DATE: April 05, 2025 at 10:00AM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG

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TITLE: Scientists find age-related links between beverage choices and mental health risks

URL: https://www.psypost.org/scientists-find-age-related-links-between-beverage-choices-and-mental-health-risks/

A large study has found that different types of beverages are linked to the likelihood of developing depression and anxiety disorders. The study, published in the Journal of Affective Disorders, found that higher intake of sugary and artificially sweetened drinks was related to a greater risk of depression among younger adults, while fruit juices and coffee were associated with a lower risk of both depression and anxiety across age groups.

The researchers, based at Wenzhou Medical University in China, conducted the study to explore how beverage choices might influence the risk of depression and anxiety disorders. While previous studies have suggested possible links between diet and mental health, most focused on broad dietary patterns or small groups. There has been less clarity on how specific beverages relate to mental health outcomes, especially across different age groups.

With mental health conditions on the rise globally, the research team wanted to examine whether commonly consumed drinks—like sugary soft drinks, diet beverages, fruit juice, coffee, milk, and tea—are linked to long-term mental health outcomes, and whether replacing one type of beverage with another might make a difference.

To answer these questions, the researchers used data from the UK Biobank, a large-scale health study that follows over 500,000 people in the United Kingdom. For this study, they focused on 188,355 adults between the ages of 37 and 73. Participants had completed one or more online diet surveys between 2009 and 2012.

These surveys recorded how many servings of specific beverages participants had consumed the previous day. One serving was defined as a glass, can, carton, or 250 milliliters. The study tracked six types of drinks: sugar-sweetened beverages (like soft drinks), artificially sweetened beverages (such as diet sodas), pure fruit and vegetable juices, milk, coffee, and tea.

To determine mental health outcomes, the researchers analyzed 11 years worth of hospital and primary care records. They identified new diagnoses of depression and anxiety using standardized medical codes. People who already had depression or anxiety at the start of the study were excluded. The analysis adjusted for a wide range of lifestyle, dietary, and health factors that might influence mental health, including age, sex, socioeconomic status, physical activity, body weight, sleep habits, smoking, alcohol use, and overall diet quality.

Over the follow-up period, more than 5,800 participants developed depression and over 6,400 developed anxiety disorders. Among people under age 60, those who drank more than one serving of sugar-sweetened beverages per day had a 14 percent higher risk of developing depression compared to those who avoided them. Similarly, those who drank more than one serving of artificially sweetened drinks per day had a 23 percent higher risk. On the other hand, people under 60 who consumed more than one serving of pure fruit or vegetable juice each day had a 19 percent lower risk of depression, while those who drank coffee regularly had a 12 percent lower risk. Coffee was also linked to a reduced risk of anxiety in this age group.

In people aged 60 and older, the patterns were somewhat different. There was no clear link between sugary or artificially sweetened drinks and mental health. However, drinking more pure fruit or vegetable juice and coffee was again associated with a lower risk of both depression and anxiety. Tea and milk did not show consistent relationships with either condition, although replacing milk with coffee or juice in this older group was associated with reduced risk.

To better understand how beverage swaps might influence mental health, the researchers performed a substitution analysis. This method estimates what might happen if one type of drink is replaced by another. For adults under 60, replacing one daily serving of a sugar-sweetened drink with a serving of pure fruit juice or coffee was linked to a significantly lower risk of both depression and anxiety. For example, switching from soda to juice was associated with a 16 percent lower risk of depression. For older adults, replacing milk with fruit juice or coffee was associated with a lower risk of both conditions.

The study’s findings remained consistent across various types of statistical analyses. These included removing participants who were current smokers or had early diagnoses, testing the results using different models, and examining the effects over shorter and longer time frames. These steps were taken to reduce the chance that the results could be explained by other factors or by changes in behavior that occurred after early symptoms of mental illness.

Despite its large sample size, the study has some limitations to consider. First, it relied on medical records to identify depression and anxiety diagnoses, which might miss milder cases that never reached clinical attention. The researchers also acknowledged that their findings are observational. This means they can show associations, but not prove that the beverages themselves caused the mental health outcomes. It is possible that people who were already at higher risk for depression or anxiety tended to drink more sweetened beverages, rather than the other way around.

The study, “Ages-specific beverage consumption and its association with depression and anxiety disorders: A prospective cohort study in 188,355 participants,” was authored by Jiali Xie, Zhixian Huang, Yinan Mo, Yixuan Pan, Yubin Ruan, Wen Cao, Yinuo Chen, Yaojia Li, Kezheng Li, Danqing Yu, and Binbin Deng.

