Northwestern University

Rethinking What We Want in a Partner

When it comes to romantic attraction men primarily are motivated by good looks and women by earning power. At least that’s what men and women have been saying for a long time. Based on research that dates back several decades, the widely accepted notion permeates popular culture today.

But those sex differences didn’t hold up in a new in-depth study of romantic attraction undertaken by two Northwestern University psychologists.

In short, the data suggest that whether you’re a man or a woman, being attractive is just as good for your romantic prospects and, to a lesser extent, so is being a good earner. [continue reading…]

Chronic Pain Harms the Brain

pain2.jpgThis illustration shows the same brain images from a different angle These show the brain from the left side, again demonstrating striking differences between chronic pain patients and healthy subjects.

 People with unrelenting pain don’t only suffer from the nonstop sensation of throbbing pain. They also have trouble sleeping, are often depressed, anxious and even have difficulty making simple decisions. 

In a new study, investigators at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine have identified a clue that may explain how suffering long-term pain could trigger these other pain-related symptoms.

Researchers found that in a healthy brain all the regions exist in a state of equilibrium. When one region is active, the others quiet down. But in people with chronic pain, a front region of the cortex mostly associated with emotion “never shuts up,” said Dante Chialvo, lead author and associate research professor of physiology at the Feinberg School. The region is stuck on full throttle, wearing out neurons and altering their connections to each other. [continue reading…]

Teenagers find online news stressful

It’s not the advertising that bothers teens when it comes to online news, it’s the news itself that they find troubling, according to a Northwestern University study on the online news experiences of teenagers.

While the 14- to 18-year-old study participants described time spent on YouTube or social networking and music downloading sites as a treat or time-out, they described their online news experiences as stressful or a reminder of the world’s dangers. [continue reading…]