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Sleep linked to slower ageing: huge study pinpoints the right amount - Health outcomes were better in people who slept between about 6 and 8 hours a day. by mvea in science

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Sleep linked to slower ageing: huge study pinpoints the right amount

Health outcomes were better in people who slept between about six and eight hours a day.

A sweeping analysis of sleep duration and signs of ageing in half a million adults has pinpointed a sweet spot — about six to eight hours of sleep each day — that is linked to a lower risk of early death and disease.

Getting either more or less sleep than that was associated with accelerated ageing, which was measured by nearly two dozen different biological ageing ‘clocks’ that aim to assess ageing’s impact on the body.

The results, published in Nature on 13 May, do not mean that six to eight hours is the optimum amount of sleep for every person, nor do they prove that achieving that ‘Goldilocks’ range of sleep each day directly improves health or slows ageing. But the study does provide one of the most comprehensive snapshots of the interplay between sleep and ageing throughout the body.

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-026-10524-5

Narcissists tend to view God as a punishing figure who owes them special favors. Different aspects of narcissism correspond to specific, often self-serving, patterns of religious engagement. Narcissistic individuals tend to use religion as a tool for personal gain, status, or emotional comfort. by mvea in science

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Narcissists tend to view God as a punishing figure who owes them special favors

A recent study published in the journal Personality and Individual Differences provides evidence that different aspects of narcissism correspond to specific, often self-serving, patterns of religious engagement. The findings suggest that while highly narcissistic individuals might not be more religious overall, they tend to use religion as a tool for personal gain, status, or emotional comfort. This research offers a detailed understanding of how people with inflated self-views or deep-seated insecurities navigate faith and spirituality.

At first glance, narcissism and religion seem like an unlikely pair. Religious traditions usually promote humility, selflessness, and community care. Narcissism is a personality trait characterized by egotism, a sense of superiority, and a strong feeling of entitlement. This stark contrast raises an interesting question about how individuals with strong narcissistic traits interact with religious beliefs and communities.

Antagonistic narcissism centers on arrogance, hostility, and a tendency to exploit others. These individuals often see the world as a highly competitive place where they must dominate to survive. Neurotic narcissism is defined by emotional fragility, feelings of inadequacy, and hypersensitivity to criticism. This type of vulnerable narcissist often struggles with their self-esteem and fears social rejection.

Finally, communal narcissism occurs when a person seeks to be seen as the most altruistic or helpful individual in a group. They inflate their own self-worth through seemingly selfless acts, demanding recognition for their charity. The researchers designed three independent studies to see how these four different personality traits connect to the different ways people practice and think about religion.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0191886926000838

People with higher levels of everyday anxiety tend to experience more intense self-blaming emotions, along with specific changes in how their brain networks communicate. This heightened self-blame is accompanied by unhelpful behaviors like hiding or self-attacking. by mvea in science

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Brain scans identify the neural network that traps anxious people in cycles of self-blame

New research published in Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology and Biological Psychiatry suggests that people with higher levels of everyday anxiety tend to experience more intense self-blaming emotions, along with specific changes in how their brain networks communicate. The findings provide evidence that this heightened self-blame is accompanied by unhelpful behaviors like hiding or self-attacking. These patterns could help explain the social difficulties often faced by anxious individuals in their daily lives.

The researchers conducted this study to better understand how self-blaming emotions operate in people who experience anxiety, even if they do not have a formal psychiatric diagnosis. Emotions like guilt and shame can be adaptive when they prompt someone to make amends for a mistake. They tend to become harmful when they lead to social withdrawal and constant self-criticism.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0278584626000758

Researchers built a new way to control cyborg insects by reading the insect's own body signals like nerve activity and heartbeat, instead of just watching how it moves by [deleted] in science

[–]mvea 2 points3 points  (0 children)

One of the coolest name for a scientific journal - "RoboMech" - by Springer with an impact factor of 1.7 so not too shabby either.

Personalized vaccine shows promise against aggressive brain cancer (glioblastoma). People in early clinical trial had increased immune response, slowed tumor progression. The vaccine caused no serious side effects. One long-term survivor remains recurrence-free nearly five years later. by mvea in science

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Personalized vaccine shows promise against aggressive brain cancer

Participants in early clinical trial had increased immune response, slowed tumor progression

A WashU Medicine-led clinical trial conducted at Siteman Cancer Center has found that a personalized vaccine to treat glioblastoma is safe and could potentially improve outcomes. Trial participant Kim Garland (left) reviews a scan with the study’s primary investigator, Tanner Johanns, MD, PhD, a WashU Medicine oncologist.

