APA Blogs
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Body Dysmorphic Disorder and a Culture of Perfection
Body dysmorphic disorder is an obsessive-compulsive related disorder that has garnered some media attention recently. Contrary to the offhand way it sometimes referred to in the media, body dysmorphic disorder is a serious mental health condition with potentially severe consequences. Individuals with body dysmorphic disorder are preoccupied with what they see as flaws in their physical appearance. They believe they look ugly or abnormal. These flaws are not noticeable to others or only seem to others as very minor.
Possible Link Between Personality in High School and Dementia Risk
Can a person’s personality type in high school increase their risk of dementia late in life? A new study finds a connection between certain personality types and an increased risk of dementia later in life. The study, published in JAMA Psychiatry in October 2019, looked at data on more than 80,000 participants in the Project Talent, a national sample of high school students in 1960, and Medicare data on dementia more than 50 years later, between 2011 and 2013.
Deep Brain Stimulation Shows Promise for People with Severe Depression
A new study finds potentially long-lasting benefits of deep brain stimulation (DBS) for people who have not responded to other treatments for severe depression. DBS is commonly used to treat Parkinson’s disease and it is also approved to treat epilepsy, essential tremor (a neurological disorder that causes shaking), dystonia (a movement disorder) and obsessive-compulsive disorder. It is being studied to treat other conditions, including treatment-resistant depression.
One in Three Students Impacted by Cyberbullying
October is National Bullying Prevention Month, raising awareness and focusing attention on ways to prevent bullying. While much of the focus is on bullying in schools, bullying can take place at home among siblings too and among adults in the workplace. Bullying also happens to people of all ages in the digital world. Cyberbullying refers to someone repeatedly and intentionally harassing, mistreating, or making fun of another person online or while using cell phones or other electronic devices.
Small Study Indicates that Markers in Baby Teeth May Provide Clues to ADHD and Autism
Researchers have recently identified markers in baby teeth that are unique to attention- deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum disorder and individuals with both conditions. The research suggests that the processing of nutrients and toxins plays a role in these conditions, according to authors Christine Austin, Ph.D., with Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, and colleagues.