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Why do some kids take bigger risks than others?

A new study from Boston University's Social Development and Learning Lab reveals that children from lower socioeconomic backgrounds take bigger risks in certain situations due to their environment. The research, led by Professor Peter Blake, suggests that children are rationally choosing risk when it makes sense in their circumstances.

SourceBoston University·JournalProceedings of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences·TypeObservational study·DateSep 30, 2022

Race and ethnicity influence end-of-life care for Medicare patients with dementia

A Rutgers study found that racial and ethnic minorities with dementia receive more intensive end-of-life care. This disparity may be attributed to systemic racism, discrimination, or poor physician communication. The researchers suggest improving end-of-life care and outcomes for people with dementia through initiatives like advance ca...

SourceRutgers University·JournalJournal of the American Geriatrics Society·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateSep 29, 2022

Inside the brains of procrastinators

A recent study from the Paris Brain Institute has identified a region of the brain where the decision to procrastinate is made: the anterior cingulate cortex. The researchers developed an algorithm to predict participants' tendency to procrastinate, suggesting that procrastination is related to the impact of deadlines on task evaluation.

SourceInstitut du Cerveau (Paris Brain Institute)·JournalNature Communications·DateSep 26, 2022

Can robots have morals? Robots’ decisions on forced medication evoke doubts

A study at the University of Helsinki found that people accept human nurses overruling patient autonomy but reject similar decisions made by robots. The researchers suggest that human empathy is required to consider robot-made solutions equally acceptable as those made by humans. The findings imply that machines cannot comprehensively ...

SourceUniversity of Helsinki·JournalEuropean Journal of Social Psychology·DateSep 24, 2022

Did my computer say it best?

A study from the University of Georgia shows people who rely on algorithms for creative tasks don't improve their performance and are more likely to trust low-quality advice. Participants preferred algorithm-derived advice over human-based advice, even when confident in their answers.

SourceUniversity of Georgia·JournalScientific Reports·DateSep 20, 2022

Healthcare researchers must be wary of misusing AI

Healthcare researchers caution against misusing AI algorithms in clinical research, highlighting concerns about bias, transparency, and data quality. The team advocates for evaluating ML methods against traditional statistical approaches and ensuring clinician decision-making is complemented, not replaced.

SourceDuke-NUS Medical School·JournalNature Medicine·TypeCommentary/editorial·DateSep 13, 2022

Less invasive treatment for emphysema is as good as more invasive surgery: results from first randomised controlled trial comparing lung volume surgery and bronchoscopic lung volume reduction with valve placement

A randomized controlled trial found that both BVLR and surgery lead to significant improvements in lung function, breathlessness, and exercise capacity. The study suggests that less invasive BVLR may be a good therapeutic option for suitable patients, offering a similar outcome to traditional surgery.

SourceEuropean Respiratory Society·TypeRandomized controlled/clinical trial·DateSep 5, 2022

What makes us share posts on social media?

A new study by University of Pennsylvania researchers found that people share information that is meaningful to themselves or their friends and family. The study analyzed the behavior of over 3,000 individuals and discovered that sharing activates reward centers in the brain and is driven by social relevance.

SourceUniversity of Pennsylvania·JournalJournal of Experimental Psychology General·DateAug 25, 2022

How minor changes in choice architecture can improve health insurance product choices and costs

Researchers found that providing default alternatives and using ordering and partitioning together can improve consumer choice. This study aims to provide a more efficient way for consumers to make better decisions about healthcare products, ultimately improving health outcomes and the efficiency of the healthcare system.

SourceAmerican Marketing Association·JournalJournal of Marketing·DateAug 24, 2022

Maximizing could be key to minimizing our environmental footprint

A new study finds that maximizing behavior is linked to increased item usage, suggesting a potential strategy for reducing over-consumerism and its environmental impact. Maximizers tend to spend more time considering options and make greater use of their choices, which could encourage people to get more mileage out of their stuff.

SourceUniversity of Toronto, Rotman School of Management·JournalPersonality and Individual Differences·TypeRandomized controlled/clinical trial·DateAug 22, 2022

Early blood tests predict death, severe disability for traumatic brain injury

Researchers developed a blood test that predicts poor outcomes in patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI), allowing clinicians to make decisions earlier on possible treatment. The test, which measures protein biomarkers GFAP and UCH-L1, showed high accuracy in predicting death and severe disability six months after injury.

SourceMichigan Medicine - University of Michigan·JournalThe Lancet Neurology·TypeRandomized controlled/clinical trial·DateAug 19, 2022

Greenland’s Indigenous population favours extracting and exporting sand from melting ice sheet

A national survey of 1000 adults in Greenland found that 3 out of 4 support extracting and exporting sand from the melting ice sheet, with most preferring local involvement. The study highlights a rare example of an Arctic Indigenous population wanting to be involved in decision-making about adapting to accelerated Arctic changes.

SourceMcGill University·JournalNature Sustainability·TypeSurvey·DateAug 18, 2022

Why thinking hard makes you tired

A study found that prolonged mental labor leads to glutamate accumulation in the prefrontal cortex, causing cognitive fatigue and altering control over decisions. Researchers suggest taking rest and sleep as a solution to overcome this limitation.

SourceCell Press·JournalCurrent Biology·TypeExperimental study·DateAug 11, 2022

When a task adds more steps, this circuit helps you notice

A new study by neuroscientists at MIT's Picower Institute finds that the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and motor cortex collaborate to update understanding and behavior when a task requires more steps. The ACC helps M2 adjust to new rules, but reduced activity leads to increased negative outcome encoding cells' activity in M2.