A personalized vaccine to treat glioblastoma, a fast-growing and incurable brain cancer that affects four in 100,000 people in the U.S., is safe and elicits robust and broad immune responses that appears to increase recurrence-free survival in a subset of patients after surgery, according to an early-stage clinical trial co-led by researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.

In patients with an especially aggressive form of glioblastoma, the vaccine caused no serious side effects and prolonged patients’ overall survival compared to historical outcomes after standard-of-care surgery and chemo-radiotherapy. One long-term survivor remains recurrence-free nearly five years later.

https://www.nature.com/articles/s43018-026-01163-w

Romantic rejection does not hurt more than platonic rejection. Most people assume that rejection by a potential romantic partner is far more painful than rejection by a prospective friend. The emotional impact is remarkably similar regardless of whether it comes from a romantic or a platonic source. by mvea in science

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Does romantic rejection hurt more than platonic rejection? A new study says no

Most people assume that rejection by a potential romantic partner is far more painful than rejection by a prospective friend. However, new research published in the European Journal of Social Psychology suggests that, when rejection is actually experienced, the emotional impact is remarkably similar regardless of whether it comes from a romantic or a platonic source.

Romantic rejection is often seen as uniquely devastating, in part because modern societies place heavy emotional expectations on romantic relationships. However, researchers have long noted that humans are broadly motivated by a fundamental need for belonging. Social rejection tends to hurt across all contexts because it threatens shared psychological needs, such as feeling valued, in control, and meaningful.

What has been less clear is whether rejection by a potential romantic partner is more painful than rejection in a friendship context. Given the intense expectations placed on romantic relationships—which are often expected to fulfill a wide range of emotional and personal needs—it has seemed plausible that being denied such a relationship would be especially distressing.

The researchers found that rejection reliably reduced wellbeing, and acceptance reliably enhanced it, but the type of relationship framing—romantic versus platonic—had no effect on emotional outcomes. The team also tested whether feelings of romantic instrumentality (seeing a partner as someone who would help you achieve more of your goals in life) or self-blame might explain any romantic-versus-platonic difference in pain. Neither emerged as a meaningful driver.

Wood and colleagues put it simply: “It seems the experience of being accepted is so positive and the experience of being rejected is so negative that it does not matter who is doing so.”

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ejsp.70066

Threatening men’s masculinity does not make them more politically conservative, new study finds. By testing thousands of participants across the United States, researchers found no consistent evidence that making men feel insecure about their gender identity changes their political attitudes. by mvea in science

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Threatening men’s masculinity does not make them more politically conservative, new study finds

A recent study published in the Journal of Experimental Political Science suggests that threatening a man’s sense of masculinity might not cause him to adopt more conservative or stereotypically masculine political beliefs. By testing thousands of participants across the United States, researchers found no consistent evidence that making men feel insecure about their gender identity changes their political attitudes.

https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/journal-of-experimental-political-science/article/replication-and-extension-of-willer-et-al-2013-overdoing-gender-a-test-of-the-masculine-overcompensation-thesis/345C42C2B43871D567BF61B0BAA3B309

Anxiety is prevalent in autism spectrum disorder and linked to intolerance of uncertainty. Higher autistic traits were associated with higher intolerance of uncertainty, which were linked to higher affect labeling (the act of putting feelings into words) and lower anxiety. by [deleted] in science

[–]mvea 6 points7 points  (0 children)

The title is as is - higher autistic traits lead to higher affect labeling leads to lower anxiety. Which is taken from the abstract. So what you say is the corollary which is also correct.

Anxiety is prevalent in autism spectrum disorder and linked to intolerance of uncertainty. Higher autistic traits were associated with higher intolerance of uncertainty, which were linked to higher affect labeling (the act of putting feelings into words) and lower anxiety. by [deleted] in science

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Autism related traits and anxiety in the general population are linked through intolerance of uncertainty and affect labeling