URL: https://www.psypost.org/scientists-find-age-related-links-between-beverage-choices-and-mental-health-risks/

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DATE: April 05, 2025 at 08:00AM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG

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TITLE: Disrupted sleep and circadian rhythms linked to opioid addiction and relapse risk

URL: https://www.psypost.org/disrupted-sleep-and-circadian-rhythms-linked-to-opioid-addiction-and-relapse-risk/

A good night’s sleep often sets the stage for a positive day. But for the nearly quarter of American adults struggling with mental illness, a good night’s rest is often elusive.

For patients with psychiatric conditions from addiction to mood disorders such as depression, disrupted sleep can often exacerbate symptoms and make it harder to stay on treatment.

Despite the important role circadian rhythms and sleep play in addiction, neuroscientists like me are only now beginning to understand the molecular mechanisms behind these effects.

Sleep and addictive drugs have an entangled relationship. Most addictive drugs can alter sleep-wake cycles, and sleep disorders in people using drugs are linked to addiction severity and relapse. While this poses a classic “chicken-or-egg” dilemma, it also presents an opportunity to understand how the sleep-addiction connection could unlock new treatments.

Circadian rhythms and health

At the center of the connection between sleep and mental health lies circadian rhythms: your body’s internal clock.

These rhythms align your bodily functions with your environment, synchronizing your body to day and night down to the molecular level. It does this through a series of proteins that interact in a feedback loop, turning genes on and off in regular patterns to support specific functions. Although your sleep-wake cycles are the most visible expression of circadian rhythms, these rhythms orchestrate most of your physiology.

If you have ever traveled across time zones, you have likely experienced a common form of circadian disruption called jet lag. This misalignment impairs your sleep and concentration, and can leave you feeling irritable.

While jet lag is a temporary nuisance, chronic circadian disruption such as frequent night shifts can lead to long-term health consequences, including an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes.

Circadian rhythms, sleep and opioid use

A major focus of my lab is on opioid addiction, a disease that has claimed nearly 80,000 lives a year since 2021 in the U.S. and has limited treatment options.

People addicted to opioids often experience disruptions to circadian rhythms, such as in their sleep and their levels of corticotropin, a key hormone that regulates stress. These disruptions are associated with many negative health consequences. In the short term, these disruptions can impair cognitive functions such as attention and increase negative emotions. Over time this can worsen mental and physical health. Studies of opioid addiction in mice reveal similar disruptions in sleep and various hormonal rhythms.

Importantly, poor sleep is common throughout a person’s experience with opioid use disorder, from actively using to withdrawal from opioids, and even while on treatment. This complication can have profound consequences. Studies have linked sleep disruption to a 2.5-fold increased risk of relapse among those undergoing treatment.

Unlocking the clock for opioid addiction

Using brain tissue from deceased donors and experiments in mice, my team is identifying molecular changes associated with psychiatric disorders in people. We model these changes in mice to explore how they affect disease severity and behavior.

Through genetic sequencing and computer modeling, my lab is able to profile all the RNA molecules in a brain region and understand how their rhythmicity – the peaks and troughs of their activity across the day – changes due to opioids. This provides a complete snapshot of which genes change at what time, allowing my team to peer into the molecular mechanics that may drive opioid addiction.

For example, we looked at two brain regions strongly associated with addiction: the nucleus accumbens and the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. We found that patients with opioid addiction had completely different gene expression patterns in these brain regions compared with those without addiction. Some genes had adopted a completely different rhythm of activity, while others had lost their rhythmicity altogether.

Genes that lost rhythmicity included those involved in various components of the molecular clock and those linked to sleep duration. This further highlights how circadian disruption is a symptom of opioid use while beginning to uncover its underlying mechanisms.

In work that is pending peer review, my team focused on one major gene that lost rhythmicity in patients with opioid addiction: NPAS2. This component of the molecular clock is highly active in the nucleus accumbens and important for sleep and circadian regulation. We found that blocking functional NPAS2 formation led to increased fentanyl-seeking behavior in mice. Interestingly, we observed that female mice were willing to press a lever more times than male mice to obtain fentanyl, reflecting documented sex differences in opioid addiction among people. In another study, we also found that lack of NPAS2 exacerbated sleep disruption in mice that were administered fentanyl.

