and Islam, where it carries deep religious and cultural significance.</p>
<p>In Judaism, circumcision, called <em>brit milah</em>, is performed on the eighth day after birth as a covenant with God. In Islam, it is not mentioned explicitly in the Qur’an but is widely practiced as part of the Sunnah and is viewed as a sign of cleanliness and belonging to the faith. Outside of religious contexts, circumcision has also been performed for social, cultural, and medical reasons.</p>
<p>In the 19th and early 20th centuries, it became common in some Western countries, especially the United States, partly due to beliefs about hygiene and disease prevention. Medically, circumcision has been associated with reduced risks of urinary tract infections, penile cancer, and the transmission of some sexually transmitted infections, though the overall public health significance of these benefits remains debated. Critics also point out ethical concerns, particularly regarding performing the procedure on infants without consent. Today, circumcision rates vary widely: it is nearly universal in some religious and cultural communities but uncommon in others, such as much of Europe.</p>
<p>Study authors Aysu Yıldız Karaahmet and Shahla Shafaati Laleh set out to systematically evaluate the effects of male circumcision on sexual function. In particular, they examined whether circumcision influences premature ejaculation, erectile function, pain during intercourse, and sexual function more broadly.</p>
<p>They searched PubMed, Cochrane Library, EBSCO, Embase, Web of Science, PsycINFO, Scopus, and TR Dizin for studies on circumcision and male sexual function. Eligible studies involved male participants (sometimes divided into subgroups by age, sexual health history, and psychological status), included circumcision as the intervention, and measured some aspect of sexual functioning as the outcome. The authors focused on randomized controlled trials and quasi-experimental studies published in English and Turkish.</p>
<p>They initially screened 378 records but ultimately included 15 studies that met their criteria. Of these, six were randomized controlled trials, while the rest used other designs. The quality of the included studies varied. Some were of high methodological quality, while others were rated lower. Common sources of bias included lack of random allocation, inadequate concealment of group assignment, and absence of participant blinding (where participants know which treatment they are receiving).</p>
<p>Overall, the results suggested that circumcised men reported higher sexual satisfaction compared to uncircumcised men, though the findings across studies were highly heterogeneous. Circumcised men also showed a small but statistically significant improvement in erectile function and were less likely to experience persistent pain during sexual intercourse. They were also less likely to report orgasm difficulties. In contrast, the evidence regarding premature ejaculation was inconclusive.</p>
<p>“Overall, this meta-analysis suggests that male circumcision may have potential positive effects on certain aspects of sexual function, particularly sexual satisfaction and erectile function. Nonetheless, the clinical significance of these findings is uncertain, and further investigation is warranted given the heterogeneity observed,” the study authors concluded.</p>
<p>The study sheds light on potential effects of male circumcision on sexual functioning. However, it should be noted that the results of analyzed studies were very heterogenous and some results were inconsistent. Additionally, the methodological quality of some of the analyzed studies was low.</p>
<p>The paper “<a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/0092623X.2025.2499141">The Influence of Circumcision on Male Sexual Function: A Meta-Analysis of Satisfaction, Erectile Function, and Dyspareunia</a>” was authored by Aysu Yıldız Karaahmet and Shahla Shafaati Laleh.</p></p>
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<td><a href="https://www.psypost.org/romantic-ai-use-is-surprisingly-common-and-linked-to-poorer-mental-health-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;">Romantic AI use is surprisingly common and linked to poorer mental health, study finds</a>
<div style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align:left;color:#999;font-size:11px;font-weight:bold;line-height:15px;">Aug 30th 2025, 08:00</div>
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<p><p>A new study provides evidence that artificial intelligence technologies are becoming embedded in people’s romantic and sexual lives. The findings, published in the <em><a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/02654075251371394" target="_blank">Journal of Social and Personal Relationships</a></em>, indicate that a sizable number of adults in the United States—especially young men—report using AI tools such as chatbot companions, AI-generated sexual imagery, and social media accounts that simulate idealized romantic partners. The researchers also found that more frequent engagement with these technologies was associated with higher levels of depression and lower life satisfaction.</p>
<p>In recent years, AI platforms have spread across nearly every sector of society. From image generation to text-based chat programs, AI tools are increasingly being used for entertainment, productivity, and even emotional support. While many studies have focused on how AI affects labor markets, consumer behavior, and public opinion, far fewer have explored how these technologies might be reshaping personal relationships.</p>
<p>Growing media interest in AI-driven romantic companions, such as chatbots that simulate intimate conversation or generate sexualized content, has fueled concerns about loneliness, emotional dependence, and the ethical implications of these tools. There has been speculation that some people may use AI in ways that supplement or replace human intimacy, but empirical data has remained limited.</p>
<p>“I study young adult dating and relationship patterns and have been studying pornography use as a part of my research for a decade. I was curious how modern young adults and adults were perhaps beginning to integrate generative AI technologies into their relational lives and wanted to take an early look at how common such practices were,” said lead author Brian Willoughby, a professor at Brigham Young University.</p>
<p>The researchers analyzed data from a large, quota-sampled national survey conducted in the United States. A total of 2,969 adults completed the online survey, which was designed to match the demographic breakdown of the U.S. population across gender, age, and race. An additional oversample of young adults aged 18 to 29 was included to better capture trends among this age group.</p>
<p>Participants were asked whether they had ever intentionally sought out or followed AI-generated accounts on social media that depicted idealized images of men or women. They were also asked whether they had used AI chat technologies designed to simulate romantic partners and whether they had viewed AI-generated pornography. Those who responded “yes” to any of these items were asked a series of follow-up questions to gauge the frequency of their engagement, the extent to which it involved sexual behavior, and whether they felt AI interactions could substitute for real relationships.</p>
