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Psychology
Results 1 - 20 of 112.
Life Sciences - Psychology - 27.05.2025
AI takes only minutes to tell how mature an infant’s brain is
A study led by UdeM's Sarah Lippé demonstrates that artificial intelligence can quickly and accurately assess brain maturity in babies, enabling early detection of developmental disorders. Machine-learning algorithms can now estimate the "brain age" of infants with unprecedented precision by analyzing electrical brain signals recorded using electroencephalography (EEG).
Music - Psychology - 06.05.2025

A new website offers video capsules and popular texts to inform the general public about the scientifically recognized benefits of playing and listening to music You don't have to be a violin virtuoso or a guitarist of the calibre of Jimi Hendrix to enjoy the benefits of music. Every amateur musician benefits from playing an instrument, even if it's just a few notes or a wooden spoon.
Psychology - Health - 31.03.2025

According to a study by Marie-Colombe Afota, how people see themselves plays an important role in their intense-and sometimes toxic-approach to work. How do workaholics' self-image influence their degree of dedication to their job? And how does that impact their mental health? To find out, Marie-Colombe Afota, a professor in Université de Montréal's School of Industrial Relations, teamed up with colleagues in Montreal and France to study 544 graduates of a French business school over an eight-month period.
Health - Psychology - 26.03.2025
Using LLMs to understand how autism gets diagnosed
In a study that used large language models to analyze healthcare records of Quebec francophone children, scientists argue that current criteria for diagnosing autism are in need of revision.
Psychology - Health - 26.03.2025
AI analysis challenges autism diagnosis criteria
Researchers suggest behavioural traits are more telling than social communication and interaction factors, so diagnostic focus should be sharpened An analysis of digital health records using large language models (LLMs) is challenging a long-held belief about the clinical identifiers of autism. A new study led by researchers at The Neuro (Montreal Neurological Institute-Hospital) of McGill University and Mila Quebec AI Institute found that social communication factors may not be as important in identifying the condition as previously believed.
Life Sciences - Psychology - 27.02.2025

This protein plays an important role in maintaining the integrity of the barrier that controls exchanges between the blood and the brain When faced with chronic stress, some people develop anxiety and depressive symptoms, while others show great resilience. How can such differences be explained? It could be attributable, at least in part, to a protein that acts as a cannabinoid receptor and is present in the structure that controls exchanges between the bloodstream and the brain, suggests a study just published in Nature Neuroscience .
Life Sciences - Psychology - 19.02.2025
Scientific insights into how humans access deep spiritual states
Study finds practices in Buddhism and Christianity share a similar cognitive pathway to profound focus Two seemingly opposite spiritual practices - Buddhist jhana meditation and the Christian practice of speaking in tongues - have more in common than previously thought, a new study suggests. While one is quiet and deeply focused, and the other emotionally charged and expressive, both appear to harness the same cognitive feedback loop to create profound states of joy and surrender.
Psychology - Social Sciences - 17.02.2025
Running the gauntlet to get pregnant when you’re LGBTQ+
A new study sheds light on the obstacles faced by LGBTQ+ couples navigating medically assisted reproduction. For LGBTQ+ couples, getting pregnant can be an arduous process. There are countless forms to fill out and medical tests to take - many of which they feel are unnecessary - and a lot of invasive questions they have to field from friends and family who know precious little about the process.
Life Sciences - Psychology - 27.01.2025
What drives mood swings in bipolar disorder? Study points to a second brain clock
Researchers working with mice discover novel brain mechanism, potentially identifying new targets for treatment A brain rhythm working in tandem with the body's natural sleep-wake cycle may explain why bipolar patients alternate between mania and depression, according to new research. The McGill University-led study published in Science Advances marks a breakthrough in understanding what drives shifts between the two states, something that, according to lead author Kai-Florian Storch , is considered the "holy grail" of bipolar-disorder research.
Health - Psychology - 21.01.2025