Together, our findings reinforce the role circadian rhythms play in addiction. Future work may clarify whether targeting NPAS2 could treat opioid addiction symptoms. Quality sleep isn’t just about waking up refreshed – it could also lead to reduced opioid use and fewer overdoses.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

URL: https://www.psypost.org/disrupted-sleep-and-circadian-rhythms-linked-to-opioid-addiction-and-relapse-risk/

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DATE: April 05, 2025 at 06:00AM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG

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TITLE: Teens with depression show unique eye movement patterns linked to memory and attention problems

URL: https://www.psypost.org/teens-with-depression-show-unique-eye-movement-patterns-linked-to-memory-and-attention-problems/

A new study published in Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging has found that adolescents with major depressive disorder display unusual eye movement patterns, which are linked to cognitive problems such as memory and attention deficits. The researchers used eye-tracking technology to compare the visual behavior of adolescents with and without depression during different visual tasks. They found that certain eye movement characteristics were significantly different in adolescents with depression and were associated with poorer performance on cognitive tests.

Major depressive disorder often begins during adolescence, a period of intense emotional, social, and cognitive development. Depression in teenagers is not only becoming more common but also tends to recur and interfere with many areas of life, including school, family relationships, and social functioning. In many cases, even when mood symptoms improve with treatment, cognitive difficulties—like trouble with memory, attention, and understanding social cues—can persist. These problems can make it hard for adolescents to return to normal daily activities and may contribute to poor treatment outcomes and higher relapse rates.

In recent years, researchers have become interested in using eye-tracking technology as a non-invasive way to study how the brain processes information. Eye movements, including how often people look at certain parts of an image or how well they can follow a moving object, are known to reflect underlying cognitive processes. For example, smooth and coordinated eye movements require good attention control, while frequent or erratic eye movements might indicate difficulty with focus or information processing. Since brain areas involved in eye control also play a role in cognitive functioning, the researchers wanted to explore whether eye movement patterns could serve as indicators of cognitive problems in depressed adolescents.

The study was carried out by researchers at Central South University’s Second Xiangya Hospital in China. They recruited a total of 113 participants aged 12 to 17 years. Of these, 71 had been diagnosed with major depressive disorder, while the remaining 42 were healthy adolescents with no psychiatric conditions. All participants had normal or corrected-to-normal vision, and those with other medical or neurological issues were excluded. The researchers collected demographic information, assessed depression severity using standardized questionnaires, and evaluated cognitive performance using a battery of neuropsychological tests.

Cognitive testing included measures of memory, attention, language, and social reasoning. For example, the Children’s Depression Inventory and the Hamilton Depression Scale were used to evaluate mood symptoms, while the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (RBANS) measured various areas of cognitive functioning. Social cognition was assessed using a test designed to measure the ability to detect social blunders, known as the faux pas test.

Eye movement data were collected using a high-precision eye tracker that monitored the dominant eye while participants completed two tasks. The first was a free-viewing task, in which participants were shown a series of neutral images—such as landscapes and geometric shapes—for eight seconds each. The second was a smooth pursuit task, which involved tracking a dot moving in a complex sinusoidal pattern across the screen. The researchers measured various aspects of eye movement, including how many times participants looked at different parts of the image (fixation count), how long their eyes remained still (fixation duration), and how fast and far their eyes moved (saccade measures).

When comparing the groups, the researchers found several differences in both cognitive functioning and eye movement patterns. Adolescents with depression scored significantly lower on overall cognitive performance, particularly in areas related to immediate memory, attention, and delayed memory. They also performed worse on the faux pas test, suggesting difficulties in understanding social situations.

In the free-viewing task, the depressed group showed a smaller average saccade amplitude, meaning their eye movements covered shorter distances as they scanned the images. This could indicate a more restricted or cautious visual exploration pattern. In the smooth pursuit task, which tests the ability to follow moving targets, the depressed group showed more frequent fixations and saccades. These patterns suggest that they may have had difficulty smoothly tracking the moving object and had to compensate with more frequent adjustments.

The most interesting part of the study came from the correlations between eye movement variables and cognitive test scores. In the group with depression, some specific eye movement characteristics were linked to better or worse cognitive performance. For example, more frequent fixations were associated with better immediate memory, while longer fixation durations were linked to poorer memory. Faster eye movements and longer saccade durations were connected with better attention and memory. One measure—the number of saccades in a complex background tracking task—was also positively associated with better performance on the faux pas test, suggesting that how adolescents scan visual scenes may reflect how well they can understand social situations.