<p>Validated scales were also used to measure depressive symptoms, life satisfaction, relationship satisfaction, and attitudes toward artificial intelligence. The researchers then used regression analyses to explore how demographic characteristics, social media use, and attitudes toward AI predicted engagement, and whether AI use was associated with mental well-being.</p>
<p>The results indicated that a significant portion of adults—especially those in their twenties—reported some form of engagement with romantic or sexual AI. Just over half of the full sample said they had encountered AI-generated social media accounts. Thirteen percent said they had intentionally sought out such content, and nearly 15 percent reported following accounts that exclusively post AI-generated images of idealized men or women.</p>
<p>Chat technologies appeared to be even more widely used. Nearly 19 percent of the overall sample had interacted with an AI chatbot designed to simulate a romantic partner, and over one in four young adults (aged 18–29) reported doing so. Seven percent said they had masturbated during these chats, and around 13 percent reported viewing AI-generated pornography.</p>
<p>“The thing that surprised me the most was how common AI companion use was among young adults,” Willoughby told PsyPost. “I thought we’d find a small group of young adults experimenting with the technology but instead found that a significant minority of young adults are using these types of technologies regularly.”</p>
<p>Age and gender were strong predictors of engagement. Males were significantly more likely than females to report using AI-generated pornography and to view or interact with AI content for sexual gratification. Young adults were more than twice as likely as older adults to report engaging with AI technologies, and were also more likely to say they preferred these interactions over real relationships in some contexts.</p>
<p>Among those who had chatted with AI-based romantic partners, about one in five agreed that they would rather communicate with the AI system than a real person. Over 40 percent said the AI system was easier to talk to or a better listener than a human partner, and 31 percent felt that the AI companion understood them better than people did.</p>
<p>The average time spent per week on these activities was also substantial. People who interacted with AI romantic chatbots spent an average of about 50 minutes per week chatting with them. People who viewed AI-generated images of men or women on social media spent around 30 minutes per week doing so.</p>
<p>Although many users reported using these platforms for non-sexual engagement, about one-third of those who interacted with AI chatbots said their chats were sexually arousing. Roughly 16 percent of those users reported having sexual conversations with AI on at least a weekly basis.</p>
<p>Importantly, the researchers found that engagement with these technologies was linked to well-being. People who reported chatting with AI romantic partners or using AI pornography scored slightly higher on measures of depression and slightly lower on life satisfaction, even after controlling for other factors such as social media use, age, gender, and religious attendance. While the effects were small, they were statistically significant, suggesting that AI engagement may be one of many contributors to mental health.</p>
<p>The study also found that people in committed relationships were more likely to report using AI-generated images and romantic chatbots than those who were single. This finding challenges the assumption that AI romantic engagement is primarily driven by loneliness or lack of real-life companionship. Instead, it may reflect attempts to supplement existing relationships or seek validation outside of them.</p>
<p>“The main takeaway is that AI use for relational and sexual purposes is already very common,” Willoughby explained. “Experimenting with AI companions, especially among young adults, appears to already have some strong traction. The other major takeaway is that we were already finding links between AI use and depression and loneliness. While the direction of this association is unclear, we found no evidence that AI use is helping people feel less alone or isolated.”</p>
<p>Although the study offers one of the most detailed snapshots to date of AI engagement in romantic and sexual contexts, the findings are primarily descriptive and exploratory. The researchers used cross-sectional data, which means they cannot determine whether AI use causes mental health difficulties or whether people with poorer mental health are more likely to use AI tools.</p>
<p>Another limitation is that the survey relied on self-reported behaviors and attitudes. Participants may have underreported or misunderstood their own engagement, especially given the increasing realism of AI-generated content. The study also did not ask which specific programs or platforms participants used, making it difficult to distinguish between different types of AI experiences.</p>
<p>Still, the study provides a foundation for future research. Future work may explore whether certain personality traits or relational histories predict use, whether AI engagement helps or hinders emotional development, and how these tools might influence expectations of intimacy in human relationships.</p>
<p>“We’ve already completed a new national study of young adults as a follow-up to this study where we asked much more detailed questions about AI companions use,” Willoughby said.</p>
<p>The study, “<a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/02654075251371394" target="_blank">Artificial connections: Romantic relationship engagement with artificial intelligence in the United States</a>,” was authored by Brian J. Willoughby, Carson R. Dover, Rebekah M. Hakala, and Jason S. Carroll.</p></p>
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<td><a href="https://www.psypost.org/scientists-shocked-to-find-a-supposedly-harmless-virus-hiding-in-brains-of-parkinsons-patients/" 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 shocked to find a supposedly harmless virus hiding in brains of Parkinson’s patients</a>
<div style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align:left;color:#999;font-size:11px;font-weight:bold;line-height:15px;">Aug 30th 2025, 06:00</div>
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<p><p>A new study published in <em><a href="https://doi.org/10.1172/jci.insight.189988" target="_blank">JCI Insight</a></em> provides evidence that a little-studied virus called human pegivirus (HPgV) may be present in the brains of people with Parkinson’s disease and could be linked to disruptions in immune function and brain pathology. The virus was detected in brain tissue from patients with Parkinson’s disease but not in control samples, and its presence appeared to influence immune signaling pathways differently depending on patients’ genetic makeup.</p>
