Virginia Tech scientists at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC found practicing episodic future thinking both reduced impulsivity and enhanced connectivity in key regions of the brain Learning to think more about specific events in the future appears to reduce impulsivity,  improve decision-making, and shows potential as a therapy for alcohol use disorder, a new Virginia Tech study found. The study, which involved 24 participants whose brains were scanned during both resting-state and task-based fMRI, showed brain connections were altered…

Researchers at the University of Jena develop data sets for the description and recording of odours People all over the world largely agree on what the colour blue looks like or what the shape of a ball feels like. But when it comes to describing odours, opinions often differ. This is because, unlike the processing of wavelengths of light in the brain, which makes it possible to determine colours relatively clearly, it is still not easy to deduce the smell…

Do you see the glass as half empty or half full? If you rewind to the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, chances are you experienced some level of pessimism. And who could blame you? With social isolation, health concerns and economic uncertainty, fear and anxiety became a daily reality for many. A team of researchers from Syracuse University and Michigan State University recently explored the personal characteristics that help people handle prolonged stressors, such as the pandemic. Led by Jeewon Oh,…

With New Year resolutions in full swing and health tracking apps at our fingertips, new research reveals concerning links between health and fitness apps and disordered eating, body image concerns and excessive exercise. “Diet and fitness apps are marketed as tools to improve health, however they may also have unintended negative consequences, such as creating pressure to meet goals, concerns about body image as well as provoking feelings of guilt if goals aren’t achieved,” says Ms Isabella Anderberg in the…