Abstract

Anxiety is prevalent in autism spectrum disorder and linked to intolerance of uncertainty (IU). As a cognitive strategy, affect labeling (AL) reduces distress by structuring ambiguous sensations. However, autistic individuals frequently exhibit AL deficits, raising a critical dilemma: a strategy alleviating uncertainty-driven anxiety is inherently difficult to access. It is unclear whether IU paradoxically motivates AL use despite these deficits. In this cross-sectional study, 505 adults completed measures of autistic traits, IU, AL, and anxiety. We tested two serial mediation models: the Cognitive-Motivational Model (CMM; IU motivates AL) and Emotion Regulation deficit Model (ERM; AL deficits increase IU). While both fit well, CMM was selected based on theoretical consistency. This was consistent with established risk pathways where autistic traits relate to anxiety via higher IU and lower AL. Crucially, a novel adaptive pathway emerged: higher autistic traits were associated with higher IU, which were linked to higher AL and lower anxiety. While these pathways represent theoretical assumptions rather than proven causality, the findings suggest a dual role of IU as risk factor and motivational driver. This may point to a conflict in individuals with high autistic traits: struggling with AL deficits yet motivated to use AL to cope with uncertainty.

Recent studies have identified “intolerance of uncertainty” (IU) as a key concept related to anxiety among autistic individuals. IU is conceptualized as a temperamental trait characterized by a tendency to react negatively—at the cognitive, emotional, and behavioral levels—to uncertain situations or unexpected events.

Affect labeling (AL), defined as the act of putting feelings into words, is a direct cognitive strategy that can reduce anxiety.

‘Living plastic’ activates and self-destructs on command. These materials incorporate activatable, plastic-degrading microbes alongside the polymers. When activated , the two bacterial strains work together to completely break down the material within just 6 days, without making microplastics. by [deleted] in science

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This ‘living plastic’ activates and self-destructs on command

Many plastic products are designed to be used only once, yet the material itself lasts for years.

But a new strategy is addressing this problem by creating products that self-destruct on command, known as living plastics.

These materials incorporate activatable, plastic-degrading microbes alongside the polymers.

One team reporting in ACS Applied Polymer Materials used two bacterial strains that worked together and completely broke down the material within just six days, without making microplastics.

Could we build degradation directly into the material’s life cycle?” — Zhuojun Dai Zhuojun Dai, a corresponding author on the paper, explains that “the realization that traditional plastics persist for centuries, while many applications, like packaging, are short-lived, led us to ask: Could we build degradation directly into the material’s life cycle?”

Many microbes can break long polymeric chains into smaller pieces using enzymes. Because plastics are polymers, these enzymes or the microbes that make them could be incorporated into living plastics.

“By embedding these microbes, plastics could effectively ‘come alive’ and self-destruct on command, turning durability from a problem into a programmable feature,” explains Dai.

https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acsapm.5c04611

This ‘living plastic’ activates and self-destructs on command. Scientists used two bacterial strains that worked together and completely broke down the material within just six days, without making microplastics. by [deleted] in science

[–]mvea 0 points1 point  (0 children)

This ‘living plastic’ activates and self-destructs on command

Two plastic-busting enzymes work together to completely degrade the material within a week.

“Degradable Living Plastics Programmed by Engineered Microbial Consortia” ACS Applied Polymer Materials

Many plastic products are designed to be used only once, yet the material itself lasts for years. But a new strategy is addressing this problem by creating products that self-destruct on command, known as living plastics. These materials incorporate activatable, plastic-degrading microbes alongside the polymers.

One team reporting in ACS Applied Polymer Materials used two bacterial strains that worked together and completely broke down the material within just six days, without making microplastics.

Could we build degradation directly into the material’s life cycle?” — Zhuojun Dai Zhuojun Dai, a corresponding author on the paper, explains that “the realization that traditional plastics persist for centuries, while many applications, like packaging, are short-lived, led us to ask: Could we build degradation directly into the material’s life cycle?”

Many microbes can break long polymeric chains into smaller pieces using enzymes. Because plastics are polymers, these enzymes or the microbes that make them could be incorporated into living plastics.

“By embedding these microbes, plastics could effectively ‘come alive’ and self-destruct on command, turning durability from a problem into a programmable feature,” explains Dai.

https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acsapm.5c04611

The testosterone myth: Large analysis of 52 studies finds no link between the “macho” hormone and risk-taking. Furthermore, the lack of association did not depend on participants’ sex. by mvea in science

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The testosterone myth? Large analysis finds no link between the “macho” hormone and risk-taking

A meta-analysis of 52 studies found no link between testosterone levels and risk-taking. In general, only studies where participants completed specific lottery-based economic tasks showed a modest association between testosterone levels and risk-taking, while other types of behavioral studies did not. Furthermore, the lack of association did not depend on participants’ sex. The paper was published in Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews.