<p>The findings do not show that HPgV <em>causes</em> Parkinson’s disease, but they do indicate that viral infection may interact with genetic risk factors to shape disease progression. The research team suggests that HPgV may play a role in altering immune responses in the brain and blood, potentially contributing to neurodegeneration in some individuals with Parkinson’s disease.</p>
<p>Parkinson’s disease is a progressive brain disorder that affects movement and often leads to tremors, rigidity, and slowed physical function. It is widely accepted that both genetic and environmental factors contribute to the disease, but only a small percentage of cases can be directly linked to inherited mutations. This has led researchers to explore environmental triggers—such as infections—that might influence disease onset or progression, particularly in individuals who are genetically susceptible.</p>
<p>Viral infections have long been considered potential contributors to Parkinson-like symptoms. During the 1918 influenza pandemic, a wave of encephalitis lethargica cases produced motor symptoms similar to Parkinson’s disease. More recent cases of parkinsonism following infections with flaviviruses like West Nile or Japanese encephalitis virus have raised further questions about viral involvement in brain degeneration. However, most past studies have focused on specific viruses and yielded inconclusive results.</p>
<p>In this study, researchers aimed to take a broader approach by examining the entire set of viruses present in the brain tissue—referred to as the “virome”—to determine whether any viruses are uniquely associated with Parkinson’s disease. </p>
<p>“Our lab studies how viruses in the brain affect health and disease. We have looked at several brain disorders, but this was the first time we saw a connection between one specific virus and a neurodegenerative disease,” said study author Barbara Hanson, a postdoctoral researcher in <a href="https://sites.northwestern.edu/koralniklab/" target="_blank">Igor J. Koralnik’s lab</a> at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.</p>
<p>“Parkinson’s has long been suspected to have links to infections since the observation of parkinsonisms occurring with Spanish flu and encephalitis lethargica, people have wondered if viruses might play a role. That history made us curious to see if the Parkinson’s disease brain had different viruses than brains from people without Parkinson’s disease.”</p>
<p>The research team analyzed postmortem brain tissue from 10 individuals who had Parkinson’s disease and 14 control individuals of similar age and sex. Samples were taken from three brain regions known to be involved in movement and cognition. The team used ViroFind, a sequencing platform that can detect genetic material from all known human viruses, to screen for viral sequences in these samples. They confirmed their findings using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), a sensitive method for detecting specific viral genes, and verified the presence of viral proteins with immunohistochemistry.</p>
<p>In the initial virome analysis, human pegivirus was found in 4 of 10 Parkinson’s brains, but in none of the 14 control samples. qPCR testing confirmed these results and identified a fifth HPgV-positive case among the Parkinson’s patients. None of the control brains tested positive for the virus. Further testing showed that three Parkinson’s patients also had HPgV present in their cerebrospinal fluid, while none had detectable levels in their blood plasma.</p>
<p>Hanson and her colleagues. also used RNA sequencing to examine how HPgV infection might affect gene expression in the brain. They compared transcriptomic profiles—that is, the patterns of gene activity—in patients with and without the virus. They then used blood samples from a much larger dataset, the Parkinson’s Progression Markers Initiative, to look for HPgV in peripheral blood and analyze how it might be influencing immune gene expression over time.</p>
<p>The presence of the virus was associated with more advanced signs of brain pathology, particularly in areas linked to memory and emotion. All HPgV-positive brains showed greater accumulation of tau tangles in the limbic system, suggesting a possible connection between viral infection and disease severity.</p>
<p>The researchers also observed higher levels of a protein called complexin-2 in infected brains, which plays a role in neurotransmitter release. This could indicate changes in synaptic function in those with HPgV. Despite these differences in pathology, patients with and without HPgV did not differ in measures of cognitive performance or clinical diagnosis at the time of their last medical evaluation.</p>
<p>In the blood, only a small fraction of individuals had detectable HPgV—around 1% of Parkinson’s patients and control participants alike. This low rate suggests that the virus is not commonly active in blood at any given time, but its presence still appeared to influence key immune markers. For example, patients with Parkinson’s who had HPgV in their blood showed higher levels of insulin-like growth factor 1, which supports cellular metabolism and growth, and lower levels of a marker linked to mitophagy, a process that helps clear damaged mitochondria.</p>
<p>“We were surprised,” Hanson told PsyPost. “HPgV is often thought to be harmless, so we did not expect to find a link to Parkinson’s disease. We also did not detect the virus in the blood, which is unusual because other studies have shown higher levels of the virus outside the brain. This made us think the virus may act differently in Parkinson’s patients than we expected.”</p>
<p>Transcriptomic analyses provided further insights. In both the brain and blood, HPgV infection was associated with suppression of IL-4 signaling, a pathway involved in regulating inflammation. This suppression was not seen in uninfected Parkinson’s patients, who tended to show increased IL-4 activity compared to controls. These findings suggest that HPgV infection might alter normal immune regulation in Parkinson’s disease.</p>
<p>The effects of HPgV also differed depending on patients’ genetic background. The researchers examined the gene LRRK2, which is one of the most common genes linked to inherited forms of Parkinson’s disease. In people with LRRK2 mutations, IL-4 signaling decreased as HPgV levels increased. In contrast, in those without the mutation, IL-4 activity increased with higher HPgV levels. This points to a genotype-dependent response to the virus.</p>
<p>Gene expression networks revealed that a protein called YWHAB appeared to serve as a central hub in mediating these different responses. YWHAB is involved in cell signaling, inflammation, and neuron survival, and its expression patterns predicted how other immune-related genes responded to HPgV in different genetic backgrounds. The network of genes interacting with YWHAB included several known to play roles in cell death, mitochondrial function, and neuroinflammation.</p>