These associations were not observed in the healthy group, indicating that the eye movement patterns seen in the depressed group may reflect compensatory strategies or underlying difficulties specific to the condition. For instance, adolescents with depression may rely on faster or more frequent eye movements to make up for cognitive limitations, particularly in tasks that require sustained attention or memory encoding.

The study adds to growing evidence that eye-tracking can serve as a useful tool for understanding how depression affects the brain and behavior. It also highlights the potential for using eye movement data as part of clinical assessments, especially for detecting subtle cognitive deficits that might not be apparent through traditional interviews or questionnaires.

However, the study has several limitations. All of the participants with depression were already receiving treatment, so it is unclear how medications may have influenced their cognitive functioning or eye movements. The groups also differed in age and gender distribution, which could affect the results. Additionally, the tasks used were relatively simple and involved neutral images, which might not fully capture how adolescents with depression respond to more emotionally charged or socially complex situations. The cross-sectional design also limits the ability to determine whether eye movement abnormalities cause cognitive problems, result from them, or develop alongside them.

The researchers suggest that future studies should explore these relationships using more varied tasks, longitudinal designs, and possibly treatment-naive patients. They also emphasize the need to refine eye movement tests to better capture the unique features of adolescent cognitive development.

The study, “The association between eye movement characteristics and cognitive function in adolescents with major depressive disorder,” was authored by Yuanyuan Lu, Lintong Song, Chunxiang Huang, Tianqing Fan, Jinqiao Huang, Leyin Zhang, Xuerong Luo, Yanhua Li, and Yanmei Shen.

URL: https://www.psypost.org/teens-with-depression-show-unique-eye-movement-patterns-linked-to-memory-and-attention-problems/

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DATE: April 04, 2025 at 12:00PM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG

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TITLE: Scientists observe surprising link between mindset and vaccine outcomes

URL: https://www.psypost.org/scientists-observe-surprising-link-between-mindset-and-vaccine-outcomes/

New research published in Brain, Behavior, Immunity – Health suggests that how people think about the COVID-19 vaccine might shape their experience—both psychologically and biologically. Individuals with a more positive mindset about the vaccine reported fewer side effects, less anxiety on the day of vaccination, and greater happiness in the days that followed. One specific belief—that side effects signal the vaccine is working—was linked with stronger immune responses, as measured by neutralizing antibody levels, even months after vaccination.

“We were interested in this topic because there’s increasing evidence that how people think about health interventions—like vaccines—can influence how they experience them,” explained study author Darwin A. Guevarra, an assistant professor of psychology at Miami University.

“Given the global rollout of COVID-19 vaccines and the variability in people’s reactions, we wanted to know whether psychological factors, like mindsets, might help explain differences in both biological and emotional responses.”

“This study adds to growing evidence that our minds and bodies are deeply connected. Even small shifts in mindset—how we frame what we’re experiencing—can potentially make a big difference in how we respond to medical interventions. That’s both exciting and empowering.”

The researchers conducted a prospective study involving 534 healthy adults in the San Francisco Bay Area. These participants had not yet been infected with COVID-19 and had not received a vaccine at the start of the study. They were enrolled between March and April 2021, just as vaccination campaigns were expanding. Each participant received one of three vaccines—Johnson Johnson, Moderna, or Pfizer—and was tracked over time to see how their beliefs about the vaccine related to their biological and emotional responses.

Participants answered surveys about their beliefs and feelings on the day of their vaccination and in the days afterward. These surveys assessed general optimism, anxiety, and emotional well-being, as well as more specific beliefs, such as whether they thought the vaccine would protect them, whether they believed their body would respond well, and whether they saw side effects as a sign the vaccine was working.

Blood samples were collected at three time points: before vaccination, about one month after, and again at six months. These blood samples were analyzed to measure levels of neutralizing antibodies—proteins the body produces to fight the virus.

When researchers analyzed the data, they found that participants who had a more positive overall mindset about the vaccine reported fewer side effects and less anxiety on the day they were vaccinated. They also reported feeling less stressed and sad, and more joyful in the days that followed. These effects were strongest on the day of vaccination and gradually declined over the next five days.

Importantly, these results remained even after accounting for other factors like general optimism, suggesting that specific beliefs about the vaccine played a unique role.

In more targeted analyses, the researchers found that people who believed their body would respond well to the vaccine or who believed the vaccine would protect them also tended to experience fewer side effects and less anxiety. They also reported better emotional outcomes.

Interestingly, however, these specific beliefs did not predict a stronger antibody response. The only belief that did was the mindset that side effects are a sign the vaccine is working. People who held this belief had higher neutralizing antibody levels at both the one-month and six-month follow-ups, suggesting a possible link between this specific expectation and the body’s immune response.

