Winter 2013

Brain scan can decode whom you are thinking about
Our mental pictures of people produce unique patterns of brain activation, which can be detected using advanced imaging techniques, according to a new study by Nathan Spreng.
 coupleKilling your loved one with kindness can backfire
When a partner’s emotional support is perceived as unhelpful, the well-being of the recipient can be negatively impacted, reports a new study by Ong and Selcuk.
geneGene thought to be linked to Alzheimer’s is marker for only mild impairment
Defying a widely held belief in Alzheimer’s disease research, Reyna and Brainerd report that people with a specific gene are more likely to develop mild cognitive impairment – but not Alzheimer’s.
scalePoor children’s higher weights linked to less access to yards, parks
A recent study by Evans links low-income children’s higher weight in part because they have less access to open green space where they can play and get exercise.
CeciCeci to receive a top award from academic society
Professor Stephen J. Ceci will receive the Distinguished Scientific Contributions to Child Development Award, April 19 from the Society for Research in Child Development.
brain scanMRI to help unlock mysteries of teen risky behavior
A $1.7 million NIH grant will be used to better understand why teens are prone to taking risks. The study will use an MRI to compare brains of teens and adults when faced with risky decisions.
palliative care conferenceResearchers, practitioners set agenda for palliative care
Cornell researchers met with Ithaca-area practitioners to set a research agenda for the little-studied field, which offers treatments to alleviate pain and suffering for seriously ill patients.
good news TNPreference to save the best for last fades with age
People’s preferences for the sequence of good and bad experiences change as they age, reports a new study by Loeckenhoff. Young adults want the good last; older adults want the good and bad mixed.

Students in the News

RiffinCaring for difficult elders linked to caregivers’ poorer health
HD graduate student Catherine Riffin is the lead author on a study that suggests tending to older loved ones who have bold personalities may be harmful to caregivers’ physical health.
Exner-CortensTeen dating violence linked to long-term harmful effects
HD graduate student Deinera Exner-Cortens is first author on a recent study about the harmful long-term effects associated with violent teen dating relationships.
internStudents spend summer doing research, outreach
HD students participated in summer extension internships throughout NYS

More Stories

Cornell lab brings research to life for Sciencenter families

Study: Casual teen sex linked to higher depression rates

Study: Self-injury in young people is a gateway to suicide

What is translational neuroscience?

New Resources

Positive emotion disturbance
A social neuroscience perspective on adolescent risk taking
Neurodevelopmental processes in the emergence of psychosis
Law and neuroscience: will brain imaging matter?
Large-scale brain network interactivity and aging
Women in science video series
K-12 extension-education modules from CIWS
Suicide prevention in college settings
Effective Ways to Communicate Risk and Benefit
Youth-adult partnerships for change
Evidence based strategies and practices guide