Bennett Foddy's free browser games are the exercise your brain needs

This video game designer's creations have been said to work "neurological magic."

Photo Credit: Froddy.net
  • Video game designer Bennett Foddy's games hack players' neurology to allow them to embody the subjects on the screen.
  • Foddy plays with perceptions of sensation to explore how gamers come to "become" the digital characters.
  • Research indicates that video games can change how our brains perform and their structural makeup. For instance, enhancing several kinds of focus.
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Urine survey reveals Europe’s favorite drugs

Coke, meth, ecstasy, amphetamines: each drug has a different 'capital'

Image: European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction
  • A large-scale survey of wastewater across Europe shows which illicit drugs are popular.
  • The use of four main drugs was up across the board last year, but regional variation persists.
  • Cocaine is popular in the west and south, meth in the east and north.
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Scorpion venom drug may reverse alcohol damage in babies

A new drug derived from scorpion venom reversed developmental damage in mice exposed to alcohol during pregnancy.

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  • Scientists tested a drug derived of scorpion venom on mice exposed to alcohol during pregnancy.
  • The drug was able to reverse specific developmental damage caused by alcohol and will next be tested on humans.
  • Researchers pinpointed specific molecular mechanisms causing developmental problems.
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The 'opposite of addiction' theory: How community can drive recovery

The path to sobriety isn't one that can be traveled alone, studies suggest.

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  • The theory that the opposite of addiction is community was introduced by author Johann Hari and has been backed up by mountains of evidence from various studies over the past few decades.
  • A 1993 study showed that a spouse/significant other's involvement in behavioral marital therapy "significantly improved" outcomes for recovering alcoholics.
  • A 2001 study on the effectiveness of group therapy for depression showed that there are times when the sense of community, togetherness, and compassion found in group therapy programs is much more helpful than individual therapy.
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The psychology of shopping addiction

Is obsessive shopping a compulsion, an addiction, or both?

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  • Shopping might be one of the most socially acceptable addictions, but it's still a very powerful one that up to 6% of our population struggles with.
  • Shopping addiction is a predominantly female problem, with around 90% of shopaholics being women.
  • The neurotransmitter dopamine (which is also activated when we indulge in addictive substances such as alcohol or addictive behaviors like gambling) floods our system when we buy new things.
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