Researchers the the University of Pittsburgh have learned that drug cravings can be stopped at the synaptic level. More specifically, a chemical receptor known as CP-AMPAR has been shown to be essential in the maturation process of synapses which send drug cravings (cocaine in this study) in the brain. The researchers have shown that cravings can be eliminated or greatly reduced by the removal of this chemical which stops the growth of these synapses thus rendering them 'silent'.

While Internet Porn Addiction is not currently recognized as an formal disorder by the DSM, there is a growing body of research indicating that it will become one. A research review shows that the following signs are commonly held to be symptomatic:
- time consumed by sexual activity interfering with obligations
- repetitive engagement in sexual activity in response to stress
- repeated failed attempts to reduce these behaviors
- distress or impairment of life functioning

'Wax' or 'Dabs' is a fairly new and significantly more potent form of THC. THC is extracted from marijuana by soaking it in butane or alcohol. The liquid is then boiled leaving THC is a 'waxy' residue. Lab tests show wax can have a potency up to 99% THC. Users pick off a 'dab' of the substance and smoke it in a customized pipe. While stronger forms of THC have been around for decades (e.g. Hash oil with THC up to 50%), Wax is an evolution of the drug that is gaining popularity with recreational users.

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Maiken Nedergaard, M.D., D.M.Sc., a neurologist at the University of Rochester, has just published a study on a new understanding of the importance of sleep for brain functioning. She has learned that during sleep, the amount of space in between brain cells increases by 60% allowing for spinal fluid to more easily pass between these cells and wash away toxins accumulated during awake time. One of the waste products of the brain is the protein amyloid-beta, which accumulates and forms plaques in the brains of Alzheimer’s patients. Researchers at Washington University in St. Louis had previously shown that levels of amyloid-beta in mice brains dropped during sleep because of a decrease in production of the protein.

Asperger Syndrome (AS) was first observed by Austrian pediatrician Hans Asperger in 1944. He described several children who lacked nonverbal communication skills, failed to demonstrate empathy with their peers, and were physically awkward.  Their speech was either disjointed or overly formal, and their all-absorbing interest in a single topic dominated their conversations. He labelled these patterns as "autistic psychopathy" and his writings gathered little attention until 1981 when English doctor Lorna Wing published similar case studies and credited Dr. Asperger by using his name to describe the syndrome. AS became an official diagnosis in 1992 with the World Health Organization listing it in their official manual (ICD-10). The official diagnostic manual of the psychological field (DSM) first recognized AS in 1994.

University of Pittsburgh psychologist Ming-Ye Wang examined the effects of verbal abuse on adolescents. His results conclude that, rather than minimizing problematic behavior in adolescents, the use of harsh verbal discipline may in fact aggravate it. The researchers found that adolescents who had experienced harsh verbal discipline suffered from increased levels of depressive symptoms, and were more likely to demonstrate behavioral problems such as vandalism or antisocial and aggressive behavior. Perhaps most surprising, Wang and Kenny found that the negative effects of verbal discipline within the two-year period of their study were comparable to the effects shown over the same period of time in other studies that focused on physical discipline.

Fewer than a third of college students surveyed between 2002 and 2012 said they had sex with more than one person in the preceding year according to a new study released by University of Portland sociologist Martin Monto. Click for further info on sex, dating and relationships with young adults.
- www.chronicle.com -

Here is some basic but very good information on one of the most commonly prescribed antidepressants which is showing effectiveness for a variety of mental health problems.
- www.medicalnewstoday.com -

A new study concludes video games has a significant link to attention and impulse control problems.
- www.sciencedaily.com -

Those with depression tend to set general goals. Setting more specific goals helps to lesson symptoms of depression.
- www.psyweb.com -