Monthly Archives

May 2018

H is for Heritability

By | A-Z

Heritability is the proportion of variation in a given population that is due to genetic differences. If a trait is highly heritable, it is more likely to be shared between individuals of close genetic relatedness, regardless of whether they share the same environment. This concept can be difficult to wrap…

Read More

F for Fear

By | A-Z

Fear is an emotional response vital for our survival. However, overwhelming fear can lead to excessive avoidance of situations that are not actually dangerous, causing distress and impairing daily functioning. Here, we give an overview of fear, explaining when it becomes pathological and how it can be studied experimentally.

Read More

Angry or Anxious?

By | Research Matters

When we perceive threat, our bodies initiate a fight-or-flight response (Cannon, 1932). This physiological reaction – involving symptoms such as quickened heart rate – prepares us for action. Although unpleasant, it is likely that this adaptive response enabled our ancestors to run from or fight predators, and therefore to survive…

Read More

E for Eating Disorders

By | A-Z

Eating disorders are complex, debilitating disorders which are commonly misunderstood. They are a result of complex interactions between innate biological factors (metabolism, brain reward processing in response to food), current state (adolescence, pregnancy, age) and the social environment (availability of different foods). The interactions of these factors lead to fluctuating…

Read More