“What you believe about a vaccine before getting it might shape your reaction to it,” Guevarra told PsyPost. “People with a more positive mindset about the vaccine––such as believing it would work or that their body would respond well––reported fewer side effects, less anxiety, and better mood after vaccination. In some cases, specific beliefs, such as viewing side effects as a sign that the vaccine is working, were even linked to stronger antibody responses.”

This pattern raises the possibility that interpreting side effects as a positive sign could alter how the body reacts at a biological level. While the exact mechanisms remain unclear, one explanation is that this mindset reduces stress responses, which have been shown in previous studies to influence immune functioning. Another possibility is that the belief encourages greater engagement with the experience—people may be more likely to rest, hydrate, or otherwise care for themselves if they see symptoms as meaningful rather than threatening.

But the study, like all research, has limitations to consider. While the study design was prospective—meaning beliefs were measured before outcomes—it was not an experimental study. This means that the researchers cannot say for sure that mindsets caused the observed effects. It’s possible that other unmeasured factors played a role.

“Also, our sample generally had very positive vaccine mindsets to begin with, which might limit the range of effects we could observe,” Guevarra noted. “We need more research in groups with more varied beliefs about vaccination.”

Despite these caveats, the findings align with a growing body of research showing that how people think about treatments can influence how effective those treatments feel—and even how the body responds. Studies of non-deceptive placebos, for example, have shown that people can experience real emotional and physical benefits even when they know they are not receiving an active drug.

In one such study published in Nature Communications, people who were told a saline nasal spray was a placebo still experienced less emotional distress when shown upsetting images, and brain scans confirmed changes in neural markers of distress.

“Many people might find these results surprising, but they actually align with what we already know from decades of research,” Guevarra explained. “The brain communicates with every major physiological system, including the immune system. Studies in placebo science and psychoneuroimmunology have shown that our beliefs and expectations can influence how our bodies respond to illness and treatment. What’s new here is applying that framework to vaccine response—an area that hasn’t been thoroughly studied before. More work is needed to replicate these findings and uncover the biological pathways involved.”

The implications are wide-ranging. If mindset interventions can reliably improve how people experience vaccination, they could be used to ease fear, reduce side effects, and even boost immunity.

“Our goal is to better understand how mindset interventions could be used alongside medical treatments to improve health outcomes,” Guevarra told PsyPost. “If we can identify simple, scalable ways to shift people’s beliefs—like short videos or messages delivered before treatment—we might be able to reduce side effects, improve emotional well-being, and even enhance physiological responses.”

The study, “Examining the association of vaccine-related mindsets and post-vaccination antibody response, side effects, and affective outcomes,” was authored by Darwin A. Guevarra, Ethan G. Dutcher, Alia J. Crum, Aric A. Prather, and Elissa S. Epel.

URL: https://www.psypost.org/scientists-observe-surprising-link-between-mindset-and-vaccine-outcomes/

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DATE: April 04, 2025 at 10:00AM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG

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TITLE: New study finds link between ADHD symptoms and distressing sexual problems

URL: https://www.psypost.org/new-study-finds-link-between-adhd-symptoms-and-distressing-sexual-problems/

A new study published in the Archives of Sexual Behavior has found that adults who show signs of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder are more likely to experience problems with sexual function and distress about their sex lives. People who met the threshold for likely ADHD were over twice as likely to report distressing sexual issues compared to those without ADHD symptoms. The findings suggest that difficulties with attention and emotional regulation may play a role in these sexual concerns.

ADHD is a neurodevelopmental condition that includes problems with attention, distractibility, impulsivity, and emotion regulation. These core difficulties can impact many aspects of daily life. Researchers have long suspected that these challenges may also interfere with sexual functioning. Sexual activity, after all, often requires focus and emotional attunement—traits that can be disrupted by ADHD symptoms.

While earlier studies offered mixed results, many had small sample sizes and didn’t assess sexual distress, which is an essential factor in diagnosing sexual dysfunction. The new study sought to clarify these connections using a large sample and validated measurement tools.

To investigate the link between ADHD symptoms and sexual problems, the researchers collected data from 943 adults living in Canada. Participants were recruited through an online platform and completed a set of questionnaires assessing their attention-related symptoms, sexual function, and feelings of sexual distress. Of the total sample, 106 people met the threshold for a likely ADHD diagnosis based on a widely used screening tool developed by the World Health Organization.

