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Behavioral Health
One-fifth of homeless youth are victims of human trafficking
A new study highlights the pipeline from abuse to homelessness to sex trafficking among youth in Philadelphia, D.C., and Phoenix, the largest study to date on human trafficking and teens.
A potential new weapon in the battle against addiction
New research revealed that FDA-approved drugs to treat diabetes and obesity may reduce cocaine relapse and help addicts break the habit. Such medications work by targeting receptors for glucagon-like peptide 1, a hormone in the brain.
The human story of coal’s downturn
A forthcoming report from the Kleinman Center for Energy Policy will offer a range of strategies to directly impact the economic and mental health crisis in coal country.
New telemedicine app connects veterinarians and pet owners with behavioral expertise
A new telemedicine web-based app aims to expand access to expert advice on how to manage their pets’ behavior.
Sorenson talks gun violence prevention at March for Science
At the second annual March for Science in Washington, D.C., on Saturday, April 14, Susan B. Sorenson of the School of Social Policy and Practice spoke about gun violence prevention.
Researchers look inside the brain itself to treat depression
Neuroscientists at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia are looking at treatment for major depressive disorder by stimulating neural pathways of the brain itself.
Addressing unseen scars of a traumatic brain injury head on
Research at Penn Med explores the lasting effect of traumatic brain injuries on the nervous system to expand how we understand physical injury to the brain and behavior.
Risk tolerance linked to amygdala and prefrontal cortex brain regions
New research links willingness to take risks to brain structure and function, specifically the amygdala, the prefrontal cortex, and connections between the two.
Linking teen driving behaviors to ADHD, other mental health factors
Teen drivers are three times more likely to get into a fatal crash than their more-experienced counterparts. New research found a link between mistakes these new drivers make and self-reported ADHD.
Being hungry shuts off perception of chronic pain
Finding food is a necessary survival skill, but so is avoiding pain. Research led by J. Nicholas Betley and postdoctoral researcher Amber Alhadeff showed that being hungry activates a neural pathway that inhibits the sensing and responding to chronic pain. The findings offer up new targets for treating pain.
In the News
Americans are sleeping more than ever. See how you compare
Mathias Basner of the Perelman School of Medicine says that work and traveling are the major sleep killers, with the majority of traveling being commuting to and from work.
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How does fat leave the body? Experts explain the weight loss process
Colleen Tewksbury of the School of Nursing and Perelman School of Medicine says that waist circumference is a more accessible and potentially more helpful measure for fat loss than stepping on a scale.
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When it’s time for an aging driver to hit the brakes
Lauren Massimo of the School of Nursing says that losing the ability to drive is a major and dehumanizing loss for older adults.
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Many parents give their children melatonin at night. Here’s why you may not want to
Ilene Rosen of the Perelman School of Medicine supports practicing proven-bedtime-routine behaviors and avoiding bright lights and electronics in the bedroom to encourage the body’s natural production of melatonin.
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Why are older Americans drinking so much?
David Oslin of the Perelman School of Medicine says that alcohol use can have much more disastrous consequences for older adults, whose bodies cannot process it as quickly.
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Best CPAP alternatives
Richard Schwab of the Perelman School of Medicine says that obstructive sleep apnea causes breathing to pause during sleep when something like the tongue or relaxed throat muscles blocks the airway.
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