Human memory for visual scenes varies according to a number of factors. These include the novelty of the scene, its behavioral relevance, and the subject's attention. Often, people will clearly remember details of the context in which they received shocking news - for example, remembering where they were and what they were doing when they heard that Elvis had died. This raises the possibility that another f ...

It is no wonder attractive human faces are everywhere in media and advertising – when we see those faces, our brains are constantly computing how much the experiences are worth to us. New brain-imaging research shows it's even possible to predict how much people might be willing to pay for a particular face. ...

In a newly published study, scientists from The Scripps Research Institute have shown for the first time that the same molecular mechanisms that drive people into drug addiction are behind the compulsion to overeat, pushing people into obesity. The new study, conducted by Scripps Research Associate Professor Paul J. Kenny and graduate student Paul M. Johnson, was published March 28, 2010 in an advance onlin ...

Medication and behavioral interventions help children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) better maintain attention and self-control by normalising activity in the same brain systems, according to research funded by the Wellcome Trust. In a study published today in the journal Biological Psychiatry, researchers from the University of Nottingham, show that medication has the most significant ...

When faced with a choice that could yield either short-term satisfaction or longer-term benefits, people with complete information about the options generally go for the quick reward, according to new research from University of Texas at Austin psychologists. The findings, available online in the journal Judgment and Decision Making, could help better explain the decisions people make on everything from eat ...

Adults who have both diabetes and major depression are more than twice as likely to develop dementia, compared to adults with diabetes only, according to a study published in the recent Journal of General Internal Medicine. Dementia is the progressive decline of thinking and reasoning abilities. These can include memory loss, difficulty with basic math, wandering, living in the past, personality changes, an ...

Scientists are beginning to find out why people with Parkinson's disease often feel socially awkward. Parkinson's patients find it harder to recognize expressions of emotion in other people's faces and voices, report two studies published by the American Psychological Association. A neurodegenerative disorder, Parkinson's causes tremors, stiffness and balance problems, as well as fairly frequent depression ...