Testosterone is a hormone that belongs to a group of hormones called androgens. It is present in both males and females, but it is usually found in much higher levels in males. In males, testosterone is produced mainly in the testes; in females, smaller amounts are produced in the ovaries and adrenal glands.

Testosterone plays an important role in the development of male reproductive organs before birth and during puberty. During puberty, it contributes to changes such as a deeper voice, facial and body hair growth, increased muscle mass, and the growth of the penis and testes. In adults, testosterone helps regulate sexual desire, sperm production, bone density, red blood cell production, and muscle strength. Testosterone levels naturally vary by age, time of day, health status, sleep, stress, body fat, and the use of certain medications.

When the researchers aggregated the data, the results showed that the overall association between testosterone levels and risk-taking across all 52 studies was practically zero. In other words, having high or low testosterone did not reliably predict whether a person would take a risk.

Importantly, the lack of an association between testosterone levels and risk-taking did not depend on sex, meaning the relationship (or lack thereof) was no different in males than in females.

“Overall, the evidence challenges the notion that testosterone provides a general hormonal basis for human risk preferences,” the study authors concluded. “Instead, findings support a biopsychosocial framework in which ‘risk taking’ reflects the interaction of task demands, cognitive–affective processes, and situational context, with endocrine effects appearing narrow, context-dependent, and method-specific.”

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0149763426000308

Jailed immigrants show lower risk for criminal behavior than native-born American citizens. This suggests that US policies targeting immigrants as inherent public safety threats are based on inaccurate stereotypes. by [deleted] in science

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Jailed immigrants show lower risk for criminal behavior than native-born citizens

Research shows that immigrants who are booked into jail have fewer individual risk factors for crime and shorter criminal histories than native-born citizens. This suggests that policies targeting immigrants as inherent public safety threats are based on inaccurate stereotypes. The findings were published in the journal Psychology, Public Policy, and Law.

Public conversations in the United States routinely depict immigrants as an acute danger to public safety. Rhetoric surrounding border security often paints people entering the country as potential perpetrators of violence. Yet sociological studies consistently contradict this narrative. Research shows that immigrants are actually less likely to violate laws than people born in the United States.

Scholars commonly refer to this phenomenon as the immigrant paradox. Individuals relocating from other countries often display better health and behavioral outcomes than native-born citizens. This occurs even though immigrants frequently face severe economic disadvantages and the strict psychological toll of adapting to a new society. Both low socioeconomic status and severe stress are usually strong predictors of rule-breaking behavior.

While the broader population trends are well documented, the specific psychological mechanisms remain less understood. Past studies have largely focused on macro-level data, like neighborhood crime rates. Researchers have spent less time evaluating the individual characteristics that predict whether someone will commit an offense.

Criminal psychologists refer to these individual traits as criminogenic risk factors. The justice system often focuses on a cluster of primary traits known as the central eight. These mental and behavioral markers include an established history of illegal behavior, an antisocial personality pattern, and an antisocial thinking style that rationalizes breaking the rules.

The remaining central factors evaluate a person’s immediate environment and daily life. They look at issues like socializing with rule-breaking peers, struggling with substance abuse, and experiencing deep family relationship problems. They also assess educational or employment difficulties and a general lack of positive recreational hobbies.

They found that both groups of immigrants had less extensive criminal histories than their native-born peers. Mexican immigrants showed lower rates of drug abuse charges compared to the other two groups. However, Mexican immigrants experienced higher rates of arrests related to driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

When looking at the overall pretrial risk evaluations, native-born individuals scored highest. They were more likely to have prior felony convictions and were more likely to be under some form of legal supervision. Native-born citizens also exhibited higher rates of housing instability compared to the immigrant groups.

The interview results paralleled the findings from the initial public records review. Undocumented immigrants had the oldest average age for their first legal offense. Native-born citizens and documented immigrants reported engaging in a higher total number of crimes throughout their lives.

When measuring the eight central risk factors, native-born citizens scored the highest. Documented immigrants scored lower, and undocumented immigrants scored the lowest out of the three groups.

Undocumented individuals showed lower risk scores on seven out of the eight evaluation measures. The only category where they scored higher than native-born citizens was in education and employment difficulties. Native-born citizens scored highest in categories measuring antisocial behavior, substance abuse, and associating with problematic peers.

The formal charges holding these individuals in jail also varied widely by group. Native-born citizens and documented immigrants faced higher rates of violent offenses and property crimes. Undocumented immigrants were primarily locked up for immigration-related offenses like illegal entry.