UdeM scientists are combining immersive imagery and hypnotic techniques to reduce pain and anxiety in patients who have cancer of the blood. In a room at Maisonneuve-Rosemont Hospital in Montreal, a patient puts on a virtual reality (VR) headset. Bright bubbles float slowly up and down before his eyes while soothing sounds play in the background.
Psychology - 25.11.2024

People's preference for simple explanations of any situation is connected to their desire to execute tasks efficiently, finds a new study from the University of Waterloo. "These findings show that our preference for simpler explanations mirrors how we evaluate actions. Simplicity isn't just valued in explanations-it's part of how we think about achieving results efficiently," said Claudia Sehl, lead author and a PhD candidate in developmental psychology at Waterloo.
Psychology - Health - 15.11.2024

A team of researchers from McGill and Université de Montréal's Observatoire pour l'éducation et la santé des enfants (OPES, or observatory on children's health and eduation), led by Sylvana Côté, spending two hours a week of class time in a natural environment can reduce emotional distress among 10- to 12-year-olds who had the most significant mental health problems before the program began.
Psychology - Health - 08.11.2024
’Emotional contagion’ a factor in senior’s mental health
A new study finds that seniors who tend to mirror other people's feelings are more likely to show signs of being anxious or depressed themselves. Madeleine and Paul are sitting on a park bench. As she tells Paul about her financial worries and how she's been struggling for months to make ends meet, Madeleine's eyes well with tears.
Psychology - Innovation - 22.10.2024

Parents' cellphone use can have a direct impact on their preteens' mental health, according to a study. The effects include increased hyperactivity and inattention. There have been numerous studies of the effects of screen time on children. But kids aren't the only ones using cellphones; parents are just as likely to be seen glued to their devices at the park, at a restaurant and at home.
Health - Psychology - 17.10.2024

A new study reveals children with autism have a keen interest in letters and numbers - something their parents don't always spot. During diagnostic assessments, many autistic children spontaneously head to the magnetic board with letters and numbers. How common is this interest in letters and numbers among autistic children?
Life Sciences - Psychology - 10.10.2024
A new target for anxiety disorders
By generating mice with genetic mutations that disrupt the brain's TrkC-PTP? protein complex, researchers at the UdeM-affiliated IRCM find a key way that brain cells communicate. Scientists at Université de Montréal and its affiliated Montreal Clinical Research Institute (IRCM) have uncovered unique roles for a protein complex in the structural organization and function of brain cell connectivity, as well as in specific cognitive behaviors.
Psychology - Health - 09.10.2024
Parenting programs help kids, but provide insufficient support for parents
Oct. 10-11, campus is open to McGill students, employees and essential visitors. Most classes are in-person. See Campus Public Safety website for details. Les 10 et 11 octobre, le campus est accessible aux étudiants et au personnel de l'Université, ainsi qu'aux visiteurs essentiels. La plupart des cours ont lieu en présentiel.
Psychology - Life Sciences - 30.09.2024
It takes two to tango: an interpersonal perspective on autism
A new study by UdeM neuroscientist Guillaume Dumas sheds new light on the behaviour and brain activity of people with autism in social situations. The behavioural and inter-brain dynamics between a person with autism and a neurotypical person are different than those between two neurotypical people. That's the conclusion of a new study by Guillaume Dumas , a professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Addiction at Université de Montréal and principal investigator at the Precision Psychiatry and Social Physiology Laboratory at the CHU Sainte-Justine Research Centre.
Life Sciences - Psychology - 06.09.2024
Helping your brain ward off Alzheimer’s symptoms
Participating in a series of cognitive training sessions has helped Quebec seniors cope with memory loss - even five years later, an UdeM study finds. Can training your brain to remember things help you ward off the symptoms of Alzheimer's disease? A new Canadian study suggests that yes, it can - even five years after you got the training.
Psychology - Pedagogy - 26.08.2024

This condition in children predicts anxiety about the transition from primary to secondary school, loss of motivation and difficulty adapting in the first year of secondary school, according to research from the Faculty of Education. A longitudinal study by Université Laval shows that evaluation anxiety during primary school exams is linked to a lack of academic motivation and worries about the transition to secondary school.