Category: Psychology

2022-23, Depression, General Psychology, Psychology

Transgender and Gender Diverse Individuals at Greater Risk For Suicidal Ideation

Jessica George ’24 Suicide has been a long standing issue in the United States, with several socio-demographic and economic factors affecting an individual’s susceptibility to suicide risk. Transgender and gender diverse individuals (TGD) are at especially high risk. Given the high rates of suicide among TGD, as well as the lack of research in this area, it is important to address this gap. Dr. Kirakosian … Continue reading Transgender and Gender Diverse Individuals at Greater Risk For Suicidal Ideation

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2022-23, General Neuroscience, General Psychology, Neuroscience, Psychology

Non-planned and impulsive suicide attempts associated with low activity of frontal brain 

By: Jessica George, Class of 2024 Figure 1: Global frontal brain activity may be a biomarker for non-planned or impulsive suicide attempts Suicide is a serious public health concern and one of the leading causes of death worldwide. One of the major challenges in preventing suicide is the frequent non-planned or impulsive nature of suicidal behavior, leaving little opportunity for intervention. Therefore, it is essential … Continue reading Non-planned and impulsive suicide attempts associated with low activity of frontal brain 

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2022-23, Biology, Psychology

Pleasant and Unpleasant Odor Identification Ability is Associated with Distinct Dimensions of Negative Symptoms across Multiple Psychotic Disorders

Sydney Giron ’26 The olfactory system is involved in ingestive behavior, awareness of environmental hazards, and social interactions. Olfactory function has been used as both a diagnostic and prognostic marker for psychiatric and neurodegenerative disorders. Previous studies suggest an association between olfactory impairments and negative symptoms that are associated with psychotic disorders. These symptoms include avolition, which is a lack of motivation and alogia, which … Continue reading Pleasant and Unpleasant Odor Identification Ability is Associated with Distinct Dimensions of Negative Symptoms across Multiple Psychotic Disorders

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2022-23, Depression, General Psychology, Psychology

Brief Digital Interventions Can Alleviate Adolescent Depressive Symptoms

Vignesh Subramanian ’24 Depression is a mood disorder involving persistent feelings of dejection or hopelessness, difficulty with control of emotions, and loss of interest or pleasure in regular activities. As depressive disorders are increasingly recognized as a legitimate medical issue and treatment is destigmatized, younger generations in the United States have consistently reported higher rates of experiencing such conditions. However, less than half of afflicted … Continue reading Brief Digital Interventions Can Alleviate Adolescent Depressive Symptoms

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2022-23, General Psychology, mental health, Psychology

Diving Deeper into the Symptoms of PTSD

Lydia Wang ’26 Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental health condition that arises after experiencing a traumatic event. Various cognitive models have highlighted attentional biases (selectively paying attention to certain stimuli while ignoring others) and memory biases (the enhancement or impairment of memory recall) based on negative stimuli in individuals with PTSD. It has also been seen that individuals remember emotional information better than … Continue reading Diving Deeper into the Symptoms of PTSD

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COVID-19, Depression, Health and Medicine, Psychology

Depression as a Risk Factor for Severe COVID-19 Infection

Peter Gillespie ’25 Covid-19 has been at the forefront of concern for many since the pandemic struck, especially for patients with risk factors for severe diseases if infected by Covid-19. Respiratory and cardiovascular disease, old age, hypertension, and diabetes have already been established as high risk factors for severe Covid-19 infection. However, recent research from Dr. Sean Clouston and his colleagues has identified a new … Continue reading Depression as a Risk Factor for Severe COVID-19 Infection

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2022-23, Brain, Cognition, General Psychology, Psychology

Uncovering the Nuances of Mental Disorders and their Impact on the Brain

Lydia Wang ’26 When referencing common medical conditions, heart disease and high blood pressure are often grouped together, as one usually implies the other. Such groupings—the simultaneous presence of two or more medical conditions—are known as comorbidities. Comorbidities in mental health are common; more than half of individuals with mental disorders have more than one. Their occurrence has been dismissed as coincidence and ignored in … Continue reading Uncovering the Nuances of Mental Disorders and their Impact on the Brain

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2022-23, Depression, General Psychology, Psychology

Not A Coincidence: Adolescent Women Are More Likely To Suffer From Depression

Figure 1: Cambridge University research team finds adolescent women’s brain development and genes may make them more likely to suffer from depression. Zhifei Zeng ’23 Women are often perceived to be more prone to being sentimental. This apparent connection may not be coincidental, but rather related to the biological makeup of the female brain. Adolescence is a time of critical brain development, but it is … Continue reading Not A Coincidence: Adolescent Women Are More Likely To Suffer From Depression

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2022-23, Depression, General Psychology, Psychology

Poor Mother-Child Relationships Play an Influential Role In The Intergenerational Transmission of Depression

Jessica George ’24 Depression is a multifactorial condition, shaped by a variety of social factors such as relationships with others. Early childhood is a pivotal time of an individual’s life in shaping future interactions and behaviors. During this stage in life, parents play a vital role in a child’s social development, which poses the question of how a parent-child relationship could affect a child’s vulnerability … Continue reading Poor Mother-Child Relationships Play an Influential Role In The Intergenerational Transmission of Depression

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2022-23, General Psychology, mental health, Psychology

Developmental Dyslexia is an Evolutionary Advantage

Julia Chivu ’24 Modern approaches tend to view learning disabilities as impairments. Current research, however, may prove otherwise. Developmental dyslexia is a neurocognitive disorder in which individuals have difficulty learning how to read. Dyslexia creates a variety of educational challenges, including inaccurate word recognition, frequent misspelling, and the inability to obtain advanced reading or writing skills. While this disorder may be considered a deficit in … Continue reading Developmental Dyslexia is an Evolutionary Advantage

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2022-23, Depression, Exercise, General Psychology, Health, mental health, Psychology

Long Distance Ski Racing Correlated with Low Depression Development

Sooraj Shah ’24 Figure 1: Long term exercise such as skiing may reduce chances of developing depression Depression affects 5-10% of people in the United States. Combined with other disorders, depression can consume about 20-30% of a person’s lifetime. The most common therapeutic strategy to treat depression includes serotonin reuptake inhibitors, which increase serotonin levels in the brain. A major drawback to this treatment, however, … Continue reading Long Distance Ski Racing Correlated with Low Depression Development

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2022-23, Autism, General Neuroscience, General Psychology, mental health, Psychology

Autism Spectrum Disorder May Not Be Linked to Impairment of Self-Awareness

Sooraj Shah ’24 Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) affects nearly 1 in every 44 children in the United States, and can cause a variety of symptoms such as delayed movement skills, nonverablity, and intellectual disabilities. A major impairment associated with  autism has been thought to be in theory of mind (ToM). ToM refers to the ability of an individual to understand that another individual’s mental state … Continue reading Autism Spectrum Disorder May Not Be Linked to Impairment of Self-Awareness

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