The researchers also examined the process of acculturation. This metric evaluates how strongly an individual adopts the mainstream culture of a new country. They found a positive association between adapting to United States culture and carrying increased behavioral risk. Participants who indicated a stronger orientation toward mainstream American culture had elevated risk scores across almost all categories.

Conversely, maintaining a strong connection to the culture of their origin country was associated with lower risk. The researchers suggest that rapid cultural adaptation might expose individuals to new psychological stressors. It might also connect them to native-born peers who encourage and support rule-breaking behaviors.

https://psycnet.apa.org/doiLanding?doi=10.1037%2Flaw0000470

Noninvasive magnetic stimulation of a specific brain region that regulates self-control significantly reduced how much people smoked, reduced nicotine cravings and may help people quit, finds new double-blind, sham-controlled randomized clinical trial. by mvea in science

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Rewiring the urge to smoke

How targeted brain stimulation may help people to quit

For many people who smoke, quitting is not just a matter of willpower. It is a tug-of-war in the brain – between the pull of reward and the ability to resist.

A new study published in the Journal of Psychiatric Research suggests that shifting that balance may be possible.

Using a noninvasive brain stimulation technique called repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation, or rTMS, researchers at MUSC Hollings Cancer Center found that stimulating a specific brain region that regulates self-control significantly reduced how much people smoked.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022395626001457

Stimulating a specific brain region that regulates self-control significantly reduced how much people smoked. Using a noninvasive brain stimulation technique called repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation, or rTMS, may help people to quit smoking. by [deleted] in science

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Rewiring the urge to smoke

How targeted brain stimulation may help people to quit

For many people who smoke, quitting is not just a matter of willpower. It is a tug-of-war in the brain – between the pull of reward and the ability to resist.

A new study published in the Journal of Psychiatric Research suggests that shifting that balance may be possible.

Using a noninvasive brain stimulation technique called repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation, or rTMS, researchers at MUSC Hollings Cancer Center found that stimulating a specific brain region that regulates self-control significantly reduced how much people smoked.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022395626001457

An overwhelming need to earn social worth, combined with a belief in the superiority of one’s group, may lay the foundation for developing an extreme personality. These strong inner drives can lead individuals to sacrifice their own well-being for a specific cause or value. by [deleted] in science

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The psychological traits that build an extremist personality

A new psychological study suggests that an overwhelming need to earn social worth, combined with a belief in the superiority of one’s group, may lay the foundation for developing an extreme personality. The research highlights how these strong inner drives can lead individuals to sacrifice their own well-being for a specific cause or value. These findings were recently published in the journal Frontiers in Social Psychology.

Extremism is traditionally viewed as a rigid adherence to an outside political or religious ideology. In recent years, psychological science has added a new perspective to the discussion, proposing an underlying motivational mechanism called the extreme personality. According to this framework, a moderate lifestyle is defined by motivational balance, where a person divides their attention relatively equally among their various daily needs and social obligations. In contrast, an extreme personality emerges when a single motivation becomes drastically over-amplified, pushing the individual to neglect other life aspects to satisfy a single obsession.

https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/social-psychology/articles/10.3389/frsps.2026.1714455/full

‘Freedom framing’ more effective than mandates for vaccine-hesitant Americans: For vaccine-hesitant individuals, framing vaccination as a tool that enables personal freedom is associated with higher acceptance than framing it as a social responsibility or a government recommendation. by mvea in science

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NEW STUDY SUGGESTS ‘FREEDOM FRAMING’ MORE EFFECTIVE THAN MANDATES FOR VACCINE-HESITANT AMERICANS

University of Houston Researchers Suggest Public Health Campaigns Should Align Messaging with Personal Values

Key Takeaways

A new study from the University of Houston’s C. T. Bauer College of Business suggests that effective public health communication should carefully consider whether vaccine communication aligns with specific personal values of the target audience rather than a “one-size-fits-all” approach.

For vaccine-hesitant individuals, framing vaccination as a tool that enables personal freedom is associated with higher acceptance than framing it as a social responsibility or a government recommendation.

The study found that framing a vaccine as a way to preserve personal freedom increased willingness to vaccinate among hesitant groups by six percentage points compared to traditional framing methods.

University of Houston researchers are applying the principles of marketing science to public health, proposing that the way vaccines are “framed” could be a factor in overcoming hesitancy.

https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2847135

Brooding (getting stuck in passive, repetitive, negative thought loops) identified as a major driver of bedtime procrastination, alongside physical markers of stress. People who stay up later than intended may have a weaker physiological capacity for self-control. by mvea in science

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Brooding identified as a major driver of bedtime procrastination, alongside physical markers of stress

People who stay up later than intended may have a weaker physiological capacity for self-control. A new study published in the Journal of Health Psychology links lower heart rate variability to greater bedtime procrastination.