SourcePicower Institute at MIT·JournalNature Communications·TypeExperimental study·DateAug 5, 2022

Clinical trial reveals strategy for increasing shared decision-making by physicians and older patients about colorectal cancer screening

A recent clinical trial led by Massachusetts General Hospital validated a strategy for increasing shared decision-making about colorectal cancer screening in older patients. Brief physician training plus reminders resulted in patients reporting higher quality conversations, with more discussing their preferences and having more options...

SourceMassachusetts General Hospital·JournalJournal of General Internal Medicine·TypeExperimental study·DateAug 5, 2022

When heart-assisting implants could save a life, patients who are Black or female don’t get them as often

A new study reveals racial and gender disparities in access to life-saving heart-assisting implants, with Black patients and women facing lower rates of surgery. Despite similar survival rates, the findings suggest that unconscious bias may be influencing healthcare provider decisions.

SourceMichigan Medicine - University of Michigan·JournalJAMA Network Open·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateAug 1, 2022

COVID-19 may have increased UK doctors’ willingness to not resuscitate the very sick/frail

A survey of UK doctors found that the pandemic has led to an increase in willingness to forgo life-saving treatments for very sick patients, while views on euthanasia and assisted dying have remained unchanged. The COVID-19 pandemic has transformed end-of-life care, prompting a reevaluation of clinicians' decision-making processes.

SourceBMJ Group·JournalJournal of Medical Ethics·TypeObservational study·DateJul 25, 2022

Melanoma thickness equally hard for algorithms and dermatologists to judge

Researchers from the University of Gothenburg found that assessing melanoma thickness is challenging for both human dermatologists and machine-learning algorithms. Despite differences in success rates, both groups achieved comparable results when evaluating dermoscopic images, highlighting the need for further study to improve diagnost...

SourceUniversity of Gothenburg·JournalJournal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology·TypeImaging analysis·DateJul 20, 2022

Spirituality linked with better health outcomes, patient care

A study by Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and Brigham and Women's Hospital found that incorporating spirituality into care can lead to healthier lives, including greater longevity and quality of life. The researchers recommend increasing awareness among clinicians about the protective benefits of spiritual community particip...

SourceHarvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health·JournalJAMA·TypeMeta-analysis·DateJul 12, 2022

Video game players show enhanced brain activity, decision-making skill study: Video game players show enhanced brain activity, decision-making skill

A study by Georgia State University researchers found that frequent video game players exhibit superior sensorimotor decision-making skills and increased brain activity compared to non-players. The study suggests that video games can be used for training in perceptual decision-making, with no trade-off between speed and accuracy.

SourceGeorgia State University·JournalNeuroImage·TypeExperimental study·DateJul 11, 2022

An appetite map in the brain

A recent study published in Nature has identified a complex neural network in the fruit-fly brain that shapes behavior and decision-making, particularly when it comes to food choice. The 'appetite map' created by the researchers reveals how internal states, such as nutrient deficiencies and pregnancy, interact to guide behavior.

SourceChampalimaud Centre for the Unknown·JournalNature·TypeExperimental study·DateJul 6, 2022

Decision-making: a new distribution of tasks in our prefrontal cortex?

Researchers propose a new framework for understanding how our prefrontal cortex makes decisions, highlighting the role of ventromedial prefrontal cortex in assigning value to options and medial prefrontal cortex in confidence and deliberation. The study's findings can be generalized to other types of behavior, such as judgments.

SourceInstitut du Cerveau (Paris Brain Institute)·JournalJNeurosci·TypeImaging analysis·DateJun 28, 2022

New study finds doctors prescribe fewer painkillers during nightshifts than during the day

A new study published in PNAS found that physicians prescribe less pain medication during night shifts than during the day. Researchers attribute this discrepancy to reduced empathy among doctors on night shifts. The study analyzed data from 13,482 discharge letters and found a significant bias towards prescribing fewer painkillers at ...

SourceThe Hebrew University of Jerusalem·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·TypeMeta-analysis·DateJun 27, 2022

Who benefits from brain training and why?

A joint UC Riverside and UC Irvine study found that people who show near transfer in brain training are more likely to experience far transfer, meaning improved focus and problem-solving skills. The research suggests that working memory training can be effective for certain individuals, but its impact on fluid intelligence remains deba...

SourceUniversity of California - Riverside·JournalNature Human Behaviour·TypeExperimental study·DateJun 20, 2022

Georgia Tech researcher finds that military cannot rely on AI for strategy or judgment

A Georgia Tech researcher argues that AI cannot replace human strategy and judgment in warfare, citing the unpredictable nature of war and the need for human sense-making and moral decision-making. The research highlights the importance of human intervention in making tactical and strategic decisions.

SourceGeorgia Institute of Technology·JournalInternational Security·TypeObservational study·DateJun 14, 2022

Stanford researchers reveal add-on benefits of natural defenses against sea-level rise

A new study by Stanford researchers shows that nature-based solutions, such as conserving marshlands and restoring beaches, can be as effective as concrete seawalls in protecting against sea-level rise. The research found that these solutions provide extra benefits, including opportunities for recreation, climate change mitigation thro...

SourceStanford University·Journalnpj Urban Sustainability·DateJun 9, 2022