Psychiatry

Highly creative people often seem weirder than the rest of us. Now researchers know why

Letters to the editor about the January/February 2011 issue of Scientific American MIND

Research suggests limits to looking on the sunny side of life

A new study finds that alcoholic mice more readily form Pavlovian associations with addictive substances. Similar subconscious memories may haunt recovering addicts

By just thinking about, or saying, certain words, people can control a computer cursor. Christie Nicholson reports

Senior citizens who spent their time restricted to their living quarters had a higher chance of developing dementia, a new study finds. Cynthia Graber reports

We think we should remove any ums and uhs when we talk, especially when teaching children language. New research finds that such pauses may be useful. Christie Nicholson reports

Research with chimpanzees finds that chimps yawn more around other yawning chimps from their own community than with those from a separate community. Christie Nicholson reports

Two recent large studies reflect growing evidence that ADHD increases children's risk for abusing tobacco, alcohol and other drugs when they are older. It remains a mystery whether the link is causal

Research finds that increased brain activity in key areas is tightly linked to an ability to control the tics caused by Tourette syndrome. Christie Nicholson reports

Brain scans and other types of neurological evidence are rarely a factor in trials today. Someday, however, they could transform judicial views of personal credibility and responsibility

Controlling parents tend to have children who are academically above average but depressed