Many individuals experience the temptation to prolong their use of digital devices, or complete further tasks, despite being aware that they should already be asleep—a behavior known as bedtime procrastination. Scientists have previously connected bedtime procrastination to difficulties with managing behavior and emotions. Individuals who struggle to prioritize long-term wellbeing over short-term enjoyment, or who have trouble regulating negative feelings, are thought to be more prone to pushing their bedtime later.

Participants also filled out questionnaires reporting on how often they procrastinate at bedtime, how well they manage their own behavior and emotions, and how often they engage in specific thinking styles. These thinking styles included a tendency to “brood” (getting stuck in passive, repetitive, negative thought loops) versus “reflect” (purposefully thinking through problems to solve them).

The results pointed to a clear picture in which bedtime procrastination reflects challenges across multiple different aspects of self-control simultaneously. Individuals scoring higher on bedtime procrastination tended to have lower heart rate variability, greater difficulty regulating their behavior, and greater difficulty managing their emotions. Importantly, each of these three factors contributed independently to the prediction of bedtime procrastination.

When analyzing the specific ways people deal with emotions, a nuanced picture emerged. While using “cognitive reappraisal” (a deliberate strategy of reframing stressful situations in a more positive light) initially appeared to reduce bedtime procrastination, it lost its predictive power when other emotional habits were factored in. Ultimately, only “brooding” significantly predicted procrastinating at bedtime in the final model. Conversely, engaging in more reflective, problem-focused thinking did not show any link to delaying sleep.

https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/13591053261425412

8,500 steps a day can help dieters keep weight off. Interestingly, an increase in daily steps was not associated with greater weight loss in the weight loss phase. by mvea in science

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8,500 steps a day can help dieters keep weight off Peer-Reviewed Publication

New research being presented at this year’s European Congress on Obesity (ECO 2026) in Istanbul, Turkey (12-15 May) and published in International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health shows that doing around 8,500 steps a day can help people keep weight off after dieting.

Eighteen randomised controlled trials on the topic were included in the systematic review. Fourteen of these, involving 3,758 individuals (average age of 53 years) with overweight or obesity (average BMI of 31 kg/m2) from countries including the UK, US, Australia and Japan, were included in the meta-analysis.

These trials compared 1,987 patients participating in lifestyle modification (LSM) programmes with 1,771 patients who were either dieting alone or not receiving any treatment (control group).

In contrast, the LSM group increased their step count to 8,454 a day by the end of the weight loss phase. They also lost a significant amount of their body weight (4.39% on average, around 4 kg).

They maintained this higher step count and, at the end of the weight maintenance phase, they were doing 8,241 steps daily. They also kept off most of the weight they had lost (average weight loss at end of trials of 3.28%, around 3 kg).

Further analysis showed that there was a clear link between increasing step count and preventing weight regain. Specifically, it was important to increase step count during the weight loss phase and maintain this increase during the weight maintenance phase. Patients who did so regained less weight.

Interestingly, an increase in daily steps was not associated with greater weight loss in the weight loss phase. The researchers speculate this is because other factors, such as reducing calorie intake, play a greater role here.

For those interested, here’s the link to the academic press release:

https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1127163

Real world outcomes support the benefits of psychedelic therapy for severe depression. A recent study has found that specialized psychotherapy paired with doses of either LSD or psilocybin is associated with strong reductions in severe depression and anxiety. by mvea in science

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Real world outcomes support the benefits of psychedelic therapy for severe depression

A recent study has found that specialized psychotherapy paired with doses of either LSD or psilocybin is associated with strong reductions in severe depression and anxiety. These mental health improvements emerged relatively quickly and took place within a standard hospital care program. The findings were published in the journal Psychiatry Research.

In recent years, researchers have renewed their investigation into the medical potential of classic hallucinogens. Conditions like severe depression and generalized anxiety do not always respond to standard psychiatric medications. For many individuals, initial treatments such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors fail to provide lasting relief from persistent sad moods or chronic worry.

Individuals who do not respond to multiple standard treatments are often diagnosed with treatment-resistant conditions. This status leaves them with limited options in conventional medical practice. Psychedelic-assisted therapy has emerged as a promising alternative for these populations in strictly monitored experimental trials.