<p>In patients with the LRRK2 mutation, HPgV infection was associated with increased expression of a group of small RNAs (called SNORAs) that have been linked to immune regulation and cellular stress responses. These RNAs showed the opposite pattern in patients without the mutation, again suggesting that the genetic background of the host shapes how the body responds to the virus.</p>
<p>“Our study suggests that infections may influence the biology of Parkinson’s disease,” Hanson explained. “We found that people with changes in the LRRK2 gene reacted to this virus differently than those without the gene change. This means that a person’s genetics affects both the probability that they will develop Parkinson’s disease and the way they respond to this virus. This could work together to affect disease risk. It shows us that looking at both viruses and host genes is important when trying to understand Parkinson’s disease and other diseases.”</p>
<p>While the study provides new evidence that HPgV may be associated with immune and genetic features of Parkinson’s disease, the findings are preliminary and based on a relatively small number of brain samples. The researchers were not able to determine whether HPgV infection occurred before or after disease onset, or whether it directly contributes to disease progression. In addition, the exact mechanisms by which the virus enters the brain or influences immune signaling remain unclear.</p>
<p>Another limitation is the lack of standardized tools for detecting HPgV, as there are no commercially available tests. The research team had to develop in-house methods to measure the virus. The rarity of HPgV in blood also limits how easily it can be studied in large populations.</p>
<p>Future research will need to confirm these findings in larger and more diverse groups of patients and determine how HPgV interacts with genetic and environmental factors over time. The research team also plans to explore whether the virus infects specific cell types in the brain and whether antiviral treatments could influence disease processes. Given HPgV’s similarity to viruses like Hepatitis C, medications used for other flaviviruses may be worth investigating.</p>
<p>This study opens a new area of research into how persistent but seemingly harmless viruses might interact with neurodegenerative disease processes. Even if HPgV does not directly cause Parkinson’s disease, it may help shape the immune environment in ways that influence disease progression—particularly in individuals who are already at genetic risk. By examining the intersection of infection, immunity, and neurodegeneration, researchers hope to uncover new paths toward understanding and eventually treating Parkinson’s disease.</p>
<p>“We want to see if HPgV is consistently found in the brains of people with Parkinson’s disease from all over the world,” Hanson said. “We also want to figure out which brain cells are infected and how they are changed during infection, and whether patients with other genetic changes show the same patterns. Another goal is to understand how often the virus can enter the brain and what pathways it uses to get there. In the long run, we even want to test whether drugs made for similar viruses, like Hepatitis C, could also work against HPgV.”</p>
<p>“This project is exciting because it opens a new window into how infections might shape brain disease. We hope our work inspires others to look more closely at viruses that were once thought to be harmless. Even if a virus does not cause disease by itself, it may change how the body responds to other risks like genetics. We believe this could help lead to new ways of preventing or treating Parkinson’s disease in the future.”</p>
<p>The study, “<a href="https://doi.org/10.1172/jci.insight.189988" target="_blank">Human pegivirus alters brain and blood immune and transcriptomic profiles of patients with Parkinson’s disease</a>,” was authored by Barbara A. Hanson, Xin Dang, Pouya Jamshidi, Alicia Steffens, Kaleigh Copenhaver, Zachary S. Orban, Bernabe Bustos, Steven J. Lubbe, Rudolph J Castellani, and Igor J. Koralnik.</p></p>
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<td><a href="https://www.psypost.org/hostile-sexism-linked-to-disapproval-of-breastfeeding-in-public/" 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;">Hostile sexism linked to disapproval of breastfeeding in public</a>
<div style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align:left;color:#999;font-size:11px;font-weight:bold;line-height:15px;">Aug 29th 2025, 18:00</div>
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<p><p>A new study published in <em><a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/00224545.2025.2523279" target="_blank">The Journal of Social Psychology</a></em> has found that sexist beliefs—especially hostile sexism—are strongly associated with negative attitudes toward public breastfeeding. Contrary to earlier findings, even benevolent sexism was weakly linked to disapproval in both private and public settings. These findings provide new insight into how underlying gender attitudes can shape perceptions of what is considered appropriate for mothers, especially in everyday settings like parks, restaurants, and public transportation.</p>
<p>Public breastfeeding continues to spark debate, even in countries that promote gender equality and family health. While many support the idea of breastfeeding as a natural part of motherhood, women often report feeling uncomfortable nursing their infants in public, anticipating negative reactions from others. These social pressures can contribute to early weaning or reluctance to breastfeed at all.</p>
<p>The authors behind the new study sought to examine how sexist attitudes influence support for breastfeeding in different contexts, focusing on Germany as a case study. Although the country has made significant strides toward gender equality, public breastfeeding remains somewhat contested. Past surveys suggest that many Germans support breastfeeding in principle but feel ambivalent about its appropriateness in certain locations.</p>
<p>While earlier studies had explored how sexist beliefs influence breastfeeding attitudes, most of that research was conducted in the United States using small, non-representative samples. In contrast, the present study aimed to replicate and extend those findings using a nationally representative dataset from Germany, allowing the researchers to test how widely these associations hold across age groups, political beliefs, and social backgrounds.</p>
<p>“I have a personal interest in this topic, as I have noticed that women still feel uncomfortable breastfeeding in public and are sometimes met with disapproval. We wondered where this negative reaction came from. Although there have already been some very good studies on this topic, they were either based on non-representative samples or did not directly compare breastfeeding in public with breastfeeding in private,” said study author Alexander Jedinger of the Leibniz Institute for the Social Sciences.</p>
<p>The study drew on data from the GESIS Panel, a probability-based survey of adults living in Germany. The researchers analyzed responses from 4,143 participants collected between November 2022 and January 2023. The sample was balanced across gender and age groups and was weighted to reflect the broader German population.</p>
