A new study published in The Medical Journal of Australia suggests that online symptom checkers only provide accurate diagnoses 1/3 of the time. A team of researchers from Edith Cowan University (ECU) evaluated the accuracy of 36 different symptom checkers, inputting symptoms of 48 different “patients.” They pulled clinical information…
A new study says binge drinking rates among college students are dropping significantly in states where marijuana is legalized. Researchers looked at data from seven different states and 135 colleges where marijuana was legalized by the year 2018 as well as 41 states and 454 colleges where recreational marijuana use…
According to a new study “Distinct neural mechanisms for the prosocial and rewarding properties of MDMA,” published in Science Translational Medicine, MDMA (ecstasy) could improve trust between patient and therapist, thereby enhancing treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder. Researchers from Stanford University School of Medicine differentiated two molecular pathways, one responsible…
Male students select higher paying majors than female students, even when both sexes report wanting to pursue a major with the highest potential earnings. The research team says that this might be due in part to women feeling that certain fields, like STEM, are not open or accessible to them….
New research says that construction workers are more likely to use cocaine and opioids than workers in other industries; they are the second most likely to use marijuana. Researchers used the National Survey on Drug Use and Health to analyze a dataset of 293,492 adults, including 16,610 construction workers, from…
New research from Mayo Clinic says that vaping-related lung injuries are likely due to toxic chemical fumes. The CDC has reported over 800 lung injuries associated with vaping or electronic cigarette use in the past several months; additionally, there have been 12 confirmed deaths related to these injuries. Mayo Clinic…
New research suggests certain positions and longer careers increase an NFL player’s risk of developing cognitive and mental health issues. Researchers analyzed career length, position history, head and neck injuries, concussion symptoms, depression and anxiety symptoms. They found that players with the longest careers were twice as likely to report…
New research found a link between poor air quality and higher rates of bipolar disorder as well as major depression in the U.S. and Denmark. Additionally, it found a link between exposure to poor air quality in the first 10 years of life and a two-fold increase in schizophrenia and…
Multiple studies have suggested that living near green space is beneficial to mental health. But new research says we only experience these benefits when the green space contains trees. Researchers analyzed 47,000 adults over the course of six years. The team examined how living near different kinds of green space,…
Laughter influences how well a joke is perceived. Researchers from UCLA rated 40 cheesy jokes on a scale of 1 to 7, 1 being unamusing and 7 being hilarious. Then, a professional comedian recorded each joke twice: in the first recording, canned laughter followed the joke, and in the second,…
The bystander effect says we are less likely to help someone in need when others are present. But a new study found that 9 times out of 10, bystanders will intervene to help victims of aggression and violence. Researchers from the University of Copenhagen and Lancaster University reviewed video recordings…
New research shows that spicy food—chili in particular—might lead to a greater risk of dementia. Participants who ate more than 50 grams of chili a day had a higher risk of experiencing cognitive decline with age. Researchers analyzed 4582 Chinese individuals over the age of 55 for 15 years: the…