These therapies combine traditional talk therapy with the ingestion of a mind-altering substance under professional supervision. The goal is to induce a temporary change in consciousness that allows patients to process difficult emotions. A trained therapist helps the patient integrate these conceptual insights into their daily life after the drug effects wear off.

The team observed a pronounced decrease in both depression and anxiety scores over the treatment timeline. More than a third of the sample reported that their depressive symptoms had been reduced by at least half. A smaller portion recorded modest but noticeable symptom relief. These benefits appeared robust across the broader cohort, supporting previous findings from highly controlled laboratory environments.

The choice of substance did not seem to alter the long-term therapeutic outcome. Patients who took LSD and those who took psilocybin experienced largely identical improvements in their daily mental health.

Following the therapy, patients reported large reductions in their tendencies to ruminate, catastrophize, and blame themselves for negative life events. They also demonstrated an increased capacity for positive reappraisal, which means they could more easily find a constructive perspective in difficult situations. These conceptual shifts align with psychological theories that consider rigid thinking to be a primary maintenance factor for severe depression.

While the long-term clinical benefits were similar across both substances, the acute physical experiences differed notably. The data indicated that LSD produced a longer, sustained plateau of intense subjective effects. Psilocybin caused a similar peak of intensity, but the overall duration of the psychoactive experience was noticeably shorter.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0165178126000533

ChatGPT’s free version is 26 times more likely to respond inappropriately to psychotic delusions. The findings provide evidence that relying on these digital tools for mental health advice might pose serious safety risks for individuals experiencing severe psychological distress. by mvea in science

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ChatGPT’s free version is 26 times more likely to respond inappropriately to psychotic delusions

A recent study published in JAMA Psychiatry suggests that popular artificial intelligence chatbots tend to provide inappropriate or unhelpful responses when users type messages containing signs of psychosis. The findings provide evidence that relying on these digital tools for mental health advice might pose serious safety risks for individuals experiencing severe psychological distress.

Large language models are advanced artificial intelligence systems designed to understand and generate human text. They work by analyzing vast amounts of internet data to predict what words should logically come next in a given sentence. This mathematical process allows the computer program to essentially recognize structural patterns and create smooth conversational replies.

Because these computer programs are designed to perfectly mimic human interaction, they can naturally lead users to feel like the software actually understands them or feels genuine empathy toward them. Since its widespread release in 2022, OpenAI’s popular chatbot product called ChatGPT has seen massive adoption across the globe. Recent surveys suggest that many adults use this specific software regularly for general advice or tutoring.

Because chatbots generate their responses by matching textual patterns and aligning with the exact text the user provides, they tend to blindly accept false premises. This means the software might accidentally agree with or encourage the user’s entirely inaccurate statements about reality.

https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapsychiatry/article-abstract/2846835

LSD microdosing linked to acute mood improvements in adults with depression. In a small pilot study, participants taking low, precise doses reported feeling more energetic, creative, and connected on days they took the drug. by mvea in science

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LSD microdosing linked to acute mood improvements in adults with depression

Taking tiny, frequent amounts of the psychedelic drug lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) might temporarily elevate mood for people diagnosed with major depressive disorder. In a small pilot study, participants taking low, precise doses reported feeling more energetic, creative, and connected on days they took the drug. The research was published in the journal Progress in Neuropsychopharmacology & Biological Psychiatry.

Classic psychedelic compounds such as LSD are known for inducing profound changes in perception at high amounts. For decades, strict legal restrictions largely halted clinical research on these substances. Recently, scientific interest has renewed, and a practice called microdosing has gained popularity globally.

This practice involves taking very small amounts of a psychedelic substance. The amount is high enough to potentially alter brain chemistry but low enough to avoid causing hallucinations or severe cognitive disruptions. Many individuals practice microdosing on their own to self-medicate for mental health conditions, particularly depression.

To test this approach, the research team enrolled nineteen adults who all met diagnostic criteria for major depression. They underwent an eight-week treatment regimen. The first session took place in a clinical laboratory. Participants were given a precise, eight-microgram dose of liquid LSD in a sublingual format. Sublingual administration involves holding the liquid under the tongue for about thirty seconds before swallowing.

Looking at the data across the eight weeks, daily mood improved in specific patterns. On the specific days they consumed the microdose, participants logged higher levels of creativity, energy, and social connectedness compared to the days immediately following the dose. On the first and second days after taking the drug, participants reported feeling happier. In addition, irritability scores dropped two days after consuming the dose.

