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“Don’t put garlic in your nose”: The dangers of sinusitis misinformation on TikTok
A new study published in the journal Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery sheds light on the quality of sinusitis-related videos on TikTok. Researchers found that nearly half of these videos contain misleading or inaccurate content, primarily propagated by non-medical influencers. This alarming trend highlights the potential risks associated with sourcing health advice from unverified content on social media. Sinusitis, an inflammation of the sinuses, affects about one in seven adults in the United States, leading to an annual medical cost of approximately $5.8 billion. The condition can be tr...
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Babies as young as four months old show intriguing signs of self-awareness
New research reveals that even infants as young as four months old have an innate ability to comprehend how their bodies interact with the world around them. This understanding is evident as they process different sensory information based on the movement of objects they see coming towards them. The study, published in Scientific Reports, highlights early development stages of self-awareness. For decades, scientists have been fascinated by how humans perceive and interact with the space immediately around them—what is known to researchers as “peripersonal space.” This concept explores how we i...
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Tapeworm larvae found in Florida man’s brain – how did they get there?
We have all found ourselves in a place we would rather not be, a school reunion, the never-ending work meeting or a distant relative’s wedding reception. In such situations, it is often a good option to make the best of it. Well, this isn’t just the case for people, it is also an occurrence in the world of parasites – those lifeforms that live in and on us. This was the case for Taenia solium, or pig tapeworm which found itself in an unlikely place. A middle-aged man from Florida with a history of migraines went to the doctor as his headaches were becoming worse and weren’t responding to his u...
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Cat exposure during early life could double schizophrenia risk, meta-analysis suggests
Recent research published in theSchizophrenia Bulletin suggests that exposure to cats in early life may increase the risk of developing schizophrenia and related disorders in young adulthood. The systematic review and meta-analysis found that cat ownership was associated with more than double the odds of experiencing schizophrenia-related disorders. However, the relationship between cat ownership and less severe psychotic-like experiences remains unclear. Schizophrenia, a severe mental disorder characterized by distortions in thinking, perception, emotions, language, sense of self, and behavio...
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Mindfulness might mitigate smartphone addiction, but experiential avoidance intensifies it
In a new study published in the International Journal of Yoga, researchers in India have found significant relationships between mindfulness, the tendency to avoid unpleasant experiences, and problematic smartphone use. The study reveals that while a natural ability to be mindful can reduce the risk of excessive smartphone use, the habit of avoiding distressing situations can increase it by about 25%. These findings underscore the complex interplay between our psychological traits and our interactions with technology. Problematic smartphone use refers to a pattern of smartphone use that is exc...
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Stress and alcohol consumption increase risk of Alzheimer’s disease
A review of the available scientific literature indicates that alcohol consumption and exposure to stress are associated with an increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. However, the specific mechanisms responsible for this association remain unknown. The paper was published in Neurobiology of Stress. Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive neurological disorder that primarily affects elderly individuals, leading to memory loss, cognitive decline, and personality changes. It is caused by the buildup of abnormal proteins in and around brain cells – amyloid plaques and tau tangl...
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Dark personality traits are linked to gaslighting in relationships, study finds
A recent publication in the Journal of Family Violence reveals that individuals with certain “dark” personality traits are more likely to accept the use of gaslighting tactics in intimate relationships. The study also found gender differences, with men generally more accepting of these tactics, a trend significantly influenced by primary psychopathy and vulnerable narcissism. Gaslighting is a form of psychological manipulation where one person sows seeds of doubt in a victim, making them question their own memory, perception, or sanity. The term originates from the 1938 play “Gas Light” where ...
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Time warps when you workout: Study confirms exercise slows our perception of time
Recent research published in the journal Brain and Behavior has revealed a fascinating aspect of human psychology: our perception of time can be altered by physical exercise. Specifically, individuals tend to experience time as moving slower when they are exercising compared to when they are at rest or after completing their exercise. This study is pioneering in its approach, using a standardized test to measure time perception during self-paced, maximal exercise—a scenario that closely mirrors real athletic performance. The concept that psychological time can differ from chronological time wa...
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Parental victimhood perceptions influence children’s social engagement across ethnic lines
A new study in the European Journal of Social Psychology explores how the competitive victimhood perceptions of parents — beliefs that their group has suffered more than others — impact their children’s willingness to engage with kids from rival groups. The findings provide new insights into the challenges of overcoming historical grievances and the role of intergenerational transmission of biases in sustaining conflict. Even decades after the cessation of active conflict, societies often remain divided, with historical grievances deeply embedded in the collective memory of communities. These ...
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Heightened immigrant stress in the United States under two most recent presidential administrations
Researchers from Loyola University Chicago and The University of Tennessee Knoxville have found that stress and discrimination levels among immigrants in the United States varied significantly across the two most recent federal administrations. Under President Donald Trump, non-White immigrants experienced considerably higher levels of stress and discrimination compared to their White counterparts, a disparity that was not evident during President Joe Biden’s term. The findings have been published in the Journal of Evidence-Based Social Work. The U.S. is a melting pot of cultures, with immigra...
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