Sexual functioning was assessed with the Arizona Sexual Experiences Scale, which looks at several areas including sexual desire, arousal, ability to reach orgasm, satisfaction with orgasm, and physical responses like lubrication or erection. To evaluate distress related to sexual issues, the researchers used a short form of the Sexual Distress Scale, which measures how often someone feels anxious, frustrated, or inadequate because of problems with their sex life.

After analyzing the data, the researchers found that greater ADHD symptom severity was linked to more problems with sexual functioning and more frequent sexual distress. Specifically, people with more ADHD symptoms reported greater difficulty reaching orgasm and less satisfaction when they did. These individuals were also more likely to feel worried or upset about their sex lives.

When comparing people with likely ADHD to those without, the differences were especially clear in certain domains. Those with ADHD symptoms reported more problems with orgasm ability and orgasm satisfaction. They also had higher levels of sexual distress overall. However, there were no significant differences between the groups in sexual desire, arousal, or physical readiness for sex, such as lubrication or erection. This pattern suggests that attention-related symptoms may interfere more with the later stages of sexual response, particularly those that require sustained focus or regulation of sensations.

The study also explored whether age, sex, and sexual orientation might influence these patterns. Age did seem to matter: younger participants with ADHD symptoms showed stronger associations with orgasm difficulties than older participants. This might be because ADHD symptoms often decrease in intensity with age.

The researchers also found that sex assigned at birth moderated the relationship between ADHD symptoms and sexual distress. While the association was present in both males and females, it was stronger in males. One possible explanation is that men with ADHD may feel more pressure to perform sexually, and problems with orgasm could carry more emotional weight because of social expectations around male sexual performance.

Another key finding was that individuals with likely ADHD were more than twice as likely as those without to meet the clinical criteria for distressing sexual dysfunction. This means that their sexual difficulties were not just present but also causing meaningful emotional harm. When the researchers looked more closely, they found that the link between ADHD symptoms and sexual distress could be partly explained by emotion regulation difficulties. People with ADHD often struggle to manage intense emotions, and this may make sexual problems feel more upsetting and harder to cope with.

“Taken together, these data support associations between ADHD and distressing sexual function problems, and difficulties with emotion regulation as a potential mechanism underlying ADHD and sexual dysfunction,” the researchers concluded.

However, there are some limitations to keep in mind. The study did not include clinical interviews to confirm ADHD diagnoses, so some participants with high scores might not meet formal criteria. It’s also possible that other mental health conditions, such as anxiety or depression, could account for some of the findings.

Despite these limitations, the results offer new insight into how ADHD symptoms may affect sexual well-being. The study supports the idea that attention and emotion regulation difficulties—core features of ADHD—can interfere with sexual satisfaction and contribute to distress. It also highlights the importance of assessing sexual health in people with ADHD, something that is often overlooked in both clinical and research settings.

The study, “Distressing Problems with Sexual Function and Symptoms of Attention‑Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder,” was authored by Simone Y. Goldberg, Maya C. Thulin, Hyoun S. Kim, and Samantha J. Dawson.

URL: https://www.psypost.org/new-study-finds-link-between-adhd-symptoms-and-distressing-sexual-problems/

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DATE: April 04, 2025 at 08:00AM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG

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TITLE: Moderate to vigorous physical activity linked to larger hippocampal volume in young adults

URL: https://www.psypost.org/moderate-to-vigorous-physical-activity-linked-to-larger-hippocampal-volume-in-young-adults/

A study of young adults in Spain found that those who engage in moderate to vigorous physical activity tend to have larger volumes in the CA2/CA3 region of the hippocampus—a part of the brain crucial for memory and spatial navigation. The findings were published in the journal Brain Imaging and Behavior.

The hippocampus is a small, curved structure located deep within the brain. It plays a central role in forming, organizing, and retrieving memories. As part of the limbic system, it helps consolidate information from short-term memory into long-term memory and supports spatial memory, which enables us to navigate the world around us.

For many years, it was believed that the brain stopped producing new neurons after childhood. However, more recent research has shown that neurogenesis—the creation of new neurons—continues into adulthood, particularly in the hippocampus. This phenomenon is known as adult hippocampal neurogenesis.

Estimates suggest that adult humans produce roughly 700 new neurons per day in each hemisphere of the hippocampus. However, the survival of these new neurons depends on whether they are successfully integrated into existing brain circuits. If they are not incorporated soon after forming, they typically die off. In humans, successful incorporation appears to depend on learning—especially effortful learning. Animal studies, such as those involving mice, have shown that running can stimulate hippocampal neurogenesis, suggesting that physical activity may promote the growth of new neurons and help maintain existing ones.