<p>Participants completed several measures assessing their attitudes toward breastfeeding. These included general approval of public breastfeeding, acceptability of breastfeeding in specific locations (e.g., at home, in cafés, on public transportation), and their emotional reactions to seeing a woman breastfeed in a public space like a restaurant.</p>
<p>Sexist beliefs were assessed using a validated 12-item measure of ambivalent sexism. Six items measured hostile sexism (e.g., “Women seek to gain power by getting control over men”) and six measured benevolent sexism (e.g., “Women should be cherished and protected by men”). Participants rated each statement on a six-point scale from “strongly disagree” to “strongly agree.”</p>
<p>To isolate the effects of sexism, the researchers also controlled for variables that might influence breastfeeding attitudes, including age, gender, education, number of children, political orientation, religious importance, and prior exposure to breastfeeding.</p>
<p>On a seven-point scale, attitudes toward private breastfeeding averaged 6.77, reflecting strong approval. In contrast, breastfeeding in public spaces such as parks or restaurants received an average score of 4.74, suggesting more moderate acceptance.</p>
<p>But participants who scored higher in hostile sexism were consistently less supportive of public breastfeeding. This pattern held across all measures, including general approval, acceptance in various public settings, and emotional reactions.</p>
<p>“The good news is that most people in Germany think very positively about public and private breastfeeding,” Jedinger told PsyPost. “Our results suggest that people are put off breastfeeding in public because they are hostile towards women who don’t follow traditional gender roles. We believe that it is more important to address blatant forms of sexism and gender stereotypes in interventions to promote breastfeeding. This will reduce stigma and create a more supportive environment for breastfeeding mothers.”</p>
<p>The relationship between hostile sexism and private breastfeeding was weaker and not statistically significant. This suggests that people who hold these beliefs are particularly opposed to public expressions of maternal behavior.</p>
<p>Contrary to the researchers’ expectations, benevolent sexism did not predict more supportive attitudes toward private breastfeeding. Instead, people who scored higher on benevolent sexism were slightly less likely to approve of breastfeeding, regardless of whether it occurred in public or private. While these effects were statistically significant in some models, the size of the effect was small—explaining less than half a percent of the variance in attitudes.</p>
<p>“We were surprised to find that benevolent sexism was not strongly linked to people’s acceptance of breastfeeding in private and public settings,” Jedinger said. “When people were confronted with various scenarios in which breastfeeding was possible, benevolent sexists showed a rejection of breastfeeding in public and tended to reject breastfeeding in private settings as well.” </p>
<p>“This is different from what other studies have found, which said that people who are benevolent sexist think more positively about private breastfeeding because it matches up with traditional ideas about gender. In addition, what a person thinks about breastfeeding doesn’t depend on whether they are male or female. If someone has sexist beliefs, these will affect how they think about breastfeeding. This goes against what we thought before, which was that men think more negatively about breastfeeding based on whether they have sexist beliefs.”</p>
<p>The researchers also found no evidence that gender moderated these associations. Men and women who endorsed hostile sexist beliefs were equally likely to oppose breastfeeding in public. Similarly, benevolent sexism had no significantly different effects for men versus women. This challenges the idea that sexism influences men and women in fundamentally different ways when it comes to evaluating breastfeeding.</p>
<p>The researchers suggest that while benevolent sexism might appear supportive of traditional mothering roles, in practice, it does not seem to offer much protection against the stigmatization of breastfeeding. Instead, both forms of sexism may contribute to social environments where breastfeeding mothers—especially in public—feel judged or unwelcome.</p>
<p>While the study provides evidence for the role of sexism in shaping attitudes toward breastfeeding, it has some limitations. First, because it relied on self-report data, participants may have responded in socially desirable ways, particularly on sensitive topics like sexism and parenting. Although the survey was administered anonymously, some participants may have downplayed their discomfort with public breastfeeding or their endorsement of sexist beliefs.</p>
<p>Second, the study’s design does not allow for conclusions about causality. While the researchers found consistent associations between hostile sexism and disapproval of breastfeeding, they cannot say whether sexist beliefs directly cause negative attitudes, or whether both are influenced by a third factor, such as cultural background or personal experience.</p>
<p>Future studies could use experimental methods to explore how sexist beliefs interact with specific contexts, such as the perceived sexualization of women’s bodies or concerns about modesty. For example, showing participants images of breastfeeding in different environments might help uncover the psychological mechanisms that drive disapproval.</p>
<p>Cross-cultural research would also be helpful. While Germany shares many cultural similarities with other Western countries, the legal and social norms around breastfeeding can differ significantly across nations. Comparing responses across countries with more or less supportive policies could help identify the role of institutional context in moderating the effects of sexism.</p>
<p>The study, “<a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/00224545.2025.2523279" target="_blank">Ambivalent sexism and opposition toward public breastfeeding</a>,” was authored by Alexander Jedinger and Miriam Feldhausen.</p></p>
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<td><a href="https://www.psypost.org/new-study-suggests-breathing-polluted-air-can-increase-risk-of-depression-anxiety-and-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;">New study suggests breathing polluted air can increase risk of depression, anxiety, and autism</a>
<div style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align:left;color:#999;font-size:11px;font-weight:bold;line-height:15px;">Aug 29th 2025, 16:00</div>
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<p><p>New research suggests that long-term exposure to air pollution may contribute to the development of several psychiatric disorders, including depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, autism spectrum disorder, and attention-related problems. The study, which used genetic methods to investigate causal links, also found that changes in brain structure and function may help explain how air pollution influences mental health. The findings were published in the <em><a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2025.119475" target="_blank">Journal of Affective Disorders</a>.</em></p>
