A new study provides valuable insight into the neuropathology of early autism development by imaging the brains of naturally sleeping toddlers. The research identifies a brain abnormality observed at the very beginning stages of autism that may aid in early diagnosis of autism and shed light on its underlying biology.

In a novel imaging study of sleeping toddlers, scientists report that a diminished ability of a young brain’s hemispheres to “sync” with one another could be a powerful, new biological marker of autism, one that might enable an autism diagnosis at a very young age.

Power can lead to great acts of altruism, but also corruptive, unethical behavior. Being intoxicated can lead to a first date, or a bar brawl. And the mask of anonymity can encourage one individual to let a stranger know they have toilet paper stuck to their shoe, whereas another may post salacious photos online. What is the common thread between these three disparate states?

Mental illness of a family member can destroy the family’s connection with the religious community, a new study by psychologists has found, leading many affected families to leave the church and their faith behind.

Young people who identify themselves as gay, lesbian or bisexual, experience same-sex attractions or engage in same-sex sexual behaviors are more likely to experience sexual abuse, parental physical abuse and bullying from peers than other youth, according to a University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health study…

Women’s bias against male strangers increases when women are fertile, suggesting prejudice may be partly fueled by genetics, according to a study by Michigan State University psychology researchers. The study, funded by the National Science Foundation, appears online in Psychological Science, a major research journal…

Patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) could lose brain function earlier than is noticeably detectable, affecting their ability to make decisions about their care. Physicians need a method to assess these sensitive changes in brain function, without the need for extensive neuropsychological tests.

Women’s bias against male strangers increases when women are fertile, suggesting prejudice may be partly fueled by genetics, according to a new study.

A new study finds that serious behavioral abnormalities, some of which could be compared to mental illness in humans, are endemic among captive chimpanzees. While most behavior of zoo-living chimpanzees is ‘normal’ in that it is typical of their wild counterparts, abnormal behavior is endemic in this population despite enrichment efforts such as social housing, say researchers.

Brain cancer patients who are able to exercise live significantly longer than sedentary patients, scientists at the Duke Cancer Institute report. The finding, published online Monday in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, adds to recent research that exercise improves how cancer patients feel during and after treatments, and may also extend their lives…