In this study, lead author Anastasia Cherednichenko and her colleagues set out to explore the relationship between physical activity and hippocampal gray matter volume in two key subregions: CA2/CA3 and CA4/dentate gyrus (DG). They also investigated whether self-reported versus objectively measured physical activity was more closely linked to hippocampal volume, and examined the potential role of personality traits—specifically punishment sensitivity and anxiety-proneness.

Gray matter volume refers to the volume of neuron cell bodies in a given brain region. The CA2/CA3 and CA4/DG subfields of the hippocampus are involved in memory formation and spatial navigation. The CA2/CA3 region facilitates the creation of new synaptic connections that underpin learning, while the CA4/DG plays a critical role in neurogenesis and the integration of new memories.

The study included 84 healthy young adults (43 women) with an average age of 23. Participants were recruited from the student population at Universitat Jaume I in Castellón de la Plana, Spain, through posters, social media, and word of mouth.

To objectively measure physical activity, participants wore a GENEActiv accelerometer on their non-dominant wrist for seven consecutive days. These wrist-worn devices continuously recorded movement, allowing researchers to assess time spent in light, moderate, and vigorous physical activity, as well as sedentary behavior. After the seven-day monitoring period, participants underwent a high-resolution MRI scan to assess hippocampal volume. They also completed the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire (GPAQ) to self-report their typical activity levels, and filled out personality questionnaires, including the Behavioral Inhibition System/Behavioral Activation System (BIS/BAS) scales.

The results showed that participants who engaged in moderate to vigorous physical activity, as measured by the accelerometer, had significantly larger volumes in the CA2/CA3 subregion of the hippocampus. There was also a smaller, marginally significant increase in CA4/DG volume associated with MVPA. Additionally, participants who engaged in light physical activity showed slightly higher CA2/CA3 volumes, although this effect was weaker and did not reach statistical significance after correcting for multiple comparisons.

In contrast, self-reported physical activity levels were not associated with hippocampal volume in any region. However, self-reported activity levels were linked to personality traits: individuals who reported higher physical activity levels tended to have lower sensitivity to punishment and lower anxiety-proneness, as indicated by lower BIS scores. Similarly, participants who spent less time in sedentary behavior (according to the accelerometer) also scored lower on anxiety-proneness, particularly among men.

“The current study showed that objectively measured PA [physical activity] is positively associated with hippocampal CA2/CA3 volume in young adults. The pattern of relationships between PA and punishment sensitivity revealed a negative relationship between both variables when using self-reported measures of PA, but an inverse relationship with accelerometry derived sedentarism measure,” the study authors concluded.

The study sheds light on the links between hippocampal volume and physical activity. However, it should be noted that the study was conducted on a small group of (primarily) university students. Results on other demographic groups might not be the same. Additionally, the design of the study does not allow any causal inferences to be derived from the results.

The paper, “Physical activity and hippocampal volume in young adults,” was authored by Anastasia Cherednichenko, Anna Miró-Padilla, Jesús Adrián-Ventura, Irene Monzonís-Carda, Maria Reyes Beltran-Valls, Diego Moliner-Urdiales, and César Ávila.

URL: https://www.psypost.org/moderate-to-vigorous-physical-activity-linked-to-larger-hippocampal-volume-in-young-adults/

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DATE: April 04, 2025 at 06:00AM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG

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TITLE: What people love most about sex, according to new psychology research

URL: https://www.psypost.org/what-people-love-most-about-sex-according-to-a-national-study/

A new study published in the Journal of Sex & Marital Therapy sheds light on what people in the United States say they most enjoy about being sexual with a partner. Drawing from a large, nationally representative sample, researchers found that emotional closeness, physical pleasure, specific sex acts, expressions of love, giving pleasure to a partner, and orgasm were among the most commonly mentioned highlights of sexual experiences.

This research stands out from much of the existing literature on sexuality, which tends to focus on problems or risks, such as sexually transmitted infections, dysfunction, or coercion. Instead, the authors sought to better understand what people find positive or rewarding about sex.

Their goal was to give voice to sexual joy and pleasure, and to inform efforts in sexual health education, clinical care, and public health messaging. By asking open-ended questions and allowing people to respond in their own words, the researchers hoped to uncover a richer and more diverse picture of sexual experiences than what is typically captured by multiple-choice surveys.