<p>Psychiatric disorders represent a major public health concern, affecting hundreds of millions of people worldwide. These conditions are known to reduce life expectancy and quality of life, and they often require long-term care. While genetic, social, and individual lifestyle factors are known contributors, environmental influences are also thought to play an important role. Among these, air pollution has emerged as a suspected risk factor.</p>
<p>Over the past decade, observational studies have reported associations between air pollution and psychiatric disorders. However, such studies often struggle to clarify whether pollution is truly causing these conditions or whether other factors, like socioeconomic status or regional differences, are confounding the results. To move beyond correlation, the research team turned to a genetic method that helps isolate potential causal pathways.</p>
<p>The research team, based at Peking University Sixth Hospital and affiliated institutions, used Mendelian randomization to explore the potential causal effects of air pollution on mental health. This method uses genetic variations that are associated with environmental exposures—such as levels of air pollution—to estimate the impact of those exposures on health outcomes. Because these genetic variants are randomly assigned at conception, they are generally not influenced by lifestyle or environmental confounders.</p>
<p>The analysis focused on three key air pollutants: fine particulate matter smaller than 2.5 micrometers (PM2.5), PM2.5 absorbance (an indicator of black carbon and related components), and nitrogen dioxide (NO2), a gas commonly emitted by vehicle exhaust and industrial activity. Genetic data related to these exposures were drawn from large-scale genome-wide association studies conducted by the UK Biobank, covering more than 400,000 individuals of European ancestry.</p>
<p>The study then evaluated associations between these pollutants and five psychiatric conditions: major depressive disorder, anxiety disorders, autism spectrum disorder, schizophrenia, and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Genetic data for these mental health conditions were obtained from publicly available datasets maintained by the Psychiatric Genomics Consortium. These datasets included tens of thousands of individuals, allowing for robust statistical comparisons.</p>
<p>To explore how air pollution might influence the brain in ways that could lead to psychiatric disorders, the researchers also included imaging-derived brain phenotypes from over 8,000 individuals. These included measurements of brain volume, connectivity, and tissue contrast. The team used a two-step Mendelian randomization approach to investigate whether these brain features acted as mediators between air pollution and psychiatric outcomes.</p>
<p>The analysis revealed several patterns linking air pollution to psychiatric disorders:</p>
<ul>
<li>PM2.5 exposure was associated with a higher risk of both major depressive disorder and anxiety disorders. Specifically, the odds of depression increased by approximately 26 percent, and the odds of anxiety disorders more than doubled, for individuals genetically predisposed to higher PM2.5 exposure.</li>
<li>PM2.5 absorbance, which reflects the presence of light-absorbing particles like black carbon, was associated with an increased risk of autism spectrum disorder and attention-related disorders. The odds of attention-related problems were roughly twice as high for those genetically inclined to greater exposure.</li>
<li>Nitrogen dioxide exposure was also linked to elevated risk of autism spectrum disorder and schizophrenia, suggesting that traffic-related pollutants may influence neurodevelopment and psychosis risk.</li>
</ul>
<p>To better understand the biological mechanisms behind these links, the researchers examined how pollution-related genetic variations were associated with specific features of the brain. One brain region stood out in relation to depression: the left CA4-body, part of the hippocampus, a region involved in memory and emotional regulation. The study found that smaller volume in this area partially mediated the association between PM2.5 exposure and major depressive disorder, accounting for about 6 percent of the total effect.</p>
<p>Additionally, a separate feature called grey-white contrast in the right frontal pole—an indicator of tissue boundary sharpness in a region implicated in high-level decision-making—appeared to mask the relationship between PM2.5 and depression. In this case, the contrast change in the frontal pole seemed to reduce the overall impact of pollution on depression risk.</p>
<p>In the case of attention-related disorders, a functional brain connectivity pattern showed a similar masking effect, potentially offering a neuroprotective counterbalance to pollution’s negative influence.</p>
<p>These brain features offer clues into how pollution may reshape brain development or function in ways that increase vulnerability to mental illness. For example, changes in hippocampal volume have been consistently associated with depression, while alterations in frontal brain structure and connectivity are known to affect mood regulation, attention, and cognitive control.</p>
<p>While the study offers evidence pointing to causal links between air pollution and mental health, several limitations remain. One major constraint is that all participants were of European ancestry, which limits the ability to generalize the findings to other populations. Air pollution levels and compositions also vary significantly by region, and the study focused only on three pollutants, leaving out others such as ozone, sulfur dioxide, and carbon monoxide.</p>
<p>Another challenge involves the genetic instruments used in the analysis. In order to ensure sufficient statistical power, the researchers relaxed some of their criteria for selecting genetic variants, which could introduce a degree of uncertainty. While extensive sensitivity tests were conducted to check for bias, the possibility of residual confounding cannot be completely excluded.</p>
<p>Although the brain imaging analyses provided potential mechanisms, they were based on a relatively small sample compared to the genetic datasets. Larger studies with more diverse populations and individual-level data are needed to confirm these findings and to better understand how changes in brain structure or function might translate into psychiatric symptoms.</p>
<p>The study, “<a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2025.119475" target="_blank">Air pollution is the risk factor for psychiatric disorders: a two-step Mendelian randomization study</a>,” was authored by Jingying Zhou, Zhe Lu, Ke Xu, Guorui Zhao, Yunqing Zhu, Rui Yuan, Yaoyao Sun, Yuyanan Zhang, and Weihua Yue.</p></p>