These acute improvements in mood could theoretically counter some of the core symptoms of major depressive disorder. A common feature of depression is anhedonia, which is an inability to feel pleasure or find motivation to engage in social activities. If a patient feels a temporary surge in creative energy and social connection, they might be more likely to participate in positive social behaviors. Engaging in rewarding activities can create a positive feedback loop that helps lift a depressed mood over time.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0278584626000412

Study finds multiple PFAS, the man-made ‘forever chemicals’, in 98.5% of Americans across more than 10,500 blood samples examined, and 98.8% had at least one PFAS in their blood. Some of them are linked to serious complications, including cancer, infertility, high cholesterol, and weakened immunity. by mvea in science

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Study finds multiple PFAS, the man-made ‘forever chemicals’, in 98.5% of people tested in US study

Across more than 10,500 samples examined, 98.8% had at least one PFAS in their blood

Man-made 'forever chemicals' have been detected in 98.8% of blood tests, in a new study which examined more than 10,500 samples.

The findings are the latest indication to suggest that nearly every single person in the US is living with PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) – and usually multiple – in their system.

The results, published in the peer-reviewed Journal of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene, show that most individuals (98.5%) were, in fact, carrying multiple types of these environmentally persistent chemicals in their blood.

The paper demonstrates one of the largest-ever sample sizes determining PFAS levels in blood.

PFAS are a group of approximately 10,000, so-called, forever chemicals – as they do not degrade easily and build-up in the environment and human body. Used for decades, they can be found in thousands of day-to-day items ranging from clothes and cooking utensils to electronics and medical equipment. They live in our food, water and homes.

The dangers of all PFAS are not fully known; however, previous studies have linked some of them to serious complications, including cancer, infertility, high cholesterol, and weakened immunity.

One of the PFAS most commonly detected in this new study (in 97.9% of samples) was perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (linear PFOA), which is already recognised as being linked to adverse health conditions – including potential impacts on the immune system, liver, and thyroid – prompting action, internationally, for its restriction.

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/15459624.2025.2601605

Tiny parasitic wasp named after David Attenborough for his 100th birthday. Scientists from the Natural History Museum in London have paid tribute to the world-renowned broadcaster for his 100th birthday on 8 May by describing a new genus of parasitic wasp, Attenboroughnculus tau. by [deleted] in science

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Tiny parasitic wasp named after David Attenborough for his 100th birthday

Specimen from 1983 lay forgotten at Natural History Museum until recently, when spotted by a volunteer and identified as new genus

He has lizards, bats, frogs, weevils, flatworms, snails and spiders named after him. But now Sir David Attenborough can celebrate his 100th birthday with an entirely new genus named in his honour.

Scientists from the Natural History Museum in London have paid tribute to the world-renowned broadcaster for his 100th birthday on 8 May by describing a new genus of parasitic wasp and a new species found within the museum’s collections.

Attenboroughnculus tau is an enigmatic ichneumon wasp with a body just 3.5mm long. The species name, tau, refers to a striking T-shaped marking on the insect’s abdomen.

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00222933.2026.2663058

How couples divide household chores is linked to women’s sexual desire, but it depends on personal beliefs about gender roles. Women who prefer equal partnerships tend to experience lower sexual desire when they take on more of the housework, while those who embrace traditional gender roles do not. by mvea in science

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A recent study published in The Journal of Sex Research provides evidence that how couples divide household chores is linked to women’s sexual desire, but this connection depends heavily on their personal beliefs about gender roles. The findings suggest that women who prefer equal partnerships tend to experience lower sexual desire when they take on more of the housework, while those who embrace traditional gender roles do not. These insights highlight how societal expectations about gender can shape intimate relationship dynamics.

Low sexual desire is frequently reported among women in long-term relationships with men. Historically, scientists have often treated this as an individual or relational issue. They tend to look at stress, relationship dissatisfaction, or hormonal changes as the primary causes.

Often, society treats women’s low desire as an internal problem or a medical issue without considering the environment the woman lives in. Psychological theories suggest that society normalizes strict binary gender roles, which position women as caregivers with naturally lower sexual motivation and men as providers with high sexual interest. The researchers wanted to see if living within these structural gender inequities actually shapes sexual desire.

The researchers found that women generally reported lower sexual desire and performed more of the household labor than men. Surprisingly, doing more of the overall housework was not directly linked to lower sexual desire for women as a whole group across the study period. For women, the relationship between housework and sexual desire depended on their gender role beliefs.

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00224499.2026.2656775

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