The research team, led by Debby Herbenick at Indiana University, used data from the 2012 National Survey of Sexual Health and Behavior. This survey included over 4,000 adults in the United States and used a probability-based sampling method to ensure that the results could be generalized to the wider population. Participants who reported having had partnered sex at some point in their lives were asked to write about their favorite things about being sexual with a partner. Of the 4,030 eligible participants, 2,755 provided usable responses to the open-ended question.

To analyze the responses, a team of trained coders reviewed the answers and developed a set of 22 categories that captured the major themes. These included emotional aspects like intimacy and love, physical sensations such as pleasure and arousal, specific sexual activities, and other dimensions like trust, adventure, or feelings of relaxation. The researchers used a qualitative method known as consensual qualitative research, which emphasizes collaboration among coders and recognition of the context in which responses are given.

Six themes stood out as the most frequently mentioned: closeness and intimacy, specific sex acts, general feelings of physical pleasure, expressions of love or care, giving pleasure to one’s partner, and orgasm. These themes showed up across demographic groups and life stages, although the ways in which people expressed them varied.

The most common theme, mentioned by over 900 people, was closeness and intimacy. Participants described feeling emotionally connected, present, and united with their partner. This could include cuddling, being held, or simply feeling like the rest of the world faded away during sex. Many wrote about the sense of security and warmth that comes from being close to someone they trust and care about. These responses came from both men and women, across a broad range of ages, and highlighted the importance of emotional connection in sexual satisfaction.

The next most common theme focused on specific sex acts. Nearly 900 participants mentioned activities such as kissing, oral sex, cuddling, using sex toys, or trying different positions. Some people enjoyed a combination of acts, while others highlighted a single favorite. These responses pointed to the variety in how people experience pleasure and the different ways they like to express themselves sexually.

About 400 people said simply that sex “feels good”—describing it as pleasurable, exciting, or satisfying. Some talked about the intense physical sensations, while others focused on the mental or emotional boost it gave them. A few contrasted this with past experiences where sex had been painful or emotionally difficult, and emphasized how meaningful it was to now enjoy it in a positive way.

Love and care were another important theme. More than 300 participants said their favorite thing about sex was that it was an expression of love, or that it deepened the emotional bond with their partner. Many wrote about feeling appreciated, cherished, or truly wanted. Others described sex as a way to show affection or maintain closeness during tough times in a relationship.

Around 240 people said they most enjoyed making their partner feel good. For them, giving pleasure—whether through touch, oral sex, or simply being attentive—was deeply satisfying. They described feeling proud, happy, or emotionally moved when their partner responded with moans, laughter, or signs of joy.

Although orgasm was also mentioned, it was less prominent than the other themes, with 231 participants listing it as their favorite part of sex. Some described it as an intense release, others as a shared moment of peak pleasure. A few said they liked to prolong the experience rather than rush to climax.

Other themes appeared less frequently but added depth to the findings. These included feelings of arousal, the calming or therapeutic effect of sex, desire and passion, the thrill of novelty or adventure, physical attraction to a partner’s body, trust, and even enjoyment of kink or BDSM. Some older participants described being celibate and reflected on how their relationship to sex had changed over time.

A few participants expressed negative or indifferent feelings. Some said they did not like sex at all or had never found it particularly meaningful. Others mentioned past trauma, health changes, or loss of a partner as reasons they were no longer sexually active. These responses added a layer of nuance, suggesting that sexual experiences and preferences are shaped by life history, health, and relational context.

The study has some limitations. The responses were collected in 2012, and people’s experiences of sex may have evolved since then, particularly given social and technological changes. The survey only asked about partnered sex, leaving out solo sexual activities like masturbation. And because the open-ended question was placed at the end of the survey, some participants may have skipped it due to fatigue or time constraints. Also, while the qualitative approach allowed for a wide range of responses, the interpretation of those responses inevitably reflected the perspectives of the research team.

Nevertheless, the study adds a significant contribution to the growing field of sex-positive research. By asking people directly what they enjoy about sex—without imposing pre-set answers—the researchers were able to capture the richness and diversity of sexual pleasure across the population.

The study, “What Are Americans’ Favorite Aspects of Partnered Sex? Findings From a U.S. Nationally Representative Survey,” was authored by Debby Herbenick, Callie Patterson Perry, Bethany Lumsdaine, Tsung-chieh Fu, Mary Balle, Owen Miller, Ruhun Wasata and J. Dennis Fortenberry.

URL: https://www.psypost.org/what-people-love-most-about-sex-according-to-a-national-study/

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