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<td><a href="https://www.psypost.org/new-research-finds-moderate-cognitive-impairments-in-heavy-cannabis-users/" 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 research finds moderate cognitive impairments in heavy cannabis users</a>
<div style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align:left;color:#999;font-size:11px;font-weight:bold;line-height:15px;">Aug 29th 2025, 14:00</div>
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<p><p>People diagnosed with cannabis use disorder tend to perform more poorly on a range of cognitive tasks—even after the immediate effects of the drug have worn off—according to a new meta-analysis published in the journal <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.addbeh.2025.108434" target="_blank">Addictive Behaviors</a>. The findings indicate that individuals with cannabis use disorder tend to have moderate impairments in verbal learning and memory, working memory, and processing speed. While smaller effects were observed in attention and verbal fluency, the results provide evidence that the cognitive impacts of heavy cannabis use may be more substantial than what has been found among recreational users.</p>
<p>As cannabis becomes legal in more jurisdictions for both recreational and medical use, researchers and public health officials are trying to better understand its long-term effects. One area that has drawn particular concern is whether chronic use of cannabis may lead to lasting impairments in cognitive functioning. While prior studies have confirmed that cannabis can impair memory and attention during acute intoxication, the picture has been less clear when it comes to more persistent effects after the drug wears off.</p>
<p>Much of the existing research has focused on people who use cannabis recreationally, often without distinguishing between occasional users and those with cannabis use disorder. This distinction matters because, for other substances such as alcohol or cocaine, research has shown that cognitive deficits tend to be larger among individuals who meet clinical criteria for substance use disorder.</p>
<p>“When examining the recreational use of cannabis, some previous investigators were led to conclude that the effects of cannabis on cognition are minimal. We thought it would be more relevant, from a clinical point of view, to focus on the cognitive deficits of people with cannabis use disorder more specifically. So we performed a quantitative synthesis (e.g. meta-analysis) of all the studies available on the topic,” said study author <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/profile/S-Potvin?ev=hdr_xprf" target="_blank">Stéphane Potvin</a>, a professor of psychiatry at the University of Montreal.</p>
<p>A meta-analysis is a method that combines the results of multiple studies to draw broader conclusions. Meta-analyses are especially helpful when individual studies yield mixed or inconsistent results, as they allow researchers to pool data and identify patterns across a larger body of evidence.</p>
<p>To be included in the meta-analysis in the new research, studies had to meet several criteria. Each study needed to compare people diagnosed with cannabis use disorder to a control group of healthy individuals. The studies also had to use validated neuropsychological tests to assess cognitive functioning and could not focus solely on the immediate effects of cannabis intoxication. The researchers excluded studies where participants had other substance use disorders or psychiatric diagnoses that might confound the results.</p>
<p>After an extensive literature search across multiple databases, the researchers identified 23 studies that met their inclusion criteria. These studies collectively included data from over 100 separate cognitive test results, grouped into 13 different domains, such as verbal memory, working memory, attention, executive functioning, and visual memory.</p>
<p>The analysis used a multivariate statistical approach to estimate the overall effect size, a standardized measure of how strongly cannabis use disorder was associated with poorer cognitive performance. They also conducted sensitivity analyses to ensure that no single study was unduly influencing the results. In addition, they examined whether variables such as age, gender, frequency of cannabis use, or duration of abstinence influenced cognitive performance.</p>
<p>Across all studies, individuals with cannabis use disorder consistently performed worse on cognitive tasks compared to healthy controls. The overall effect size for general cognitive impairment was in the small-to-moderate range (Cohen’s d = 0.35), suggesting a meaningful difference in performance that is unlikely to be explained by chance.</p>
<p>The analysis of specific cognitive domains showed that certain types of mental functions were more affected than others. The largest deficits were found in verbal learning and memory, working memory, processing speed, and general intelligence measures. For these areas, effect sizes approached or exceeded d = 0.4, which is typically considered a moderate effect.</p>
<p>“Cannabis use disorder is associated with significant deficits in cognitive domains like verbal learning, verbal memory, speed of processing and working memory,” Potvin told PsyPost. “These cognitive domains are important in that they allow us to interact with people and to function on a daily basis.”</p>
<p>“The cognitive domains that we found to be impaired in people with cannabis use disorder (who are not intoxicated at the moment of being tested) are pretty much the same as the cognitive domains found to be impaired in healthy participants tested in an acute state of THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) intoxication. In my opinion, the overall coherence of these results increase the confidence we should have in them.”</p>
<p>In contrast, smaller differences were observed in tasks related to attention, verbal fluency, and impulsivity, where effect sizes ranged from d = 0.25 to 0.28. The researchers noted that while these smaller effects may not be as noticeable in day-to-day functioning, they still indicate a consistent pattern of reduced performance.</p>
<p>Interestingly, the researchers found no clear link between the severity of cognitive impairments and various background factors. Meta-regression analyses showed that age, sex, frequency or duration of cannabis use, and the length of abstinence before testing did not significantly influence the results. The authors cautioned, however, that most of the included studies involved participants who had abstained from cannabis for 10 days or less, making it difficult to evaluate longer-term recovery effects.</p>
<p>Although this meta-analysis improves upon previous reviews by focusing specifically on cannabis use disorder and including a larger number of studies, it is not without limitations.</p>
<p>Most of the studies included were cross-sectional, which means they only assessed cognitive functioning at a single point in time. This makes it difficult to determine whether the cognitive impairments preceded the onset of cannabis use disorder or were caused by it. Longitudinal studies that follow people over time would be better suited to address questions of causality.</p>
