News about PaperPanda, Open Access, and Research
Efforts to bring the COVID-19 pandemic under control while still returning to some sort of normal life are delicately balanced – and new research suggests more attention needs to be paid to the long-term effects of the virus for those patients who required placement in intensive care units (ICUs). An analysis of 246 patients … Read more
More than 50 years after the Summer of Love, psychedelics are again the rage. This time the love comes from doctors beginning to embrace psychedelics such as LSD and psilocybin to treat depression, substance abuse, and other serious mental health conditions. But because the drugs cause hallucinations, their medical use requires intensive monitoring by clinicians. … Read more
The great-granddaughters of men who smoked cigarettes when they were pre-pubescent boys are more likely to carry excess fat on their bodies as young women several decades later, a rather startling study has found. The discovery – which scientists claim is one of the “first human demonstrations of transgenerational effects of an environmental exposure … Read more
The human mind, it seems, is a very powerful thing. According to a new study involving over 45,000 patients, most of the adverse reactions people experienced after having a COVID-19 vaccination could be due to the nocebo effect. The nocebo effect is a bit like the ‘evil twin’ of the placebo effect, occurring when … Read more
Scientists have been able to observe brain activity linked with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) in more detail than ever before – and if these neural signals can be identified, it opens up the possibility of being able to change them as well. OCD can affect up to two in every 100 adults, and while various … Read more
We’re so far down the road of climate change, that even making drastic cuts to atmospheric carbon dioxide levels won’t be enough for the world’s weather systems to fall back into their previous patterns, according to a new study. But the research also suggests we still can have a huge impact on how severe … Read more
Millions of people take antidepressants each day, but a major new review of the data brings up some concerns with how the drugs are currently prescribed. In fact, when taken over long periods for mild and moderate depression, antidepressants may be doing patients more harm than good, the review explains. That’s not to say … Read more
Many people have experienced reductions in stress, pain, and anxiety, and sometimes even euphoria after exercise. What’s behind this so-called ‘runner’s high’? New research on the neuroscience of exercise may surprise you. The runner’s high has long been attributed to endorphins. These are chemicals produced naturally in the body of humans and other animals … Read more
For people with post-traumatic stress disorder, recalling memories of physical or sexual assault, combat or disaster-related events can induce intense anxiety or panic attacks as well as debilitating flashbacks. In the US, about seven percent of people suffer from PTSD and lose an average of about four working days each month as a result. … Read more