<p>Another limitation is that some cognitive domains were assessed in only a few studies. For example, visual memory and emotion recognition were examined in fewer than five studies, making it hard to draw firm conclusions about these areas.</p>
<p>The apparent lack of effect from abstinence duration may also reflect a gap in the research. Few studies included participants who had been abstinent for longer than a month, so it remains unclear whether some cognitive functions might recover with sustained abstinence.</p>
<p>“I see two main questions unanswered,” Potvin said. “First, we need to determine how long-lasting are the cognitive impairments seen in people with cannabis use disorder. Second, we need to know if these deficits are more prominent in people who use very high potency cannabis products, such as some cannabis concentrates.”</p>
<p>The study, “<a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.addbeh.2025.108434" target="_blank">The effects of cannabis use disorder on cognitive functions: A meta-analysis</a>,” was authored by Florence Pilon, Alexandre Dumais, Charles-Édouard Giguère, and Stéphane Potvin.</p></p>
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<td><a href="https://www.psypost.org/mobile-phone-dependence-linked-to-creativity-in-surprising-ways-among-adolescents/" 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;">Mobile phone dependence linked to creativity in surprising ways among adolescents</a>
<div style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align:left;color:#999;font-size:11px;font-weight:bold;line-height:15px;">Aug 29th 2025, 12:00</div>
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<p><p>A study of Chinese adolescents revealed a complex relationship between mobile phone dependence and two forms of creativity: artistic and scientific. At low levels of mobile phone dependence, higher dependence was associated with lower scientific and artistic creativity. However, once dependence passed a certain threshold, the link with scientific creativity disappeared, while the link with artistic creativity became positive. In other words, after this threshold, greater mobile phone dependence was tied to higher artistic creativity. The paper was published in the <a href="https://doi.org/10.1002/jocb.70024"><em>Journal of Creative Behavior</em></a>.</p>
<p>Creativity is the ability to generate original, useful, and meaningful ideas or solutions by combining imagination with knowledge and experience. It involves flexible, divergent thinking and seeing connections that others might overlook.</p>
<p><strong>Artistic creativity</strong> refers to expressing ideas, emotions, or concepts through mediums such as painting, music, writing, or performance, emphasizing aesthetic and emotional impact. <strong>Scientific creativity</strong>, on the other hand, involves problem-solving, hypothesis generation, and innovative experimentation that can advance knowledge or technology.</p>
<p>In adolescents, creativity plays a particularly important role because cognitive abilities, identity formation, and social awareness are rapidly developing. During this stage, young people often show heightened sensitivity to self-expression, making artistic creativity especially important for emotional regulation and identity exploration. Scientific creativity in adolescence emerges through curiosity, questioning assumptions, and experimenting with new ways of understanding the world. Both forms of creativity thrive in supportive environments, such as classrooms that encourage exploration and families that value curiosity.</p>
<p>Study author Qing Wang and colleagues sought to explore the relationship between mobile phone dependence and both artistic and scientific creativity. They hypothesized that higher dependence would be linked to lower self-esteem, which in turn would predict decreased scientific and artistic creativity. They also proposed that higher self-esteem would foster a stronger creative identity, which would then support both forms of creativity.</p>
<p>The study included 2,922 elementary and junior high school students from Beijing, Hubei, Jiangsu, and Zhejiang provinces in China. About 47% were girls, and all participants were Han Chinese. The average age was 12 years, with ages ranging from 10 to 15. Of these, 1,461 participants were elementary school students.</p>
<p>Participants completed several assessments: mobile phone dependence (Test of Mobile Phone Dependence, e.g., “I use my phone when I am feeling lonely” or “I set a time limit on how much I can use my phone, but I am unable to keep it”), everyday creativity across six domains (Middle School Students’ Everyday Creativity Questionnaire), self-esteem (Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale), and creative identity (Short Scale of Creative Self).</p>
<p>The results showed that when mobile phone dependence was low, higher levels of dependence were associated with lower scientific and artistic creativity. However, after dependence crossed a specific threshold, the negative association with scientific creativity disappeared, and the relationship with artistic creativity became positive. In other words, above the threshold, adolescents with higher dependence tended to score higher on artistic creativity.</p>
<p>The researchers also tested a statistical model in which self-esteem and creative identity served as mediators between mobile phone dependence and creativity. The results indicated that this mediation pathway was plausible for both scientific and artistic creativity, but the exact direction of the links depended on whether a participant was above or below the threshold of dependence.</p>
<p>“This finding highlights that educators can mitigate the adverse impacts of MPD [mobile phone dependence] on scientific and artistic creativity by improving adolescent self-esteem. Moreover, educators can mitigate the adverse impacts of MPD on artistic creativity by enhancing creative identity among adolescents with mildly elevated MPD. In particular, educators could improve adolescents’ thought processes involved in self-development through activities such as journaling and self-evaluations. In addition, adolescents’ social comparisons could significantly influence this process, and comparisons with others’ creativity via social media may frequently result in diminished self-esteem,” the study authors concluded.</p>
<p>The study sheds light on the links between mobile phone dependence and creativity. However, it should be noted that the design of this study does not allow any definitive causal inferences to be derived from the results.</p>
<p>The paper, “<a href="https://doi.org/10.1002/jocb.70024">The Different Relationships Between Mobile Phone Dependence and Adolescents’ Scientific and Artistic Creativity: Self-Esteem and Creative Identity as Mediators,</a>” was authored by Qing Wang, Hongfei Xiao, Hao Yin, Jiamin Wei, Shuo Li, and Baoguo Shi.</p></p>
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<p><strong>Forwarded by:<br />
Michael Reeder LCPC<br />
Baltimore, MD</strong></p>
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